Looking for advice

[MizzClix]

Hey everyone,

I've been lurking for quite sometime but this is my first post. I'm a highschool student (so please don't be too tough on me) I've been into photography for a few years, as a hobbyist of course. I'm always the designated photographer at family gatherings, birthdays, reunions, and I did my twin cousins senior pictures, etc. my cousin is getting married and asked me to shoot her wedding! She is having a professional photographer, and has got the ok from him for me to take pictures also. I really want to do a good job for her. I just received a canon t4i for my birthday last month (I do plan to upgrade if I ever decide to do this professionally) I have a 75-300, 18-55,55-250, and 50mm lens. I wish I could afford a 70-200, but unfortunately, I'll have to work with what I have.

Now, the questions I have...

I don't currently own a flash, I would like to buy the canon speedlight 580ex or even the 430, but again it probably wont be in my budget. Does anyone have any less expensive recommendations? The ceremony is in a church, that only allows flash during the processional and recessional, the reception is in a hotel ballroom.

I will be in charge of taking some group pictures in the morning (the hired photographer will not be there) I've noticed occasionally when I take photos of large groups, it will look ok on the screen, but once I transfer it to the computer not everyone one is in focus. Any tips to make sure this doesn't happen?

And lastly, she wants to try a picture where her and her groom are standing and there is a glow of a sparkler wrapped around them, an also another one where her and her groom are standing still in the center, and their bridal party are running in a circle around them and are blurred and the last one she would like just where you see the black silhouette of them. (these are three different pictures to be taken at different points during the day.

Thanks for reading this and for any advice you may share!

 

[Light Guru]

Does anyone have any less expensive recommendations?

Rent a nice flash and better lenses. Sure the lenses you listed have nice zoom but I don't think they have nice wide apertures. Start with a 24-70 f2.8 and a 70-200 f2.8

Borrowlenses.com even has a nice package
http://www.borrowlenses.com/product...Photographer_Essentials_Package_No_Body_Canon

 

[ceejtank]

I will be in charge of taking some group pictures in the morning (the hired photographer will not be there) I've noticed occasionally when I take photos of large groups, it will look ok on the screen, but once I transfer it to the computer not everyone one is in focus. Any tips to make sure this doesn't happen?

This has to do with the depth of field. Use a DOF(depth of field) calculator (available online, and on Android phones). This will tell you from what distance, using what camera, what focal length, what settings - what will be in focus.

http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/photography-beginners-forum/270090-most-common-problem-dof.html

That is a helpful thread that one of the moderators of the site put up a while back.

Online Depth of Field Calculator - This is an online DOF calculator you can use. Hope this helps.

 

[Big Mike]

Welcome aboard.

I don't currently own a flash, I would like to buy the canon speedlight 580ex or even the 430, but again it probably wont be in my budget. Does anyone have any less expensive recommendations? The ceremony is in a church, that only allows flash during the processional and recessional, the reception is in a hotel ballroom.

For a one time event, you may be well of renting a flash, as mentioned above...but there are plenty of options for cheaper flash units.
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/searc...ash&cm_sp=Filters-_-Category-_-Camera_Flashes

I've noticed occasionally when I take photos of large groups, it will look ok on the screen, but once I transfer it to the computer not everyone one is in focus. Any tips to make sure this doesn't happen?

You will have to understand how Depth of Field (DOF) Works.
http://www.cambridgeincolour.com/tutorials/depth-of-field.htm
http://itunes.apple.com/ca/app/simple-dof-calculator/id301222730?mt=8

And lastly, she wants to try a picture where her and her groom are standing and there is a glow of a sparkler wrapped around them, an also another one where her and her groom are standing still in the center, and their bridal party are running in a circle around them and are blurred and the last one she would like just where you see the black silhouette of them. (these are three different pictures to be taken at different points during the day.

For the sparkler shot, it will likely have to be quite dark. You will probably want the camera on a tripod or at least on something solid. Put the camera in manual mode and dial in a long shutter speed, maybe 10 seconds or longer. Then have someone run around with the sparkler. That should give you the light trail, but you may also need to fire the flash to light up the couple. I'd suggest practicing this a lot, before the big day.
For the wedding party running around...you will again need a slow shutter speed, but this can probably be done during the daytime and with a shutter speed in the range of 1/10 of a second. Again, practice makes perfect.

The silhouette is easy. Just put them somewhere where they are fairly dark but with a much brighter background. Adjust your exposure so that the background looks good/normal and they should be quite dark.

These are somewhat advanced types of photos...so you really will need to practice to figure them out before you show up for the wedding.

 

[MLeeK]

Flash: Buy the best one you can possibly buy so that you can use it with your upgrades down the line to it's fullest potential. For me that would be the 600, but the 580II would be ok.
Start practicing with it and bouncing flash. Do you know where the getting ready photos will be taken? Either home or hotel is the usual answer which both lend well to bounced flash. Bouncing off of a window is always nice as it looks as if it's the natural light source. White ceilings and walls work beautifully.

You really need to get up to speed on the basics of photography. The reason all of your subjects aren't in focus has to do with your aperture. The lower the f/, the shallower your depth of field will be. Less will be in focus. You can download a Depth Of Field Calculator (search it) for your phone to help you to get a better feeling for how much will be in focus.
Here is a great start for learning about the basics.

For the sparkler photo look up tutorials on light painting.
The one with the wedding party running around them and they are blurry is a composite. One image is done with a long shutter speed so that the subjects blur. The second is done with a normal shutter speed to stop motion of the bride and groom.
OR it can be done with a rear curtain sync'd flash in one shot. The first part of the image exposes the running around, then the flash goes off and stops the motion of the bride and groom. Probably the composite is easier.