Lighting reception halls

[joe_rych]

I have a few questions about upgrading my wedding lighting. I am wanting to expand and think I have the ceremony

and formals figured out, lastly I need to figure out the reception.

 

For this setup I will be using the following:

 

 

Ceremony:

 

2 camera bodies on my person one with 24-70 and on with 70-200 (assume d3's) each fitted with an sb900 for the

presessionals only, after that the flashes are removed and fitted with pocket wizards to take a shot on the remote

each time I press the shutter on each

 

1 camera body behind the alter fixed to a pocket wizard multimax for remote firing

 

1 camera body with my assistant

 

 

Formal portraits:

 

Using the tripod from the remote camera I setup my camera for the formals. The formals main camera (D3) has a

miltimax fitted to it on a tripod, flanking to the left and right are sb900's on lightstands with umbrellas and multimax's.

Each flash unit has a quantum turbo battery on it for power. I have a spare 900 in the bag with another quantum

powerpack

 

 

 

So far you can se what I'm working with. This question is mainly about lighting. I am going to the reception and am

ready to set up. let us assume a reception that is somewhat lit during the day but gets very very dark after sundown.

 

I have at my disposal for lighting

 

3 multimax transievers

3 sb900's complete with battery packs

2 lightstand setups with umbrellas

 

What would you do with the above recources at the reception?

 

I was thinking about putting one sb900/quantum battery on my camera with a gary fong lightsphere and a multimax.

that leaves me with 2 sb-900 pole mounted wireless setups to place wherever I want. I know this has alot to do with

room layout but as a starting point what might you do with them?

 

Most of the action is probably around the center of the room, cake cutting, dancing, introductions and so on.

 

Where might you place them? would you do the umbrellas, lightspheres or might you just go with a sto-fen on both

or just naked ceiling bounced?

[picturesque]

Do some searches in the wedding forum. Reception off camera lighting has been discussed many times, in general, and for very dark situations. There is no one way of doing things.

 

I can tell you, though, that umbrellas (or any modifier) in a reception hall will not do what you think it will do in the way of softening light. At the distances used, an umbrella makes very little difference in softness of light, if at all. The classic pattern is bare, reflectored flashes opposite each other (or close to opposite), at one stop less than your on-camera flash. You try to shoot more or less perpendicular to the lights unless you want one of them in the picture for effect. You can also bounce them off ceilings if they are white or light, or off opposite walls, or rear walls, or place them in balconies or clip them to roof lines. It also depends what effects you want and whether you employ shutter drag, etc. Room layout, color, and ceiling construction also play a part.

 

Also, during the ceremony, you may find that some churches will not allow flashes of any kind during the actual ceremony.