Advice please... Christenings

macs

macs

Suspended / Banned
Messages
794
Name
Rich
Edit My Images
Yes
Hi everyone,

I've been asked by a friend to tale some shots at his sons christening next weekend and I've said yes because he's a mate but portraiture isn't really my bag, I'm more into landscapes and architectural shots.

My mate has asked for "informal shots that capture the afternoon" but I'm not really sure what that means. I'm not a pro photographer in any way, shape or form so any pointers for this area of photography would be good for equipment, techniques etc.

I've also got the bear in mind that I'm going with my wife and 2 small children so can't spend my whole time with the camera.
 
Modern church with lots of light or old one with not much? Is it feasible for you to check it out beforehand at roughly the same time of day as the ceremony? Do you know if the priest is cool with somebody snapping the proceedings?

What's the highest ISO you can use to get an acceptable A4 print of a person, as opposed to your normal subjects? What lenses have you got for which body?

And do you finish snapping once the ceremony's over or carry on elsewhere?
 
I recently took a few "snaps" or candids of our grandaughter christening, and at one stage was asked to put the camera down as the grandparents were a small part of the service. Only the immediate families attended.

The service was a 11am around easter and it was beautiful cloudless day so any lens/camera combination would be fine outside. I just went with the flow, shooting candids, and did not direct any members of both families. There was only about 5-10 minutes maximum before every body went into the church.

Inside the church it was ISO 1600 and f2 territory a lot of the time. I had two bodies, a full frame camera with a 135 f2 lens and a crop body with a 35mm f2 lens. I thought I was just going to be a fly on the wall and snap away (I asked the priest of it would be ok and he said yes) however my family had other ideas and I was told to sit in the front row as we (my wife and) I were part of the service so only used the 135 f2 on the full frame body.
I shot raw and did some noise reduction when post processing (where needed) and shot aperture priority with the lens wide open and some exposure compensation if needed (there was a lot white in some of the compositions). I did not use a flash.

After the service there was about 10 minutes for a couple of quick candids before everybody went to a nearby park for baby's first birthday celebration. There I used a 70-200mm f4 lens, on a full frame body, for most of the pics taken that day. Almost any camera/body would have been fine.
With your permission, I can post some example pics from the day.
 
Last edited:
Serendipitous Sid said:
Modern church with lots of light or old one with not much? Is it feasible for you to check it out beforehand at roughly the same time of day as the ceremony? Do you know if the priest is cool with somebody snapping the proceedings?

What's the highest ISO you can use to get an acceptable A4 print of a person, as opposed to your normal subjects? What lenses have you got for which body?

And do you finish snapping once the ceremony's over or carry on elsewhere?
Click to expand...

Its an old church but I won't be able to check it out beforehand although I have attended this church twice before. I think the minister is OK with me taking shots during the ceremony.

I have a D7000 so ISO can go up to 1600 easily to be usable. Lenses are kit 18-55, 55-200 (both variable f stop) and 35 f1.8.

There is a 'party' afterwards in the church hall so can probably continue taking snaps there too.
 
RichardTaylor said:
I recently took a few "snaps" or candids of our grandaughter christening, and at one stage was asked to put the camaera down as the grandparents were a small part of the service. Only the immediate families attended.

The service was a 11am around easter and it was beautiful cloudless day so any lens/camera combination would be fine outside. I just went with the flow, shooting candids, and did not direct any members of both families. There was only about 5-10 minutes maximum before every body went into the church.

Inside the church it was ISO 1600 and f2 territory a lot of the time. I had two bodies, a full frame camera with a 135 f2 lens and a crop body with a 35mm f2 lens. I thought I was just going to be a fly on the wall and snap away (I asked the priest of it would be ok and he said yes) however my family had other ideas and I was told to sit in the front row as we (my wife and) I were part of the service so only used the 135 f2 on the full frame body.
I shot raw and did some noise reduction when post processing (where needed) and shot aperture priority with the lens wide open and some exposure compensation if needed (there was a lot white in some of the compositions). I did not use a flash.

After the service there was about 10 minutes for a couple of quick candids before everybody went to a nearby park for baby's first birthday celebration. There I used a 70-200mm f4 lens, on a full frame body, for most of the pics taken that day. Almost any camera/body would have been fine.
With your permission, I can post some example pics from the day.
Click to expand...
Sounds interesting. yes please to the offer of sticking a few shots up of the day, it will help give me a few ideas for shots of my own.
 
You may find the 35 f1.8 meets you needs for everything. One thing I forgot to mention there were a couple of other cameras there, however I have never seen any of the other pics so I don't know what they are like.

Here are some examples - along with exif data and larger examples can be seen on my flickr stream.

#1 The church. This was taken in 2010 when our son was getting married. The lighting would have been similar but without the afternoon sunlight streaming in through the windows.

Uploaded for a thread by dicktay2000, on Flickr

#2 Baby - 1/500 @ f2 and ISO 1600, F=135mm

My special day (5) by dicktay2000, on Flickr

#3 Mum (our daughter in law) - 1/125 @ f2 and ISO 1600
My special day (6) by dicktay2000, on Flickr

#4 The christening - again 1/125 @ f2 and ISO 1600
My special day (8) by dicktay2000, on Flickr

#5 After the christening - 1/125 @ f2 and ISO 1600
My special day (10) by dicktay2000, on Flickr

#6 My son (the babys father), who is not a photographer took this one of the grandparents ( I am the guy on thhe right) - he just picked my camaera (I was told to put it down) - again 1/250 @ f2 and ISO 1600
My special day (13) by dicktay2000, on Flickr

Some more pics, including the party afterwards, can be seen in my flickr familty album here;

https://www.flickr.com/photos/34094515@N00/sets/72157634539600529/

Hope this helps.
 
Last edited:
IMO Richard's answered your question and also put up some very nice shots, so all I'm going to add is - you're not getting paid, so don't sweat it :)
 
S
RichardTaylor said:
You may find the 35 f1.8 meets you needs for everything. One thing I forgot to mention there were a couple of other cameras there, however I have never seen any of the other pics so I don't know what they are like.

Here are some examples - along with exif data and larger examples can be seen on my flickr stream.

#1 The church. This was taken in 2010 when our son was getting married. The lighting would have been similar but without the afternoon sunlight streaming in through the windows.

Uploaded for a thread by dicktay2000, on Flickr

#2 Baby - 1/500 @ f2 and ISO 1600, F=135mm

My special day (5) by dicktay2000, on Flickr

#3 Mum (our daughter in law) - 1/125 @ f2 and ISO 1600
My special day (6) by dicktay2000, on Flickr

#4 The christening - again 1/125 @ f2 and ISO 1600
My special day (8) by dicktay2000, on Flickr

#5 After the christening - 1/125 @ f2 and ISO 1600
My special day (10) by dicktay2000, on Flickr

#6 My son (the babys father), who is not a photographer took this one of the grandparents ( I am the guy on thhe right) - he just picked my camaera (I was told to put it down) - again 1/250 @ f2 and ISO 1600
My special day (13) by dicktay2000, on Flickr

Some more pics, including the party afterwards, can be seen in my flickr familty album here;

https://www.flickr.com/photos/34094515@N00/sets/72157634539600529/

Hope this helps.
Click to expand...
some very nice shots there, plenty of inspiration. Thanks.
 
Serendipitous Sid said:
IMO Richard's answered your question and also put up some very nice shots, so all I'm going to add is - you're not getting paid, so don't sweat it :)
Click to expand...
Good point about not being paid for the job. I'll do my best and see what I come out with. If they want better they should have asked someone with more experience of portraits and events.
 
I was recently asked to do the same thing. The main things I found was that I spent most of the time away from my family taking the pictures. I would definately speak to the minister before the ceremony and get permission. The one I had requested no flash, so high iso and fast apertures were the order of the day. another thing I found was that I wish I'd had 2 bodies, rather than swapping lenses.
 
ChrisHeathcote said:
I was recently asked to do the same thing. The main things I found was that I spent most of the time away from my family taking the pictures. I would definately speak to the minister before the ceremony and get permission. The one I had requested no flash, so high iso and fast apertures were the order of the day. another thing I found was that I wish I'd had 2 bodies, rather than swapping lenses.
Click to expand...
The family thing is certainly something I'm concerned about as I was looking forward to going with them but now will have to spend some time away from them.

I'll definitely speak to the minister about photography during the ceremony and try to get myself a nice front row seat.

As for the two bodies thing, that would be the ideal scenario but I might try to borrow a mates 18-200 lens to cover almost all situations. I realise this will limit the large aperture lots-of-light/shallow-dof situation but heck, you can't have everything if you don't pay a pro.

Maybe I'll see if I can borrow a mates D90 body with his 18-200 on it plus my D7000 with the 35mm f1.8 lens on it. That might be the way forward....
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top