What aperture to use for reception? Very frustrated?

<p>For receptions I am shooting with on and off-camera flash for my lighting and my apertures are usually between f/1.4 and f/2.2. I do not do group shots often except for formals, which call for the narrower apertures if the party does not fit in a single row. </p>

<p>If this is all indoors, I frequently use ISO1600-3200 with multiple flashes and f/1.4 through f/2.2 apertures. I also shoot in manual mode so the camera doesn't set my shutter speed.</p>

<p>Neil VN's book is very good. The thing I find helped me the most is shooting only in manual mode. I also set the camera display to show me the histogram. This way I know my exposure is right.<br>

I am not sure why the using the flash diffuser is the holy grail. I find that this might make the photo a bit nicer but customers really appreciate good sharp photos. This is a wedding, they want to preserve the event for ever. That's why you take photos. Good wedding photos do not have to museum quality art photos.<br>

BTW: the comment about not brining too much equipment ... well, wedding photography is for sure an equipment game. No way to avoid extra lenses, battery packs, etc, etc.<br>

I also shoot with a cropped sensor, (D300). I find 1600 to be my best speed. If you have clear focus and good lighting I have had no complaints of noise. (IMHO 3200 is hopeless when it comes to noise. I never use it. But between 400, 800 and 1600 I find the difference too small to worry about.)<br>

Hope this helps.</p>

<p>This may be redundant, or not. Read Neil's site. It is exactly the info you need to start with.</p>

<p>It is a combination of amount of light, speed and aperature. Shoot on manual.<br>

you said: I think that only gave me 125th. I guess that is the speed. You need to shoot slower speed on inside shots. You can gain a higher aperature then get better depth of field. The flash will freeze <em>some </em>of the motion. I used to shoot posed shots on a tripod at 15th/sec.<br>

overexposed ? if a black tie, I take it was black tuxes & dresses. Of course you know that black does not reflect light & will cause TTL metering to overexpose.</p>

<p>I would certainly recommend the strobist.com, but skip the daily entries and go right to the lighting 101 and 102 lessons in the archives. Go diligently through them all and you should end up with a great understanding of how it all works.<br>

And generally, for random groups of moving people in reception candids, I try to not drop below 5.6 unless I'm really being diligent with my AF points or am seeking a shallow DOF. I wish someone told me that a long time ago! LOL</p>