Need ideas for helicopter wedding

GFruge · Jun 22, 2011

It's been a little while since I've posted here. Haven't really been shooting much, been taking care of other projects and hobbies. Anyways, something out of the ordinary has come up, a "Helicopter wedding". I offered to shoot photos while aboard the helicopter as my main role is bestman and there will be limited seating. There will only be 5 people, not including the pilot, on the helicopter. Groom, Bride, Bestman, Maid of Honor, and Pastor.

I started thinking right after offering and started seeing a complex with the lighting, space, lens selection, angles, etc. I've flown in helicopter literally hundreds of times as I work in the oil industry in the Gulf of Mexico.

The wedding will be around 2:30 p.m. so the sun will be overhead. This should be too bad as we'll be in shade. There are windows around the entire aircraft, so well lit. The only source of lighting will be an SB900. I have diffusers, etc for it. I'll bring a tripod, but not sure how that's going to work out with the bounce effect of the aircraft. Everything will have to be shot at fast shutter speeds or with flash, because of this same bounce effect.

The only lens that I can think of to use would be the 12-24 f4 lens that I have. I think 50mm will be too tight, especially shotting without a full frame camera. The 1.5x factor will kill me.

Helicopters are usually pretty hot to get into, especially being in South Louisiana and the wedding being in July. Therefore, I've already advised the bride to limit the make-up and I'll have papertowel for everyone to wipe with.

Any ideas? Suggestions????

Big Mike · Jun 22, 2011

It the helicopter the destination?

I would think that a couple shots in the cabin would be sufficient, but I would assume that they are taking the helicopter to a location...and that is where they would be wanting/needing photos.

GFruge · Jun 22, 2011

I should have clarified this. Everything is centered around the flight. The actual cerimony will be done in the air with all of the primary parties there onboard. The only other photos that I'll be able to get will be while the helicopter is parked on the ground. This is what they requested, for a cerimony in the air. Something simple, but different.

After the flight, it's off to the reception.

2WheelPhoto · Jun 22, 2011

Suggestion, take advantage of the cam's ISO abilities and use a fast shutter speed. Last helicopter ride I was on rattled the fillings in my teeth it vibrated so much.

behanana · Jun 22, 2011

I would say this is pretty easy, make sure you tell them not to expect the world, and use the widest lense you have. If you choose to have a wedding in a helocopter then don't be upset if you don't get a lot of photos. Other option, if you have a decent point and shoot, take that, easier to be in tight spaces with.

Mike_E · Jun 22, 2011

Do the real shooting on the ground and expose for the outside while in the air so that you can paste the windows from in the air to the 'good' shots so that it looks like it was all done inflight.

Don't use a wide angle on people and expect them to like it.

BTW use a shutter speed 3X your focal length in the air if you don't want blur.

Railphotog · Jun 22, 2011

How are the participants going to hear what the pastor says? It is noisy inside! Will the all be wearing headsets? If so, it would really change the look of the wedding. Can't imagine using a tripod inside any helicopter, period. Having to use an extreme wide angle lens will of course distort the participants too. Sounds like quite a challenge! Perhaps come back after it happens and show us how you made out.

I flew in smaller choppers for 35 years when I was with the Canadian Coast Guard, the few shots I took inside were just of fellow pasengers, sometimes napping!

Good luck!

Bynx · Jun 22, 2011

If there is any way to mount a camera to the outside and shoot through the window. That will give you max exposure of the entire area. Other than that, good luck on getting anything really half decent.

GFruge · Jun 22, 2011

No mounting outside! That's a perfect wish!!!

I know it's a super challenge. Everyone will have headsets on. I've flown all sorts of helicopters. The lastest one that I flew on for about 3 years, was the nicest, biggest, and most comfortable of all. This would be the Sikorsky S92. Wow. If the wedding was being done in this one, I could find all sorts of opportunities. The aircraft that we'll fly in will be either an AW139 or Agusta A 119.

I'm thinking for the distortion correction would be to use the 24mm on the zoom lens. With the 1.5x factor, this gives me 36mm lens. Otherwise, I could think about shotting at 35mm x 1.5 = 52.5mm.

Lighting is going to be horrible with the flash unit. I can't use the bounce as the roof of the helicopter is only inches above ones head. On top of this, there will be shadows like one can't believe behind the subjects.

I may have to shoot with available lighting. Good thing is that we'll be in a shaded area. Also, I can correct the ISO to be able to shoot faster. Maybe setting the camera up to shoot @ f16 and see what I get with shutter speed. I know that that shutter speed will need to be atleast 1/250 or 1/500 to get rid of the vibration from the aircraft.

Even outside of the aircraft, it'll still be difficult to capture good photos. The time will be around 2:30 / 3:00 p.m. where the sun will be overhead and there is nothing to block the sun. Shadows will be incredible. I'll shoot with the flash to correct this issue.

Challenges challenges challenges.

TordFuglstad · Jun 22, 2011

A 8mm fisheye would come in handy

Mike_E · Jun 23, 2011

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GFruge · Jun 23, 2011

For the SB900, I've got bounce cards, softboxes, diffusers, etc for that. The problem comes in when the ceiling is so low. Really think of it like shooting photos in a car. There's just no headroom to have the bounce cards or anything above. You'd have to start ducking down so that nothing hits the ceiling.

That's a pretty good analogy, think about trying to shoot photos in a Midsize to Large Van while moving on a bumpy road. The seat backs are in the way, ceiling is low, movement all over the place.

Mike_E · Jun 23, 2011

GFruge said:
For the SB900, I've got bounce cards, softboxes, diffusers, etc for that. The problem comes in when the ceiling is so low. Really think of it like shooting photos in a car. There's just no headroom to have the bounce cards or anything above. You'd have to start ducking down so that nothing hits the ceiling.

That's a pretty good analogy, think about trying to shoot photos in a Midsize to Large Van while moving on a bumpy road. The seat backs are in the way, ceiling is low, movement all over the place.

You can't take the flash off the camera and put it somewhere overhead and behind you?

Really, if it's going to be this big a hassle then do the bulk of your shooting for their album while you're on the ground. This is going to be the only way you'll get any shots of their faces that aren't horribly distorted by the wide angle you're would have to use otherwise. You don't have to do these shots at the same time either, it could be earlier or later.

After the posed shots do the real thing in extreme wide angle for a: proof that they really got married in a copter and b: show just how cramped it really was.

GFruge · Jun 23, 2011

Thats not a bad idea. It's going to be so simple that maybe I can do most of the shooting outside, of course with the helicopter in the background. Capture a few shots of the inside of the aircraft, maybe with some items hanging or sitting on the seat. I can also let them know that I'll shoot a few shots inside of the aircraft, but not to be truly expecting those shots incase they come out super horrid. I guess they need to know that they shouldn't be expecting a miracle with the conditions.

TwoTwoLeft · Jun 23, 2011

For cockpit shots while in the air from the back seat shooting forward I bounce the flash off the ceiling of the cabin. Everything "pops" in the cockpit and you can still see good detail out the windshield/windows. Use high shutter speeds, even if you think is smooth, it's not.