Wedding in the rain... + dark venue help!

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Vixen

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Dear people, I have stepped in as Wedding photographer for a good friend tomorrow. And whilst this is the avenue I want to head down it is only my second go at it so far and my worst fear rain and dark venue seem to be what is on the menu for tomorrow!. Does anyone have any fabulous tips to make sure I am not completely doomed to fail?!.
I'm just concerned as the ceremony and reception are in a lovely but dark setting. thanks!.
 
What lens to you have would be a good start, since it's too late to rent, also what flashes/lighting do you have? I'm guessing that the D3000 is not great at high ISO :suspect:

Advise would be use the fastest lens that you have, keep the ISO to a level that your comfortable with both the shutter speed and noise and if you have flash and can use it a number of times especially in the ceremony the answer in regards to flash is a big no :shrug:

Try and use any natural light to your advantage

Welcome to TP :wave:

Matt
MWHCVT
 
thank you, I thought no one would reply!. I've got the following lenses: All Nikon: 18-55mm (kit lens), 50mm f1.8 prime, 60mm Macro and 18-105mm. I'm worried because like you say the D3000 does not handle low light (in my humble experience) too brilliantly. High iso is definately high noise.

Oh and a jessops flash.

I will do what you say and just look for as much natural light and breaks in the clouds as possible.
thanks for the help!:)
 
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Personally I would say it sounds like your going to need to be using the 50/1.8 in the really low light, but that is of course quite a restrictive focal length :( but you've got to work with what you've got..

It sort of goes without saying but your friend is fully aware that you don't really have the kit to do this job? under these conditions :shrug:

I don't know where the wedding is but it at least looks like you might get away without rain tomorrow hopefully :thumbs:
 
Take two large golf umbrellas - one for you , one for the B&G - if possible get them in white so you can also use them to bounce flash

and if the worst comes to the worst crank the ISO up to get the shots sharp - noise is eaier to handle than blur or wobble , in a worst case scenario you can always convert to B&W and claim its grain ;)
 
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nice idea, I have one white one. will see if I can beg another. crikey, feel so unprepared - I've had very short notice. nervous but very excited!
 
Sorry, its taken me almost all week to get back on here!. It actually went rather well! Sunny Shropshire was sunny! it was very windy which caused a whole another problem but I was pleasantly surprised with the outcome considering the forecast. I definately struggled with the ceremony shots - missing some great ones because I simply can't get a high enough iso/too much grain people moving and the couple kissing at the 'wrong' angle for me to capture it very well. once I was allowed a flash again it was easier. I learnt so much and I just have no idea how you wedding togs manage to move so quickly. I didn't stop all day and hardly found time to swap lenses. I need some super fast glass!. I learnt its a balance between getting those shots and allowing the couple to spend time with their guests and enjoy their day. hard work but thouroughly enjoyed it. i will post some pics as soon as I have worked out how to get them up off my desktop.

Oh yes, and I also felt like the evening ones totally lacked atmosphere. I don't know what I am doing wrong here. I will try and get some pics up so you can all tell me!.
 
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Vixen said:
. I didn't stop all day and hardly found time to swap lenses. I need some super fast glass!.
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nifty and or 85mm f1.8 - kerso has good prices on both -i'll hold my hand up as not having an 85mm myself but i have used a hired one - I usually use my tamron 90mm f2.8 to cover that focal length (which as a macro is also great for ring shots) or a hired 70-200 f2.8

Vixen said:
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Oh yes, and I also felt like the evening ones totally lacked atmosphere. I don't know what I am doing wrong here. I will try and get some pics up so you can all tell me!.
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Evening shots can be a bitch - often its a choice between flash and freezing the action at the cost of loss of atmosphere , or lon exposures and a lot of blur - you can of course combine the two and go for a second curtain flash with long exp so you get blur and lights but also a degree of frozen action - its not to everyones taste but some clients like it (its marmite though some hate and despise it)
 
Thanks for the insider knowledge, I think an 85mm would be a great investment. (i will have to wait until I actually get paid for any of this work though!). I am slightly relieved that evening shots are actually a choice between the two. I have seen some fantastic ones on here. ok, so what is a second curtain flash? do I shoot with my flash then have an external going off at a moment later? I have no idea what that means....
 
its to do with when in the exposure the flash fires - normally it fires first so you get a frozen moment with a trail of movement in front of it - which can work but often looks a bit odd. With second curtain flash (also known as rear curtain flash) the flash fires at the end of the exposure so the movement trail is behind the subject.

fuller explanation here

with dancers it often doesnt matter as they are moving backwards and forwards , but its worth doing if you've got any kind of linear movement - like a dance sliding on his knees - jumping through the air etc
 
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dance sliding! that reminds me of discos at school long long ago! all the boys used to do that sliding across the dance floor on their knees! now that would be a cracking picture... thanks bsm.
 
Strictly ballroom has a lot to answer for - although saying that i've got a shot somewhere of a groom doing that at the begining of the first dance.
 
Swapping lens takes time thats why many pros use 2 or more bodies.
 
Ricky said:
Swapping lens takes time thats why many pros use 2 or more bodies.
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it does - but the principal reason pro's use two bodies is back up - if you've got two and one dies it doesnt greatly impair your shooting, if you've only got one and it goes u/s then you are up yon creek with nary a paddle
 
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Dervish99 said:
Having just read this thread can i say what a refreshing change it was to find someone who was unprepared actually getting sound advice and support rather than the usual slagging of from the pro's. Possibly because it was not posted in the shark infested Buisness section. Refreshing and helpfull all the same:clap:
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I think its more because vixen came into the thread with a clearly defined question

a) she'd stepped in at the last minuite
b) she wasnt getting paid
c) she was looking for and open to advice

The people who tend to get slagged down in the business section are usually talking about being paid before they are ready to even consider pro work, and/or tend to be full of their own 'abilities' and not actually open to the advice they are supposedly asking for
 
big soft moose said:
I think its more because vixen came into the thread with a clearly defined question

a) she'd stepped in at the last minuite
b) she wasnt getting paid
c) she was looking for and open to advice

The people who tend to get slagged down in the business section are usually talking about being paid before they are ready to even consider pro work, and/or tend to be full of their own 'abilities' and not actually open to the advice they are supposedly asking for
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Not to mention the fact that the pot is often stirred excessively by those who have no interest or knowledge but just enjoy poking the pro's.
A bit like this....
Dervish99 said:
Having just read this thread can i say what a refreshing change it was to find someone who was unprepared actually getting sound advice and support rather than the usual slagging of from the pro's. Possibly because it was not posted in the shark infested Buisness section. Refreshing and helpfull all the same:clap:
Click to expand...

But worse;)

But still............

Good job there was none of that then:love:
 
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