No Flash Available -- Best Camera Settings?
Both the groom and bride are aware that I am an amateur in wedding photography. In fact, this is going to be my first wedding. The groom is a mentor of mine from high school and he taught me a lot of the techniques I use for photography, so he has high expectations because he's seen my work already. Because of this, I'm incredibly nervous. I normally don't do event photography, although it was something I wanted to begin and get better at.
I currently use a Canon EOS 50D with the EF 17-85mm IS USM and the EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 III. I do not have a flash and had arrangements made to rent one from a camera equipment store nearby. This arrangement was set up months ago, however I was just informed that it has fallen through. The wedding is literally in a week from today and while I am going to do my best to try and set something else up, the short notice is going to make it difficult, and has thus far.
So, as a back up plan, I was wondering what would be the best settings to start with to make sure I capture all the right moments in the best possible way? The ceremony itself is in a barn in the mid-afternoon, while the ceremony is going to be in the evening in a building, probably with lower light. I know the camera itself does have a flash on it but I've never been fond of how photos turn out with it. Any suggestions on how to make this work would be greatly appreciated. I am aware a tripod will be necessary and have that in my equipment right now.
I currently use a Canon EOS 50D with the EF 17-85mm IS USM and the EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 III. I do not have a flash and had arrangements made to rent one from a camera equipment store nearby. This arrangement was set up months ago, however I was just informed that it has fallen through. The wedding is literally in a week from today and while I am going to do my best to try and set something else up, the short notice is going to make it difficult, and has thus far.
So, as a back up plan, I was wondering what would be the best settings to start with to make sure I capture all the right moments in the best possible way? The ceremony itself is in a barn in the mid-afternoon, while the ceremony is going to be in the evening in a building, probably with lower light. I know the camera itself does have a flash on it but I've never been fond of how photos turn out with it. Any suggestions on how to make this work would be greatly appreciated. I am aware a tripod will be necessary and have that in my equipment right now.
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Comments
Are you assuming that the OP has constant aperture glass...if not...no zooming or the lens will default to the smallest aperture.
The OP really needs a flash or needs not to shoot the wedding....there are too many variables including a dim reception venue. I don't believe the 50D is stellar at ISO's higher than 800.
But, if anyone else has any ideas...
I've seen too many artifacts in low light images. Shadows can look very funky...
Just my two cents...
Educate yourself like you'll live forever and live like you'll die tomorrow.
Ed
Sherry
Also how about a backup camera, adequate number of CF cards, batteries, lenses, flashes. etc?
Does the groom, your mentor, have a flash, fast glass, and a second n body?
For indoor reception and general event photography I think an external flash is mandatory. Normally flash is not used during the wedding ceremony, so Fast glass and high ISO is needed. I don't think f4.5-f5.6 is going to cut it.
Typically you would use a combination of flash and fast glass through out the day to capture the images under different lighting conditions.
Make sure you shoot in RAW.
The wedding will move very quickly for you, much faster than you would imagine.
If the groom is short on money and it's you or nobody then I understand shooting it. If however the groom has the money but is thinking he will save money and or give you an opportunity I think that would be a big error.
Sam
He is short on money which is one of the reasons he asked me to do it. Without the professional experience, we are at an understanding that I obviously will not be charging the price of someone seasoned in this area.
He is also aware of the type of camera and the lenses I use, so he mustn't see a problem in that.
As far as CF cards, I have about five.
It is not just a matter of "short on money so I will not be charging the price of someone seasoned..." In my honest opinion, you physically do not have the gear required to accomplish an acceptable result. Either the groom needs to pay for equipment rental, or preferably the outright purchase so that you can have as much time as possible with the gear to learn it before the event.
The bottom line is that it can be suicide to just rent a flash / camera / lens on the day of your first gig simply on the knowledge that such equipment is *CAPABLE* of getting the job done.
The one thing that is WAY more important is, knowing your gear inside and out. If renting is your only option, I'd prefer to rent something that you've already shot with at least 2-3 times already. If the wedding will be the very first time with that gear, well, you better rent it 2-3 times between now and then maybe? Either way, this is not gonna be cheap.
It is highly un-advisable to try and shoot indoor ambient light with "just" a 50D and a few kit zooms. Bottom line, flash or no flash. Your first order of business should be to get something faster than a kit lens, prererably with some reach for during the ceremony. Either a 70-200 f/2.8, or maybe even an 85 1.8 since you're on a crop sensor and can use all the ISO / DOF help you can get. Second order of business might be to *attempt* to achieve a clean, usable ISO 3200, which is probably not going to be very possible unless you rent a 5D mk2 or 5D mk3, or a 7D at the very least. Third order of business, but not necessarily the last or the least important, is to definitely MASTER flash usage at least on-camera. You should at least be pro at on-camera bouncing before shooting ANY type of event in a professional capacity. It is just an absolute necessity in my opinion. In fact in my opinion as a full-time wedding photographer, the art of bouncing flash is the most significant thing you can do to keep your images from looking like they were taken by a beginner on a point-and-shoot consumer camera.
So, at a bare minimum, you should be asking the groom to rent you a couple flashes, (gotta have a backup! Oh, and what about a backup body?) ...plus at least one f/2.8 zoom and preferably also at least one f/1.8 or f/1.4 prime. And included in that bare minimum is a FULL understanding of how to use all that gear.
Of course, this is just advice for you to go into the job as safely and as prepared as possible. You could wing it and do fine. I've shot in plenty of terrible conditions without anything even remotely resembling the right equipment, let alone the right techniques or knowledge, and I turned out okay
Good luck!
=Matt=
My SmugMug Portfolio • My Astro-Landscape Photo Blog • Dgrin Weddings Forum
If he has any money at all to pay, he would be far better off paying a pro for two hours if possible then paying someone without the gear or experience to shoot all day all day.
I would even consider seeing if there were a local amateur with some wedding or event experience that could on short notice help out for a little money, or trade, etc.
But at any rate, I sincerely hope at the end of the day there are some nice images of the day for the couple, because that's what it is really all about.
Sam
last good luck
Then go shooting. Then ruthlessly critique the shots (bring a laptop for reviewing purposes if you have one). Then shot again.
The idea here is to make all of the mistakes in practice. You want to be able to sort "can't do that with this gear" mistakes from "this mistake was operator error." Puts you at the top of your game. Weeds out your mistakes so that you can get down to the business of shooting against the limits of the gear. It also warns you about places you can't get clean shots compared to sweet spots where there is usable light.
If the lighting is from overhead, there may be spots where directly under the light doesn't work (shadows) but one step back has light from above and fill bouncing off the floor in front of the subject. A Goldilocks zone, if you will, of "just right." Another step back would be too dark. Can-style lights above a white tile floor can do this. Look for whatever the venue offers.
Walk you helper through the places where your subjects will walk. If lighting is uneven, you may find the sweet spots. Not only will you shoot your principals when they get there, but you can ask them in advance to pause in one or two places for a just a split second as they traverse. They may forget, they'll have a million things on their mind. The idea is as they walk to step - pause -click -step where you provide the click. A momentary freeze is a godsend when your shutter speeds are as slow as yours will be. The bride might be doing the step - pause - step - pause cadence anyway, and you can certainly suggest it. "The dignity of the moment" is your friend. This also holds true during the ceremony; if the official takes deliberate, tiny pauses, you get a crack at motionless subjects.
All of the above people stuff could go out the window; couples who aren't theatre trained miss their blocking marks and joyfully bounce down the aisle. Preachers can be smooth talkers and really good at continuous flow and blended motions. Nervous brides might not dare stop for fear they'd never get back into motion.
So not only are you shooting against the limits of your gear, you may be shooting against the limits of your venue. Find the strengths of the venue and play to those strengths.
If you have to pick between these suggestions and getting better kit as outlined above, get better kit. But all of my suggestions here are free and "doing one in practice" can be a great help if you've never done one at all.