Some advice needed - Flash w/slave

[dennis_knoxville]

I've got a wedding at the end of the summer (plenty of time)...but

I'm doing this as a favor (normally I do landscapes and stills)

 

So -- I'm going to practice !!!

 

I have a med format (Pentax 645), 35 mm, and 4x5 view (think I'll

leave that home) plus a Quantum T4D with a TTL for my cameras.

 

For indoor formal group shots - I'm wondering if I can get by with

the flash off to the side with the diffusion cover for the

reflector. Or another option is I can rent a Quantum slave flash

and do fill from the camera. Are umbrellas a good idea?

 

For outdoor - I'll use on-camera fill?

 

Like I said - I'm going to practice....but I'd appreciate some

experienced advice as I don't normally do weddings.

[picturesque]

Outdoors and on-camera fill is fine. As for the T4D, you can get by with one flash off to the side for formals. If you do, be careful how far away you put it so you don't get heavy shadows on people's faces. As a matter of fact, if you do this, you want to drag the shutter and rely some on the ambient being your fill. The diffusion cover--the flat one, not the domed one--will not soften your flash any. It will cut specular highlights (shine on skin, etc.) but not soften, and it will cut your flash's reach.

 

Whether to use two or more flashes, plain or with umbrellas is up to you. If you want to do that kind of lighting for the formals, you will definitely need to get other off-camera flashes and a method of triggering them. Umbrellas will obviously soften the light some, but at the distances you must place off-camera lights from groups, they don't soften a lot.

[lex_jenkins]

A powerful flash off to the side with a reflector on the other side will work fine for individuals, couples and very small groups. Keep in mind that while a powerful flash can be placed several feet away to ensure even illumination of the subject(s), reflectors usually need to be placed very close to the subjects to have any effect.

 

I've tried using a reflector for people photos in gatherings and it can be a hassle. You need either a dedicated space to which people can be ushered for posed photos, or an assistant to hold the reflector as needed. It takes too long to constantly adjust a reflector using a lightstand or tripod.

 

Some folks on this forum are wizards with multiple light setups and light modifiers. Me, I'd want to keep it simple and stick with a flash on a bracket. But that's only an indication of my personal limitations and, well, laziness, not a declaration of superior technique.

[marv_stasak___southfield__]

If you are going to use a Quantum, make sure you have enough spare batteries to cover the day. I use a Quantum T2 head as a main light and a Lumidyne super cycler for power and I'll swap out up to 3 batteries during the day.