 Susan N. Gast |
Background Lighting for Wedding Shoot I am shooting my first wedding in 3 weeks. The bride has just told me the chapel is all glass! I have now seen pictures of this chapel, and I am very concerned about the outside lighting when shooting pictures. How can I shoot a properly exposed couple in front of an alter with the background being glass? Help! This is not what I wished for for my first job.
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BetterPhoto Member |
Susan, Can you call the church and go visit it in advance? If so, take a friend as a test subject. You can also darken the outside light by stopping down your shutter speed, but it depends on your camera's sync speed for flash. Without seeing the place, my biggest concern is the flash reflecting in the glass. Thank goodness for digital LEDs. You may be able to hide the flash reflection in the glass behind the people you are photographing, but this takes testing to position yourself. So test on your friend. If you cannot use flash and the outside available light is brighter than the inside available light, you have a problem as they will be silhouettes.
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Maynard McKillen |
Dear Susan: I suspect you have two kinds of photos to take. During the ceremony, you have to shoot using only available light, and afterwards you need to pose the newlyweds, parents, wedding party, etc., near the altar for some formal photos. Is this true?
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Susan N. Gast |
Yes, this is true. I am worried about the background lighting washing them out. Any suggestions?
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Bob Cammarata |
I had a similar situation with an outdoor graduation ceremony on a sunny day. The stage was under a canopy dimly lit, and the background was the harsh light of the midday sun. I metered the background and used diffused flash to illuminate the stage and participants. Follow Charlie's advice to "hide" the flash reflections or shoot at an angle.
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Maynard McKillen |
Dear Susan: Charlie and Bob offer sound advice. Any chance you have to visit the chapel in advance will help. Having a friend tag along to pose, so that you can practice positioning him/her and your camera to "hide" the flash reflection will put your mind more at ease. Are you allowed to use flash during the ceremony? Sometimes this is permitted, and Bob's suggestion would apply. If you must shoot with available light only, would the officiant allow you to shoot during the ceremony from a position somewhat behind the altar? As you can imagine, you'd then be using all that window light to illuminate your subjects, and, depending on your position, you might have the guests serving as a background to the couple. (If you can describe to the officiant the difficulty posed by the window lighting, he or she may allow you to stand behind the altar during the ceremony. If so, he or she often ask that you do not walk around or make distracting movements during the vows or other vital moments. It seems worth asking about... Like Bob, I had a situation similar to yours. The church was modern, had large glass panels behind the altar, which overlooked a sunlit clearing in the woods, and I used off camera flash, on a light stand, to illuminate the groups for the formal altar poses. As the groups changed in size, I made minor adjustments to the position of my camera and/or the off-camera flash, so that one of the persons in the photo always prevented the flash from being visible as a reflection in the glass behind the group. In other words, that person was blocking or "hiding" the flash reflection. Make sense?
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Susan N. Gast |
You are all GREAT! I will be going to the church this week to do practise shots and play with angles, etc. I appreciate all of the advice, and, believe me, when someone tries to talk me into shooting a wedding again ... the answer is no! I am not a professional ... everyone just likes my photos so I was talked into this! I am feeling more confident now and appreciate all the advice. Thanks to all.
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Gregg |
Wth that much glass in the background I would be concerns about the general light outsde. Is it dark, neutral, or very bright. If very bright your flash may shut down too early if on TTL mode and cause the faces to be very dark. Metering is very critcal against glass. Good Luck
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Judy |
Susan, I have to face this very situation every time I shoot at a popular chapel in my city. After the first time, when many of the posed after-ceremony pictures at the altar showed the flash reflection, I learned to do what the previous posters suggested--positioning myself so that the subjects are "hiding" the reflection of the flash. During the ceremony itself, when I can't use flash, I shoot on a tripod at longer exposures. Everything has been coming out great! Once you have done your upcoming wedding and get your photos back, assuming they will be great since you are doing your homework, you will be hooked! I said I would not do wedding photography five years ago and 250 weddings later this is how I make my living! Let us know how it comes out.
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Paul |
Susan,, I know how you feel. I have been asked to do a wedding and I am not a professional so it worries me. One day that is so important and can be messed up so easy. I hope it goes ok for you, and now ,I know I am not the only one who is nervous about doing a wedding. Good Luck. Paul
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