Using LED Lights for Wedding Photography

[esoeij]

I normally see videographers use this, but for photography? Is this a good or superior technique to using the usual flash? Are the results better? The LED lights looks something like this:

Calling all Lighting Experts – 126 LED Lights » CheesyCam

I am asking because I attended a wedding banquet recently (as a guest, not as a photographer) and the official photographer was using a super-bright LED light to take group photos at each table. The LED lights were so bright it was blinding and painful to look at, and I imagine the poor wedding couple had to squint at those LED lights the whole night. It's the first time I've seen a photographer using LED lights this way.

 

[catchlights]

Worst than shots taken with direct flash is it?

 

[esoeij]

Yes, worse. Direct flash just get blinded for a split second. This LED thing, have to keep looking while photographer is composing and waiting for everyone to say 'Cheese!'. Anyway my experience at wedding dinners in the past has been flash with white bounce card, rarely direct flash.

 

[JasonB]

Recently attended an event (not as photographer) where the idiot photographer mount that Led light on a bracket by his camera to shoot. Blinding like you said. In low light situ I can imagine the light pollution and white balance problems he caused the other ambient prime lens shooters.

I had used led lights for wedding but not like that.

videographers tune down the intensity if they can when they use it cause they are aware of the pitfalls but photogs without video experience won't realize.

 

[catchlights]

I mean not only irritate the subjects.
but the photos also turn out not so nice.... you can imagine the expressions of the people in the photos.

 

[esoeij]

I must have frowning or putting on a very forced smile during the shot :bsmilie:

Anyway it was almost impossible to stare directly at the lens, the light was so powerful my eyes hurt. Normally when you look at the camera, you can see the photographer, the background behind him and all that. With the LED floodlight, I could only see the light. Everything else around it and behind appeared almost black. So I looked to the side so that the LED light was in my peripheral vision. In short, yes I can imagine the expressions of the people not so great. I will comment on the photos if I get to see them.

 

[hanqiang1011]

Using LED for photography make the scene quite 'flat'.

 

[surrephoto]

Other than to compensate for bad auto flash exposure or bad auto focus, I find it's indeed quite lame to use an LED light for event style photography.

But certainly if it is used creatively in wedding portraits, It can look very nice.

 

[FalconSG]

Must be a wedding photographer wannabe who hadn't mastered flash photography. How can anyone look into the lens with such glaring light pointed in their face. Sounds like a desperate attempt to get good exposure. Interesting to see how the photo looks like. Mind sharing when you get it?

 

[nightwolf75]

Must be a wedding photographer wannabe who hadn't mastered flash photography. How can anyone look into the lens with such glaring light pointed in their face. Sounds like a desperate attempt to get good exposure. Interesting to see how the photo looks like. Mind sharing when you get it?

actually this is not new. the last few years, i've seen more wedding dinner photogs using LED lights. in fact some even piggy-back videographers' lights by shadowing where the videographers are standing. plus, there are diffuser attachments to these lights. perhaps it is not as bad. besides, so long as the clients get their decently exposed and sharp photos, most won't care how you do it.

 

[catchlights]

i dont think so that there is any effect of by using the Led lights, both the technologies has the same effect, one more thinf i that the customers not ask the photographer that what technology he is using , they just want their picture results best.

is a human nature that we do look directly into the light source, the issue brought up here is wedding photographers using LED light on their cameras, if the photographers don't intent to take photos with any eye contact of his subjects, that is still acceptable, else the photos will just like "deer caught in car head light" style.