Wedding Light Suggestions - DPChallenge Forums

08/23/2009 11:23:38 AM · #1

I'm looking for some suggestions for some new flash units that would be ideal for weddings. I don't want to use my sb-800's just it looks ridicules and unprofessional (in my eyes) and I don't want to spend $1500 on one strobe I'm looking for something that is easy to carry along and yet strong enough to give me the light I need on location.

What are my options?

Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 EX DG Macro for Nikon

08/23/2009 11:54:45 AM · #2

anyone have any thoughts on this system?

//www.adorama.com/PAINT119.html

Message edited by author 2009-08-23 11:54:54.

cryan

Nikon D700

08/23/2009 12:09:37 PM · #3

Hoenstly, for 35 bucks its probably very cheap. Depending on how many 800's you have I'd stick with what you have and learn to use them to their full potential. I only have one and use it for most things. I've had great results but I still have so much to learn. There are some on this site that use speedlights extremly well. One that comes to mind is

simms. You should go and check out his portfolio, he has fantastic wedding stuff and I'm sure you could pick his brain for insites on how to use them. Of course this is all just my opinion.

kevip6

08/23/2009 12:19:54 PM · #4

Why do you think using speedlights seems unprofessional? They're just as good as full studio strobes for location work and can be used with shoot though or reflector umbrellas if you want to.

I have Bowens monoblocks for my studio and could use them at weddings with there travelpack but I wouldn't dream of setting all that up at a wedding (unless it was really unusual circumstances). Two or Three 580EXII's are very quick to setup and don't take up much room and once you can use them properly will give just as good results for wedding photos

Just my opinion of course but I don't know many wedding photographers that take big studio strobes with softboxes etc to a real wedding

Simms

08/23/2009 04:22:59 PM · #5

Originally posted by Dirt_Diver:

OK a few comments - just how does it look unprofessional? I use 2/3 flashes at a wedding and they work brilliantly - once you learn how to use them properly you can get some incredible results - also they are super portable - only last week my assistant and I took a bride and groom down to a dried riverbed to get some formals, I couldn't imagine trying to lug a couple of stands, heads, softbox, powerpack down there. Actually come to think of it even yesterday we was out shooting a couple on a golf course (they got married in the golf club) and we need some fill light from the side (I was shooting directly into the sun, so I asked Kevin to switch his flash to slave and we got great results. No hassle - and didn't look `too unprofessional` either.

Here is an example from yesterday. All I had to do was manually expose for the sky so the sun/clouds etc were visible and the E-TTL took care of lighting the subjects - took around 30 seconds to setup and shoot - can you imagine dragging a lighting rig out to the golf course, getting it setup whilst the B&G are standing around waiting for you to be ready - now THAT would `look unprofessional`.

Stick with your speedlights - they are incredibly versatile in the right hands.

08/23/2009 04:29:41 PM · #6

Originally posted by Simms:

Originally posted by Dirt_Diver:
I'm looking for some suggestions for some new flash units that would be ideal for weddings. I don't want to use my sb-800's just it looks ridicules and unprofessional (in my eyes) and I don't want to spend $1500 on one strobe I'm looking for something that is easy to carry along and yet strong enough to give me the light I need on location.

What are my options?

OK a few comments - just how does it look unprofessional? I use 2/3 flashes at a wedding and they work brilliantly - once you learn how to use them properly you can get some incredible results - also they are super portable - only last week my assistant and I took a bride and groom down to a dried riverbed to get some formals, I couldn't imagine trying to lug a couple of stands, heads, softbox, powerpack down there. Actually come to think of it even yesterday we was out shooting a couple on a golf course (they got married in the golf club) and we need some fill light from the side (I was shooting directly into the sun, so I asked Kevin to switch his flash to slave and we got great results. No hassle - and didn't look `too unprofessional` either.

Here is an example from yesterday. All I had to do was manually expose for the sky so the sun/clouds etc were visible and the E-TTL took care of lighting the subjects - took around 30 seconds to setup and shoot - can you imagine dragging a lighting rig out to the golf course, getting it setup whilst the B&G are standing around waiting for you to be ready - now THAT would `look unprofessional`.

Stick with your speedlights - they are incredibly versatile in the right hands.

I don;t know why I think it looks unprofessional maybe I'm just thinking too much inside the box. I already know a lot about my speedlites and I can make them do some odd things but I have never been able to get an exposure like yours Mark. I'm tried shooting into the sun and I can't get results like that whatsoever. I'll play around with them some more and see if I can't get something to come up like that. I'm also considering picking up another sb800 just in case I need it

08/23/2009 04:30:50 PM · #7

What remote systems (if any) are you using mark.

Simms

Canon EF 135mm f/2.0L USM

08/23/2009 04:40:38 PM · #8

Originally posted by Dirt_Diver:

OK, the biggest problem I faced when attempting these shots initially (practising in the garden) was forgetting to set the remote flash to `high speed sync` - obviously when exposing for the sun you are shooting with a tiny aperture and pretty quick shutter spped, generally in excess of 1/300 if shooting directly at the sun (like in the shot I posted). It may help to either have a lightweight lighting stand to attach the flash to, or get an assistant to hold the lights - I opt for the assistant as its cheaper than a $100 lighting stand and crumbles more often under my constant moaning and verbal abuse.

In terms of remote triggering I just use the infrared built into the flashguns. I may opt to get some E-TTL pocket wizards or similar in the near future though.

Obviously you are always welcome to pick my brains if you get stuck, but not a Nikon man so I may have to resort to Canon terminology and you will have to translate yourself.

Heres one of the shots from last week in the dry river bed. Same principle applies.

Message edited by author 2009-08-23 16:43:23.

lentil

Canon EOS-5D

08/23/2009 06:28:11 PM · #9

the Lowel Id light is fantastic, i just bought one and I am still learning it but from what i can tell it is going to be awesome. Comes with a battery pack if you buy it on b&h.. I wanted something portable and easy to use..so far so good!

JimiRose

Nikon D90

Nikon AF-S DX 18-105 f/3.5-5.6 ED VR

08/23/2009 06:40:54 PM · #10

I did a wedding using an SB-600 and a ebay poppers - here are some of the results;

I'm no pro but I got some really good results with pretty basic kit.

Isn't professionalism about the results rather than the equipment anyway?

trevytrev

Canon EOS-5D

Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L USM

08/23/2009 07:16:53 PM · #11

Check out the cybersyncs by alien bees, i recently bought them and used them at a wedding last weekend with great results. As for the professional look, customers don't care what your equipment looks like if you give them great photos. I used a canon speedlight on camera and two vivitar 285's off camera for the reception and loved the results. I've only seen photogs use monolights for the formals in a church, everything else has been flash heads such as the speedlights,at least in my experience. Good luck and check the cybersynchs, way cheaper than pocket wizards and I had no reliability problems when I used them.

08/23/2009 08:38:38 PM · #12

Originally posted by JimiRose:

I did a wedding using an SB-600 and a ebay poppers - here are some of the results;

I'm no pro but I got some really good results with pretty basic kit.

Isn't professionalism about the results rather than the equipment anyway?

It is in a way but in a way it's not after all if you hired a photographer to shoot YOUR wedding and he showed up with a point and shoot would you question him?

08/23/2009 08:43:17 PM · #13

Originally posted by Simms:

That is one of the downsides of my camera, I do not have high speed sync. My Anything over 1/250 gives me a slice of the shutter and sometimes even the 1/250 does too.

Simms

Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L USM

08/23/2009 08:44:28 PM · #14

Originally posted by Dirt_Diver:

Originally posted by JimiRose:
I did a wedding using an SB-600 and a ebay poppers - here are some of the results;

I'm no pro but I got some really good results with pretty basic kit.

Isn't professionalism about the results rather than the equipment anyway?

It is in a way but in a way it's not after all if you hired a photographer to shoot YOUR wedding and he showed up with a point and shoot would you question him?

At the end of the day its only about the images you present to them - they wont care what equipment you have - they wont care if you shoot Nikon or Canon, they couldnt give a toss if your lenses are L glass or not. They are only concerned about the photos you manage to capture, not how you captured them.

trevytrev

Canon EOS-5D

08/23/2009 10:12:18 PM · #15

Originally posted by Dirt_Diver:

Originally posted by Simms:

OK, the biggest problem I faced when attempting these shots initially (practising in the garden) was forgetting to set the remote flash to `high speed sync` - obviously when exposing for the sun you are shooting with a tiny aperture and pretty quick shutter spped, generally in excess of 1/300 if shooting directly at the sun (like in the shot I posted). It may help to either have a lightweight lighting stand to attach the flash to, or get an assistant to hold the lights - I opt for the assistant as its cheaper than a $100 lighting stand and crumbles more often under my constant moaning and verbal abuse.

That is one of the downsides of my camera, I do not have high speed sync. My Anything over 1/250 gives me a slice of the shutter and sometimes even the 1/250 does too.

I have no clue about Nikon but I looked up your sb-800 and it has high speed sync on it, so it should be able to be used at high shutter speeds with your camera unless the camera doesn't communicate with the flash, though I doubt it. With my canon the camera will only sync only to 1/250 unless high speed sync option is activated on the speedlight. Are you positve you dont need to make sure that option is turned on on your flash?

Message edited by author 2009-08-23 22:12:46.

kevip6

08/24/2009 12:52:11 PM · #16

That is one of the downsides of my camera, I do not have high speed sync. My Anything over 1/250 gives me a slice of the shutter and sometimes even the 1/250 does too.

Yes High Speed Sync is a feature of the flash not the camera, the SB-800 will have a setting on there to enable high speed sync, on the canons it's linked with the the 2nd curtain option.