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Hi Guys & Gals,

I have been asked to be the photographer for my sisters wedding, no need to say I am VERYnervous... It is not as serious as it sounds as it is her second marriage and a very small affair (only imediate family so 30 people). However I would still like to get the best photos as possible (obviously).

The setting is a garden wedding at 2:30pm in the middle of December. The main problem I can see happening is the sun is so harsh at this time that I am afraid I will blow the highlights way out (at least I don't have to worry about a white wedding dress!!!).

So my first question is how do you avoid blowing out the highlights in these conditions? Should I purposely under expose? Would matrix or center weighted metering be best?

My second question is I am going to have issues with shadows as it is a fairly dense garden with some nice big trees surrounding it, therfore casting long shadows across it. What do you suggest (other then fill flash)?

Also any other tips you may suggest?

Cheers,

W00DY

So my first question is how do you avoid blowing out the highlights in these conditions? Should I purposely under expose? Would matrix or center weighted metering be best?

If I was you, here what I'll do:
I try spend my times advance at the shooting location and try all possible modes, method, ways and pick up and learn pros and con there, and at least you have in your mind in advance where will you stand and recommend some scenes to the your sister or guess in your advantage points with the important moments
You should know one thing: you're in control not them.

My second question is I am going to have issues with shadows as it is a fairly dense garden with some nice big trees surrounding it, therfore casting long shadows across it. What do you suggest (other then fill flash)?

What lens do you have in your bag?
What are you intent to shoot with? RAW/ JPEG?
Fast lens is always recommended.

I think Gary might have more ideas on this topic.

W00DY wrote:Hi Guys & Gals,


So my first question is how do you avoid blowing out the highlights in these conditions? Should I purposely under expose? Would matrix or center weighted metering be best?

My second question is I am going to have issues with shadows as it is a fairly dense garden with some nice big trees surrounding it, therfore casting long shadows across it. What do you suggest (other then fill flash)?

Also any other tips you may suggest?

Cheers,

W00DY

Do you have a external flash? I know I get good results with the diffusion dome I got with my sb-80dx

And yes it is always safer to underexpose..

I know there are a few who will disagree with me but outdoors on a sunny day I like using my pol filter! Darkens down the sky a bit so you get a better chance of exposing the bride aw well as the sky..

Another thing I am finding out, especially with the 50/1.8 is dont take one photo... take three

Shoot - recompose refocus - shoot - recompose refocus - shoot

That way one of them will work out! Especially for the important shots!

Ok and (assuming her dress is white) make sure you take the WB off her dress!

Birddog114 wrote:
If I was you, here what I'll do:
I try spend my times advance at the shooting location and try all possible modes, method, ways and pick up and learn pros and con there, and at least you have in your mind in advance where will you stand and recommend some scenes to the your sister or guess in your advantage points with the important moments
You should know one thing: you're in control not them.

Yes I have been out there a few times and have worked out a few shooting angles. Becouse of the way it is running I don't have to many options (small space).

Birddog114 wrote:
What lens do you have in your bag?
What are you intent to shoot with? RAW/ JPEG?
Fast lens is always recommended.

I think Gary might have more ideas on this topic.

I will be using the Kit lens.
I will be shooting RAW

W00DY

MHD wrote:Do you have a external flash? I know I get good results with the diffusion dome I got with my sb-80dx

Yes I will be using the SB-800

MHD wrote:And yes it is always safer to underexpose..

Thought so.

MHD wrote:I know there are a few who will disagree with me but outdoors on a sunny day I like using my pol filter! Darkens down the sky a bit so you get a better chance of exposing the bride aw well as the sky..

I thought of this as well, I do have a polariser and will probably use it.

MHD wrote:Another thing I am finding out, especially with the 50/1.8 is dont take one photo... take three

Very good advise.

MHD wrote:Ok and (assuming her dress is white) make sure you take the WB off her dress!

Nope, no white wedding dress

W00DY

Birddog's right; I do have a bit to say about this.

So might Onyx; we worked through exactly this sort of exercise at Birddog's house on Oct 31.

First of all, move to spot metering, and manual mode. Now you're in control.

As you've correctly surmised, blowing your highlights is likely to present a major problem. The real problem is not so much the highlights though, but the range of exposure that your camera is expected to cover. CN film deals with this very gracefully, reversal film less so, and digital even less.

Your goal is to try to narrow the range of contrast levels that the image contains, and given that you might find it difficult to turn down the sun, the only other option is to turn up the shadows.

An effective way to deal with this is to set your exposure for the highlights, and then use flash to reduce the contrast level (in the shadows) to something acceptable.

So, (spot) meter onto a bright, sunlit face or arm, and set that as your baseline exposure. Say F8 1/250.

Dial those values into the camera, remembering that they won't need to be changed unless the sun ducks behind a cloud, or you move inside.

Pop up your flash, and make a test exposure; check the histogram to see how it looks; you may need to fine tune the settings a little, but if you start by metering for the highlights, you'll already be in the ballpark.

Now, a couple of caveats ...

Charge your battery overnight before the wedding.

Watch the backgrounds before releasing the shutter. Joggers, dogs, trees sprouting forth from the groom's head are things that you'd be better off avoiding.

Watch for the direction from which the sun is shining: if it's shining into their eyes, they'll be squinting. If it's from the side, you may be dealing with some harsher shadows than you'd like.

The big secret is to have the subjects with their backs to the sun, if you can; perhaps even at around 45 degrees to their backs. That way you don't get the highlights as your primary problem; meter for the shade, and use flash to fill and brighten as need be. The bonus is that you can get some nice hairlight type of effects if you're careful with your posing and composition.

Awesome stuff Gary!

I will have to bookmark this thread for my sisters wedding in December (I'm backup not primary though so no where near as stressed)!

I like your 45 degree idea best! I might have to experiment with that before the day, she is getting married up at long reef lookout on the northern beaches so I have some great creative ideas!

Ok, so the location and sweet spots is well known to you, great.
If you only have a kit lens then use your SB-800 with diffuser dome as a safer to under expose as MHD mentioned.

oh and furthermore to the charging the EN-EL3 comment... MAke sure you have a fresh set in the Sb-800 + spares!

Nothing (well mabie a few things) is more annoying than when the flash unit starts to run low! waiting waiting!

Gary and all...

thanks for the info ... as I will be taking my sister's wedding in January...

must be that time of year

MHD wrote:oh and furthermore to the charging the EN-EL3 comment... MAke sure you have a fresh set in the Sb-800 + spares!

Excellent advice; thanx for reminding us.

W00DY wrote:Hi Guys & Gals,

I have been asked to be the photographer for my sisters wedding, no need to say I am VERYnervous...

--snip--

Also any other tips you may suggest?

Cheers,

W00DY

Yes.

Fake an illness, or
Go overseas, or
Make her sign an indemnity against blaming you for the rest of your life.

Otherwise, follow the excellent advice above

Good luck

Hey there... seems to be a epidemic of this sort of thing going on !!!
Doing the same gig this coming Saturday !!!

Will definitely print this thread to contemplate during the week. BTW... this wedding's over Bondi way... so if Gary feels the need for any practise let me know...

Woody... you invested in the Cokin setup... are you happy with results from the CP... am thinking that if we see some blue sky on the day I'd be wise to have one handy.

cheers,

Michael.

Michael,

I'm allergic to weddings these daze. Did my fair share during the late 70's and early 80's - probably photographed up to around 110 per year either on my own, or assisting my staff in doing their assigned jobs.

For Bondi this weekend, be sure to allow extra travel time into and out of the area. With Sculpture By the Sea on, there are road closures around south Bondi, and traffic last weekend was significantly heavier than it normally is even on a good weekend.

Thanks for the travel tip Gary... planning to get there a little early... booking into the swiss grand and making a weekend of it.

Sounds like you've certainly done your share of wedding gigs so your suggestions and advice are most welcome!!! This ones for an aging rocker/producer/promoter type so should make for a colourful crowd.

Wow, you go to lunch for a few hours and your thread runs out of control

Thanks for all the good advice, especially to Gary, some REALLY good info there. I was planning on leaving the camera on apeture control (for the background blur) but I guess if I set manual once then it should be ok.

MJ - I am happy with the polariser and the cokin system. I am not sure if the effect is as noticable as the Hoya filters? Sometimes I can't see much of a difference, then again that could be me as sometimes the effect is very noticeable.

W00DY

Well... more or less difference will depend on the angle of light and reflections... as you would expect from a polariser. I read so much conflicting info on cokin gear that I am suitably confused at the minute.

good test:
find a piece of glass with a glancing reflection of it... the greater the angle of reflection the higher the component of pol light there will be... you should be able to adjust your pol to get rid of the reflection.

W00DY wrote:Wow, you go to lunch for a few hours

Hrmph!

gstark wrote:

W00DY wrote:Wow, you go to lunch for a few hours

Hrmph!

Yeah I know...

I am also finishing early to go play golf

W00DY

Playing golf in windy and rainy day!