The Wedding Hall (Page 7): That's for sure! Weddings are a specialty that really call for a lot of effort. Getting it right out of the gate is going to be a challenge. Not to...

selmslie Loc: Fernandina Beach, FL, USA

Annie_Girl wrote:

.... This wedding is NOT for a newbie.

That's for sure! Weddings are a specialty that really call for a lot of effort. Getting it right out of the gate is going to be a challenge.

Not to discourage you, but I have been doing a lot of photography over the past four decades and I have successfully dodged any requests to cover weddings.

How you meter may be the least of your problems. You will need to do a lot of dry runs and learn this one by trial and error.

Nightski

greg vescuso wrote:

Have the bride and groom face the preacher and sho... (show quote)

This sounds like a very good Idea. The window is actually a door that leads out to a balcony. If it's nice, I could shoot from outside for that part of it.

Anandnra Loc: Tennessee

Nightski wrote:

Some thoughts on this window covering. I am worried now. The groom is black and will his face just blend into the navy background. I think his tux might be navy too, it's navy or black. Either way, that may not be a good idea. White or off white would compete with the bridal gown. Would red be awful? Any other thoughts? Maybe a light brown or tan color? It would blend with the rustic barn

Maybe not sheer either. Maybe a solid. Thoughts?

My wife is very good with colors and I passed this scenario with her and she says brown would give you good results.
Good luck.

Nightski

Anandnra wrote:

My wife is very good with colors and I passed this scenario with her and she says brown would give you good results.
Good luck.

Thank you :-)

amehta Loc: Boston

Annie_Girl wrote:

Please remember the groom is not the same skin tone as the bride (the OP said he was of color), so spot metering on the bride is only going to result in a blown out dress and an underexposed groom. This wedding is NOT for a newbie.

Yes, he's Haitian, and will be a bit of a challenge, but it's not the end of the world. And we've already had the discussion of whether it was idea for Nightski to be shooting this wedding and she greed that it was not. But that didn't change the bride's choice, so this is where we are now, with her practicing and learning, and us helping as we can.

Annie_Girl Loc: It's none of your business

amehta wrote:

Yes, he's Haitian, and will be a bit of a challenge, but it's not the end of the world. And we've already had the discussion of whether it was idea for Nightski to be shooting this wedding and she greed that it was not. But that didn't change the bride's choice, so this is where we are now, with her practicing and learning, and us helping as we can.

does the bride have a gun to her head? does the bride know some deep dark secret that she has threatened to tell the world about if she does not photograph her wedding? How does she NOT have a choice about taking on this wedding? I call BS big time.

Don't let her fool you Nightski wants to photograph this wedding, she just doesn't want the flack that goes along with someone of her skill level taking on a wedding.

Nightski

selmslie wrote:

That's for sure! Weddings are a specialty that really call for a lot of effort. Getting it right out of the gate is going to be a challenge.

Not to discourage you, but I have been doing a lot of photography over the past four decades and I have successfully dodged any requests to cover weddings.

How you meter may be the least of your problems. You will need to do a lot of dry runs and learn this one by trial and error.

I know Selmslie. I know you do not know me, but I am the kind of person that will plan, and work hard. I know this won't be easy, but I am going to have a plan going in. That's why I'm bringing up all this stuff now. I am trying to work through all the potential problems early. Annie is right, but she doesn't not have any understanding of my situation. There is way more than I care to tell, but I really am stuck doing this. Family matters can be very complicated sometimes. Annie does not understand what kind of wedding this is. It is not a big Country Club affair. My mother has made her wedding gown, they have made the invitations together. My brother and his wife are catering the reception. Everyone is pitching in. I cannot say no.

Thanks for helping. I appreciate your kindness.

Country's Mama Loc: Michigan

I think it will all work out Nightski. I know you will lose a little sleep over it, but you have time to practice and plan. It might not be what some pay thousands of dollars for, but it will be something for them to have. I think if you learn how to do a couple formal shots with simple lighting that you could have something really nice. Maybe rent a couple light set ups for the formal shots.

Nightski

Country's Mama wrote:

I think it will all work out Nightski. I know you will lose a little sleep over it, but you have time to practice and plan. It might not be what some pay thousands of dollars for, but it will be something for them to have. I think if you learn how to do a couple formal shots with simple lighting that you could have something really nice. Maybe rent a couple light set ups for the formal shots.

Are you talking about soft boxes, Judy? I was just watching a tutorial on those. I should send it to you. It was pretty neat. I watch so many tutorials ... :roll:

BHC Loc: Strawberry Valley, JF, USA

Nightski, have you considered ND tinting for the windows. Properly applied, it can be used for pre-ceremony shots and stripped in seconds before the guests arrive. We have an old sternwheeler on the river docked facing north. The south [former] engine room is now a large banquet room with a huge window. The room is available for weddings (my youngest son was married there on a December mid-afternoon. The window is equipped with a hinged ND filter which, when dropped, fits the window frame perfectly. It solved the problem for the wedding photographer in that she was able to use a subdued flash for the ceremony shots. When the ceremony was over, the room was reconfigured for the reception, including the lifting of the filter. Another advantage of the filter was that the scow (actually a tour boat, but ugly) astern was dimmed in the background. There is a company in IL that makes framed or unframed window filters:

http://www.jnsglass.com/neutraldensity.php

Nightski

Mogul wrote:

Nightski, have you considered ND tinting for the w... (show quote)

I will definitely suggest this to the new owner of that facility. He is making renovations, and he might be interested in doing that. He is already completely booked for next summer.

Weddingguy Loc: British Columbia - Canada

greg vescuso wrote:

This is good advice. You will have to light your subjects in this room and balance it will the ambient light and doing so you wont be trying to expose the outside thru these window. When you set your camera to av and have your flash on ttl all you have to do is make exposer compensations for the ambient light. Just remember if you rotate your flash from the forward position your ttl will not work. Your diffuser should do you a fine job making your flash a more soft light.

Tilting or rotating the flash head will NOT prevent the TTL from working. TTL works in all configurations as long as the flash is set in TTL mode and is attached directly to the hot shoe.

Weddingguy Loc: British Columbia - Canada

MtnMan wrote:

If the flash worked on the first one it didn't do the job. try using spot metering on the subject. You might consider taking bracketing shots and planning some post processing if you want the image through the window and the subject. It is a good candidate for realistic HDR.

Perhaps a real flash expert can help you with the details of how to make that work with your equipment.

Shooting bracketed shots is not an option during a wedding event.

Weddingguy Loc: British Columbia - Canada

Armadillo wrote:

Weddingguy, br br You meter the window light and ... (show quote)

Sorry again Michael, but the exposure for outdoors is NOT controlled with only the shutter speed. There are three things that control exposure . . . shutter speed, aperture and ISO. To set the exposure correctly and then change any one of those three things will change the exposure for the outside light.

amehta Loc: Boston

Weddingguy wrote:

Tilting or rotating the flash head will NOT prevent the TTL from working. TTL works in all configurations as long as the flash is set in TTL mode and is attached directly to the hot shoe.

With Nikons, TTL will work with wireless too. I'm pretty sure there are radio controllers which will do the same with Canon flashes.