Garden Wedding - Tips Needed - DPChallenge Forums

03/29/2007 03:46:46 PM · #1

Hi everyone,

I am photographing a wedding in Savannah, GA in late April at noon. It's at beautiful garden park (probably lots of trees and shadows). It is a friend's wedding.

I am bringing a friend, who knows photography pretty well, but has not shot a wedding before. She'll be focusing on photographing the couple's friends as well as wider, scenic shots. I will focus on the bride/groom/family and details.

I have a Canon 20D and a Softbox on my 580ex flash. I also ordered the Promax set: //www.lumiquest.com/lq931.htm I am going to use the Promax and give my friend the Softbox (if she can find a flash to use). She may not need it as much as me.

I am worried about the harsh shadows. We'll both be running around during the event, and will not be 'setting up' any shots. The couple wants every shot to be as natural as possible (so no westcott filter on a stand for me). My worry, again, is shadows and bright light.

Any advice?

Message edited by author 2007-03-29 15:47:42.

03/29/2007 04:09:17 PM · #2

sounds like you have it pretty much under control. You have a softbox and the promax so as far as hot shoe flashes, you have made them as soft as you can. I would say to just experiment in your yard w/ bright light.

Just take some test shots and go for it. Maybe bring some reflectors and have your friend assit w/ holding them and let you shoot rather than both shoot.

Good luck and post your shots. I wish I would get a beautiful outdoor wedding. So far Im just booked for inside stuff.

Prof_Fate

03/29/2007 04:28:26 PM · #3

Depends on your style of shooting..I spent a week this month with Michele Celentano and she used to shoot in NYC and now is in Arizona - and flash is a bad word. Even in the bright light of AZ. But it depends on your style I suppose. I've been trying to get away from flash use - why try to get natural non-set up shots and then destroy the look with flash?

I can see where the speckled light and shadows from tree branches would be a concern, but isn't that the environment they chose and the mood they want?
For portraits shadows on the face are a concern as they are distracting, but for overall shots, ceremony, etc it's not a concern IMO. Use exposure comp for backlit scenes as needed and as little flash as possible.

A second shooter can do many things - one extrememly good use of them is to have them shoot from the side - 45 to 90 degrees to you - when you're doing the group shots - assuming you'll do them (brides maids, groomsmen, family, etc). The 2nd shooter shots are then done in B&W and used in the album next to and as BG for the main shot.

The wedding tomorrow I'll be implementing all I learned at school and if you PM me i'll let you see what a difference having a style, a plan, can make - I know that may sound like I'm a bit full of myself, but yes, I'm that confident what I learned will make that big a difference, that big an improvement, over what I was doing last year.

BTW, here are some outdoor shots, no flash - Do you think the shadows are an issue?
These are proofs, so final adjustments are not done.
This first one shows that there ARE shadows present (and is a bit underexposed to keep the detail in the dresses)

Fill flash, or any flash, would have probably ruined these shots

As an observer recording the events you do better the less you're noticed, and blasting a flash WILL get you noticed and change the pics you get, the expressions, etc. And to get some shots Drive/Motor mode is what you need, and often a flash can't keep up.

It depends on your style - I know photogs that use flash, and multiple flash, for every shot, indoors or out.

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS

03/29/2007 04:31:16 PM · #4

Thanks Jmnuggy! I am not sure that reflectors would work during the ceremony as we'll be running around to capture the bride & groom, but we could use them after (before the reception) for the family shots. The 12 to 2pm sunlight will be harsh! Would you use the Silver reflector? The diffuser would only work from above them, and it's only 42", so that is too small. I need to light them from the front and from below if I am to kill the shadow.

Would you say to stop down to f8 or f11? The bride really really wants some DOF (f2.8) shots. She loves blurred backgrounds. I worry about doing that, esp if I am using a fill in flash. I don't want washed out backgrounds. I could use a really fast shutter... any thoughts for some amazing 'feeling' shots? I love the soft focus shots I see at weddings, but I don't know how to do those without making the faces come out soft too.

DrAchoo

Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5

03/29/2007 04:40:01 PM · #5

Not an expert, but for some of the posed shots (especially close ups) you may want to consider a reflector (as mentioned), but use it as a translucent shade. A lot of the 5 in 1 reflectors have a screen mode.

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS

03/29/2007 05:06:09 PM · #6

My 3 in one has a diffuser, a gold and a silver. They are 42" each. What do you mean by translucent shade?

DrAchoo

Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5

03/29/2007 05:11:45 PM · #7

Originally posted by mirdonamy:

My 3 in one has a diffuser, a gold and a silver. They are 42" each. What do you mean by translucent shade?

probably the diffuser. You place it between the sun and your subject to provide a soft shade instead of using it to reflect light.

One thing to watch however, is if the background is still quite bright it may overpower the subjects. Goof around with it before the wedding.

Monique64

Canon EOS-30D

Canon EF-S 17-85mm f/4-5.6 IS USM

03/29/2007 05:22:40 PM · #8

I shot a wedding that was in the late afternoon. I was concerned with a setting sun etc and the shadows caused. I went and did test shots at the wedding site the day before at the same time. This helped me to find any problem areas and times and some really nice settings to shoot some photos. Even if they dont want formal photos, good natural settings still need to be well thought out. Dont leave it to the spur of the moment. Best of luck.

03/29/2007 05:38:42 PM · #9

Originally posted by DrAchoo:

Originally posted by mirdonamy:
My 3 in one has a diffuser, a gold and a silver. They are 42" each. What do you mean by translucent shade?

probably the diffuser. You place it between the sun and your subject to provide a soft shade instead of using it to reflect light.

One thing to watch however, is if the background is still quite bright it may overpower the subjects. Goof around with it before the wedding.

Yes, I have one, but it's small... 42". It wouldn't cover more than just the bride. It would help with shadow, but holding it in the wind could get iffy. I am bringing it, but don't think i'll even end up using it. I don't want the ring of it to cast a shadow either... know what i mean? :)

Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 USM Macro

03/29/2007 05:39:51 PM · #10

Originally posted by Monique64:

Sadly, I won't see the site til 30 min before the wedding. I don't live in Georgia. I live in Los Angeles. I arrive the night before and will be with the bride ALL morning from 6am til we arrive at the park! So, I am going to go to some random park in LA this weekend to practice. It's the best I can hope for...

Spork99

OM System OM-1

03/29/2007 06:22:49 PM · #11

It's at noon?

Pray for overcast skies.

03/29/2007 10:12:18 PM · #12

It's exactly at noon, yes.

03/30/2007 09:55:12 AM · #13

I mostly agree w/ prof fate. I don't like using flash and you probably will be able to get away from using it. Just move around and find the right angles.

The soft focus can be achieved afterwards in PS. I have a soft filter, but tend to not use it because its a pain to put on and off and i think the PS results are better, you have more fine tuning options with PS.

03/30/2007 06:03:46 PM · #14

What is the soft filter you use in PS? I have PS2, with only Eye Candy 3000 as a plug in.

04/02/2007 09:19:26 AM · #15

you can do a soft focus a bunch of different ways in PS. The one I like is once you are done processing your image, size it and run USM. Than made a duplicate layer and do guassian blur. Now adjust the opacy of that blur layer until you find something you like ( usually around say 40%). Enjoy.

04/02/2007 02:07:42 PM · #16

Originally posted by Jmnuggy:

What do you mean by run USM?

04/02/2007 04:10:05 PM · #17

unsharpen mask

RayEthier

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

04/02/2007 04:13:13 PM · #18

I must be getting tired... I thought the caption said "Garden Weeding" and was prepared to dole out all kinds of wonderful tidbits of information... Oh well.

Ray

04/02/2007 09:32:52 PM · #19

Originally posted by Jmnuggy:

unsharpen mask

Oops. I meant to say "what is RUN usm?" I don't know what you mean by "RUN".

Nikon AF-S Nikkor 24-120mm f/4G ED VR

04/03/2007 02:20:23 AM · #20

I took my friends out to practice outdoor lighting... here's a link to the pix I took:

//www.mirdonamy.com/photoalbumcat.php?albumName=friends&cat=friendindiv&subcat=joshjul

Ozzie

Nikon D90

04/03/2007 02:58:13 AM · #21

Originally posted by RayEthier:

I must be getting tired... I thought the caption said "Garden Weeding" and was prepared to dole out all kinds of wonderful tidbits of information... Oh well.

Ray

LOL...garden weeding, now that would be an easy subject!!

Seriously, I just took photos at a garden wedding in New Zealand in Feb, it was at 5.30 PM and I had to use the flash as the sun was slightly behind the happy couple/bridal party with a large tree in the background. I used the Gary Fong lightsphere which helped tremendously. I would have preferred not to use the flash but.. hopefully it isn't too sunny. Let us know how it goes.

GeneralE

Canon PowerShot S3 IS

Canon 12x IS USM (S3 IS built-in Lens) -- 36-432mm (35mm EQ)

04/03/2007 03:42:58 AM · #22

Originally posted by mirdonamy:

Originally posted by Jmnuggy:
unsharpen mask

Oops. I meant to say "what is RUN usm?" I don't know what you mean by "RUN".

In this case I think RUN = APPLY

That is, apply the Unsharp Mask filter.

The term "run" in this context probably has its origins in the days of PS 2.0, when if you ran the USM filter on a 5x7 color image for a brochure, you had time to "run" out and get coffee and donuts (or latte and croissant, depending on how well business was going).