some wedding questions? got one this weekend

I'm shooting a wedding for my cousin this weekend, and I have a few questions. I'll be going to the rehearsal to scope out the church and reception all, as well as possible outdoor backgrounds. I'm sure i'll have more questions the more i think about it but two quick ones.

1. I'll have an assistant, so during the ceremony itself, where would we position ourselves? One up front in the first pew, getting everyone coming down the aisle? Then have the 2nd person in the middle rear getting a wide angle, then maybe switch to a 70-200 to get centered zoom shots? How do you move around and who takes care of what in the ceremony itself?

2. For wide shots outdoors or inside, since your further away, do you use the flash pointed forward without a diffuser to get the right lighting? And for other closer photos, use a (i have the omnibounce, the 2nd shooter will use the built in bounce card), do you have them both set at a 45 angle or what?

3. for dragging the shutter, do you just pop it in Av mode and shoot and let it decide the shutter speed?

any other advice will be great!

aparis99 wrote in post #7910560
I'm shooting a wedding for my cousin this weekend, and I have a few questions. I'll be going to the rehearsal to scope out the church and reception all, as well as possible outdoor backgrounds. I'm sure i'll have more questions the more i think about it but two quick ones.

1. I'll have an assistant, so during the ceremony itself, where would we position ourselves? One up front in the first pew, getting everyone coming down the aisle? Then have the 2nd person in the middle rear getting a wide angle, then maybe switch to a 70-200 to get centered zoom shots? How do you move around and who takes care of what in the ceremony itself?

2. For wide shots outdoors or inside, since your further away, do you use the flash pointed forward without a diffuser to get the right lighting? And for other closer photos, use a (i have the omnibounce, the 2nd shooter will use the built in bounce card), do you have them both set at a 45 angle or what?

3. for dragging the shutter, do you just pop it in Av mode and shoot and let it decide the shutter speed?

any other advice will be great!

I think it's too late to start asking questions about how to drag the shutter and how to use flash.

I'd stick with what you're comfortable with, if you're unsure of using flash, stick with natural light.

Have you read the FAQ?

1. I'll have an assistant, so during the ceremony itself, where would we position ourselves? One up front in the first pew, getting everyone coming down the aisle? Then have the 2nd person in the middle rear getting a wide angle, then maybe switch to a 70-200 to get centered zoom shots? How do you move around and who takes care of what in the ceremony itself?

One person just behind the front pew, in the aisle, with a wide and a long lens. One person to the left or right, mostly to get a shot of the brides face, but they can move around.

2. For wide shots outdoors or inside, since your further away, do you use the flash pointed forward without a diffuser to get the right lighting? And for other closer photos, use a (i have the omnibounce, the 2nd shooter will use the built in bounce card), do you have them both set at a 45 angle or what?

Indoor use ambient light and high ISO during the ceremony. During the reception do the same, but with flash as well.

3. for dragging the shutter, do you just pop it in Av mode and shoot and let it decide the shutter speed?

Now isn't the time to experiment.

i dont think its too late. i just had a question about the physical locations of shooting the ceremony. I'm not worried about it at all

with the flash, we'll just use ETTL with a diffuser and bounce card indoors, i was just thinking outdoors and further away from the bridal party you would need to use direct flash for filling shadows. I rarely shoot manual so this wedding will probably be done in Av and P.

dont mean to barge in, but what is dragging shutter?

tim wrote in post #7911610
Have you read the FAQ?

3. for dragging the shutter, do you just pop it in Av mode and shoot and let it decide the shutter speed?

Now isn't the time to experiment.

I wouldn't ignore this advice from a pro......

bigfatty wrote in post #7914056
I wouldn't ignore this advice from a pro......

Balancing the ambient light with the flash, usually required in low light situations. You expose for the ambient (typically by lowering the shutter speed for the aperture you are needing) and the flash pops for the subject. You may need to FEC the subject.

Manual is the best way in doing it as you then have full control, especially of the shutter speed and aperture.

Try it you are quick enough in manual to change the settings on the fly in a fast moving wedding and get a decent exposure.

Agree with Rammy. Expose for ambient, flash for the subject, same as you do for a sunset. The difference is for a sunset you're dealing with too much light, at a reception too little. So camera in manual, ISO1600, F2.8, 1/50th, with flash on ETTL FEC+1. Tweak the camera settings to suit your situation, and don't worry if the background is a little underexposed.

Personally I just light the whole room to get around the problem altogether.

can anyone give their input on #1 and #2?

I already did.

ohhh... duh! I saw that, sorry.

but am I right in sayin that for outdoor shots at a distance use direct flash w/o diffuser? and for all others use bounce card or diffuser at 45 deg?

Yep outdoor meter for ambient and direct flash as fill, indoors use the bounce card at anything between almost straight up and maybe 45 degrees.

aparis99 wrote in post #7912302
i I rarely shoot manual so this wedding will probably be done in Av and P.

Big Mistake. In those 2 modes your lighting will be all over the place. ESPECIALLY in a Groom with Black Tux and Bride in White Dress

manual will also make your photos have consistent exposure verses av which constantly changes.

Hey guys, would a Gary Fong "cloud" light sphere help soften in shooting outdoors in say late afternoon? Just wondering myself.