Wedding Photography - ROM tips (Esp on Flash)

[antitrust]

hi guys, possible to share some tips on ROM day esp on flash photography? possibly going to cover my sister's wedding soon. and since i'm shooting on film (EOS 50), i will have no instant review. can you guys share any tips?

1. when should i bounce the light off the ceiling?

2. or should i just dial down the flash compensation and do a direct flash.

3. or a bounce card attached with a 45 degrees tilt?

4. and what if its a portrait shot? how do i position the flash? i have no flash brackets.

i don't want to screw up on my sister's big day.

[Belle&Sebastain]

Originally Posted by antitrust hi guys, possible to share some tips on ROM day esp on flash photography? possibly going to cover my sister's wedding soon. and since i'm shooting on film (EOS 50), i will have no instant review. can you guys share any tips? 1. when should i bounce the light off the ceiling?

when its low less than 3m meters on a white ceiling
with non reflective surfaces
when you want the defused light and or top lights (when bounced) to hit the subject.

Originally Posted by antitrust 2. or should i just dial down the flash compensation and do a direct flash.

depends on what and where you meter, if you when to throw a fill or light the entire room

Originally Posted by antitrust 3. or a bounce card attached with a 45 degrees tilt?

i do mostly 60 tilt, 45 tilt is serve and its hard when you shoot portraits

Originally Posted by antitrust 4. and what if its a portrait shot? how do i position the flash? i have no flash brackets.

60 or 90 degree with a bounce card

Originally Posted by antitrust i don't want to screw up on my sister's big day

please hire a professional to do the job as you lack the experience, your sister's big day can only happen once and if you do not have the technical knowledge or (IF) a style to shoot it then the photos may turn out to be just like snapshots or very general shoot without feelings or mood. I hardly use flash for weddings, only 30% at most for the entire shoot. For portraits i use a big aperture portrait lens, i use natural light to enchance the mood.

[Witness]

i tink if u are not confident...then juz shoot for fun.... and get someone to cover it properly for her...

cheers

[antitrust]

initially they had problems trying to engage a photographer but they finally found one within their budget through a friend. but i guess i'll just go down to shoot for them still.

so if anyone can still contribute to this thread, please do! i wanna take it seriously, then at least along the way i can learn something out of it?

[Timber Wolf]

Hello. I shot a wedding last year. You might wanna read about my impressions here

Cheers
QX

[Snoweagle]

Originally Posted by antitrust hi guys, possible to share some tips on ROM day esp on flash photography? possibly going to cover my sister's wedding soon. and since i'm shooting on film (EOS 50), i will have no instant review. can you guys share any tips? 1. when should i bounce the light off the ceiling? 2. or should i just dial down the flash compensation and do a direct flash. 3. or a bounce card attached with a 45 degrees tilt? 4. and what if its a portrait shot? how do i position the flash? i have no flash brackets. i don't want to screw up on my sister's big day.

I've done a wedding shoot on my EOS 30 just over a month ago.

1. Direct bounce only when the ceiling is lower and do take note of the colour of the ceiling.

2. I prefer direct flash but u can add an omnibounce (for standing closer to your subjects).

3. Bounce card at 60 degrees but i usually use it in open spaces or when taking a large group photo.

4. For portraits, position the flash 90 degrees to the right and use a bounce card.

[Witness]

actually...since the main photog will probably be using only one cam wif one lens...which is prob a wide for reasons of all the group shots and all...y not u take closeups instead..... so that u guys dun end up covering the same thing...using a closeup will also allow u to stand further away and not get in the way....

[Ihsan Chua]

Originally Posted by Belle&Sebastain when its low less than 3m meters on a white ceiling with non reflective surfaces when you want the defused light and or top lights (when bounced) to hit the subject. depends on what and where you meter, if you when to throw a fill or light the entire room i do mostly 60 tilt, 45 tilt is serve and its hard when you shoot portraits 60 or 90 degree with a bounce card please hire a professional to do the job as you lack the experience, your sister's big day can only happen once and if you do not have the technical knowledge or (IF) a style to shoot it then the photos may turn out to be just like snapshots or very general shoot without feelings or mood. I hardly use flash for weddings, only 30% at most for the entire shoot. For portraits i use a big aperture portrait lens, i use natural light to enchance the mood.

Just to check whether my assumption is correct. If most of the time u do not use flash, then I assume that u make use of Canon's high ISO capability?

[ExplorerZ]

Originally Posted by Ihsan Chua Just to check whether my assumption is correct. If most of the time u do not use flash, then I assume that u make use of Canon's high ISO capability?

i guess a 50/80mm f1.4/1.8 + maybe iso800 would be quite good, or at worse iso1600 which most will try to avoid.

[Andy Ang]

Originally Posted by antitrust initially they had problems trying to engage a photographer but they finally found one within their budget through a friend. but i guess i'll just go down to shoot for them still. so if anyone can still contribute to this thread, please do! i wanna take it seriously, then at least along the way i can learn something out of it?

Make sure you talk to the main photographer befordhand, especially since you are going to use a flash.

You wouldn't want to flash at the important moment and spoil his shots.

[photografixed]

just to add in. use at least asa400 film or higher. don't use slow film unless your flash powderpullllllll enough.

my 2 cents worth.

[praxiteles]

juz sharing...

took some photos for my friend's wedding last year. like you, i was quite new to flash back then. photos didn't turn out the way i wanted them to be. good thing that i 'warned' my friend in advance and she engaged another photographer for the same day.

then i came to realise u really need to invest in the right equipment, esp a fast lens, cos personally i prefer the soft lights of the surroundings, as far as possible without the flash.

so now i've decided to think twice about taking wedding photos for friends.

[slaam]

Originally Posted by Witness actually...since the main photog will probably be using only one cam wif one lens...which is prob a wide for reasons of all the group shots and all...y not u take closeups instead..... so that u guys dun end up covering the same thing...using a closeup will also allow u to stand further away and not get in the way....

haha i got a fren's solemnisation on sat and that's my workplan as well...
cos i am the secondary photographer will bring 75-300 and macro filter..
so I figured i will cover the 'other' shots.

[slaam]

Originally Posted by praxiteles juz sharing... took some photos for my friend's wedding last year. like you, i was quite new to flash back then. photos didn't turn out the way i wanted them to be. good thing that i 'warned' my friend in advance and she engaged another photographer for the same day. then i came to realise u really need to invest in the right equipment, esp a fast lens, cos personally i prefer the soft lights of the surroundings, as far as possible without the flash. so now i've decided to think twice about taking wedding photos for friends.

hee
subsitute for fast lens is a monopod or learn to be quick with tripod... cheaper!
photography is also about innovation not jus the best equipment..

[Andy Ang]

Well, the subject dun wait or they shake about how?

[catchlights]

shooting indoor with flash is easier than shooting with available lights.

[antitrust]

okay i'm quite confused. i just rented a 550ex from rockscar18. i'm using a bounce card + 60 degree tilt.

okay but the thing is, when i go on P mode, the shutter speed and aperture is at 1/60 sec, f4.0

but when i go to Av mode, the shutter speed and aperture is at 1/15 sec, f4.0?

so which one should i trust? should i just shoot on P mode, or should i shoot on Av mode? at some aperture settings i am afraid that the shutter speed might be too slow for the Av mode.

[CYRN]

Originally Posted by antitrust okay i'm quite confused. i just rented a 550ex from rockscar18. i'm using a bounce card + 60 degree tilt. okay but the thing is, when i go on P mode, the shutter speed and aperture is at 1/60 sec, f4.0 but when i go to Av mode, the shutter speed and aperture is at 1/15 sec, f4.0? so which one should i trust? should i just shoot on P mode, or should i shoot on Av mode? at some aperture settings i am afraid that the shutter speed might be too slow for the Av mode.

regardless of flash or not.. Canon's automatic mode always exposes for ambient lighting.

[catchlights]

When you using flash and set at P mode, the shutter speed will not go lower than 1/60s.

But when you set at AV mode, the camera meter factor the ambient lights, so suggest 1/15s, for the exposure setting.

[antitrust]

so am i right to say that AV mode would assure that both the ambient and my subject be correctly exposed?

also, do i need to set any flash exposure compensation if i plan to bounce it off a card at say 60 degrees?

and before i forget, thank all of you guys for the very precious knowledge and information you're sharing with me. it is very very much appreciated. been reading other threads in the forums too.