First Wedding Shoot

[hoffstriker]

Hello all, I've got my first wedding shoot on Tuesday June 21, 2011, and would like any and all "words of wisdom" that can be bestowed upon me. Any and all recommendations/comments will be appreciated.

I've got my 20d as primary and an EOS 3 (film) as secondary/portrait body. I will be using a 70-200L IS 2.8II on the 20d mostly, a 16-35 2.8L on the EOS 3 and a 50mm 1.8 just in case. The wedding will be on a beach in the morning and the reception will also be outdoors in the afternoon. I've talked with the bride and she gave me a very small list of necessary shots, leaving the rest to me. I've got extra batteries for every camera, I'll bring both my monopod and tripod with remote trigger. I have no flash, but none too concerned with everything being outside.

Thanks all......

[rob marshall]

Chris

All very well, but I think you need an assistant. What about Rufus?

[hoffstriker]

I wanted to, but he told me that I "couldn't afford his services".

Does this dawg not remember who puts food in his bowl????

[Colin Southern]

Unfortunately, beach shots are where you need flash the most - if the light is behind you they'll be squinting & have harsh shadows - if you're shooting into it they'll be silhouettes.

At a bare minimum I'd suggest practice shots at the same time a few days before.

[hoffstriker]

Thanks Colin, the sun will actually be at their backs for the most part. The forecast calls for mostly cloudy and I'm really counting on just that. I know you'll probably lose respect for me with this, but what about (if absolutely necessary) using the pop-up flash on camera. One other note, I have an assistant that will have bounce cards.

[Colin Southern]

Hi Chris,

In that situation - without some kind of light augmentation (flash / reflectors / fill cards etc) you're probably going to have 1 of 2 situations ...

1. By default - because the camera will normally try to protect highlights - you'll end up with a psudo-sillhouette, with everything "down-stream" of the sun (ie faces & everything you're shooting) being at least 3 stops under exposed, or ...

2. If you expose for the centre of interest, you'll get a totally "nuked" background.

In terms of on camera popup flash, it's going to be like a tug-o-war between a new born baby & gorilla I'm afraid - even a 580EX (assuming you're shooting at F8) will only illuminate a subject about 7 or 8 feet away (assuming base ISO and no HSS) - but perhaps a little more for fill flash, and a little less if you're diffusing it. Even a couple of my studio strobes with each one being around 20 times as powerful as a 580EX STILL wouldn't give me the flexiability I'd like (although getting a LOT closer!). So I'll still respect you in the morning, but on camera flash isn't going to do a lot I'm afraid (you're basically competing against the power of the sun).

Reflecting the suns light back at them is the most powerful option - but - (a) it'll be very hard to illuminate everyone evenly, and (b) if it's a silver reflector it'll make them squint (although in an emergency, get them to keep their eyes closed and then "on the count of three etc".

Sorry to sound so negative, but the bottom like is it's a "darn" challenging environment to be shooting in. If it were me, I'd have at as absolute minimum, an off-camera flash firing into a shoot-through umbrella held by an assistant. That was actually a lie - if it were me I'd have 2 pairs of flashes firing into 2 shoot-through umbrellas held by two assistants - and even then I'd be parking them in the shade.

Bottom line Chris - pop down the beach at the same time of day and do some tests.

[hoffstriker]

Thanks, as always, Colin. I did check it out and then immediately picked up a Metz 58 rental. The only problem here is they were out of the connection wires, so off camera flash is now impossible. I do, however have a Gary Wong diffuser. Yes, it will be on camera but will this be enough? I've done some tests in the backyard, but there is no reflection source like there will be from the lake. In the backyard it appears usable, not great, but considering the price I am being paid (nothing) I will make it work. Or, should I skip the diffuser completely due to the strength of the light I will be fighting?

On the plus side, the weather people are calling for overcast skies all day... If this is in fact the case, it will make my life quite a bit easier.

Again, thanks for all the help.