Oh crap.....a little help please

[Funky]

Hello everyone, i have a slight problem. i've been shooting weddings every weekend or so for the past 2 months of summer and every single one of them has been an out door wedding, everythings been fine and everyones been happy. now for the bad part D:, i was hired for an indoor church wedding this saturday and upon further inspection im introuble, the only light source is staind glass, and its REALLY dark inside. i just dont know how im going to do it, i own an external flash but its not powerful enough and i really dont think using a flash ever looks good. so ANY advice would be simply amazing and helpful.
thanks

:cheers:
Zach

 

[Big Mike]

You could use a fast lens (F1.8 or F1.4) and a high ISO...which will mean grain or noise.

A wedding photographer should be able to use flash when it's called for to get the shot. A wedding photographer should also have the equipment to get the job done. If your flash is not good enough, you may have to go out and get one (plus backup).

 

[The_Traveler]

the only light source is staind glass, and its REALLY dark inside. i just dont know how im going to do it, i own an external flash but its not powerful enough and i really dont think using a flash ever looks good.
:cheers:
Zach

Well, if flash doesn't ever look good, and there isn't enough light even for fast lenses, there isn't much advice to give.


PS. Flash sometimes actually can look good.

 

[Don Simon]

In my experience churches with available light are very tricky. As you say it is very dark inside - and there is also usually a lot of light coming through the windows... the difference can be way too much for negative film, much less a digital sensor. For that reason I have often found flash necessary.

As Traveler said, flash can look good... flash does not inherently look bad; it is just a source of light... how good or bad it looks depends on how it is used. Direct flash on top of the camera is probably best avoided.

 

[Funky]

I'm extreamly ignorant to the use of flash, sadly. ive been making my living without it but thats because its all through gallery work so its at my descretion what goes in. tomorrow im going to go buy a flash, any suggestions? price isnt really an issue. thanks for the speedy responce everyone

 

[Big Mike]

What cameras do you shoot with? I'd suggest getting a dedicated flash of the same brand (Nikon for Nikon...Canon for Canon etc.) The TTL metering will take a lot of the 'guess work' out of it for you. I'd also suggest a couple sets of rechargeable batteries as well.

 

[Don Simon]

Since you're using Sony/Minolta, I'd recommend Sony/Minolta flashes... third-parties have TTL operation too but it makes sense to make the most out of the company's proprietary flash system and have more control, and possibly better metering and wireless operation. If I remember right, the more powerful Minolta flash is called the 5600 (or 56 with the Sony name).

Personally I used to avoid flash too, and I continue to prefer using only natural light, if for no other reason than because flash means carrying and using yet more equipment. There are many times when using a flash is preferable or even necessary though. The use of flash is a huge area about which I am mostly ignorant too, but some of the basic practical uses are fairly easy to pick up. Just think of flash as another source of light. You would probably not want to take a shot with your subjects staring directly into bright sunlight, so the same applies here. Flash can be reflected and diffused; it can be made to come from different directions, or indeed multiple directions if you use more than one flash. When bouncing, the type and colour of the materials used, and their distance from the flash and the subject, are going to have an effect just as they would if reflecting natural light. And usually you will need to decide where to strike the balance between the ambient light and the light you are introducing with the flash.

OK so that was fairly long and rambling, and probably didn't explain anything useful... it's 2:30AM, what do you expect

 

[Funky]

Thanks zaphod! thanks big mike. i think im going to drop the $300 on amazon and buy the 56, it looks good and from what ive read, it preformes well. not to buy a good 18-70 lens ;D

 

[|)\/8]

Invest in a decent flash. Also, most wedding photographers I know use fast lenses with image stabilization.