Attention Wedding Photographers - DPChallenge Forums

12/07/2004 10:07:36 PM · #1

I was curious on what most of you shoot in? Is it AV or TV mode? Let's say your shooting a wedding at night. It seems that you would shoot in TV mode and use flash for most of your shots. Just curious on any advice that anyone could share. Just wanting sharp pics and good exposure! I will be shooting several weddings at night this upcoming year. Will be using a Canon 20D with a 580ex Flash unit! The lens I will be using will be a 24-70mm f2.8.

Plexxoid

Canon EOS-30D

12/07/2004 10:26:06 PM · #2

Wow, nice setup. Make sure you also get a bracket for your flash.
I used P mode for the wedding I did just last Friday and the results were great. Done with my Rebel, 420EX, a bracket, and Lumiquest Midibounce.
I did get a little shadowing under the chin, but nothing major.
Also, make sure that if your shutter speed goes below 1/60th, you turn up your ISO.

wewillexplore

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM

12/07/2004 10:34:27 PM · #3

I use aperture mode when I'm indoors for the ceremony and reception - the reason is because I need that f1.8 or f2 and I need it to stay there. The low light is killer. With the lens you have, a constant f2.8 is going to be necessary indoors, so A is probly the best choice.

When I'm shooting formals, I use Raw so the aperture procedure changes - I shoot a much higher aperture (f8 usually) so keeping it in A mode works this way too - I can set f8 and let it go. The less I have to change, the better. A mode works just fine for me.

M

dwterry

Canon EOS-1D Mark III

12/07/2004 11:01:25 PM · #4

Not just for weddings... I use 'A' mode for just about everything. DOF (whether long or short) just seems to be the most important consideration in most pictures... except those times where I'm purposely trying to stop motion, or blur motion, or synch with a flash, then I switch to T mode.

Having aquired a light meter recently, I've been switching more and more to full manual for many of my shots. Especially weddings where a white dress or a dark suit can totally throw off the camera's built-in light meter.

In most cases, the lighting doesn't change from one moment to the next. So I get an incidental light reading (or a flash reading if I'm using my strobes), set the camera to whatever the light meter tells me, then I just forget about it.

I promise you... having a light meter will instill a *lot* of confidence in yourself and what you are getting. It's worth it!

parrothead

Canon EOS-40D

Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 EX Aspherical DF for Canon

12/07/2004 11:06:31 PM · #5

I still tand to shoot 99% of my shots on full manual. I am most comfotable that way, and having flash exposure compinsation on the camera works wonders.

wewillexplore

12/07/2004 11:13:39 PM · #6

Originally posted by parrothead:

I still tand to shoot 99% of my shots on full manual. I am most comfotable that way, and having flash exposure compinsation on the camera works wonders.

99% on full manual? Do you shoot weddings?

M

toddnicholsphotography

Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 EX Aspherical DF for Canon

12/07/2004 11:15:46 PM · #7

Mavrik,
When shooting in AV mode with a flash, aren't the pics blurry because of low shutter speed? You can't sync in AV mode, right? So therefore, don't you have to switch to TV mode to sync with flash?

I'm still learning about flash and how sync works.

parrothead

Canon EOS-40D

12/07/2004 11:19:41 PM · #8

I just shot 2 of them in the last 2 weeks. I have done over 75 total. Why would you ask?

wewillexplore

Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 USM Macro

12/07/2004 11:21:55 PM · #9

@todd - At most of the weddings I've done, I wasn't allowed to use flash during the ceremony. :) Formals aren't blurry if the people hold still. lol

@parrothead - Because there's no way I could switch in manual quickly enough to shoot a wedding. How many shots do you take per wedding? I know I'm on the high end, so maybe you're what, 500 or lower? 700? For the whole shebang? I'm at 1100 or so. I can't imagine doing that in manual that's all.

M

Spork99

OM System OM-1

12/07/2004 11:33:37 PM · #10

For the reception, I like to drag the shutter to get as much ambient light in the pic as possible while letting the flash freeze the motion on the subject. I use a Rosco Full Sun gel over the flash and set the WB to incandescent (or set a customWB). I usually set the FEC to -1/3, the shutter speed to 1/10 - 1/30 and shoot in Tv.

I usually try to do the formals outside and just use the flash for fill. If I get more business, I will get a pair of strobes and use those with umbrellas for the formals.

parrothead

Canon EOS-40D

Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 EX Aspherical DF for Canon

12/07/2004 11:36:26 PM · #11

I guess that it just comes naturally? I really dont have a clue. I do a couple test shots for the situation that I am in, and work from there. I shoot about 500 per wedding....depending on the size.

lwkimages

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS

12/07/2004 11:49:59 PM · #12

I also shoot mostly in manual mode. With the flash set to E-TTL and +2/3 stop FEC, I can shoot pretty much all night at 1/60 and f/8.0. Depending on the ambient light I may vary that exposure a little...

My flash is the Sigma EF-500 DG Super.

grigrigirl

Nikon D3

Nikon AF Fisheye-Nikkor 10.5mm f/2.8G IF-ED DX

12/07/2004 11:59:18 PM · #13

I shoot manual too. Seems like the rebel doesnt have a very intuitive manual mode.

12/08/2004 01:17:43 AM · #14

90% on manual.

12/08/2004 01:20:19 AM · #15

Originally posted by Spazmo99:

If I get more business, I will get a pair of strobes and use those with umbrellas for the formals.

an interesting trend I find is clients specifically asking for no formal photos (even of family) or only about 20 minutes worth. I'd say 1/2hr is my normal amount of time spent per wedding on formals. I've used lights only once, clients would rather spend that time and energy on shots of themselves.

Not sure what that says about people these days....but makes much simpler for me. :-)

drsdnblues

Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6

12/08/2004 01:28:29 AM · #16

Personally I use the P mode (professional) when the brides getting ready and for macro photography of rings shoes etc... At the ceremony I'll use a 400 iso with aperature priority set at 5.6 or so don't want to dof to be to shallow results in blured pics especially when the bridal party is entering. For the formals and special effects I use my QFlash T4d on a light stand, trigered by pocket wizards (no way any small flash can light everyone up) set at at least 125 at F8 or F11.

Weldons Photography

bledford

Canon EOS-300D Rebel

12/08/2004 01:28:33 AM · #17

Originally posted by grigrigirl:

I shoot manual too. Seems like the rebel doesnt have a very intuitive manual mode.

I find this to increasingly be true, as one is forced to press and hold a button whilst turning the dial just to change aperature in Manual. This makes Aperature priority the most commonly used mode when shooting the two weddings I've done so far. Does the 10D/20D have a dedicated dial/button for changing aperature in M mode, without having to hold down a button?

jimmythefish

Canon EOS-10D

Canon EF 17-40mm f/4.0L USM

12/08/2004 01:34:42 AM · #18

Yeah, both are controlled by dial. Thumb and forefinger.

Originally posted by bledford:

Does the 10D/20D have a dedicated dial/button for changing aperature in M mode, without having to hold down a button?

Spork99

OM System OM-1

Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 USM Macro

12/08/2004 01:38:11 AM · #19

Originally posted by GoldBerry:

Originally posted by Spazmo99:
If I get more business, I will get a pair of strobes and use those with umbrellas for the formals.

an interesting trend I find is clients specifically asking for no formal photos (even of family) or only about 20 minutes worth. I'd say 1/2hr is my normal amount of time spent per wedding on formals. I've used lights only once, clients would rather spend that time and energy on shots of themselves.

Not sure what that says about people these days....but makes much simpler for me. :-)

Still, the lights have utility beyond just wedding formals

pitsaman

Canon EOS-30D

Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II

12/08/2004 01:40:32 AM · #20

Originally posted by mavrik:

The problem with Rebel is that you only get center weighted (or spot) metering in P mode,in AV you get averaged and camera slows down to 0.2-0.5 seconds at 400 ISO wth F2 inside reataurant so you need tripod and static subjects unless you use a portable light ....

M mode would be too risky and time consuming.

Message edited by author 2004-12-08 01:44:28.

EddyG

12/08/2004 06:58:28 AM · #21

Originally posted by pitsaman:

in AV you get averaged and camera slows down to 0.2-0.5 seconds at 400 ISO wth F2 inside reataurant so you need tripod and static subjects unless you use a portable light ....

This is "by design", and is true whether you are using a Rebel or a 1Ds Mark II. In Av (Aperture Priority) ot Tv (Shutter Priority) modes, the camera meters for ambient lighting, and only uses the flash to "fill in" the exposure of the foreground subject. In these modes, the camera is not assuming flash will be the primary source of light, so exposures will be computed the same as if you weren't using a flash at all.

In M (Manual) mode, you select your shutter speed and aperture, and the flash then outputs as much power as necessary to properly expose the foreground subject. If it is a dimly lit room and you set 1/125th at Æ�/8, you are going to need a lot of flash power, and you'll have long recycle times. If you drag the shutter a bit and set 1/30th at Æ�/5.6, you'll need less flash power and the recycle times will be shorter. However, assuming the flash has enough power (which any on-board flash doesn't), both of the above settings would result in properly exposed photos.

Flash and Manual Mode go hand-in-hand. There is nothing "risky" or "time consuming" about it, since the exposure is determined automatically via E-TTL / E-TTL II metering and variable flash power. I'd venture a guess and say that most "working pros" use M mode 90% (or more) of the time when doing flash work.

It is really important that you read and comprehend how flash photography works on Canon EOS cameras. Even if you don't have time to read the whole thing (and it is long), read the "Top 10 FAQ's". Number 7 addresses the issue of "I tried to take a flash photo and the camera wanted a really slow shutter speed".

Message edited by author 2004-12-08 07:03:44.

smellyfish1002

Canon EF 70-200mm f/4.0L USM

12/08/2004 11:19:43 AM · #22

On the 20D, there is a custom function to set the shutter sync speed with flash when shooting AV mode. I have mine set to 1/250.

I use a flash bracket (Quick Flip by Stroboframe $45.00 - //www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=52728&is=REG ). I have both a Stofen Omnibounce diffuser (about $17), and a Lumiquest softbox ($27.00). //www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=32690&is=REG

I like the results of the Lumiquest Softbox much better than the Omnibounce. Here is an example of a shot with the Lumiquest softbox, using the Stroboframe:

THis was shot in my living room at night in dim lighting.

Here is another example shot during the day in a brightly lit room (children's day care center - flourescent lighting) using the flash with Lumiquest:

Message edited by author 2004-12-08 11:21:40.

Canon EF 17-40mm f/4.0L USM

12/08/2004 11:57:58 AM · #23

nice shots smellyfish, I might pick up that softbox. I'm shooting an evening wedding on new years. Did a run through last night at the venue incl. test shots with the couple and I'm thinking this item might solve the lighting problems I was having. Thanks a lot for the post!

jimmythefish

Canon EOS-10D

12/08/2004 12:39:42 PM · #24

I have a Stofen Omnibounce and it was the best $17 I think I've ever spent...