Lighting for reception candids?

WingsOfLovePhoto · January 19, 2009

What is everyone using for dark church's and reception rooms for lighting? A Fong, a Demb, stroboframe? Everyone keeps talking about off camera flash but how is this accomplished under these circumstances? :dunno

ziggy53 · January 19, 2009

For dark or colored ceilings I use a "scoop" modifier. It helps move the flash upward as well as provide a fairly large emitting surface. It's also fairly efficient.

Last year I had an event in a church with very high angled ceilings and I was shooting at all sorts of odd angles so bounce would have been ineffective. I used the Sigma EF 500 DG Super flash with a flash bracket and a scoop and I was able to cover almost 300 images with a single set of 2500 mAh batteries. It was a Boy Scout Eagle ceremony with 9 simultaneous Eagle candidates (a potential record). If you've ever been to one of these ceremonies you can imagine that the action was coming very fast for 9 candidates.

2 years ago I shot a wedding reception in a dark hall with dark wood low ceilings. I was using a scoop and my assistant was using a Demb Flip-It. I had a flash bracket but the assistant used the flash mounted onto the camera's hotshoe. We used identical flash units and I was able to shoot at a much faster rate than he could. The Demb images looked fine but the scoop images were better yet.

My scoop is based on this:

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

Matt S · January 19, 2009

Two ways..... oops make that three.

The go big approach. I link two studio strobes via a mono sync cable and attach the wireless reciever via an audio headphone splitter (weird I know, it takes some fiddling to find the right connectors, but it works and I can fire two strobes about 10 feet apart without a second reciever) at the back of the church and bounce them off the rear wall and ceiling at about 1/2 power. Then I add fill light where needed with a speedlight held in my left hand stretched out as far as I can reach. All fired wirelessly via triggers and the su-800 (if your a nikon shooter, canon has a similar commander) It is hard on the body, hefting a d2x in one hand all day will make you sore. Works for big reception halls as well. By bouncing the strobes you get some nice light and it's not so intrusive to guests and wedding party as any direct strobing would be. One thing to note if you have wooden ceilings or other color prohibitive bounce area you can do the same thing with large silver umbrellas, however it will be harder light and much more noticeable to the guests.

The minimal approach. Assistant with speedlight handheld where you need them (crosslight, backlight, fill, you name it) + hand held speedlight. Or if no assistant use the outstretched arm bit from before just minus the strobes. I use this technique extensively at receptions. Upping ISO to get the ambient within a couple of stops of the speedlights makes a big difference.

Super minimal. bounce card. I just make mine out of white cardboard. Rubberband to on camera flash and your ready to go. For this to look good you really need to balance with the ambient light to avoid that hard flashed look. The flash should really only be filling in the shadows.

Elaine · January 19, 2009

Jeffreaux2 uses a "light on a stick" method. If he doesn't chime in here, you could PM him for more info.

Matt S · January 19, 2009

Elaine wrote:

Jeffreaux2 uses a "light on a stick" method. If he doesn't chime in here, you could PM him for more info.

I meant to mention that one. You can do it yourself or have your assistant hold and position it for you.

Matt S · January 19, 2009

Let's see other tricks......

I have two light stands I carry to weddings. Both of them I took apart and added a 5 lb weight from an old weight lifting set I had, to the shaft just above the legs. Fits perfect. Now with the weight these are really pretty stable with only a speedlight mounted and won't be easily knocked over by guests etc. Find some good spots in the room to position one or two them. You will still need some type of on axis (or close to it, hand held or flash bracket) light, but you can get very creative with the light on the stand. Depending on where you are shooting from it backlights, sidelights...well you get the idea. I use this technique when I am working solo. Since I am using the su-800 I can control that stationary light or even kill it when needed without stopping what I am doing. Not as good as an assistant, but better than nothing.

WingsOfLovePhoto · January 19, 2009

Thanks for the replies! Keep em coming please...I'd really like this to be a great learning tool for everyone who might be new to the forum. I have 2 sb800's but the problem now is that with my D3 there is no commander mode so I would have to either buy another sb800 to use on the hotshoe to trigger the other 2 or invest in pocket wizards. I am considering the investment in the wizards.... I think it will make a difference. I wish it werent so cold and snowy here or I'd be out and about trying out the off camera flash thing. Ughh.....spring please come soon! I hope Jeffreux will be chiming in soon.

about the light on a stick thing

ChatKat · January 20, 2009

Light on a stick
The Light on a Stick is a speedlight attached to a Monopod. You use a remote trigger (Pocket Wizard or Canon STE-2) to flash it as you would on camera, but off to the side to balance with existing ambient light. Jeff uses gels but you can use any modification you'd use on camera - Fong, Demb, BBC...

Scott_Quier · January 20, 2009

These two demonstrate how I usually light a reception and the results one can get. These were were actually lit using a pair of Sunpak 622 flashes, one in each opposing corner of the room. When I can, I now use AB800 as the recycle time is better and I don't have to worry about batteries. These were shot without modifiers.
1.

2.

3. Now, I try to use large shoot-through umbrellas to soften the light a bit (same venue, different wedding)

But, sometimes the room just doesn't allow for such or I don't have enough lights to light the room with stationary strobes. This was one such example. I ended up shooting this entire reception with a Better Bounce Card strapped to a 580EX, mounted on a flash bracket. My second used a Sigma EF 500 DG Super flash with a BBC but mounted directly on the camera.

urbanaries · January 20, 2009

For receptions and ceremonies that require/allow it, I use 2 580ex's triggered by an ST-e2, and recently with the help of radio poppers. Then, I usually have a 3rd one mounted on a camera (typically with a Fong Lightsphere) for close range shots, or to bounce some light and used to master the other two.

In addition to some natural looking shots as Scott so ably displayed, you can get some fun back/cross lighting acheived with the off camera speedlights, too!

ChatKat · January 20, 2009

TR 2000 Battery Packs
I have the Battery packs for my sunpak's - they also work for the 580's so you can recharge and use the regular rechargeables for a backup.

jeffreaux2 · January 20, 2009

With the "light-on-a-stick" technique that I use, I use a single 580EX(II) speedlight with a garyfong lightsphere mounted on a monopod. I use gels to match the temperature of the flash to the ambient light source. An STE2 transmitter signals the flash to fire without the mess of having to deal with cables.

Here is more on the technique.....

Jeff's light on a stick trick(link)

zoomer · January 22, 2009

I use a sb800 with demb diffuser on it on a flash bracket. Give me nice soft light and is all I ever need.
I move around a lot and do not like the look of the many flashes stationed around the room lighting up the whole room.
I also feel it is just to much and the photography takes over the event.

I shoot very high iso so I get some light on the background, the tunnel effect where only your subject gets any light is bad bad.

Ed911 · January 23, 2009

Urbanaires, Your piture hasn't appeared yet...hmm...

urbanaries · January 23, 2009

Ed911 wrote:

Urbanaires, Your piture hasn't appeared yet...hmm...

Aw, thanks for letting me know!! External links were off, should be there with a refresh. Thanks!!!

Ed911 · January 23, 2009

Now I see it. How do you like the Radio Poppers? I saw Bob Davis, Canon Explorer of Light, at a seminar last year, and he uses Radio Poppers...and loves them. He shoots a lot of high profile celebrity weddings and events using Radio Poppers and light on a stick. He swears by the technology and technique. His take on lighting a room...the one we were in at the seminar, was to use two 580's on light stands on either side of the room up front and if I remember correctly, a Gary Fong on his camera flash.

By the way...he shoots a lot of his stuff without the tops in the Light Spheres.

Here's his site if anyone is interested...be sure to view his medical missions file. Not anthing on his technique...but worth looking at anyway.

http://www.lastoriafoto.net/

urbanaries · January 23, 2009

zoomer wrote:

I use a sb800 with demb diffuser on it on a flash bracket. Give me nice soft light and is all I ever need.
I move around a lot and do not like the look of the many flashes stationed around the room lighting up the whole room.
I also feel it is just to much and the photography takes over the event.

Just another POV, I have had the opposite reaction as I get a lot more "we didn't see you all evening....!" comments with the above described setup vs. having the flash on the camera. I can give people less of the feeling that I'm shooting them when the light isn't coming directly from me. Of course there are drawbacks like controlling shadows and keeping lightstands out of shots. Like you've mentioned, shooting at a high ISO keeps the light power low which is nice for that super quick "pinch" of light rather than the full blast room illumination, which I agree is distracting.

joshhuntnm · January 26, 2009

couple of thoughts:

ask if you can turn up the light just a bit.
crank up the ISO as much as your camera will allow without noise.

heatherfeather · January 26, 2009

urbanaries wrote:

Just another POV, I have had the opposite reaction as I get a lot more "we didn't see you all evening....!" comments with the above described setup vs. having the flash on the camera. I can give people less of the feeling that I'm shooting them when the light isn't coming directly from me. Of course there are drawbacks like controlling shadows and keeping lightstands out of shots. Like you've mentioned, shooting at a high ISO keeps the light power low which is nice for that super quick "pinch" of light rather than the full blast room illumination, which I agree is distracting.

Speaking of keeping the light stand out of the shot.... You know how it is... there is always some photos with them in them. Do you consider the photo to be a tosser if a light stand is in it in an uncropable spot? While I attempt to avoid getting them in the shot in the first place, it still happens sometimes and so I keep the ones with good content and just ignore the light stand.

Case and point... I had set up the light for it to look like this:

And then noticed these 3 adorable kids watching and just had to include them, and .... therefore include the flash and stand...

Does it ruin it? Personally I think it is fine (partially because of the nature of event photography.) And the kids in the shot are really important to include even if my ugly flash has to be in there as well...

What do you guys think about that?

WingsOfLovePhoto · January 26, 2009

heatherfeather wrote:

Speaking of keeping the light stand out of the shot.... You know how it is... there is always some photos with them in them. Do you consider the photo to be a tosser if a light stand is in it in an uncropable spot? While I attempt to avoid getting them in the shot in the first place, it still happens sometimes and so I keep the ones with good content and just ignore the light stand.

Case and point... I had set up the light for it to look like this:

And then noticed these 3 adorable kids watching and just had to include them, and .... therefore include the flash and stand...

Does it ruin it? Personally I think it is fine (partially because of the nature of event photography.) And the kids in the shot are really important to include even if my ugly flash has to be in there as well

What do you guys think about that?

Why wouldn't you just clone it out?

heatherfeather · January 27, 2009

WingsOfLovePhoto wrote:

Why wouldn't you just clone it out?

Ah, yes. I knew someone would say that!

It would be because I try to hold myself back from opening up into photoshop more than around 10 or 15 from each wedding. And there were much better photos than this that benefited from a little extra time tweaking.
These are definitely not portfolio material. I just posted these for example of the thought's sake. This wedding was quite a while ago.

But you do have a valid point. Is everyone just cloning out lightstands!?

Swartzy · January 27, 2009

heatherfeather wrote:

Ah, yes. I knew someone would say that!

It would be because I try to hold myself back from opening up into photoshop more than around 10 or 15 from each wedding. And there were much better photos than this that benefited from a little extra time tweaking.
These are definitely not portfolio material. I just posted these for example of the thought's sake. This wedding was quite a while ago.

But you do have a valid point. Is everyone just cloning out lightstands!?

In this case Fred, I'd say the light "has" to go. Guess I'm a processing junkie. Every image that finds it's way to a gallery see's LR/PS....now granted, they don't all get major treatment but there usually is something that needs addressed in PS.

ChatKat · January 27, 2009

Swartzy wrote:

In this case Fred, I'd say the light "has" to go. Guess I'm a processing junkie. Every image that finds it's way to a gallery see's LR/PS....now granted, they don't all get major treatment but there usually is something that needs addressed in PS.

This is why the light on a stick came into being. I say take it out before you shoot. I am always looking for the stuff that doesn't work and moving me or it before I click.

heatherfeather · January 27, 2009

Swartzy wrote:

In this case Fred, I'd say the light "has" to go. Guess I'm a processing junkie. Every image that finds it's way to a gallery see's LR/PS....now granted, they don't all get major treatment but there usually is something that needs addressed in PS.

Really? Hmmm... And I was hearing from a lot of folks that they were processing an entire wedding in under a day. How long does it take you?
Me- I am already about 5 days....

Swartzy · January 27, 2009

heatherfeather wrote:

Really? Hmmm... And I was hearing from a lot of folks that they were processing an entire wedding in under a day. How long does it take you?
Me- I am already about 5 days....

Well.....I go after particular looks as each photo develops so it takes me longer. I like to provide 200-300 images to clients rather than 800. It takes a bit to cull through, delineate but rest assured, every photo they see took work to make it look the way they do. Yes, there are some I simply do some quick do dah in LR, tag, then put in a special collection. Usually about a week...if there are many 'great' shots then 2 weeks....always trying to streamline the workflow though.

zoomer · January 27, 2009

Try to plan ahead and put the lights where they will not get in the shot if opportunities like shooting the kids come up. Agree you do not want to get yourself into a situation where you are trying to clone out lightstands. Once they get in the shot you have to leave them there or clone the shot, the odds of doing a successful clone on an entire lightstand and light are slim.

As to processing an entire wedding in one day, I would not like to see the quality of work that produces.
I typically deliver around 600 pics or more, all photos processed in Lightroom for white balance color contrast exposure and sharpness with levels adjustments. Then appx. 150 of my favorites tweaked and final processed in Photoshop as well.
If I work every day on it usually takes about..roughly:
4 hours of culling
10 hours of Lightroom including loading and unloading, 2-3 hours of actual hands on work
20 hours in Photoshop final tweaking cropping effects etc.
If I work on it every day I can be done in 9 days, if I have some other projects in there it can take two full weeks and three weekends.
I also work a full time job during the week for my real income.

heatherfeather wrote:

Really? Hmmm... And I was hearing from a lot of folks that they were processing an entire wedding in under a day. How long does it take you?
Me- I am already about 5 days....

WingsOfLovePhoto · January 27, 2009

heatherfeather wrote:

Really? Hmmm... And I was hearing from a lot of folks that they were processing an entire wedding in under a day. How long does it take you?
Me- I am already about 5 days....

I usually take about 1000-1500 pictures. I go through each and get rid of obvious bad ones. It probably takes me about 30 hours at least to do adjustments. All get sharpened, some get portraitured, The best ones I think they will want for an album get total workup, blemish removal, teeth whitening and vignettes or what ever else would look good. Then when they finally pick which ones for an album I will probably work on them again. But I am a perfectionist by nature. I would think if you could get a whole wedding done in a day you are either a perfect photographer or are not a perfectionist.

Lighting for reception candids?

Comments