Lighting setup advice (wedding/event)

Equipment:
Canon 7D
Canon 400D
Tokina 35mm
Tamron 24-70mm f2.8
Canon 70-200mm f2.8 IS L MII
2 flashes (600 EX RT original or MII - still debating on that)
1 ST-E3-RT

2 X Lastolite Ezybox II Square Large - 90cm - with stands and shoes.

1 Backdrop - unknown size.

Situation - photos at a wedding. There's a corner of a room I can setup in, although I've not seen how big that area is (brother has arranged the backdrop which is why I'm not sure of its size). This is for informal photos during the after-wedding party. I won't be covering anything else this is just a favour (?) for my brother's wedding.

So what I'm after is for any tips or advice on how to setup and what, if anything, you might change to make this work.
At present I'm thinking of using the 7D with the 24-70mm as the 35mm is too wide an angle and somewhat slower in performance (good optics just not as fast at focusing); whilst the 70-200mm is just too long for indoor areas (mostly).
On the 7D I plan to have the flash controller and then have the two flashes firing from the softboxes either side (although I'm very unsure on angles, heights and power ratios).

I have considered getting some umbrellas as they are simpler to setup and less obtrusive than boxes and not too expensive. I've also wondered if a 3rd on-camera flash would be of benefit to have instead of the controller attachment.


So as this is way outside of my normal areas of interest (normally wildlife/action/macro) I'd welcome any tips or advice going into this as I likely won't get much time to practice beforehand.

You're describing a classic backdrop setup for a wedding.
One light at 30 to 45 degrees off lens axis.
One light right over the camera as fill.
Both up high enough to make sure shadows fall below the subjects. That means at least 30 degrees downward angle.

Umbrellas for sure.

Lens needs to be normal to mild telephoto equivalent.

Aperture needs to be at least 5.6 to ensure everyone is acceptably sharp.

Keep the groups compact with heads close together and have fun.

My thanks Dmward. Could you confirm if you've got the light above the camera at the 30degree angle down that thus would be on a boom arm or similar rather than on the camera body itself (ergo hotshoe).

Also what size of umbrellas would you use - or rather what's the most ideal/practical or just the smallest I could get away with. Just to give some idea of what size to look for.

Would you shoot through or reflect the umbrella light (I'm loosely aware that this is somewhat personal preference for many people).

Also do you use any default balance of power or settings for flashes in this setup. Eg you state that the front facing flash is for fill so would you leave that on ettl and set a power for the other ?

Overread wrote in post #18310560
My thanks Dmward. Could you confirm if you've got the light above the camera at the 30degree angle down that thus would be on a boom arm or similar rather than on the camera body itself (ergo hotshoe).

Also what size of umbrellas would you use - or rather what's the most ideal/practical or just the smallest I could get away with. Just to give some idea of what size to look for.

Would you shoot through or reflect the umbrella light (I'm loosely aware that this is somewhat personal preference for many people).

Also do you use any default balance of power or settings for flashes in this setup. Eg you state that the front facing flash is for fill so would you leave that on ettl and set a power for the other ?

Yes, light at camera should be angled down about the same as the main light.
I generally use shoot through umbrellas because they offer more scatter and it helps to even out lighting across the group. If you have a relatively large group left to right feather the main light toward the far edge of the group. This also helps even the light.

I use the collapsible Westcott that's about 42 inches. Mostly because they are very compact when collapsed and they are about $17 each.

If you set both lights to same power and distance the lighting ratio will be 1:2 which is about as flat as I would go. Set the fill at the camera 1EV below the main for 1:3 which should work for most situations. If you have groups with widely varying skin tones the flatter lighting is better.

When I say fill is one the camera, what I do is put the light on a stand and then stand next to the stand with the lens near it. That get its close enough considering the umbrella diameter.

Personally, I've spent enough time working with speedlites to be comfortable with TTL and tend to leave the lights on TTL and use Flash Exposure Compensation to control the lighting ratio.

If you're not comfortable with TTL then place both lights in M mode and use the power setting to control the ratio.

I'd start with main at 1/2 and fill at 1/4. Use ISO and F stop to get the proper exposure. The lower power settings will speedup recycle and extend battery life for the evening.

I'm not saying that this is the absolute best way to do this but I posted to another thread what I did for a "people standing in front of a background assignment" very simply HERE.

I used one 43" umbrella with a speedlight above the camera. The post above has a photo of the setup and a few examples of the result.

Overread wrote in post #18310560
My thanks Dmward. Could you confirm if you've got the light above the camera at the 30degree angle down that thus would be on a boom arm or similar rather than on the camera body itself (ergo hotshoe).

Also what size of umbrellas would you use - or rather what's the most ideal/practical or just the smallest I could get away with. Just to give some idea of what size to look for.

Would you shoot through or reflect the umbrella light (I'm loosely aware that this is somewhat personal preference for many people).

Also do you use any default balance of power or settings for flashes in this setup. Eg you state that the front facing flash is for fill so would you leave that on ettl and set a power for the other ?

Folks make 'lighting' too complex by failing to understand what ordinary light does...

1. 'fill' in your living room is whatever is bouncing around, off of walls, seemingly 'non directional' and rather 'lower level' illumination
   
2. 'key' light in your living room is the 'brighter stuff' 'somewhat directional' window light that produces highlights on the face of someone sitting where that light is falling
   

• 'somewhat larger' source (compared to the key light size)
  
• somewhat weaker (than key light)
  

• a 'somewhat smaller' source than fill source
  
• and 'somewhat more intense' source than fill (so it casts light within the range of about 0.5EV to 1.0EV stronger on the subject...for 'moderate' to 'low contrast' lighting)
  
• casts no 'objectionable' shadows on the subject(s) faces
  

Should be no issue using your softbox. Umbrellas just make life easier as they throw light every where and easily hide any mistakes but then also less control. This could be good or bad, good when starting for sure.

Personally I never tilt down my on camera axis fill light. It is on a light stand next to my shooting position, pointed straight on the towards the subject. I use big octa or sometimes a softbox. When using softbox I have it in horizontal position. For single subject I can use a strip box in vertical to light eveninly top to bottom. Don't need another octa if I don't have one.

How is the ambient light in the room? And what kind of look you going for? I mean more balance of ambient/flash or more flashed? I former I will place key based on where the ambient light is coming from to augment that with flash.

Just my 2 cents. Zero experience with weddings.

Thanks for the continues input all!

I'm not that sure about the room itself, in fact the only detail I've had further confirmed is that the background material is, in fact, the projector screen in the room (which might give some idea as to space to work with).

Otherwise I think I'll stick with the umbrella's idea, boxes will just be too big and will get in the way more so. Even if the lightsource area is similar the shape and size of a box stands out way more - otherwise I would just use my two boxes.

All good advice... 2 lights in umbrellas with the 24-70 should yield excellent results. Try and get some practice time in by setting up a similar situation BEFORE the event so you can dial in your settings. Don't forget extra batteries.

FarmerTed1971 wrote in post #18311285
Don't forget extra batteries.

Very true, I also intent to use a pixel battery pack with each flash so that plus a few spares should see the night through