Ceremony in very shadowy area

Hi guys, I've been invited to a friends wedding and they have their pro photog capturing the wedding but i thought, what good practice if i can shoot just random stuff the photog might miss. I am an enthusiast at best in this area, and am trying to learn as much as i can. The ceremony is in a great spot but will have afternoon sunlight shining through lots of massive gum trees, Which will cast fairly heavy shadows. I do have a canon 440 flash and various len's. Does any one have any suggestions on settings or things to think off in regards to shadows? If the day is sunny then there will be lots of harsh shadows, if cloudy then obviously not so much

Don't use flash during the ceremony, its very distracting to everyone.

yeppo i agree, the ceromony is at 3pm so i wasn't planing on using it then, the light should be coming through the trees onto the B+G and should give some lovely tones, and the reception is at 6pm it should be starting to get fairly dark by then, so might have to get the flash out, i'm not sure how the reception is set up or the available light. so will have to go with the flow!!!

jonwhite wrote in post #15789448
Don't use flash during the ceremony, its very distracting to everyone.

Not outdoors it isn't.

jcolman wrote in post #15789976
Not outdoors it isn't.

Its still visible outdoors (particularly to the person its being aimed at) obviously not as much but its not something I would want to do during the ceremony, each to their own though.

Come on guys I would like opinions on the original post, not what you don't like about how someone else would do it

My suggestion would be. Do not use flash and spot meter for the ceremony. If you could white balance, it would make it easier for you post processing. Shadows tend to cast blue tones. I would also shoot in RAW.

Indoor reception. Use flash and have fun.

My suggestion is: use flash and make your subjects look the best you can. But ask your client what they prefer and go with that.

jcolman wrote in post #15791860
My suggestion is: use flash and make your subjects look the best you can. But ask your client what they prefer and go with that.

It's not his client.

scorpio_e wrote in post #15791884
It's not his client.

Ahh....forgot about that. Then I withdraw my comment. Don't use flash. In fact, leave your camera at home.

Use flash if you want. If the professional is truly that, he won't be affected or bothered by it...not outdoors in daylight anyway. Heck no one will really even see it unless they're looking at it when it goes off. Just don't shoot anyone when the photographer is wrangling them and needs their eyes on his camera. Once the daylight begins to fade, be careful not to interfere with his flashes and shots and you'll be fine.

When I'm shooting anything, be it an event or a portrait session, I don't care what happens around me unless it directly affects my ability to work.

Thanks cdi, great advice!

Don't get in the way of the pro. Say hi and tell them to just shout or give you a look if you're in the way. Don't distract the couple when he's shooting, don't shoot anything he's shooting when he needs peoples attention, like family photos.

Will the speckled light be falling on the side of the couple closest to the guests or away from the guests? If it's falling on then fill flash can be helpful, but to really fix it you need to overpower the sun. If the speckles are behind then ignore them, shoot ambient. I've been known to use strobes to light an outdoor ceremony.