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Natural Light vs. Flash

metmet Registered Users Posts: 405 Major grins
edited August 2, 2010 in Weddings
I'm curious the amount wedding photographers here that do flash versus natural light. Obviously many people aren't exclusively one or the other.

What's your lighting style? What percentage of your images do you usually shoot natural light? Under what circumstances do you absolutely have to have flash? Do you still go for natural light even in harsh sunlight and roll with it or do you fill? Do you go with grain in low light or balance with flash? When you do use flash - is it on camera or do you have some other set-up? Example images would be awesome, too. Please share. :deal
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    Art ScottArt Scott Registered Users Posts: 8,959 Major grins
    edited July 29, 2010
    I shoot nat light as much as possible but I also will fill flash in bright sunlight.........inside churches...I shoot mostly flash until the ceremony and then it is ambient light until the kiss and from then on flash again
    "Genuine Fractals was, is and will always be the best solution for enlarging digital photos." ....Vincent Versace ... ... COPYRIGHT YOUR WORK ONLINE ... ... My Website

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    DmanningDmanning Registered Users Posts: 88 Big grins
    edited July 29, 2010
    met wrote: »
    I'm curious the amount wedding photographers here that do flash versus natural light. Obviously many people aren't exclusively one or the other.

    What's your lighting style? What percentage of your images do you usually shoot natural light? Under what circumstances do you absolutely have to have flash? Do you still go for natural light even in harsh sunlight and roll with it or do you fill? Do you go with grain in low light or balance with flash? When you do use flash - is it on camera or do you have some other set-up? Example images would be awesome, too. Please share. deal.gif

    I shoot natural light as much as possible. If it's dark I will do a lot of flash bouncing. No flash during ceremony. I use off camera flash for formal portraits and for the dance floor/reception.
    -D Manning
    DManning Photography
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    Matthew SavilleMatthew Saville Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 3,352 Major grins
    edited August 2, 2010
    met wrote: »
    I'm curious the amount wedding photographers here that do flash versus natural light. Obviously many people aren't exclusively one or the other.

    What's your lighting style? What percentage of your images do you usually shoot natural light? Under what circumstances do you absolutely have to have flash? Do you still go for natural light even in harsh sunlight and roll with it or do you fill? Do you go with grain in low light or balance with flash? When you do use flash - is it on camera or do you have some other set-up? Example images would be awesome, too. Please share. deal.gif
    Wow, this sounds exactly like the questions I answer in my natural light portraiture workshop! Too bad we live so far apart hehe..

    Basically, to answer your questions:

    * Natural light is my core style and what really makes my heart sing, but there's also a geek inside me who certainly loves to spice things up with flash when the opportunity arises...

    * 90-100% when with clients on normal photo shoots. Sometimes in dimly lit receptions I'll shoot almost 100% bounced or wireless flash, however. And sometimes just for fun at goof-off photo shoots with friends, I'll shoot 100% wireless flash. But here's the wedding breakdown: Getting ready- 100% ambient. Ceremony- 100% ambient. Portraits- 100% ambient, most every time. Reception 90% ambient if the light is bright enough, 10% flash just to spice things up. Or for 20% of the weddings it's just way too dim and I have to shoot 90% flash and only 10% ambient. Sorry for all the numbers, hope they make sense...

    * Basically I only HAVE to have flash if it's pitch black. Or sometimes if the lighting is normal but TOTALLY flat, I'll spice it up with flash a bit.

    * I say, bring on the harsh nasty light; I'll just turn it into dramatic, eye-popping light. No fill required, unless a catchlight is missing and really noticeable. Sure, sometimes I like to balance bright daylight with flash, but it's usually not just fill, I'm usually using it as a main light to make a subject stand out against a deep blue sky or clouds or something.

    * In low light, my priority and my signature style is definitely ambient, but I have no problem bouncing or using wireless flash if the light is just way too dim. (And by way too dim I'm talking about ISO 6400+ and f/1.4, Laughing.gif...) Either that, or, I'll specifically use wireless flash as an accent light on a dance floor etc. Like a rimlight...

    I'll try and make time to dig up some examples tomorrow or soon! But you can certainly see a few by browsing my portfolio and my blog...

    =Matt=

    925542175_7B4DA-O.jpg
    (A quick example of a natural light portrait in low light)

    868083382_MbuRh-O.jpg
    (A quick example of a natural light portrait in bright sunlight)
    “My first thought is always of light.” – Galen Rowell
    My SmugMug Portfolio • My Astro-Landscape Photo Blog • Dgrin Weddings Forum
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