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I have to break my rule

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whvick

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You guys know my rule to never do weddings. it is too much stress and pressure, and takes work away from the pros who can do a better job.
However......I have to do one.
The wife of my best friend is in hospice at a hospital
dying from cancer. The daughter's wedding is in two weeks, but they
have decided to have a wedding ceremony at the Hospital chapel this
coming Saturday and have requested me to do the pictures.

It will be the Couple, parents, and grandparents only. I and a video guy will be the only other people, I do not think the siblings well be there as there are so many. The mother-patient will be assisted by a nurse and I assume in a mobile hospital bed.

I have permission to use flash. The chapel is small with over half with an "A" frame white ceiling, but the part over the altar area changes to a 9 foot flat ceiling.
If I take the ceremony without flash I do have on old 50mm/ f1.8 and
the 85/f1.8, but I expect there will not be room in the chapel for the 85.

It is tempting to order a 35/f 1.4, but it is not in this years budget and they do not expect pro results. I have a 24-85 EF which is sharper, but also the 28-135 which is IS, and the small chapel calls for the 24 more than 28.
I have a 50D, 20D, 430ex, 220ex and 270ex.
Regardless. I hope and pray to do a good job.

Suggestions are welcome. I already have a pro looking over the hospital floorplan on the internet to suggest places she would look for staged photos.
Pray for me and these families.
Thanks
whvick
 
You're a saint my man.

I would also recommend looking into renting the lens(s). I've used Lens Rentals for years and have only great things to say about their equipment/customer relations.

Praying for them (and you!)
--
Eric
 
Bounce a couple of flashes and bump up the ISO a little. Should be no problem, and should provide a nice over all look. No worries about motion blur, too. Pretty simple. That 24-85 on a 50D (or even 20D) should work great.
whvick said:
You guys know my rule to never do weddings. it is too much stress and pressure, and takes work away from the pros who can do a better job.
However......I have to do one.
The wife of my best friend is in hospice at a hospital
dying from cancer. The daughter's wedding is in two weeks, but they
have decided to have a wedding ceremony at the Hospital chapel this
coming Saturday and have requested me to do the pictures.

It will be the Couple, parents, and grandparents only. I and a video guy will be the only other people, I do not think the siblings well be there as there are so many. The mother-patient will be assisted by a nurse and I assume in a mobile hospital bed.

I have permission to use flash. The chapel is small with over half with an "A" frame white ceiling, but the part over the altar area changes to a 9 foot flat ceiling.
If I take the ceremony without flash I do have on old 50mm/ f1.8 and
the 85/f1.8, but I expect there will not be room in the chapel for the 85.

It is tempting to order a 35/f 1.4, but it is not in this years budget and they do not expect pro results. I have a 24-85 EF which is sharper, but also the 28-135 which is IS, and the small chapel calls for the 24 more than 28.
I have a 50D, 20D, 430ex, 220ex and 270ex.
Regardless. I hope and pray to do a good job.

Suggestions are welcome. I already have a pro looking over the hospital floorplan on the internet to suggest places she would look for staged photos.
Pray for me and these families.
Thanks
whvick
Click to expand...
 
Thanks for the advice from you all!
Bebert said:
You're a saint my man.
Click to expand...
Really my friend and his family are the saints. I am just privileged to help out in this instance.
Bebert said:
I would also recommend looking into renting the lens(s). I've used Lens Rentals for years and have only great things to say about their equipment/customer relations.
Click to expand...
I think I can get by without renting, but if I did do they overnight ship?

I guess I should look it up online to get an idea of the rates to rent and to ship.
Bebert said:
Praying for them (and you!)
Click to expand...
Thanks and all prayers are appreciated. I have to drive 2 hours to get there on Saturday and must work Saturday morning. So one big prayer is that I would not have car trouble or such.

And of course praying that I do not screw up the pictures. I do fine with informal engagement pictures for friends at the park or college campus, but there is no pressure there. Although my friends will put no pressure on me I know that I want to do my best and will put pressure on myself.

Does anyone know of a good list of "must have" shots that are posted somewhere on the internet, so I will not leave anything out?

Thanks again
whvick
 
whvick said:
It is tempting to order a 35/f 1.4, but it is not in this years budget and they do not expect pro results. I have a 24-85 EF which is sharper, but also the 28-135 which is IS, and the small chapel calls for the 24 more than 28.
Click to expand...
Rent one - from local shops it is probably quite expensive but from lensrentals.com the rate is very good. I have not rented from them yet myself but friends have and they swear by them.
whvick said:
I have a 50D, 20D, 430ex, 220ex and 270ex.
Click to expand...
Rent a 580EX-II and bounce it. The 430EX is not nearly as good as mk II so if you have to rent a newer one, go higher end and for a unit that has higher power (better for bouncing light) and also consider buying an inexpensive reflector or diffuser. Of course, this is for a budget setup. I don't know if linking to vendors is allowed but here is what I have in mind:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/811481-REG/LITE_GENIUS_LITE_SCOOP_Lite_Scoop_Flash_Modifier.html

Forget the 220ex completely since it doesn't bounce, and the 270ex is low power and if you want to use a diffuser or reflector on it, you will find it is flimsy. :-( Out of the three you have the 430EX is probably the best option, if you can't rent gear.
whvick said:
Regardless. I hope and pray to do a good job.
Click to expand...
Test, test, and test some more before hand since you are dealing with budget gear and you have only one shot at it. Also bring your 20D as a backup to the 50D.
whvick said:
Suggestions are welcome. I already have a pro looking over the hospital floorplan on the internet to suggest places she would look for staged photos.
Pray for me and these families.
Thanks
whvick
Click to expand...
--
Caution: Do not stare into laser with remaining eye.
 
Rent an EF-S 17-55 f2.8 - it will let you shoot handheld in natural light and give you shallow depth of field which will isolate the subject from the background. However, there still has to be enough light to get a high enough shutter speed to freeze subject motion. As others have suggested rent a 580EX II to get the most from bounce flash. If at all possible go there before the event and shoot some test shots using a variety of shutter speeds, f-stops, and ambient light/flash light combinations with someone moving like they would in the wedding. Take a laptop to look at the pictures there since you can tell a lot more on a laptop screen vs the camera's LCD.
 
Thanks guys,

I agree with all, but will have to tough it out with my old stuff. Time and expense make renting a borderline call.

I did get to the chapel once this weekend, but with only the 20D; 220ex; and 24-85 f3.5. That flash with a diffuser filled the chapel well. I have good confidence that the 430 will get by much better, although I agree the 580 would be better still....especially for the short recycle time. I am investing in new lithium batteries and backups.

I am still trying to decide about what to have on each camera during the service. I may try to do some flash and some existing light.

I will be pressed for time, but will take your advice and try to get there early enough to take a good set of sample shots. The main reason I moved up from the 20D to the 50D was to get the big screen for review, and that will be a blessing this weekend.

My current goal is to document the service, and the family, and hopefully I can get the kids to follow me around the hospital to various sites that my pro friend is recommending for staged shots.

Once going for the staged shots, the 85 will be my lens of choice, both with existing light and fill flash.

Again does anyone have a site they recommend to get a list of "must have" shots?

Thanks again for all the advice
whvick
 
Even with the 50D's high ISO problems, I think it will handle it better then the 20D, so I would suggest setting up the 50D for natural light and the 20D for flash, unless you,are going to use the 50mm on the 20D for catch as can and the 50D for main and now I'm confused :)

I guess my point is try to use the cameras shooting strengths - and make sure to shoot raw!

--
-- Please remove the Quote option!
-- Why can't you edit more than once???
-- How about switching to real forum software?
 
Everyone knows what KISS means, right?

I shoot weddings for a living. And this is one of the best rules I know to follow. I've shot with two cameras simultaneously before, but it almost never ended up being an advantage, and often ended up doing more harm than good. Kieep it SIMPLE. Pick your camera and stick with it. You miss shots going back and forth, and mess shots up trying to keep track of all the settings and so forth. And then there's the problems of getting things to match up later in post. This should be a relatively simple (note: simple is not the same thing as easy) shoot. Don't mess up your hard work by unnecessarily complicating things. If nine out of ten pros would use a single camera (as I would guess they would), then why shouldn't you? And don't go carrying a lot of lenses around, either. At most, one on the camera and second lens for something different. It's tempting at this point in the game to look at GEAR as your ticket to success here. Resist that temptation and be prepared to THINK ABOUT THE WEDDING itself rather than trying to throw more equipment at it.
whvick said:
Thanks guys,

I agree with all, but will have to tough it out with my old stuff. Time and expense make renting a borderline call.

I did get to the chapel once this weekend, but with only the 20D; 220ex; and 24-85 f3.5. That flash with a diffuser filled the chapel well. I have good confidence that the 430 will get by much better, although I agree the 580 would be better still....especially for the short recycle time. I am investing in new lithium batteries and backups.

I am still trying to decide about what to have on each camera during the service. I may try to do some flash and some existing light.

I will be pressed for time, but will take your advice and try to get there early enough to take a good set of sample shots. The main reason I moved up from the 20D to the 50D was to get the big screen for review, and that will be a blessing this weekend.

My current goal is to document the service, and the family, and hopefully I can get the kids to follow me around the hospital to various sites that my pro friend is recommending for staged shots.

Once going for the staged shots, the 85 will be my lens of choice, both with existing light and fill flash.

Again does anyone have a site they recommend to get a list of "must have" shots?

Thanks again for all the advice
whvick
Click to expand...
 
No time for lists. You can carry one around with you at the wedding, and you can't memorize one before Saturday.

Find out from the couple EXACTLY what will take place during the ceremony. Plan your shots according to that. Where will you stand for the voiws? (Tip: Don't shoot the person talking. NO ONE looks good with their mouth frozen in mid-vowel. Shoot the person receiving the vow.) Is there a unity candle? What about the first kiss? That's mandatory. And then you have to immediately be prepare for them to go down the aisle. It's gonna happen FAST.

Also, talk to the couple about any posed portraits they may want. This is something you can and SHOULD work with a list, as it is the one part of the day when you control the setting. And you have to shoot these quickly.
whvick said:
Bebert said:
You're a saint my man.
Click to expand...
Really my friend and his family are the saints. I am just privileged to help out in this instance.
whvick said:
I would also recommend looking into renting the lens(s). I've used Lens Rentals for years and have only great things to say about their equipment/customer relations.
Click to expand...
I think I can get by without renting, but if I did do they overnight ship?

I guess I should look it up online to get an idea of the rates to rent and to ship.
whvick said:
Praying for them (and you!)
Click to expand...
Thanks and all prayers are appreciated. I have to drive 2 hours to get there on Saturday and must work Saturday morning. So one big prayer is that I would not have car trouble or such.

And of course praying that I do not screw up the pictures. I do fine with informal engagement pictures for friends at the park or college campus, but there is no pressure there. Although my friends will put no pressure on me I know that I want to do my best and will put pressure on myself.

Does anyone know of a good list of "must have" shots that are posted somewhere on the internet, so I will not leave anything out?

Thanks again
whvick
Click to expand...
 
I'd also go for the 17-55mm f2.8 IS, which you should be able to rent somewhere.

it is a sharp and versatile lens, I used it at a wedding a few weeks ago (I was not the main photographer by the way), and I used it for 80% of my shots.
rickpoole said:
Rent an EF-S 17-55 f2.8 - it will let you shoot handheld in natural light and give you shallow depth of field which will isolate the subject from the background. However, there still has to be enough light to get a high enough shutter speed to freeze subject motion. As others have suggested rent a 580EX II to get the most from bounce flash. If at all possible go there before the event and shoot some test shots using a variety of shutter speeds, f-stops, and ambient light/flash light combinations with someone moving like they would in the wedding. Take a laptop to look at the pictures there since you can tell a lot more on a laptop screen vs the camera's LCD.
Click to expand...
--
Regards,
Gravi
 
Thanks Michael,
Very good advice

Would you tend to try natural light during the service, or blast away since I have permission?
whvick
 
Bouncing a couple flashes is going to provide not only probably plenty of light but, in a chapel setting, pretty natural looking light, too. And it will certain provide the most consistent results. Ideally, I'd want one on-camera and two off-camera on stands, but this may not be an option for you. Direct flash, though, would be entirely out of the question. It's both intrusive and ugly.

Ambient light MIGHT be ok, too, but it's tough to know without seeing the place. Some of these places use direct floodlights that cause horrible facial shadows and "raccoon eyes". That's certainly something that should be avoided. And shooting ambient will make focus and shutter speed extremely critical.

For these reasons, I'd play it safe and use bounce flash.
whvick said:
Thanks Michael,
Very good advice

Would you tend to try natural light during the service, or blast away since I have permission?
whvick
Click to expand...
 
Thanks Michael,

I have played around with a better bounce card, but mostly use some Gary Fong type homemade diffusers. :o)

The tricky part may be that I will be in the back bouncing off the A framed ceiling while the couple may be under the flat ceiling of the altar area. I think that I could request they move out into the more open area and that will fix the problem.
The big deal will be for me to get there early enough to do some testing

And will my flashing drive the video guy nuts or will it not bother his effort much?
Thanks again
whvick
Michael Thomas Mitchell said:
Bouncing a couple flashes is going to provide not only probably plenty of light but, in a chapel setting, pretty natural looking light, too. And it will certain provide the most consistent results. Ideally, I'd want one on-camera and two off-camera on stands, but this may not be an option for you. Direct flash, though, would be entirely out of the question. It's both intrusive and ugly.

Ambient light MIGHT be ok, too, but it's tough to know without seeing the place. Some of these places use direct floodlights that cause horrible facial shadows and "raccoon eyes". That's certainly something that should be avoided. And shooting ambient will make focus and shutter speed extremely critical.

For these reasons, I'd play it safe and use bounce flash.
whvick said:
Thanks Michael,
Very good advice

Would you tend to try natural light during the service, or blast away since I have permission?
whvick
Click to expand...
--
Click to expand...
 
Yogi and Pete
Thanks
the list will definitely help
whvick
 
I would think having two cameras, or at least switching multiple flash cards, would make sure you can recover from a disaster when something doesn't work.

I'm pretty sure I've read some backup camera wedding stories in the pro section.

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-- Please remove the Quote option!
-- Why can't you edit more than once???
-- How about switching to real forum software?
 
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