 Chad Pinches |
Wedding Help!!! The classic story. I have been asked to do a friend's wedding. I own a Minolta Maxxum 5, Minolta 2000xi flash, Sigma 24-70 and Sigma 70-300 lens. This is an outdoor wedding but the reception afterwards is indoors. My question is should I use the Kodak 160NC speed film for both and will the flash that I own be enough to handle my situation? Also, what type of lens filter should be used or would a regular haze or sky filter be fine? Thanks for the help.
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Angela K. Wittmer |
I just did my first wedding (outside) and I used Kodak Portra 400 VC. It worked very well and I was pleased with the results. I think the VC gives the photos a little more "snap" color-wise with great skin tones too. I took pictures inside for the reception with just my fill flash on my Canon EOS 700 and in my situation it was fine. Only problem I had was they set the cake up near a window and a lot of light was coming in. I tried to shoot away from the window with pretty good results. I have a UV filter on my lenses all of the time to prevent scratching. Also ... If possible, take some of the shots BEFORE the wedding. I had to do all of the pics after the ceremony and before the reception. I didn't feel I had enough time to do the shots I wanted to and I had a lot of people snapping photos behind me while I was taking shots. Of course, they were anxious to get to the reception too, so if possible, do some of the shots before the wedding ceremony. The next one I do will be that way if at all possible. Any of the Portra line of film is great... I would not be scared of the 160 speed either ... just use VC vs NC ... Good luck & relax & have fun! Angie
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John A. Lind |
Chad, See the section of my Web site that was created for your situation. There's information about film, flash, and more important, the planning you need to do! http://johnlind.tripod.com/wedding/ To be very clear about its purpose, it's a "survival guide" for the non-professional that's pressed into service. All the photos there were done using the type of equipment and films described. It's not intended for starting a business to shoot them professionally. That requires, among a few other specialized things, considerably more lighting equipment. A few tips: 2. With posed portraiture, attention to detail is extremely important. Clothing that's out of place, hand and arm positioning, tips of fingers showing when a person has their arm around someone, prominent poles or candles growing out of the top of someone's head, distracting background objects, etc., while not as glaring when you're looking at it making the photo, can be glaring in the print. The human brain is marvelous at ignoring these things when you're there in person, but completely fails at helping to ignore it when looking at the photograph later. 3. Plan thoroughly! Don't underestimate what you will need in film and batteries (there's stuff on my site about that). Also think about how you will choreograph your movements during the ceremony. Much of that cannot be done in advance, other than asking if they're planning on doing anything unusual or special during the ceremony. It's something to think about and plan at the rehearsal, which I very strongly recommend you attend. 4. If you decide you must buy some new equipment for this event (and hopefully it's something you will use for other things afterward), practice with it first! It's one of my prime rules ... to never, ever use something new at a critical shoot like a wedding without first playing with it to ensure I know how to use it, that I'm familiar with all its controls, and have tested it to ensure it reliably produces the desired results every time. This has saved my bacon more than once (oooh, that doesn't quite fit together right, or ... it doesn't work quite as I expected it to)! 5. Above all, keep it simple with body, lens, flash and film. Experienced professionals often use multiple camera bodies, lenses, lighting and films. Changeover among them is done carefully at specific times. Their experience has taught them when best to do it and allows them to cope with it without making mistakes. In other words, they're not having to think as much about basic things, can pay attention to it more, and have devised little error-proofing techniques in how they go about it (habit at doing it many times correctly is very powerful too). For the inexperienced who must consciously pay attention to more things going on around them, it can become a mental overload that leads to mistakes ... usually forgetting to do something important during a changeover in equipment. You can do it. Thorough planning, preparation and not doing anything unduly complicated with your equipment is the secret.
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Candice Hughes |
Chad, Good luck with your wedding and as someone stated earlier, get as many pictures taken before the ceremony as possible. And have the bride and groom make a list of what pictures they want so that way you don't forget anyone. But the real reason I'm responding is to ask you a question on how you like your 200xi flash? I also have a Maxxum 5 and can't decide on what flash to get. I would love to have the 5600, but can't afford it right now. Do you like the results of your 200oxi? Please let me know and good luck!
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Gregg Vieregge |
I would recommend getting a flash bracket such as the Press-T from stroboframe. You would have to also get a module cord for your flash and camera. Together this may be $150. The perpose is that when you turn your camera for vertical shots the flash rotates uo and over the lens. Without this you would get annoying side shadows showing up on back walls. Another reason is that it puts the flash a bit higher above the lens to help eliminte red eye. Read all you can about weddings. The day before put all this information aside and go with what you know. Trying to over prepare creates a butterfly stomach effect.. Good Luck!
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Chad Pinches |
I want to thank everyone for all of the helpfull information. Candice, to answer your question on the 2000xi flash, I do not like the flash very much. You do get better results using it compared to the built in flash on the camera but you have no controll of any of the flash settings. All you do is turn it on. It also isn't very powerfull. The best thing about the flash is the low cost. That is the main reason why I have it. I am would like to upgrade it to a 5600 D series some day. Hope this helps.
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