Input for Wedding Pics

[bryanpritchard]

Ok everyone my Nephew is getting married in 3 weeks and I was t oget some great pics as i have been asked to do so.

I have a studio and using Elinchrom 600RX's Umbrellas etc but I dont want to take those outside.
My question is what about a stand with an umbrella and my SB800? 60" SOFTLIGHTER
Most of the wedding will be outside so input please

Thanks

Bryan

[Jacco]

Originally Posted by bryanpritchard

outside

For the formals you could use (D-I-Y) reflectors. Or the SB800 dialled down to 1/4 for fill flash, while keeping their backs to the sun to prevent squinting. Chimp and adjust. Tethered to a laptop with the right cable and software it can be a boon to preview and liveview the image as well as see the capture immediately on a sizable screen.

For capturing the proceedings I'm assuming there will be a lot of moving of people and of moving of you involved. No use for an umbrella or reflectors there. You'll have to make do with your SB600 as a fill flash. Dial the SB600's output down to 1/4, shoot, chimp and adjust. The sun's shadows under chins and noses shouldn't be big and pitch black anymore. Some sun shadow should remain, though, imo. To prevent a too artificial impression, a too obvious 'auxiliary' lighting look (the classical red carpet photos at the Oscars; the glossie and glamor mags are full of 'm).

[bryanpritchard]

Thanks it actually is a SB800

So use the flash outside at 1/4 power? and adjust from there correct?

[bryanpritchard]

I am actually looking for software for my laptop as you mention. Can you recomend any? I want the software so when I soot it shows up on the spot on my Laptop

[Jacco]

Originally Posted by bryanpritchard

So use the flash outside at 1/4 power? and adjust from there correct?

Yes. Depending on the 'look' you want your photos to have, of course. Hence the chimping. But a trial run tomorrow is better still. There's no substitute for experience. Don't try untested techniques at so important an occasion!

[bryanpritchard]

Originally Posted by Jacco

For the formals you could use (D-I-Y) reflectors. Or the SB800 dialled down to 1/4 for fill flash, while keeping their backs to the sun to prevent squinting. Chimp and adjust. Tethered to a laptop with the right cable and software it can be a boon to preview and liveview the image as well as see the capture immediately on a sizable screen.

For capturing the proceedings I'm assuming there will be a lot of moving of people and of moving of you involved. No use for an umbrella or reflectors there. You'll have to make do with your SB600 as a fill flash. Dial the SB600's output down to 1/4, shoot, chimp and adjust. The sun's shadows under chins and noses shouldn't be big and pitch black anymore. Some sun shadow should remain, though, imo. To prevent a too artificial impression, a too obvious 'auxiliary' lighting look (the classical red carpet photos at the Oscars; the glossie and glamor mags are full of 'm).

Question? YOur talking about shooting in Manual and the Flash on Manual?

[Songman45]

Originally Posted by Jacco

For the formals you could use (D-I-Y) reflectors. Or the SB800 dialled down to 1/4 for fill flash, while keeping their backs to the sun to prevent squinting. Chimp and adjust.

I don't quite get what you are saying, do you have an example shot of this technique?

[dch]

Outdoors at a wedding -- and it sounds like this is your first wedding as a photographer -- just keep the flash on the camera, using it for fill. Adjust exposure manually or set to Shutter priority at your max sync speed. Then dial down your flash FEC to -1 to -2. You will have decent results. If you insist on off-camera flash, just put one on a lightstand. No umbrella -- who knows what the wind will be like, and you don't want to have to lug around sandbags at a wedding.

[Jacco]

Originally Posted by Songman45

I don't quite get what you are saying, do you have an example shot of this technique?

Glossy and glamour mags are filled with them, Songman. Think red carpet and Oscars.

[Jacco]

Originally Posted by bryanpritchard

Question? YOur talking about shooting in Manual and the Flash on Manual?

No. Look at dch' post. He's got it right.