Flash in a church

rtcary

I would like to find out what other photographers use for the aisle shot when there are no reflecting surfaces and the couple is 15-20 feet away.

For most of my images when I have reflective surfaces around me, I either use the built-in white card with my D200/SB800 combination, a "better bounce card" type reflector or a Sto-Fen. If the room is small, I will use a Light Sphere. However, the above are wasting a lot of light in those large structures.

I do have my camera set for 1/30 sec (min flash speed) and use aperature preferred with my 28-70 f/2.8 at 4.0 or I use manual with the above settings (unless the ambient level is higher) and the flash on TTL.

Todd

ziggy53

Most churches where I live allow flash during the processional and recessional. If the church has very high ceilings or a dark ceiling I use the "scoop" type of modifier. That is my standard "go to" device when in doubt. It loses 1 to 2 stops over bare flash but the light is consistantly good. (Bounce cards typically lose much more because they are designed to be a "fill" rather than a primary light source.)

Used in a "drag shutter" or as "fill for ambient" situation I can still get plenty of reach. If I need to use it as primary light, it does take a while to recycle the flash but I still think much better efficiency than a bounce card or bounce alone or feathered flash would provide.

What I use is very similar to this (the second version shown):

http://www.fototime.com/inv/908195739C4C0D3

rtcary

ziggy53 wrote:

Most churches where I live allow flash during the processional and recessional. If the church has very high ceilings or a dark ceiling I use the "scoop" type of modifier. That is my standard "go to" device when in doubt. It loses 1 to 2 stops over bare flash but the light is consistantly good. (Bounce cards typically lose much more because they are designed to be a "fill" rather than a primary light source.)

Used in a "drag shutter" or as "fill for ambient" situation I can still get plenty of reach. If I need to use it as primary light, it does take a while to recycle the flash but I still think much better efficiency than a bounce card or bounce alone or feathered flash would provide.

What I use is very similar to this (the second version shown):

http://www.fototime.com/inv/908195739C4C0D3

I appreciate your quick response and I'll give that a try. Though I have not used it more than a couple of time, I have the Lumiquest with the silver, whiote and gold reflectors. Ever try that?

Todd

ziggy53

rtcary wrote:

I appreciate your quick response and I'll give that a try. Though I have not used it more than a couple of time, I have the Lumiquest with the silver, whiote and gold reflectors. Ever try that?

Todd

I haven't tried it personally but I think it would work fairly well because it is designed to work as a primary light source, just diffusing and spreading the light from the flash.

The "scoop" works similarly but provides a much larger surface and results in much softer shadows especially used close to the subject(s). The scoop also lifts the light considerably higher above the camera, an advantage when shooting the couple near the alter, for instance, when they might be higher than you are. The extra height places the shadows lower and behind the subjects.