mulitple cams remotely triggered / wedding?

[andrew todd]

i havent shot any weddings.. ive been seriously considering getting a start in it this summer. I was wondering if anyone who has multiple bodies and pocketwizards has ever thought to preframe and focus one cam on a tripod during the ceremony and set it up for remote trigger with the PWs and get a different perspective with another cam for the same moment. So like for the ring exchange or the kiss you could get both a wide and a tight shot. just something i was thinking about tonite.

 

[Garbz]

This would only really work if you can guarantee that the subjects will stand where you want them too.

 

[andrew todd]

theres generally not alot of movement when the couple is on the alter is there? Even if your are standing right with the 2 cameras in one spot. The camera on the tripod could be set for a wider angle and you could just crop to correct for any slight movement that might throw off your composition.

 

[Big Mike]

Wouldn't it be easier to have an assistant operate the 2nd camera? I've been thinking about this myself...wanting to get some shots from the balcony but not wanting to be running up and down stairs during the ceremony. You could set it up and all they would have to do...is check the focus and fire the camera at appropriate times.

Well, I guess it could work with a remote. You could set it up to have enough DOF that small movements won't put them O.O.F. however, you would be sacrificing shutter speed or ISO to get that DOF.

It would also depend on the flow of the ceremony. A lot of them have long periods of time where a lot of stuff is said...but the scene is the same. This would give you time to take the photos yourself and return to the floor.

Also, I guess it depends on the type of ceremony and the couple in question...but from what I can tell, covering every second of the ceremony isn't as important as we sometimes think it is. Really, how many shots of the ceremony make it into an album? I'm guessing that it's only a handful of shots for a lot of clients.

 

[Christie Photo]

I was wondering if anyone who has multiple bodies and pocketwizards has ever thought to preframe and focus one cam on a tripod during the ceremony and set it up for remote trigger with the PWs and get a different perspective with another cam for the same moment.

I've seen this done YEARS with video. It was a big production, equipment-wise... pre-digital and all. The guy brought a mixing board with multiple monitors and set up somewhere out of sight in the building. He had one stationary camera and two others that were hand held. He used headphones to communicate with the videogaphers and did the editing "on the fly." Wow.

I've never considered this with still photography.

Pete

 

[Mike_E]

I had considered it using a D70 with the built in remote. Wrap the tripod and camera (with cutout of course) in white with some gold trim so it wouldn't look out of place. Use an ultra wide set on the hyperfocal. Now if I could just afford a third rig. mike

 

[elsaspet]

I have a coupla problems here. First, no, you can't pw the thing. The minister is always swaying back and forth, and the couple is running around to the unity candle and so and such.

Which brings me to my second point. This is definately not a job for a first timer. Pleasepleaseplease apprentice under someone else at least once, or I can assure you, you will get sued to hell and back. Even if you do if for free. This is not a place to test your talent. It's a once in a lifetime thing that people spend tens of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands on.

 

[andrew todd]

I have a coupla problems here. First, no, you can't pw the thing. The minister is always swaying back and forth, and the couple is running around to the unity candle and so and such.

Which brings me to my second point. This is definately not a job for a first timer. Pleasepleaseplease apprentice under someone else at least once, or I can assure you, you will get sued to hell and back. Even if you do if for free. This is not a place to test your talent. It's a once in a lifetime thing that people spend tens of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands on.

i still think it would work fine for a wide shot.. from a balcony or whatever. Such a wide shot would not need adjustment for slight movement.. because you would frame the shot not by the people but by the background. If its wide enough it doesnt matter how much they move.

Not for every shot.. but whenever you want you could switch on the PW insetad of running up to the balcony. So yes.. you can do the PW thing,, if you have the gear why not? youve got nothing to lose.. and possibly some decent shots that would not otherwise be possible as a single shooter.


And of course i would work as a second shooter a few times to become confident enough to take it on myself. I would never want that responsibility unless i was 100% confident in myself.

but no.. i dont think someone can sue you if theyre not paying you.

 

[EOS_JD]

I have a coupla problems here. First, no, you can't pw the thing. The minister is always swaying back and forth, and the couple is running around to the unity candle and so and such.

Which brings me to my second point. This is definately not a job for a first timer. Pleasepleaseplease apprentice under someone else at least once, or I can assure you, you will get sued to hell and back. Even if you do if for free. This is not a place to test your talent. It's a once in a lifetime thing that people spend tens of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands on.

I think you've maybe gone off on a slight tangent here....

The question is a perfectly reasonable one and I would certainly not see it as a problem - so long as the photohgrapher still has a second camera toi take what's considered to be the main shots.

I too have considered this. I have a remote shutter release and thought about setting the camera up with a cloth covering it and the tripod with a hole for the lens. The camera could sit at the back of the alter.

Many wedding images do not capture the faces and passion of the congregation at a wedding and this would be a great way to do so. Set a wide angled lens at the rear of the alter (to one side) and you should be able to capture many shots.

With your second camera do as you would normally do. I use a 20D and a 70-200 f2.8L IS during the ceremony as my main lens and I think a 10-22 or a 17-35 would be perfect for setting at the rear of the alter with a second camera (normally my 350D). Obviously you'd need to check your lighting and use a fast enough shutter speed to avoid the subjects being blurred. The UWA lenses have a huge dof so even at 12 feet away, the camera would have everything from 6' to 280' away in focus. - Full manual control would be a must (including manual focus)

If the minster wastes a few images it's no big deal. You're likely to capture some great emotion.

First timers mostly do the work for friends and family. I know that's how I started. I took candids of the guests and couple while the pro did his work I asked ifd he minded and he was fine so long as I didn't "steal" his money shots. Watched and learned. After a few weddings I'm now regularly being asked to do work for portraits, weddings and even commercial work and am getting to the stage I'm thinking of starting a business.

I still think it's a great idea even although I've not tried it yet..... One of these days.

 

[elsaspet]

Hey, then go and do it then.
Me personally, I'm always worried that Uncle Bob is gonna steal my money shot. I can't tell you the hours I've spent sleepless about the whole thing.
You don't have to try it. Don't shoot a wedding one. Just show up one day and blast away with no flash in a 3200 ISO atmophere. They will be totally cool with the noise in the photo. It's ok, right. Call it art.
After all, that thousand bucks you made is worth it all, right? If you even charged that?
To be honest, what it does is downclass the entire business. But, go for it. After all, you have to fleece someone right?

 

[andrew todd]

Hey, then go and do it then.
Me personally, I'm always worried that Uncle Bob is gonna steal my money shot. I can't tell you the hours I've spent sleepless about the whole thing.
You don't have to try it. Don't shoot a wedding one. Just show up one day and blast away with no flash in a 3200 ISO atmophere. They will be totally cool with the noise in the photo. It's ok, right. Call it art.
After all, that thousand bucks you made is worth it all, right? If you even charged that?
To be honest, what it does is downclass the entire business. But, go for it. After all, you have to fleece someone right?

you have some pent up agression? the only reason i suggested it is as a backup angle. if for some reason someting happens to your primary shot(and i imagine theres a million things that could go wrong.. at least you have a backup.. ) filmmaking is my thing. .. its great because you have the luxury of getting mulitple safety shots. with something like a wedding i just though that the idea of my second cam being put to some use as a safety net (and possibly some surprising nice shots) instead of sitting unused in my bag would be a good idea.

 

[EOS_JD]

Hey, then go and do it then.
Me personally, I'm always worried that Uncle Bob is gonna steal my money shot. I can't tell you the hours I've spent sleepless about the whole thing.
You don't have to try it. Don't shoot a wedding one. Just show up one day and blast away with no flash in a 3200 ISO atmophere. They will be totally cool with the noise in the photo. It's ok, right. Call it art.
After all, that thousand bucks you made is worth it all, right? If you even charged that?
To be honest, what it does is downclass the entire business. But, go for it. After all, you have to fleece someone right?

You are way off the line on this one!

Who is going to shoot a wedding at ISO3200?!!! Buy faster lenses!!!

Why does it downcalss the business? Can you tell me? I don't understand this? Because I may want to try something different???

Remember the OP stated multiple cameras so the main shots wioll still be taken but you can supplement these with some amazing emotion shots..... think about it!!

Why would we be fleecing? Is it such a bad idea? I'd really like to know why you feel as you do!!

 

[JIP]

One thing I have got to yell you, if you are planning on doing this at your first wedding forget it. At a wedding there are just way too many things to worry about than having to monitor and shoot with another camera other than the one that's around your neck. I would at least get afew under your belt before you attempt something like this. I have been shooting weddings for about 6 years now and I don't think I could pull this one off.

 

[EOS_JD]

One thing I have got to yell you, if you are planning on doing this at your first wedding forget it. At a wedding there are just way too many things to worry about than having to monitor and shoot with another camera other than the one that's around your neck. I would at least get afew under your belt before you attempt something like this. I have been shooting weddings for about 6 years now and I don't think I could pull this one off.

I must agree with this.
However, if you can set the camera on a tripod (obviously with minister's approval - and with a trial at the rehersal) then I think it's certainly possible although I agree that you don't want to miss crucial shots with bothering about firing a remote shutter release.

I still think it would be an interesting trial.

 

[dewey]

Well without getting involved in the holier than though vibe of this thread I'll answer your question.

I have setup a D80 on a wireless remote and grabbed a few ceremony shots with a 12-24 lens before. The shots were set to be very slow, I think they averaged 1/2 second each... so it was a dreamy sort of shot. My main focus is on the cameras that are in my hands... but if the facility has a balcony or other unique view point I'll set it up before hand. I would say it's not a good idea for shots you HAVE to have, but it's a plus if you have a third body as a backup to your backup.

It's not much different than setting up strobes in the reception hall for certain shots which I do with SB 800s.