Emergency !! Really siao liao.. please advice

[myloplex]

Hi all need really alot of help/advice by tomorrow !! ... wedding this sat !!! Damn scared from what I shot today at the rehearsal.

FYI --> 1st time, newbie to photography, no backup man

Location: Aremenian Chuch near ROM:
Ambience: Morning sun, Tungsten chandler, almost every subject I aim is backlit !!! (siao liao)

Equipment: using 10D + 550Ex+ Bounce card + 17-40mm f4 L
I set ISO 400 for both modes below
1) 1st thing I metered in manual and found 1/60 f4 gave indicator "0" exposure (with flash on)
2) Program mode also mostly gave f4 1/60 (with flash on) except when I was nearer any windows or doors it gave around f 6.7 1/125

THE BIG QUESTION FOR ME: Which MODE should I use ?

My main concerns:
1) f4 1/60 --> I scared shutter not fast enough to catch the couple's movement. e.g kissing, walking etc ...use f 5.6 1/125 ? f8 1/250 ? how ?

2) How to I achieve SHARPNESS ?? Seems at F4 not very sharp
What f-stop should I use to achieve SHARPNESS for my 17-40mm L ?
f5.6? f8? Roughly how far away should I stand. 1.5m?

3) bride all in white, Groom in black, where to meter ?AE lock ?

4) Backlit subjects

 

[Bluestrike]

Set to "P" mode or the green box.

Everything will be ok liao unless of cos.. the man behind the camera ....... :x

 

[myloplex]

Set to "P" mode or the green box.

Everything will be ok liao unless of cos.. the man behind the camera ....... :x

green box is auto ..even worse for backlit subjects..coz you cannot AE lock or use parital metering
give advice leh

 

[Bluestrike]

green box is auto ..even worse for backlit subjects..coz you cannot AE lock or use parital metering
give advice leh

I am ...
told you liao...

those 2 modes shld be ok .. unless... the man behind the camera..... :x

go try those 2 modes then see what you thikn b4 asking advise

 

[arthuryeo]

1. Set your ISO to 400. This way, you can use f5.6 to f8. This will give your sufficient sharpness. Apeture preferred. Use evaluative metering.

2. Use your Flash all the way. Set to E-TTL. Since you are newbie, it would difficult for you to shoot using ambient lightings.

As you are using flash, the shutter speed is set at 1/200. No blurr picture unless you are trembling. Use fill flash to throw light to the subjects especially in backlighting conditions.

 

[myloplex]

1. Set your ISO to 400. This way, you can use f5.6 to f8. This will give your sufficient sharpness. Apeture preferred. Use evaluative metering.

2. Use your Flash all the way. Set to E-TTL. Since you are newbie, it would difficult for you to shoot using ambient lightings.

As you are using flash, the shutter speed is set at 1/200. No blurr picture unless you are trembling. Use fill flash to throw light to the subjects especially in backlighting conditions.

I was using ISO 400 for all the shots in the album

So you suggest I use Av mode ?

"As you are using flash, the shutter speed is set at 1/200 " -> dun get you. I was at F4 1/60. Does 1/200 override 1/60 ?

 

[arthuryeo]

Read your camera and flash manual.

When you use Flash, your camera defaults to 1/200. Unless you set your Flash to HP, the flash can match your shutter speeds all the way up to 1/4000!. this is useful in outdoor fill flash.

Your composition is important. I notice that your camera angle need alot of improvement. Go for their face, facial expression. Focus on key events such as putting the ring on the finger, when the bridegroom kiss the bride. Know what's going to take place before hand - e.g when the bride would appear at the back of the church hall for the march in.

 

[StreetShooter]

Hmmm. Reminds me of the time I ran the ICU all alone.

Anyway, this is what I would suggest:

1. Use ISO 800. Don't worry, on the 10D it is still acceptable. In any case you can always use NeatImage later, but I personally like my pictures a little grainy. That way you can use a higher shutter speed.

2. If you can, try to borrow some f2.8 glass. There's no substitute for this.

3. Use Av mode, bounce the flash off the ceiling. This will ensure that the camera exposes for the ambient light, and the flash acts as fill flash. Otherwise the background will appear dark if you use the green box or P mode - not very nice.

4. When deciding where to meter (I usually just use evaluative and let the camera take care of it) I would choose to meter off the darker area. This is so that the picture will end up slightly over-exposed. The windows will be very bright (and dreamy), and the subjects will not be in darkness.

 

[Snowcrash]

After going through your album...

My advice:

1) use 'P' mode, and forget about the exposure, work on your composition.

2) use iso800

3) try some shots WITHOUT flash, but make sure shutter speed is hight enough for you to handhold.

4) after shooting, the editing work you must select only BEST shots for the couple... IMHO NEVERY SHOW ALL YR SHOTS. :nono:

5) If out of 300 shots, only 20 is good... blow up that 20 to at least 8R and give. Period. follow point 4.

Happy learning as not everyone will have a chance to be main wedding photographer without other photographer elbowing for best angle.

 

[megaweb]

After went thru ur shots , I think your weakness is composition. Try to concentrate on the composition. As for settings , you can just use P mode , ISO 400 to 800, flash (+0.5 to +1) + bounce at 75 degree , Custom WB or AUTO , JPG format.

Remeber to bring a few set of batteries for the flash and change them if the flash works behave strangely ( sometimes cannot fire ).

 

[jasonpgc]

Back Lit Scenes can be counter easily by auto flash

If you are not familar with Manual Exposure and Manual Flash Mode, its best to let the auto function takes over for a while.

1) Set your Camera to Aperture Priority and to the Largest Aperture Possible. The Reason for doing so is to prevent your Camera from being Trick by the Backlight ended up closing the Aperture and reducing the max flash power. Since its in AV and the aperture is Set to Max, the Camera AE will always select the highest possible Shutter speed for your picture. Make sure you set the flash to H-Mode.

2) Set your Flash to -1 Stop. Use Direct Flash instead of Bounce. Since the scene is already back lit, there is not reason to use bounce at all.

For the Above setting, The Camera auto meter will be trick by the Backlight and exposed for the Background. The Flash will provide the light for the foreground subject at a pleasing - 1 stop flash exposure

 

[sulhan]

Hiee....

As what Mega have said....use flash + bounce and tilt the head at 45 to 75 degrees....

Do try taking left wing or right wing shots....don't just follow behind...like a spy.....

You have to take into account....the follwoing:
- What is the dress...if its a White gown thingy...then too much flash will trhow things out to bright and loss detail....and may fool metering too......Since using digital......juz get a LARGE!!! memory and shoot.....shoot shoot......dont shoot -check...shoot-check......

IF you need to bracket .....go ahead.... up 1/2 stop....and shoot.... up 1/3 stop and shoot....

The "P" mode in Canon Cameras should do the job.....

Do test bounce with the flash to see if the ceiling of the place is okay for bounce......

if its too high.....then you may need to use forward diffused flash....as the bounce off the ceiling may not be sufficient due to height......

From your photos...looks like there is insuficient light....to bring up the color....

Be confidence......shoot more.....!!!!

regards,
me

 

[sk_online]

No point panicking lei.. Looks like a fun experience to me..
at least you're shooting with a 10D, good luck anyway..

 

[franciskc]

More closeup will be more interesting.
try using a 70-200, it helps in composition. and find that your pics abit noisy. what ISO settings u use??

 

[tonysantos]

Try this link... its from dpreview sony forum.. but most of the stuff here will be helpful no matter what camera you use.

its actually a "cheat sheet" or checklist that you can print out on small pieces of paper or cardboard.


http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1009&message=5531822

hope this helps!!!

good luck !!! :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

 

[Jer76]

Try more close up shots, dun be scared move closer up to ur subject.... meter off the face of subject.. for composition try to visualise what is your main subject in the pic.. if wan higher shutter use F2.8 or F 3.5 in Av n focus on ur subject, throw the background into a nice blur.. hmm the church ceiling looks abit too high for effective bounced flash so bo pian use direct.. u haf omnibounce? lastly be trigger happy.. shoot as many shots as possible, go home n pick out the best shots..

 

[myloplex]

Should I use 70-200 mm ?
I really wanted to do so but thought it might be overkill.

but with 70-200 I can get f2.8 easily and catch the expressions better

What you all advice ?!!

 

[reno77]

Have less headroom when taking potrait shots (ie. no empty space at the top)

http://www.normanng.com/mattchris.htm (courtesy of streetshooter)

PS : Just use P mode, havnet use 10D before but can you AE lock with half press shutter ?

 

[Falcon]

Should I use 70-200 mm ?
I really wanted to do so but thought it might be overkill.

but with 70-200 I can get f2.8 easily and catch the expressions better

What you all advice ?!!

If a longer focal length, u need a faster shutter speed to handheld. Will there b sufficient light? If not, most shots might turn out blur.

 

[sequitur]

Should I use 70-200 mm ?
I really wanted to do so but thought it might be overkill.

but with 70-200 I can get f2.8 easily and catch the expressions better

What you all advice ?!!

i say this looks like a job for the 24-70 f2.8 L

shoot in the range of 80-135mm (go figure the equivalent on the lens by dividing 1.6) coz any out of this range would make the couple look elongated or flattened.

for me i like all my shots to be nice so basically that's about it.

f2.8 is a necessity.
i don't have a 10D so i dunno what iso to set. heck, i don't have an SLR. but i use iso 100 on my sony 717 with flash and i can get good results. it's all up to the composition and post processing that makes unimpossible shots look possible.