Okay, WHAT do you want to know about wedding lighting?

In an effort to spice up the forum, here's a imaging challenge to the whole membership about seeing light.

 

Please try to keep the subject oriented around light ... available or artificial or both.

 

Post an image if relevant.

 

Remember,

if you post an image, make it just one, with a link to others if needed.

 

MODERATOR NOTE: When posting images related to "seeing the light" - please remember to post image at 500 pixels or less and you need to fill out the caption box or it won't show up in the thread. Thank you.

i seriously want to know what light other photog's really like pertaining to time of day and year? i noticed right now in denver the window seems really small for good light or am i just not seeing the potential? so i don't know if this is off track but i really want to know this....

and i also want to know the art of using a reflector correctly. i undertand that in order to open shawdows or to bounce more light on a subject we use one....but "HOW" exactly? it seems if you use a reflector your still putting too much light on the subject and blinding them just as if they were facing the sun....and yes i did a search but it wasn't satisfying my question....and i use s 5 in one reflector - so do people prefer gold or silver side and why?

i also want to know why some photogs say "if your shooting w/ the sun over your left shoulder all is good"?

About reflectors, I have a 5-in-1 myself, and I use this for the larger outdoor group shots for weddings. I prefer gold as it adds warmth to the tones. However, if you're blinding your subjects, perhaps consider using the white side. Part of the trick is to be really quick if you want to use silver or gold. They reflect a LOT of light, so if you can get your shot in fast, your subjects won't be half blind by the time you're done ;)

<p>I love natural/ambient light, but sometimes I find I'll need to boost it a bit with flash. Creative use of flash is a great way to capture the ambience while still getting enough light on your subjectss. Use slow shutter speeds and wherever possible bounce flash or a light modifier e.g the DFD Pro by Joe Demb...

<p>That's my two cents for now...

<p>Mark

Excellent I agree the forum needs a shake-up... its getting in a bit of a rut.

 

The best advice I received re lighting was to read the following book

 

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0240808193/giftfella-20

 

It really has changed every aspect of my photography and how I view lighting. It is highly recommended by www.strobist.com (amazing site for lighting info) Althought it concentrates primarily on studio lighting it teaches you how to light subjects, so it doesnt matter if you are using large strobes, speedlights or window light. I shoot primarily in natural light but I still apply all the info I got in this book..

One more thing... I have found from attending seminars with various pro bodies that when you get some hot shot wedding photography lecturing and selling DVD's about how to shoot better wedding or protrait shots, all they are doing is giving you a book or recipies, the above book gives you an understanding of the fundamentals that underly lighting and encourages you to develop recipies of your own..

Meg, while I don't frequently use a reflector on wedding assignments ... UNLESS I have a

savvy assistant with me, I do use them on commercial assignments where I always have an

assistant. I have one in my SUV that stays there permanently. It's a 5 foot Gold & White

oval.

 

Use: I use the gold side if the ambient light is very warm like "Golden Hour". I do not like

using the gold side in normal daylight because it makes the subject to warm for the

ambient environment, and looks "artificial" to my eye. That said, it can be used creatively

for those same reasons.

 

The way to control it is to use it directionally and vary the distance. If the sun is behind the

subject, have them turn so the backlight is hitting them from a 3/4 back direction, and

use the reflector on the opposite 3/4 side. That way it isn't reflecting directly into their

eyes.

 

Look closely at what the reflected light is doing. If it is to strong, like when working in full

sun, back it off. Which reveals the weakness of a reflector ... the further back you get the

smaller the area it covers ... making it less practical for larger groups. The reflector I use in

my studio is 8' X 8' and barely covers a family portrait even when close. Reflectors used on

movie sets are huge like the side of a house.

 

Here's an out-take from a commercial shoot where I used the white side of my 5' reflector.

As you can see from the shadows and highlights , the sun was pretty bright and 3/4 back

right. I used the reflector to fill just enough to keep the subject from getting that "cut out"

look ... like what you see with flash when it's plus compensated to much.<div></div>

Fantastic - thanks marc! I will read closer on this fab topic when my brain fry has gone in the morning, but just wanted to agree - the forum does need a bit of a shake-up (a number of people have said this to me, and are a bit sad, because they have loved it, and still think great people are on here). Despite everyone's amazing efforts (inc Mary), it seems things have been a bit stale - I am wondering if it is partly because we aren't able to post many photos within a lot of posts, making things become dry and technical often. I totally understand that there are reasons for this - to speed things up for dialup customers if I understand correctly? Perhaps there are other important reasons, but I am wondering that over time as more people have broadband, it might be possible to include more photos (as well as great posts like this) to oil things a bit, and help us inspire each other, rather than the only photos that get put up being by newbies like myself. It means that most photos are about problems, or first weddings, when there are so many fantastic photographers on here to inspire each other. I wonder if more experienced people might hang around more too if they got to share and see other experienced peoples work, rather than a combination of lens choice questions and newbie first weddings. There are a couple of other forums where people go on there with: Just came back from a wedding that really inspired me, and here's some examples of why. I know that is looser than on here, but it does mean discussion flows, and there is inspiration. I love PN, and wonder if there is any chance for a slight loosening here? Or am I out of line (sorry if I am - i do appreciate immensely everyone's great input).

 

Anyway - sorry to go off topic, and I look fwd to reading the great lighting info, but seeing as Marc mentioned spicing the forum up, I thought I would mention the main thing I think it seems to be lacking at the moment. (But I do understand it isn't always easy to rectify). And the other thing is new ways of seeing & challenges which were fantastic in the past, and thanks so much to Marc for getting the ball rolling again.

thank so much Marc. now in books they all say face the subject away from the sun and use a reflector to fill...but like i said it blinds the subject so is there a way to do this (with their back to the sun) w/ out blinding them...is this where i have my assistant back way up and use it....i always get differnt responses by people....so i'm confused....or do i always have the turn 3/4 to the sun?

No, you don't have to turn the subject 3/4 to the sun behind them, but it works better that

way when filling from the side with the reflector ... and when you fill from the side it isn't

blasting the subject directly in the eyes. You can also bend those reflectors to more evenly

light more than one person.

i don't have a pic - but i noticed a lot of photogs are shooting "into" the light lately it seems. I really like some of these types of shots...so maybe i can try to find a pic but i'd like to know more about how to do this too. You know those pics where everything lookds like it's bathed in golden light....(probably bad i dont' have a photo to post)....anyway i'm wondering do people use flash while doing this? i know anne ruthmann has a shot like this i love....maybe i should ask her but for now do you have any shots and recomendations?

I agree with David Byrne on the book recommendation. It's an excellent and readable (albeit somewhat dated as it's predigital) discussion of the physics of light and how it is critical to photography.

 

It's relevant to the reflector question already asked. A white reflector gives off diffuse reflection. The light fall off occurs at the square of the distance from the subject. If it's 2 feet away and your move it to four feet, the light is reduced to 1/4 (the square of 1/2) of it's strength, not 1/2.

 

A foil reflector-silver or gold-has mostly direct reflection which is the same strength as the original light source. Also, drect reflection occurs within a "family of angles" whereas diffuse reflection is diffuse (duh).

 

So how to position the reflector? If it's silver, the reflectior must be positioned so that the subject is within the family of angles, o/w the reflected light wil go somewhere else. Since it's as bright as the light source, you're directing sunlight into your subjects eyes. A white reflector on the other hand, since the reflected light is diffuse, will produce less squinting and can be feathered as well. The reflector only need be placed somewhere between the lightsource and the camera.

 

Paul

strobe light for wedding

An old friend from school that teaches a basic photography class asked me to send him some photos so show his class.

 

I still consider myself a beginner but I'm feeling pretty confident in my lighting work lately. I've even started using off camera flash on a stand at receptions!

 

Anyway, here's a link to the other images: http://www.photosparks.com/blog/?p=159<div></div>

ok thanks for posting a link to your site but does it explain "HOW" to do lighting techniques - does it have a part about shooting into the light? i dont' see it.

like if you could explain (catherine) where you were into relation of the light on the one where your shooting into the light and what strength flash etc... nice shot... ;)

The photo of the couple in the field is pretty much me facing straight into the setting sun. I put the sun off to the side of the shot, the brides back was angeled slightly toward the sun, and her face was blocking most of the sun from the grooms face. I used on camera fill +1 on TTL if I remember correctly.

 

I sometimes have people face directly into the sun and use a reflector for fill but I only do this when the sun is really low in the sky. Even then, I usually ask the person(s) to close their eyes, relax their face, and open when I count to 3. Then they don't have to stare into the sun and get watery eyes.

Indoors, I know how to light groups of 4 or 5 using a single umbrella, but what about groups of, say, 12? I've tried bounce flashing off a rear wall but that makes them look flat, and when I bounce off a side wall the lighting is too uneven. With two umbrellas I'm worried about cross shadows. Do I need 3? I'd rather avoid the hassle. Better yet, I there a way to light them with one or no umbrellas?

meg,

 

get on strobist.blogspot.com

 

http://strobist.blogspot.com/2007/09/lighting-102-31-balance-flashsun.html

 

not sure if this is exactly what you're talking about, but it was a lesson on crosslighting we did recently.

 

also try this guy. he shoots into the sun all the time. there's a recent post about it. like within the past couple of weeks.

http://alittlenews.wordpress.com/

Edward, if you mean groups of 12 where the 12 are in one line, then you might need more than one light to cover such a width. If you mean two rows of 6, the one umbrella can cover that, either used as frontal light, which is flat but soft, or off to one side of the group's center, in a key/fill situation. I've shot up to 30 people or so in 3-4 rows with key/fill set ups. You just have to pull the key light back to give the proper coverage.

 

If you have a wide group, and you had the space and a powerful light and a BIG umbrella, you could still light the group with one light, usually using the umbrella as a shoot through so it sprays light in an arc. Usually, though you don't have any or some of the above. The standard lighting is two umbrella/modified flashes equidistant from the camera, one on each side, toed in slightly toward the center. You get some cross shadows, but even lighting on faces takes precedence over cross shadows. You could use three and not toe in the two outer flashes. I've done that before and it works. You could also drag the shutter and use the on-camera flash as fill, although one normally needs a tripod for this. It is a matter of which is worth fiddling with--the lights or the tripod. The dream of just standing there with the camera and on-camera flash is still not quite here. Maybe soon, with digitals' increased ability to give quality at high ISOs.

Hey Edward, like Nadine said above, you can do a larger group with one light. go to

onelightworkshop.com for an example - the group at the bottom left of the home page was

lit with one 60" umbrella - shoot through. i was part of this group, and amazed that it turned

out so well when i saw it.

Daniel--you need to ask a more specific question regarding strobe lighting for weddings.

What do I want to know about wedding lighting?<BR><BR>

I want to know how to get good photos when the craze is weddings lit by tea-lights at night in Alaska in the wintertime. It's romantic for everyone but the photographer!<BR><BR>

For those of you who have successfully shot creative and well exposed images under these conditions, I would love some wise input. Bounce flash is out, and high ISO digital is out. At ISO 1600, f2.8, the metering reads 1/8 second. I really want to avoid the direct flash look, but what else is there? The idea of setting up strobes when everyone should be carrying around flashlights, gives me the chills of what could happen.<BR><BR>

Please help,<BR>

Kimberly

Technically: I'd like starting points (overall suggestions on camera settings needed for the fast pace of light changes we face) for a variety of situations we face as wedding photographers. These are tried and true and limited settings that are proven to work during the heat of a fast paced wedding. These are not "correct" settings but overall starting points from which to adjust; they are settings that allow for movement from one lighting environment to the next so this is based on real life experience and proven to work and produce results.

 

Interactively: How do we convince/advise the bridal couple regarding how to photograph their day USING the best light that's available on the day of the wedding. How to help them "see" what we are seeing and why it's important instead of just photographing in light/locations that appeal their whim of the moment.

 

~Sounds like this thread is fodder for building a book on lighting for a wedding photographer! Good luck on that ... I want to order a signed copy right now Marc.