Last night's wedding

[lputman]

They are beautiful and I'm with Sis, the last one is just so romantic!

[Mark1616]

Stunning, I really need to get a flash triggering system and start being off camera much more as these are wonderfully lit.

[littlegal]

Gorgeous Mark! The lighting is beautiful.

[pop]

Littlegal got it right...Beautiful...

Just curious..Do you shoot these with exposure set to about 1/2 stop under?

[patterfr]

Awesome Mark!!
Might clone out the two where his vest is showing between his jacket.
Small nit but...
Beautiful.

[KellyL]

Markiwan Ka Nobi

I am reminded as to why I am your padawan.

I still share about my "mentor".

Looking at these I am reminded about how low you work your camera. It is this, I have learned, that helps hide the shadow left by the bare flash. Too high of a camera, and the shadow on the pews behind the models is captured. It took me shooting sunsets to figure this out.

And what is the difference between shooting auto and ettl? Ettl camera controlled and auto flash controlled?

Great, classic images. And I think at 5.6?

[KellyL]

And did you use a two flash setup to capture the light on the groom?

[Mark McCall]

Originally Posted by pop

Just curious..Do you shoot these with exposure set to about 1/2 stop under?

I'm guessing your asking if my flash exposure is 1/2 stop under ambient.
The answer is no. Flash is main light, ambient is fill.
Matter of fact, I never meter indoors unless ambient is my main light.
The beauty of my system is that you never have to meter to get these results.
You can get the same look by setting the auto flash at F5.6, and using one of three shutter speeds which work for about 90% of the churches your working in.
Those speeds are 30th, 15th and an 8th. Easy.

Originally Posted by KellyL

Looking at these I am reminded about how low you work your camera. It is this, I have learned, that helps hide the shadow left by the bare flash. Too high of a camera, and the shadow on the pews behind the models is captured. It took me shooting sunsets to figure this out.

Ahhhhh grasshopper. You have learned well.
The low camera angle works wonders for hiding the shadow thrown by the flash. It also adds drama. It just flat looks better.
Works best if your at least 20' or so from the subject using a medium or long lens.
At this particular church, the low camera angle also brings down the organ pipes. I'm on my knees for these shots.

Originally Posted by KellyL

Great, classic images. And I think at 5.6?

You are correct,.. F5.6.
I'm using the Canon 17-85mm F4-5.6 IS for B&G as well as group shots.
Best all around lens for this type of thing, IMHO.
I'd LOVE to shoot this at F4, but the variable aperture won't allow it at the longer end of the focal length.

I still use the old trusty 24-200 F4-5.6 Tamron too. That inexpensive lens is just magic.

Originally Posted by KellyL

And what is the difference between shooting auto and ettl? Ettl camera controlled and auto flash controlled?

Auto mode:
Flash fires and reads the light bouncing back from the subject, then cuts itself off during the flash duration when the correct amount of light is reached.
The flash will fire at the given aperture regardless of whether or not it's attached to a camera. (this is what makes is so cool).
The flash meters itself, with, or without a camera present. Automatically compensates for distance.
Not perfect, but more consistent than any form of TTL.

ETTL:
(Evaluative-through the lens metering).
The camera and flash work together to meter and expose correctly.
If Canon has a weakness it's their flash metering.
It's inconsistent and can be fooled by a variety of things like: subject to lens distance, subject's clothing colors and walls.
(for the record, auto flash can be fooled as well, just not as often).

Originally Posted by KellyL

And did you use a two flash setup to capture the light on the groom?

Sharp eye, grasshopper.
I never use more than one light. You simply don't need it.
The only Photoshop used here is on the groom. I screened him up a stop in PS.

[Mark McCall]

For those interested, my lighting and shooting is very simple.

Flash on Auto, fired with a Pocket Wizard.
Camera on manual. Aperture set to F5.6, vary my shutter speeds.

The 45CL-4 Metz has a huge dial on top. Aperture settings run from F2.8 to F16. In auto mode, set the dial to the desired aperture and forget it.
It's truly a set and forget type flash.
For the record, all Metz's (at least the 7 or 8 I've owned) all fire one stop hot. If you want F5.6, dial in F4.

The only adjustment I'll make during an entire wedding is my shutter speed. A little faster here, a little slower there. It's about as simple as it gets.

[Mark1616]

Mark, very helpful.... am I right in saying that Canon flash units don't have this auto mode, it is a Metz feature It sounds really worth playing with to get these wonderful results.