Rain for Tomorrow's Wedding?

Gilly B

Gilly B

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Gillian
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We have been here before. OMG! it is chucking it down and the roads around Mid Wales are starting to flood. Guess who's got to get to the other side of the floodwater to do a Wedding tomorrow afternoon? Yup! Me.:'(

If that's not bad enough, I went to the rehearsal last night and the vicar is not allowing any photos during any part of the service, but will stage one or two afterwards - which I can live with. If it is raining, (it will) the B&G want the photos inside the church. Fortunately, there is an upstairs so I can get the 125 people in the shot below me. The trouble was last night, I tried a few different lenses and settings, but couldn't get 1 sharp image. Now I am panicking. Help, please, my brain has gone into meltdown. I had no problem getting a decent bright enough image, they were just too soft and even OOF/movement. Could you please suggest which of the lenses you would use inside a dull church for the B&G and the large group from the balcony. The worst lens was the 24-105mm. The best was 50mm 1.4 but still not sharp enough. I tried various ISOs. I am really not looking forward to this wedding. If only I could have got a sharp shot last night, at least I would be able to get some nice indoor shots.

Could you also suggest a possible shutter speed. I know I need to open the aperture up as much as possible, but have to keep it down for the big group.

You can see what lenses I have from my signature.

I would be very, very, very, very grateful if some of you spent a few moments to give me some hope. :notworthy: :notworthy: :notworthy:
 
If he's letting ypu stage them you have no worries, take as many shots as you like at different settings and shoot RAW for that little bit of extra safety.

If the couple are posed movement shouldn't be a problem so use a tripod and you 85mm if you can get far enough back to fit them in. Failing that the 17-40 at the longer end. You have a 580ex so why are you wasting time worrying about ISO and aperture? use the flash to give you the light you need.
 
You'll be fine Gilly, stop worrying! :thumbs:
I'd say that the choice of lens for the church will completely depend on the distances you'll be working from - if you can get away with the 50mm then use that if you're most confident with it. Would you be able to fit in the whole group from the balcony with it though, will the 580EX cover enough distance, etc?
My advice would be to shoot at a shutter speed just high enough to eliminate the movement you are concerned about & if this means a very slightly darker image then bring it back with RAW processing & very light use of Noise ninja or Neat Image (although your 580EX should cope with this fine anyway shouldn't it?).
Best of luck, am sure some of the pros will be along soon with some better advice :thumbs:

Edit: Completely agree with Steep about the tripod suggestion & the staged shots.
 
Guys, Guys, Guys - I am sorry I missed one itsy bitsy piece of information - The vicar won't let me use flash at all.
 
Gilly B said:
Guys, Guys, Guys - I am sorry I missed one itsy bitsy piece of information - The vicar won't let me use flash at all.
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What, even after the service? What an evil vicar.:( You'll be fine though.. because its going to be sunny just like last time.:thumbs:
 
Well - I have my first wedding tomorrow for a friend - got a list of shots they want and how they want them, a list of guests to the registry office, all planned in my head. Then today I get a call to say that after the service they are now having a blessing in a church and can I take some photos there too?

Not had chance to do a reccie or anything :'(
 
I know Messiah Khan, I was a bit surprised at his comment too.

I have been practising in a dimly lit hallway here at home with hubby at the other end. I don't seem to be able to get a sharp image on a tripod without a flash. .....and that is getting him to stand perfectly still too. :(

What is the best basic starting off point for settings if you are taking people in a dimly lit church? I can then practise and practise until I am happy.

I just don't feel confident about tomorrow knowing the photos have to be taken in the Church. The portraits of the Bride & Groom are going to be grainy and will look awful.

I appreciate your time. Sorry for pestering. Gilly:shrug:

JPS - Now that is un-nerving. That's why I gatecrash the rehearsal, and a good job I did.
 
Deffinately nowhere else you could do it Gilly? How abouit trying to get everyone as close to light sources as possible, ie stand them in the doorway etc, even if it means you standing in the rain. I suppose if worst comes to worst, then you'll have to really crank that ISO up and try and clean it up later.:shrug: Good luck though.(not that you need it as its going to be fine!:thumbs: )
 
Thanks for the support. Well your good wishes worked the last time..... so I am hoping for sun again tomorrow. Dream on! The stream just outside our property which almost ran dry a couple of months ago is a raging torrent and the noise is deafening. This rain is not easing at all. The B & her father are meant to be arriving on the back of a trailer with bales of hay etc being pulled by a quad bike. Ummmm! that'll be interesting.

Good night, and I will have another go tomorrow morning. Thanks anyway.
 
This may be a little strange and might not work but...

What about a light box or something similar (hell, even a torch or lamp might work if you get desperate and don't have a light box) set up on the floor somewhere in the pews? If you can get just enough light there to get good focus, you can lock it and recompose the shot? :shrug: I know it's not the same thing, but thats similar to what I do when I get poor light situations. though my light source is a lamp :lol:

I wish you the best of luck, may the day turn bright for you in time for pics!

Jo
xxx
 
Hello all
I to have a Wedding on Saturday, and it's meant to be chucking down. I will have the same problem as you Gilly, the church is old big and very dark. Bouncing the 580ex wont work as the roof is so high, so i am going to take a set of studio lights with me and shoot with them after the service. During the service i will be using a 70-200 F2.8 L is, and a 24-105 F4 L is. I will take a monopod into the church for a bit more support. Dont think about it as you will stress yourself out, just go with the flow on the day and you will be fine. If you got one of my contracts that had been handed out, you should have got the couple to sign it. There is a part that says you can only do what you are allowed, and any technical restrictions placed on you by the venue or the vicar have to be accepted.
 
Hello again
Here are a couple of shots taken during a service, the vicar wouldnt allow me to shoot during the service. I managed to talk him round so that i could shoot from the back with no flash and he wouldnt no i was there.

Canon 1DMKIIN
Canon 70-200 F2.8 L
ISO- 3200
IS- Switched on
Software - Noise Ninja 2



MAH10007.jpg


MAH10016.jpg
 
Papa L - thanks for the advice. Your photos look great. Good luck for today.
 
Jojosmojo & Slipper One - I am going to take my studio lights with me and see if I can persuade the Vicar to let me use them.

Thanks for the advice.
 
Didnt want to clutter the thread with good luck wishes last night when you were so anxiously seeking help.

Sending you lots of good luck vibes for today ... I truly hope you find a solution and that even if the sun doesnt show its face, that the rain at least holds off for you!
Good Luck Gilly!
 
Gilly - make sure if you really have to go with available light shots indoors that you use a cable release. You don't want to be touching the camera at all at low shutter speeds.
 
Glo - thanks for your wishes.

CT - I have just tested and packed it. Thanks

Have to leave in an hour. The road is partially flooded, so I need extra time to get there (40 mins at the best time). Actual ceremony is at 4pm, but the Bride wants me at the house first. Dare I whisper it..... shhhh! it has stopped raining .

My husband just came up with a flippant comment which when you think about it, he is probably right. The issue over the Vicar not allowing any photos during the service or the use of flash in his church at all. Geoff says, do you honestly think God really minds, so long as you are respectful and discreet. :)
 
Shoot, it has starting again..... wishful thinking. I had better go and pack the car.
 
Not allowing flash after the service is churlish in the extreme! I'd definitely be politely telling him that he was making it very difficult for me to do my job properly and it's not his day or mine - it's the b and g's. Don't be intimidated - stand your corner but be polite. At the end of the day it's his shout but he's really being an arse!

I once had a vicar very airily tell me there was quite enough light in the church and I didn't need flash. The fastest shutter speed I could get was 1/15 sec wide open. He eventually listened to reason and relented.
 
CT said:
Not allowing flash after the service is churlish in the extreme! Don't be intimidated - stand your corner but be polite. At the end of the day it's his shout but he's really being an arse!
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Yes Boss, will do. See you later. I hope I don't shrink any more in the rain :lol: Can't afford to lose anymore height. :D :lol:
 
How'd it go?
 
Phew! I am back and what a day. Chucked it down all day. I left about 13:45 to a 40 minute trip. Got 3 miles up the road and it was closed. Drove 12 miles in opposite direction only to be turned back by the Police. Everywhere seemed affected by flooding. The ceremony was at 4pm and I was meant to be with the Bride about 14:45 allowing bags of time to drive around the corner to the church. At 3pm, I had to ring the Brides Mum and apologise and say I was still stuck about 8 miles South of them. Stress levels were beginning to rise. Once I cleared the hold up, I went like a bat out of hell and arrived at the Brides Parents at 15:25. 5 minutes later I was at the Church.

Had a word with the vicar who appeared to have melted a little due to the terrible weather. He said that after the ceremony had finished, I could use Flash. - Result! You see CT, I do listen and take notice.

Got some lovely shots. Will post a couple once they have finished downloading.

Stopped raining at about 7pm and I managed to grab some more group shots.

Geez, Guys I earned every penny today. Stuck in that traffic and again trying to herd sheep in the church from a balcony, I thought - that's it, no more Weddings for me mate. .....except I have 2 booked in for next year.

Thanks to everyone for there support. I promise to help out all I can for fellow TPers if ever they are in a dilemma over a shoot.

I think I only measure 4' 9" after the soaking I got today.

PS: The golf brollies were a damn good idea too.
 
Nice one gilly, glad it all turned out alright in the end.
 
Nice one Gilly ... theyll all be a breeze after this one! ;)

Sounds like you rose to the occasion & thank heavens the vicar saw reason on the flash for you.

Look forward to the pics! :)
 
glad all went well.

look forward to pics.

did you post any pics from your lat wedding i think i might of missed them


well done from me
 
Great news that it went ok - can't wait to see the photos.

I probably get flamed for saying this but i know that when i got married the chauffeuer , photographer and video guy all arrived at least an hour early before we required them to make sure everything was ok. Since you knew it was raining and flooding i thought you might of setted off much earlier - so you can deal without the stress and putting yourself in danger driving like a 'bat out of hell' to get to the venue in time.

I bet any other weddings you do would be so easy now ;)
 
Glad it well - I did a wedding yesterday and managed to avoid the rain - but it seems like a breeze compared to your difficulties. I was amazed further up the thread when you said the vicar wouldn't allow flash during staged shots after the ceremony. Glad he saw your point of view.
 
ps2user said:
Great news that it went ok - can't wait to see the photos.

I probably get flamed for saying this but i know that when i got married the chauffeuer , photographer and video guy all arrived at least an hour early before we required them to make sure everything was ok. Since you knew it was raining and flooding i thought you might of setted off much earlier - so you can deal without the stress and putting yourself in danger driving like a 'bat out of hell' to get to the venue in time.

I bet any other weddings you do would be so easy now ;)
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Point taken. I had an alternative route all planned out. It was this route that I was turned back on. I thought I had allowed plenty of time. Some of the guests were unable to attend the service and just made it to the reception, including the grooms grandmother. Anyway, got there in the end.

I will now go and find some photos to post on here.
 
These are just a few from Yesterday. Oddly, there are some that just won't upload, so I have given up on those.:shrug:

Bride has a handful of her dress behind her as she doesn't want it to touch the floor. Couple of hours later, and it is dragging behind her sopping wet and she doesn't care!:lol:

IMG_8005-TP.jpg


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This image I pressed the shutter during the service when I wasn't supposed to. Oops! sorry vicar. :nono: Actually, I was fiddling with the ISO button and inadvertantly turned the top dial instead of the wheelie thing on the back to adjust the ISO and in fact I had changed the drive to 'self timer' - yeah, you know what's coming - right at a crucial moment in the ceremony, I thought I would sneak a quick snap with the Cable release shutter thingy - as I was looking the other way..... the blooming thing started to beep, beep, beep, beep....... I quickly turned the camera off. Damn been rumbled.:bonk: I behaved after that.

I think the vicar had just asked "who gives this woman" to the Father on the left. I liked it because the Bestman patted the Groom on the shoulder at the moment the shutter went.
IMG_8026-tp.jpg



IMG_8422-TP.jpg


Not 100% happy with my photographs, but I am sure the B&G will be happy. I have learned a lot from Yesterday's wedding, so hopefully I will develop into a better photographer.

....Oh! yes, remember last night I said I don't want to do any more weddings.... Well today I have just said yes to another couple for August 2008. That's 2 Weddings for next year already.:bonk:

Anyway, C&C is welcome although I know where the flaws are.:shrug:
 
nice pics.

one small thing whats all that stuff on the red carpet

did they throw confetti before the service surely not!!!!!
 
Blue petals. The 2 little flower girls sprinkled them before the Bride & her father walked down the aisle.
 
Gilly B said:
Blue petals. The 2 little flower girls sprinkled them before the Bride & her father walked down the aisle.
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I hope they asked the vicar first..... or was it there from the previous wedding's staged event! :suspect:

I mean, all that mess in a church! It's like littering light around in 1/1000th Sec bursts! :p:
 
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