Large Share! More from Vineyards at Chappel Lodge. Gorgeous Venue and So Much Fun!

Maggedy · Apr 7, 2013

Thanks guys. All good feedback. I like this wedding a lot but yes the light was super challenging right at the ceremony. Not my first rodeo, lol, but this one was tough.

It was around 4:30 and they both ending up standing right under a tree that crossed light halfway over their faces, i mean major light and dark. I tried some on camera fill, tried other angles, different sides, the sunlight was just pretty harsh no matter what I did. If i got the shadow better, seemed like the other side of the face totally blew out or her dress totally blew. I wish we could have told them to step back like 2 feet. The primary had the same issues. Occasionally one would step forward or back into even light, and that was like yes! I guess we could have set up OCF but that's totally not the main shooter's style, and at least when I'm seconding I do what's asked.

The reception was a nightmare. I had several speedlights and stands, and then my "trusty" pocket wizards decided not to fire with any consistency YET again. We were outside on a terrace with zero, I mean zero, other light. So I was pretty screwed. Tried getting them synced up with the other shooters so I could at least fire hers but no go. She told me not to worry about it, she had the lighting working for her, and shoot for fun. Had no choice but to put flash on camera, raise the bounce card, raise the ISO and get what i could.

I used Phottix Strattos at a wedding tonight plus an Alien Bee and a speedlight for fill. Not one missed fire. Amazing!

Still, really good feedback. I appreciate it and that's why I post.

Also, I've been liking the matte look lately but have done it the last 4-5 weddings I blogged. May go back the the regular ole clean edit on the next ones. Again to me that's one of the best parts about second shooting. You get to experiment so much more. My blog really isn't for clients, per se. I take a _very_ limted number of bookings as a primary since I also work 9-5 but work quite regular as a second shooter, mainly getting gigs by pointing folks to my blog.

Robin_Usagani · Apr 7, 2013

It is not my style either. The last time I used a flash during ceremony was at a dark venue with big ass window behind them. I am glad a lot of churches dont allow flash. It will ruin the intimacy of the wedding IMO. I think the goal is to get 600RTs but damn they are expensive. PW with 580EX II dont work so well.

Maggedy · Apr 7, 2013

I really like using the alien bees, like in the corners of receptions where you can get a good even light spread and shoot into them if you want too for that rim-light or halo effect, but I didn't own one then, and again, that's not how the primary rolled, And her speedlights and triggers worked fine. In the end, she was getting the important stuff (half the time you don't even NEED 2 shooters the last couple hours of a reception) but I edited a few anyway, mainly because how else do you end the story when you write the blog post?

Robin_Usagani · Apr 7, 2013

Ooppss. Typo.. I meant during ceremony.

aonavy · Apr 8, 2013

I think the pictures are great but I have one question that always has confuses me.

If you shooting and event example under a tree and the sun is setting, Do you want take a picture as the eye see it, shadows and such, or do you alter it and fill in those shadows and change what it really looks like. Does this question make sense?

Not to get off subject, The pictures are good.

Maggedy · May 17, 2013

aonavy, there are differing opinions on this, kind of what the whole thread was about. I much prefer to be able to fill in shadows (and do with a reflector and assistant when I do portrait sessions) but if the primary shooter tells me not to use flash during the ceremony, I'm not using flash. Period. I'll do the best I can moving around, trying to find better angles, taking different exposures, under-exposing, over-exposing, bumping ISO. just giving the primary as many options as possible to work with in lightroom. With this particular wedding, there was like 1 foot where the B&G were both in the shade and in the dynamic of the ceremony, they moved forward and backwards, in and out of the light. So what can you do?

There are a TON of weddings shot with the sun straight overhead or under the shadows of trees, and as a second shooter, I roll with what I'm asked to do. If I'm with someone who uses fill flash, then I'll do that if asked. It's not like I don't have a mind of my own or dont know what to do, but it's impt to respect how the main shooter wants the images taken (and honor any ceremony restrictions).

What's IDEAL is if you can get the B&G to schedule the ceremony when the sun is starting to get lower in the sky, so much easier to work with, but not so late that you can't take them for couple portraits in that perfect evening light afterwards.

Maggedy · May 17, 2013

Robin_Usagani said:
It is not my style either. The last time I used a flash during ceremony was at a dark venue with big ass window behind them. I am glad a lot of churches dont allow flash. It will ruin the intimacy of the wedding IMO. I think the goal is to get 600RTs but damn they are expensive. PW with 580EX II dont work so well.

PW with 580EX II SUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Just sold all of them. Got the Phottix triggers which are not fancy but are flawless. Also bought a 600RT, had to send the 580 for repair (firing every other shot in the hotshoe on multiple bodies) and got the alien bee. Me loveeeeeee!

tirediron · May 17, 2013

Exposure discussions aside, nice set, but I'd bin #7 left. The bride's expression looks like the groom has just said, "THAT'S your sister? WOW! She's HOT!"