Diffusers, what do you use

[jake337]

Yes I can agree with that but at weddings you are walking about on you feet lighting stands and soft boxes are fixed

Boom if you have an assistant or boom on wheels if your by yourself.

This answer is half joking because I've never put my boom on wheels and I am just getting into outdoor OCF with modifiers.

I like modifiers outdoors if you have enough flash poser to really control the suns ambient or are shooting early morning and near dusk.

 

[2WheelPhoto]

Something like THIS work wonderfully.

Put it between your subject and the sun, or between your flash and subject. Does require an assistant (or two, when it's windy).

^^^^^^^^^Teressa ordered me one of those and I LOVE it

 

[MK3Brent]

Usually, have an assistant follow me with a shoot through umbrella.
Works very well to collapse, walk through door ways, open and shoot.

Nice, simple, clean light, and convenient.

Sometimes I'll setup a 48" softbox in an 'out of the way' location, and walk people over there for portraits or whatever.

 

[JSER]

Yes I can see that, now bigmike and mleek, interesting, perhaps because I am from the old school, film days, I have always done it myself, but my 20 year ols son will be there this time so, good idea, an assistant.

 

[MK3Brent]

Yes I can see that, now bigmike and mleek, interesting, perhaps because I am from the old school, film days, I have always done it myself, but my 20 year ols son will be there this time so, good idea, an assistant.

Sometimes, if you have a reflective surface near your subjects and it's a tight spot... you can have your assistant hold a bare flash up to the wall/ceiling/tent... whatever.
I shot my gf at a party doing just that.

 

[JSER]

Thanks for all the responses much appreciated

I need to buy............................. an assistant

 

[T.V.Photography]

this thread is great. im going to be shooting a wedding first quarter of 2013. so this is full of great info.

i find myself using a dome diffuser indoors a lot when doing parties. so this is giving me some more ideas

 

[Big Mike]

Thanks for all the responses much appreciated

I need to buy............................. an assistant

If you are an established wedding photographer, you could probably find a several young photographers who will assist you, simply for the experience of being on a wedding shoot. If you find someone who does a good job, you can then hire them on a regular basis. That sort of thing is very common, around here anyway. A few of the photographers I know, are constantly having to turn down people who contact them out of the blue, wanting to assist them.

 

[JSER]

Thanks for all the responses much appreciated

I need to buy............................. an assistant

If you are an established wedding photographer, you could probably find a several young photographers who will assist you, simply for the experience of being on a wedding shoot. If you find someone who does a good job, you can then hire them on a regular basis. That sort of thing is very common, around here anyway. A few of the photographers I know, are constantly having to turn down people who contact them out of the blue, wanting to assist them.

I have shot weddings but in the old film days.

My area is sports now.

BUT my site is new, though I have been into photography for 30 years I have been a carer to my three disabled sons as a single dad for 22 years, just re started in photography, yet to establish.

 

[Derrel]

Doing a wedding in November, no probs, but I have been wondering what diffusers others use for portraits when outside or inside.

I use Lumiquest pocket bouncers outdoors and Stofen indoors.

Do you use anything different and why.

Not trying to bust your chops I (do they say that in the UK???), but I think perhaps the brevity of the original post, and the exact, specific wording, the replies you got were perhaps a bit off the mark. again, not trying to point the finger at you kind sir, just making an observation about *my* impression about the replies the post garnered. Like for example, the use of the word "portraits when outside or inside"...so, that might have been interpreted as posed "portraits", as well as 1) outdoor posed and 2) indoor posed, when perhaps you were inquiring about what we Yanks (and Canucks! I didn't forget ya Big Mike!!! lol) tend to refer to as "wedding candids" or "reception photos" or "post-wedding event coverage",etc,etc.

There are soooooo many ways to shoot these days!!! I'm always amazed to see how well some of the slide-on beam-spreading devices work mwith these "new" cameras that have the incredible,incredible high-ISO capabilities, like the Canon 5D-II, Nikon D3s, and D4, and other cameras where ISO 3,200 is imminently useful as long as there's a little tiny bit of fill in the shadow part of the scene to prevent objectionable noise...and where even ISO 6,400 is quite,quite decent! AS LONG AS THERE'S A BIT OF LIGHT in the shadows!!!

Look up Denis Reggie and the term "foofing" for a great example. Shooting ridiculous,long-throw wall- and ceiling bounce flash wedding shots using the Canon 5D-II at formerly-ridiculous ISO values like 3,200.

Foofing – Flash Bounce with the Blue Cranes | Aralani Photography | Portland Wedding Photographer | Timeless, Evocative & Enchanting Wedding Photography in Portland, San Francisco, Seattle & Destinations

 

[MK3Brent]

Also, if you're interested.
Here are some links to professionals using diffusers outside all OCF though:

David Hobby:
Strobist: On Assignment: Caleb Jones

Joe McNally
http://portfolio.joemcnally.com/index.php#mi=2&pt=1&pi=10000&s=1&p=1&a=0&at=0

 

[table1349]

Indoors, one of these: Paul C. Buff - White Lightning X3200 Atop one of these: Paul C. Buff - 13-foot Heavy Duty Light Stand with one of these attached in a horizontal position slightly angled down Profoto 505-708 Softbox with Removable Recessed Front - 254535 will fill most churches or reception halls with the light you need.

 

[JSER]

Doing a wedding in November, no probs, but I have been wondering what diffusers others use for portraits when outside or inside.

I use Lumiquest pocket bouncers outdoors and Stofen indoors.

Do you use anything different and why.

Not trying to bust your chops I (do they say that in the UK???), but I think perhaps the brevity of the original post, and the exact, specific wording, the replies you got were perhaps a bit off the mark. again, not trying to point the finger at you kind sir, just making an observation about *my* impression about the replies the post garnered. Like for example, the use of the word "portraits when outside or inside"...so, that might have been interpreted as posed "portraits", as well as 1) outdoor posed and 2) indoor posed, when perhaps you were inquiring about what we Yanks (and Canucks! I didn't forget ya Big Mike!!! lol) tend to refer to as "wedding candids" or "reception photos" or "post-wedding event coverage",etc,etc.

There are soooooo many ways to shoot these days!!! I'm always amazed to see how well some of the slide-on beam-spreading devices work mwith these "new" cameras that have the incredible,incredible high-ISO capabilities, like the Canon 5D-II, Nikon D3s, and D4, and other cameras where ISO 3,200 is imminently useful as long as there's a little tiny bit of fill in the shadow part of the scene to prevent objectionable noise...and where even ISO 6,400 is quite,quite decent! AS LONG AS THERE'S A BIT OF LIGHT in the shadows!!!

Look up Denis Reggie and the term "foofing" for a great example. Shooting ridiculous,long-throw wall- and ceiling bounce flash wedding shots using the Canon 5D-II at formerly-ridiculous ISO values like 3,200.

Foofing – Flash Bounce with the Blue Cranes | Aralani Photography | Portland Wedding Photographer | Timeless, Evocative & Enchanting Wedding Photography in Portland, San Francisco, Seattle & Destinations

THIS can be a problem, the word "Portraits" appears to imply (in the US) a posed head and sholders for most, when in fact portrait can mean and be anything from that to a grab street shot of anyone, full length, street photography etc.

I think you are right in as much as perhaps a better question would have been.

What lighting/diffusers do people use when taking grab shots of guests at weddings or the bride/groom "on the move" (these are ALL still portraits)

Oh and no they don't say that in the UK, unless you are from the 1940s

 

[JSER]

Indoors, one of these: Paul C. Buff - White Lightning X3200 Atop one of these: Paul C. Buff - 13-foot Heavy Duty Light Stand with one of these attached in a horizontal position slightly angled down Profoto 505-708 Softbox with Removable Recessed Front - 254535 will fill most churches or reception halls with the light you need.

I think we have moved from the casual £20-30 reality of wedding casual portraits to way OTT studio here.

 

[gsgary]

Yes I can see that, now bigmike and mleek, interesting, perhaps because I am from the old school, film days, I have always done it myself, but my 20 year ols son will be there this time so, good idea, an assistant.

Stick to film it is coming back with weddings