Gary Naka

OK lets try it again<div></div>

It worked Nadine. I hope this link works.

 

http://www.photo.net/photodb/member-photos?user_id=2105396

 

The left pix is a Honeywell Strobonar 800. The flash bracket is screwed to a metal plate which is in turn screwed into a bushing that goes into the light stand adapter.

 

The right pix is a Sunpak 611. The bracket has a 1/4x20 hole that I screwed a bushing directly into.

 

I did the Sunpak first, then I realized that if I mount the flash upside down, as I did with the Honeywell, the flash tube is closer to the umbrella shaft, for a more centered light.

 

The tricky part was to make the installation such that I could still get to the controls of the lightstand adapter.

 

 

My next step is to do what Emmanouele showed with the plastic bottles, to diffuse the light to use more of the umbrella.

 

thanks guys

 

Gary

By typical lighting I'm going to presume you mean typically dim. Unless it is a modern design church, many older churches are dim to DARK.

 

If its anything like my nieces wedding...the environment will drive your decisions, and you simply make the best of it.

 

With the tele zoom, I shot ISO-1600 with the lens WIDE OPEN (f4), and still some of the shots were down at 1/15 and 1/30 sec. No flash. The primary photog brought a monopod, just for that reason. Even with his Cannon 80-200/2.8 he was shooting SLOW shutter speeds. If you don't get enough light you end up shooting at a SLOW shutter speed, which will make camera motion a larger problem, which will in turn cause blurred shots.

 

If it is a DARK church, you have no option but flash. Then I hope you have practice shooting flash in wide open spaces. The distant backgrounds can really mess up the auto/TTL flashes.

 

If you have not been to the church, go there this weekend at the same time of day with your camera and evaluate the light. Don't go in blind. You want as much advance info as possible, so you can plan.

 

One BIG tip. Tape a post-it, to the back of your camera with ISO-1600 written on it. That way before you go outside in the sun, you "hopefully" will see that and remember to drop the ISO level to 200, which is more appropriate for outdoors. Or use auto-ISO if you are comfortable letting the camera choose the ISO level...I'm not.

 

gud luk

Gary

Stay overnight at the Volcano House, then shoot the sunrise over Kilauea crater. Take a jacket, at 4,000 ft elevation, if the wind blows it is COLD.

Interesting effect. Wonder what happened to the gray?

 

I paste your pix into PS Elements and did a remove color cast with the reference gray card your girl is holding. Your RAW seems close, but you're right the JPG is defninitely warmer. Did you try to do a custom white balance for the flash in JPG?

I just thought of a problem. Unless the proshade can rotate around the lens axis, it is unlikely that a filter adapter will line up the shade correctly. I think some of the proshades use a rotatable adapter (loosen the screw and the adapter ring will rotate), others use a fixed position adapter that will not rotate.

Alternatively, what you could use is the reverse of the normal adapter rings.

 

A 67mm (to go on to the lens) to a Bayonet 60 (filter) adapter ring.

Subsitute your filter size for the 67mm side.

 

Then you put the proshade B60 adatpter ring onto the above adapter ring.

 

gud luk finding it.

 

Gary

If it detracts from the image, I would remove it.

I did that on my nieces wedding photos, removing lamps, signs, lights, light switches, etc.

 

But I have a friend who does not like "altering" reality. If something was there, it stays there on the photo.

 

Gary

Thanks everyone.

 

I went to one of my somewhat local camera store (Keeble & Shuchet in Palo Alto) and picked up most of the stuff to get me started. Light stand, adapter, umbrella, and slave sensor. Next trip is to Home Depot for a longer 1/4x20 screw and nuts. With any luck I'll be playing with it next weekend. :-)

 

thanks much

 

Gary

I've read of solutions where they cut a notch on the door/cover to allow the door/cover to close with the cable in the notch.

Sounds like you will be the primary photographer.

 

Theory does not replace experience. Since you've never done a wedding before, you have a lot to catch up on. And since you've only been to one wedding, you have only one reference point. You need to pick up a few wedding books and research the internet for ideas to help you plan what and how to shoot. And plan...plan...plan.

 

It may seem easy, but that's why the pros get paid to do what they do. It isn't easy and there is a LOT of pressure to get the shots. Once the moment has past...its gone forever. There are a LOT of shots that can't be redone without loosing the effect if at all; processional, fathers giving the bride away, first kiss, garter/bouqet toss, cake feeding, etc.

 

For most of the wedding, to reduce confusion use ONE type of camera. For the formals, where you have more time you can use 2.

 

OK price. If a VERY GOOD friend, make it your wedding gift to them. If not a VERY good friend, then payment as you feel is appropriate.

 

One word of advice, since you are going to be the primary photographer, you ABSOLUTELY MUST get the photos, no excuses allowed, or you could loose a friend.

 

BTW do they know you don't have any wedding experience, and the risk they are taking by not getting a pro? Worst case, they could have no decent photos.

 

gud luk

Gary

You want an external flash for a couple reasons.

 

Moving the flash farther away from the lens reduces the chance of getting red eye.

 

If you rotate the camera to a vertical shot the built in flash will now be on the side and the shadow will be on the right or left side of the subject, depending on which way you rotate the camera. Putting an external flash on a bracket that flips and alows the flash to remain vertically over the lens will help reduce how visible the shadow is.

 

You can bounce an external flash, you can't bounce a pop-up flash. Well at least not easily.

 

The pop-up flash typically have much less power than the external so you have a more limited range. I think my flash tops out at 17ft.

No the Sunpak and my old Honeywell Strobonar brackets both don't change angles, so I can only have them at right angles to the handle. But that will be good enough for me.

 

Thanks for opening my eyes.

 

Gary

You are going to have to use the 6V packs to be interchangeable between all 3 strobes:

 

Quantum:

http://www.qtm.com/QuantumBatteries/?res_set=yes&res=1280&resh=1024

looks like the 1+

 

or the BlackBox

http://www.aljacobs.com/THE%20BLACK%20BOX.htm

 

If you are decent with a soldering pencil, you could also make a pack yourself, to use four NiMh D cells and use the same Quantum cable or make the cable yourself. D cells will last a LOT longer than the AA cells. You will need to get a NiMh D cell charger as well.

 

Packing spare setS (note plural) of batteries is a lot more compact and cheaper than any of the external battery packs. The only benefit of the packs is you don't have to change AA batteries.

Robert

So the coupon sale is over?

I was not able to find it via Google.

Jennifer

 

Go to the church at the same time the wedding will be and do a few dry runs, to see how the exposure will turnout. The reason for doing this is you need to know in advance any problems you may run into, so you can plan work-arounds. Example, at my nices wedding, shooting from the back of the church to the alter, my slowest exposure was f4 at 1/15 sec at ISO-1600. If I was shooting as prime photographer, I would need a flash or a FAST prime. That was a DARK church, and I wasn't expecting it to be that dark and left my tripod at home. The pro was using a monopod on his Cannon. So that is a more mobile option than a tripod.

 

Find out from the church and the priest if flash will be allowed during the cerimony. Some do some don't. If not, you will have to plan how to take the shots w/o flash.

 

If the church is dim, you may also need the flash for the inside formals, candids and processional.

 

The other is the reception. Like the church it could be too dark for good available light pix. And some of the activity will be w/o a lot of light on it. Things like the garter/bouquette toss will require a flash or you will probably get a blurred shot.

 

If you don't have a flash you could be in situations where you can't even take a shot.

 

BTW I shot my nices wedding with the pop-up flash on my Nikon D70. Except for a few places, the power level was OK. There were times where I wish I had my Sunpak 611 with me for more power to carry for longer distance shots. So while you don't NEED a high power flash, it will give you more shooting options that a low power flash won't.

 

And you want to use a flip/rotating bracket, to keep the flash above the lens when shooting in the vertical format.

 

Diffusers like the Gary Fong or others will also help reduce the direct flash look. Spend some time to experiement and learn the limitations of whatever diffuser you choose to use.

 

gud luk

gary

I just hate when I do something dumb like this.

 

Nadine,

I just checked my bracket. And darn if there isn't a 1/4x20 threaded hole on the bottom of the bracket. Your option will work perfectly. I had not thought of being able to use the camera bracket on a light stand. The KISS principle just hit me in the face...again.

 

Thanks all for your help

 

Gary

June

 

This is a pretty tough first gig.

 

As was said, consider your audience. If these guys are media professionals, they will quickly see that you are not a "seasoned pro." They will wonder why you do or don't do certain things. With this group of people, you absolutely need to do the best job possible. No red-eye or blow out highlights.

 

I recommend practicing in a similar environment to where it will be. What you need to do is get the exposure good. Practice both direct and bounce/diffused. You may have to shoot manual exposure, vs iTTL, if the camera has trouble with the background and blows out the subject...another reason to practice.

 

The problem with the pop-up flash is, if you shoot vertical, the light will now come from the side, and the shadow will be on the side of the subject.

 

gud luk

Gary

Did that at my nieces wedding.

The exit processional inside needed 1600, but then outside on the side of the church in full daylight :-( I forgot to lower the ISO level. Luckily the highlights were not seriously blown out.

 

Auto ISO might be an option.

Although I'm old fashioned and want to have control over what I can, unless I understand the automation and can trust it.

 

Gary

Oh geez, I don't know how the lines sometimes loose the carriage return, and multiple lines get combined into ONE line. Lets try the numbers again

 

1/3, 1/3, 1/3

 

1/4, 1/2, 1/4

 

1/4, 1/4, 1/4, 1/4

Charlene

 

As was said, this event gives you something to consider when working payment schedules for your future jobs.

 

Put in a clause for late payment or no payment.

 

The other is if say the 2nd of 3 payments is not made on time, they loose the date reservation, and if another booking comes along, you are free to take that booking...even if you did receive a deposit. And that deposit should be non-refundable, because you are turning away other business by booking the date for them.

 

As for payment schedule; there are a LOT, all depends on how creative you want to get.

 

1/3, 1/3, 1/3

1/4, 1/2, 1/4

1/4, 1/4, 1/4, 1/4

 

Obviously as much early as possible is always best. I like the idea of final payment is due 1 month prior to wedding. This give you some time (granted a short time) to find another gig for the day.

 

What you could do is ask the bakery, forists, and others what their payment schedule is, that will tell you what you are dealing with from the other vendors.

 

Gud luk at the wedding and hope you got enough sleep tonite.

Gary

The other thing is clouds.

You have no idea what the clouds will be like until the sun comes up, or about an hour or so before it goes down. I've seen some great cloud formations that really added to a sunrise/set photo, and some that just looked blah.

 

As was mentioned, I've also had fog roll in and completely obstruct a sunrise.

 

About clouds. I was on Maui (Hawaii) and drove up to Haleakala for the sun rise. Well I never broke out of the top of the clouds. :-(

 

But that is mother nature. She does what SHE want to do.

 

Gary

Rehersal evening, my guess is 10pm might be optimistic.

But I've seen the chaos before the wedding, and I would give them some leeway. Granted you're giving them a lot already.

 

The last oportunity would be tomorrow. They need to have someone with the CASH to give to you when you arrive.

 

If they don't have the cash at the wedding, at that point you have 2 options: leave w/o shooting the wedding, or shoot the wedding.

 

If you shoot the wedding, talk to them the next day about the payment issue. My logic in this is, at this point you can't get another job for tomorrow anyway, so you might as well try to get the revenue from this job.

 

The main thing is DO NOT give them anything until you get the final payment that was due BEFORE the wedding. I would also not spend any money to do the proofs until you do get the final payment, and tell them this. And if it is payment after the wedding, specify that it must be CASH. You don't want them to have the photos and their check bounce.

 

gud luk

Gary

duh

Nadine I think you found the simple solution.

I was looking for something that held the flash directly. I didn't think of using the camera bracket to mount to a lightstand adapter.

I'll take a look at it tonite.

 

I also looked at the picture of the Lindhal mount, and I think I can fabricate one similar with an L bracket and a couple hose clamps.

 

 

Craig

Thanks for the stroboframe tip.

One more option.

 

 

Emmanouil

Thanks for the pictures.

How do your difusers work. Looks like plastic tubs with lids.

 

 

thanks guys

All great ideas that helped me get past a brain block.

Gary

Nadine,

You're right that is expensive. I found that one but was hoping there was another more "reasonable" priced bracket. 2 of these and I'm up at $150, 1/4 the price of a 2 light Alien Bee setup.

 

Emmanouil

I might have to modify one of those.

 

 

thanks all

Gary