Help with upcoming wedding

ARPhoto · Jul 6, 2010

I recently went to "practice" shooting at the church where this wedding will take place. The church has an unusual lighting situation and flash photography IS NOT allowed. Please look at a few of the images and give me your suggestions on lighting and camera settings for the wedding. This is not my first wedding by far, but I am really struggling with this one as the stained glass windows of the church give everything a blue-ish hue, and the YELLOW wood on the altar is garrishly contrasting and unflattering. Thank you in advance!

AlinaFranksBaptism128.jpg picture by riosam2 - Photobucket

AlinaFranksBaptism150.jpg picture by riosam2 - Photobucket

mwcfarms · Jul 6, 2010

Cant see your photos, have no idea what lens you plan on shooting with or have at your disposal etc. Need more info.

ARPhoto · Jul 6, 2010

Sorry. Trying to figure out why my photos aren't working. Having problems with my hosting site. My have to host elsewhere for the sake of this forum.

I will be shooting with a Canon 50D and I have 2 lenses - the Canon 28-135mm and the 75-300mm. Again, flash photogrphy is NOT permitted in the church during the ceremony, but is allowed for portraiture before and after the ceremony.

mwcfarms · Jul 6, 2010

Im assuming you have a second body since you have shot weddings before. Back up body I mean. I would seriously look into renting good low light glass for this if you can. Maybe the 70-200 2.8 or even the 24 to 70 2.8. Both of those would have much better abilities in a lowly lit church. Good luck.

ARPhoto · Jul 6, 2010

Thank you, Dee.

flea77 · Jul 7, 2010

Dee is correct. I use the 80-200 2.8 and 24-70 2.8 massively at weddings. Color casts can usually be handled in post so I would not worry about that as much as fast glass. Keep each lens on a separate body and then just grab the one you need for the shot you are about to take, easy peasy.

Allan

Big Mike · Jul 7, 2010

If you are getting paid to shoot a wedding, I would suggest that you need better lenses than the 28-135 and the 70-300. Besides being mediocre lenses, they are too 'slow' (small max aperture). I wouldn't suggest shooting a wedding with them, even if flash was allowed.

For any wedding shooter, I'd suggest F2.8 zoom lenses...but for a wedding/church where flash is not allowed, I'd also suggest a fast prime lens. F1.8 or F1.4.
Otherwise, you may end up with blurry shots...or you'd have to use a rather high ISO which will mean digital noise.

gsgary · Jul 7, 2010

Those lenses are not upto the job of shooting a wedding especially inside

DWS · Jul 7, 2010

with no flash allowed, definitely 2.8's and a 1.4 if you can get one

skieur · Jul 7, 2010

Have you considered asking if auxiliary lighting is allowed? I have used colour balanced video auxilliary lighting or rather I should say television lights on stands. They worked well.
skieur

KmH · Jul 7, 2010

Call for Judge Brown!

Urgent call for Judge Brown!

Judge Brown! Call for Judge Brown! Judge Brown!

There he is.....Hizzoner......Mr. "Whats the speed of your lens" himself.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=js7RzcdDcMs[/ame]

ARPhoto · Jul 15, 2010

Thanks for the pointers on lenses. I do not usually do weddings except for friends and family - non-paid, of course

Professionally, I stick to natural light portraits, so I am not willing to spend a bunch on equipment that I rarely use. My "customers" (see aforementioned friends and family) know this and it is spelled out in the contract that we both signed (Hey, I'm no dummy - I know how to cover my butt! Lol). I just want to do the best job possible and I will be renting several lenses for use on this "job" per your recommendations. I'll be practicing tomorrow night at the rehearsal, and I'll let you know how it all turns out!

-A

JReesePhoto · Jul 19, 2010

Would setting a custom white balance help?

Cinka · Jul 22, 2010

ARPhoto said:
Thanks for the pointers on lenses. I do not usually do weddings except for friends and family - non-paid, of course Professionally, I stick to natural light portraits, so I am not willing to spend a bunch on equipment that I rarely use. My "customers" (see aforementioned friends and family) know this and it is spelled out in the contract that we both signed (Hey, I'm no dummy - I know how to cover my butt! Lol). I just want to do the best job possible and I will be renting several lenses for use on this "job" per your recommendations. I'll be practicing tomorrow night at the rehearsal, and I'll let you know how it all turns out!

-A