Rainy wedding-day, help! - DPChallenge Forums

Leica 18-56mm f/3.5-5.6 Vario Elmar-T ASPH

08/06/2008 12:49:46 PM · #1

The weather is perfect here at the moment, but coming friday (8-8-08) I have my very first wedding-shoot and it looks like it's gonna rain the whole day..

The bride has arranged some alternative inside locations, but the only thing I have are my studio-flashes and a canon 420ex speedlight. I know my studio-flashes better then the speedlight and I know I can make better photo's with them. But it takes a lot of time to set everything up for several settings.

Any advice? Anyone want to dance the sun-dance friday? I was nervous allready, but this drives me CRAZY.

MAK

Leica M Monochrom

08/06/2008 01:01:02 PM · #2

I'ma Dancing for ya Honey. !!!!

You should be good to go with the speedlite, Rainy weddings are just as fun as sunny ones. That is the day, all you have to do is record it. There may be a spot at the reception you can set up the strobes for the group shots and use the speedlight as a fill..

Im sure a photographer of your talent will be just fine..

08/06/2008 01:03:27 PM · #3

Thanks MAK :)

We have arranged to shoot only the location shots, not the reception, official things etc. In those situations I understand the speedlite is cool, but with the posed ones... I'm not sure?

Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm f/2.8G ED

08/06/2008 06:18:30 PM · #4

bump..

Dirt_Diver

Nikon D3s

08/06/2008 06:23:20 PM · #5

See if you can find a friend to help shoot and set up. Make sure you use bounce flash when you can but stay far enough away that you don't get them with bad flash. If you have a diffuser use it.

Get to the location and find some good spots and take some test shots.

Message edited by author 2008-08-06 18:24:24.

Patrick_R

Canon EOS-60D

Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L USM

08/06/2008 06:24:32 PM · #6

Honestly my wedding was in the same boat and up until the day before the wedding they were saying rain. It was 80 and sunny. Never can tell! Good luck

Dirt_Diver

Nikon D3s

Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm f/2.8G ED

08/06/2008 06:26:25 PM · #7

If your lucky you will get some soft clouds and your light will be perfect.

Prof_Fate

08/06/2008 06:56:35 PM · #8

Hopefully you'll get some breaks in the weather for outside pics- wet and cloudy is great for outdoor pics. You can do a lot of cute things with umbrellas too - better if they all match for the wedding party and such.

HIGH ISO, WIDE OPEN w FAST LENSES. Do not fear the noise! It will be dark indoors - everywhere. Darker than normal cause it's darker outside. Not an issue at the reception- it's always too dark there anyway, but the ceremony may be an issue. At least you won't have to worry about backlighting, flare and WB issues with stained glass windows. So there IS an upside!

The 430 is gonna be weak if you bounce it and possibly ugly if shot straiht on. Got pocket wizards? You can use the studio lights in the corners of room to kick up the ambient a bit if you do.

ben4345

Nikon D700

Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm f/2.8G ED

08/07/2008 01:13:22 AM · #9

flash brackets are sometimes a good solution too.

Makka

08/07/2008 03:58:32 AM · #10

Any chance you can borrow or hire maybe a 580 or similar and use two flashes, slave the 420 off it and to the side. Use it on a tripod mount. Be quick and easy to setup and move as well as give you some different lighting options?

Message edited by author 2008-08-07 03:58:45.

08/07/2008 08:41:23 AM · #11

I decided to do what I can do best in this situation: use my studio-flashes. Luckyly I don't have to do the ceremony and stuff ;)

sems like we can have some dry weather tomorrow. so who knows we can do the shots we wanted to do in the first place: outside!

Wish me luck, I'm pretty nervous ;)

Prof_Fate

08/07/2008 08:52:15 AM · #12

Are you taking any non-waterproof gear outside? Bring an assitant and plastic trash bags so that you can protect it if it starts to rain. Take it from someone that's been there - the client won't care your stuff is getting wet (and possibly ruined). Studio flashes are not waterproof. A 5D is not waterproof. You DO have backup just in case, right? I had a 30D get one drop of water in just the wrong place - it kept working but not all the buttons would work till things dried out 4 days later.

08/07/2008 09:25:00 AM · #13

hey that's a good idea! *packs bags in bag*

I'm taking both camera's with me (5D and 30D). When we go outside, I won't take my flashes with me ;) Umbrella is allready taken care of, and the assistant too :P

Also taking a screen to bounce the speedlite flash, just in case :)

Message edited by author 2008-08-07 09:30:15.

Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM

08/08/2008 11:32:11 AM · #14

well I gotto say things went very well and I'm super-satisfied with the results!!

It was dark inside, but I used the speedlite combined with reflection screen and most of the time long shutterspeeds (that went better then expected! they really coorporated fantastic :))

I'll post some when the B&G have seen the photos :D

idnic

Canon EOS-60D

08/08/2008 11:40:29 AM · #15

Can't wait to see, Hann. I have a wedding this evening and its supposed to rain ALL day. Not really looking forward to it.... but they B&G have the most awesome location. Here's hoping the rain stops before the ceremony.

08/08/2008 11:45:58 AM · #16

I bet you'll do fine and I hope the weather is gonna be better!

The only thing is that I had some troubles with the whitebalance.. no clue how to adjust 2 different ones (tungsten and daylight) in one photo.

Any advice is welcome :)

Message edited by author 2008-08-08 11:46:08.

pineapple

Canon EOS-5D

Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM

08/08/2008 12:51:40 PM · #17

If you shot in RAW then you could make two TIF or JPEG files, one with tungsten and one with daylight WB then merge the files in Photoshop - selectively erase.

Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM

08/08/2008 01:07:58 PM · #18

Originally posted by pineapple:

If you shot in RAW then you could make two TIF or JPEG files, one with tungsten and one with daylight WB then merge the files in Photoshop - selectively erase.

thanks!! that's a good one.

idnic

Canon EOS-60D

08/09/2008 08:00:53 PM · #19

Here's a glimpse of my 8-8-08 wedding....the rain never stopped :/

08/10/2008 05:04:55 AM · #20

here's my glimpse of the wedding.

Bride and groom were thrilled :D

Bebe

Leica 18-56mm f/3.5-5.6 Vario Elmar-T ASPH

08/10/2008 06:53:34 AM · #21

Originally posted by biteme:

here's my glimpse of the wedding.

Bride and groom were thrilled :D

Beautiful work! Congratulations~

MAK

Leica M Monochrom

08/10/2008 07:04:48 AM · #22

So........ what was all the fuss about, you ROCK!!!!!!