Church options

bledererphoto · Sep 23, 2012

Will be shooting wedding in large Catholic Church with no flash allowed and I am not able to move around during ceremony. My current camera system would not handle the iso demands. I am a cano shooter and would be renting equipment. I was thinking about the 5d iii, new tamron 24-70 vc 2.8, 70-200 ii and then there would be the desire for second body as well. I want to have the zoom range over primes. Any suggestions and any tips from anyone that has shot under similar situations.

MLeeK · Sep 23, 2012

Sounds like my ideal setup. Second body either a 5d2 or 7D should cut it.

KmH · Sep 23, 2012

A cano shooter? What's a cano? Or do you mean a pano, as in panoramic?

Light Guru · Sep 23, 2012

KmH said:
A cano shooter? What's a cano? Or do you mean a pano, as in panoramic?

And an "n" on to cano and what do you have Canon. He is a Canon shooter.

bledererphoto · Sep 23, 2012

I like the extra reach with the crop body but the low iso of ff

MLeeK · Sep 23, 2012

I am much the same in that regard. I shoot with a 7D and a 5d2 for weddings because of that added reach on my 70-200 f/2.8.

Big Mike · Sep 24, 2012

Even with the very best gear, if you can't move around, your options are going to be limited.
If the church is going to crack down on you with those restrictions....first make sure that your clients are aware of it. Talk to them and ask what they want/expect in terms of photos in the church. It might be possible to re-create the special moments after the actual ceremony.

In the few times when I've had to deal with similar circumstances...I just got whatever shots I could, in the church...but then try to make up for it with shots in other locations.

If you consider which photo are more likely to sell...or which ones are most likely to be printed and hung on the wall...in-church shots aren't usually high on that list. We get the shots to document the event...but the 'money shots' are usually done afterward.

MLeeK · Sep 24, 2012

Big Mike said:
Even with the very best gear, if you can't move around, your options are going to be limited.
If the church is going to crack down on you with those restrictions....first make sure that your clients are aware of it. Talk to them and ask what they want/expect in terms of photos in the church. It might be possible to re-create the special moments after the actual ceremony.

In the few times when I've had to deal with similar circumstances...I just got whatever shots I could, in the church...but then try to make up for it with shots in other locations.

If you consider which photo are more likely to sell...or which ones are most likely to be printed and hung on the wall...in-church shots aren't usually high on that list. We get the shots to document the event...but the 'money shots' are usually done afterward.

I always do a second shoot of the ceremony afterwards to get the kiss, unity sand/candle and the ring exchange and be sure it's 100%. It only takes a few minutes and I find that the church almost expects it. I can also then get it from the other side too!

bledererphoto · Sep 24, 2012

Good options i havent run into a problem before with getting the key ceremony shots during, but def good idea to recreate those afterwards. Ive also used remote cameras triggered from my main before so that also might be an option. The church is 8 hours away so advanced scouting well ahead of time is not an option. It will be just after christmas so i anticipate the church to be gorgeous.

Herm99 · Sep 24, 2012

Was this something you were told directly from the marrying-pastor himself? I ask because I was recently told the same thing by a very generic church doc, and once I got there the pastor told me I could do whatever I wanted and flash was totally fine.

I can't even imagine doing a wedding without flash, most church's run so much darker then you think, especially once you take a photo with no flash. I would make it very clear to the party that the photo's will look like crap unless the church has exceptional lighting.

ceejtank · Sep 24, 2012

I'd move around while they did the ceremony. They can't control people moving. What're they going to do arrest you? START A RIOT.

CCericola · Sep 24, 2012

Ask what you really can and can't do from the priest. They are the only ones you have to listen to. Will they arrest you? Now but some will stop the ceremony and tell you to leave. Then you end up refunding money

charlie76 · Sep 24, 2012

I'd be very up font with the client to avoid potential future faulting

bledererphoto · Sep 24, 2012

They had relayed the message about no movement or flash during ceremony directly from the church. Im going to follow up and go over all the options with them. I ve got some time but want to start coming up with things now.

bratkinson · Sep 25, 2012

bledererphoto said:
Good options i havent run into a problem before with getting the key ceremony shots during, but def good idea to recreate those afterwards. Ive also used remote cameras triggered from my main before so that also might be an option. The church is 8 hours away so advanced scouting well ahead of time is not an option. It will be just after christmas so i anticipate the church to be gorgeous.

With such an important shoot to the B&G, I'd 'invest' the 8 hrs to/from the church both to pre-scout it out, taking a good number of test shots, getting white balance setting shots, etc. This would best be done about the same time of day, to get an idea of any natural light from outside. It would also be a good time to talk with the officiating priest about the restrictions.