Indoor wedding - using 2 or 3 flashguns

[Anorakus]

I've been asked to shoot a wedding at a hotel later in the year. There ceremony will probably be indoors, so I'll be wanting to use flash.

I had a bad experience last year using a Gary Fong diffuser - the ceiling was too high for it to bounce off, and it wasted so much light that most of the pics were 1 or 2 stops underexposed. For this next project, I was wondering about investing in a second and maybe third flashgun, setting the 'satellite' flashes up on either side of each shot or maybe just bouncing them off the ceiling for some ambient light, and using a Stofen diffuser on the main camera-mounted flash.

My setup is a Canon 5D mk II with 580EXII flash. I was thinking about acquiring one or two 430EXII's to use with it.

Any comments on this approach?

TIA

A.

 

[HoppyUK]

It rather depends on the height of the ceiling doesn't it? And a Stofen works in the same way as a Fong. Have a look at a Lumiquest Quik Bounce, which works with or without a ceiling - very versatile flash atachment, and efficient with light.

Multiple remote flashes for fill-in is a good technique though you might have sync issues in a large room or if line of sight is broken. Radio triggers would be the way around that, which are manual only (though there are workarounds to combine E-TTL on camera with manual control on the remotes, without spending a fortune).

If the ambient light is reasonable, you can get away with slow-sync flash to lighten the background, and gell the flash to balance the colour.

Everything really depends on the venue - check that out.

 

[markrichardson]

I often use one or two off-camera flashes and one on camera with a 5d Mk II. I have been using a 430ex II and a 550ex off-camera, but recently got a second 430ex II so will be using that.

To control them, I use the Pocketwizard Mini and Flex which support eTTL as I find that it's helpful having the flexibility. (I appreciate that many others manage to produce much better images than I do with manual flash - all credit to them!)

An approach I often use is to have one of the off-camera flashes at 0 FEC and then the on-camera flash (and second off-camera if I need it) at around -1.5 FEC for fill.

Other times I will set up two off-camera flashes directly opposite each other to cross light the subject.

As Richard said, bounce flash isn't the answer in all situations. I haven't really found height of the ceiling to be a problem in practice. What is a problem is when you have dark wood panelling or similar covering the entire room.

I've just realised that you're taking about using flash during the ceremony - in which case you should be aware that sometimes registrar's will ask for no flash during a ceremony. Also many couples would prefer to not have flash used during the ceremony. (For what it's worth, my approach is always to only use flash during the entry of the bride, signing of registrar and the recession. For the rest of the service I rely on high ISO, wide aperture and IS!)

 

[Gazamonk]

Richard is correct and I should add that in a wedding shoot you really dont always have time to set up or mess around with multiple flashes and unless you spend a bucket load on E-ttl triggers you could waste even more time getting it right. Wedding guests and bridal parties are hyped up and just want to get on with the celebrations and as a result they bore very quickly. A lightweight, quick and well rehearsed plan of action is your best friend on the day. Go to the hotel/church/gardens, venue etc etc a week prior to the wedding and shoot loads of pics and note anything that may be a problem on the day. Trust me you wont be able to think quickly out of an unexpected problem on the day. With every minute that passes you are losing your audience.

Richards idea of the Lumiquest is excellent. It isn't cheap and if you want to try before you buy get one of these.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Universal-Flash-Bounce-Reflector-Diffuser-f-Canon-Nikon-/180495275080?pt=UK_CamerasPhoto_CameraAccessories_CameraFlashUnits_JN&hash=item2a065b5448

I got one of these and have used it at wedding shoots where ceilings were almost black (Here in Scotland people love to get married in castles with no thought for us togs! High dark ceilings, dark stone walls, tiny windows !!!!! The swines) and it really is a life saver at times and folds flat in your bag and doesn't require sticking velcro to your flashgun. You really can whip it off and on in seconds. It is not as versatile as the Lumiquest Quik Bounce with the top opening flaps that give an 80/20 light split but hey buy 2 at that price and experiment by chopping flaps in one.

 

[Wedding-Photos]

I've been asked to shoot a wedding at a hotel later in the year. There ceremony will probably be indoors, so I'll be wanting to use flash.

Before you get caried away with your lighting set-up you may want to check with the registrars that you will be allowed to use flash because down here its a definite "no flash once the bride has walked in"

Warwickshire registrars are pretty strict when it comes to photography so you may well be fine in your region ..... but I've worked in other regions too where its also not been allowed and most vicars don't allow flash during the ceremony either.

 

[Anorakus]

Thanks for all the replies

Ref. radio triggers, I was going to ask about Pocket Wizards, which are E-TTL II compatible.. then I saw the thread that's just appeared, perfect timing They're not cheap, but as with anything you get what you pay for. If they're good enough for pro wedding togs then they're good enough for me

As regards flash being allowed at the venue, I was thinking about the posed shots afterwards - although we'll probably be doing those outside if the weather is OK. The last wedding I did at a registry office, flash wasn't allowed during the ceremony but I got some great results shooting in available light. The high ISO quality on the 5D2 really is a godsend - makes me wonder how wedding togs coped in the days before digital..

A.