Help needed! Anyone shot a wedding at Wayfarers Chapel?

[dave_gustafson1]

My wife's best friend has asked us to shoot her wedding at wayfarers chapel in Southern California. We live in Wisconsin so won't be

able to scout the location beforehand. We're portrait shooters and only use primes. I just found out that we'll be restricted to the back of

the church during the ceremony. Anyone out there shot a wedding at this place? What focal length do you recommend using during the

ceremony for head and shoulder shots of the bride and groom? I'll be shooting with a d700 and d300 and our longest lens is an 85mm.

I'm thinking I'll need to rent a lens. Just wondering which route to go. Thanks!

[picturesque]

<p>Well I don't know the place but I can tell you this--I use a cropped sensor camera with my 85mm and a 1.4x extender (I cheat) to get the equivalent of about 190 mm at f2.2. Why would you want to be so specific re head and shoulders shots? That depends on the length of the aisle, and where, specifically, you can stand. Most ceremony photos do not get blown up large (perhaps only the overall view from the back), so cropping on a well exposed D300 frame should work fine. By well exposed, I mean, don't underexpose.</p>

<p>Otherwise, rent a 300mm f2.8 or 400mm, if you like. I think it is overkill, unless the church is huge.</p>

[mitch_w1]

<p>Dave, I've been to the Wayfarers for a memorial (still waiting for a chance to shoot a wedding there) and you'll be surprised how small the chapel actually is. The small size pretty much dictates that everyone shoots from the back. I think your 85 will be fine on the crop sensor. Maybe rent a 135 or 70-200 for the d700 just to cover yourself? But I think you'll be fine. The chapel is nearly all glass so you'll have plenty of available light to work with.<br>

I just google imaged it and there are only 8 rows of benches on each side of the center aisle. So it is a very small chapel.</p>

[picturesque]

<p>Yeah I just googled it too. I thought there were 9 rows of pews. If each pew took up 3.5 feet, the length of the aisle is about 30-35 feet.</p>

[famico]

<p>Check their web site. IIRC, they have info there about wedding shoots at the chapel.</p>

[tom_mann1]

<p>In a stunningly gorgeous venue like that, I'd make a serious effort to include lots of wide and close shots, and not shoot as many of the traditional wedding / portrait shots with long, wide aperture lenses from far away. Exaggerating a bit for effect, you can shoot the latter type of shot with an OOF dumpster as the background and most people wouldn't mind / notice as long as the subjects look OK. ;-)</p>

<p>Because of shooting restrictions, you might see if it is feasible and agreeable to everyone to recreate some of the key moments to allow you to work close and get in some of that wonderful, unique environment.</p>

<p>BTW, I'm jealous - that certainly isn't one of the dark & gloomy Catholic churches in upstate PA I used to have to deal with when I was shooting weddings regularly.</p>

<p>Tom M</p>

<p>PS - I've never been there, but it looks like harsh shadows could be a problem. With all that glass, you're practically shooting outside. I'd factor that into your planning. </p>

[bill.akstens]

<p>The Wayfarer's website will give a good idea of what the grounds look like (lots of photos there). As stated above, the chapel is very small. Some times of the year (typically spring-early summer) a thick marine layer (fog) will roll in, obsructing the sea vistas.<br>

I suspect your 85mm will be fine there. Bring wide angle lenses too. There is a nice covered walkway out back, grassy yard, and rose garden. The front chapel steps are very nice for group photos, and the front area has many large trees. Nice fountain area too, but watch for splotchy light.<br>

The chapel usually schedules weddings back-to-back so your time will be strictly limited, and enforced by their wedding coordinator.</p>

[scott_ferris]

This should help--

www.linandjirsablog.com/?s=wayfarers+Chapel&x=0&y=0

 

By the way Pye, one of the main photographers there, is a really nice guy and if you email him he will tell you anything and everything you could want to know about shooting there.

[superinc]

I passed by there the other day unfortunately the chapel was closed , its a LOT smaller than it looks

maybe a littlebit bigger than a two car garage. I manage to shoot with 50mm on dx , literary from the

door . One of the main attractions is its glass ceilings and walls allowing nature light in . So a wide

angle lens would be really useful. Chapel has a very nice garden all around , perfect photo op.<div></div>

[dave_gustafson1]

<p>Thanks to everyone for their input. And thanks to Garcia for providing the photo. That tells me a lot. I'll stick with my 35, 50, 85 set up and perhaps think about getting something wider for interior shots. Photo.net community ROCKS! Thanks everybody. I'll report back after the wedding (end of August).</p>