# Lighting Issues



## jmtonkin (Jul 9, 2012)

Hey everyone, its been a while, but I've been off at work and unable to get the camera out much.  

On Saturday, I did my first wedding.  Let's just say, I was miserable...I spoke with the bride-to-be before the wedding to see what she wanted specifically and to get all the details hammered out.  It was an outdoor wedding at 11:00 a.m. (Ideal time, I know...)  I went to the wedding site the night before to scope it out and try to find some good spots for photos.  I also showed up an hour earlier than they wanted so I could look around in the lighting that was available at that time.  The bride tells me that she wants to do family photos after the wedding.  Ok, great!  I start wandering around taking pictures of random things when I look up and see the bride/groom with all the grandparents lined up.  Ugh!  What's this?!  I get over there and we do the family shots before the wedding now.  Time for the ceremony, and the point of this post.  15 minutes before the ceremony, the pastor informs me that I'm not allowed to use flash during the ceremony.  I begged and pleaded my way into him allowing me to use it during the procession.  I knew that I wasn't going to get good shots without my flash.  I was under a pavilion and it was very sunny outside.  In order to get a proper exposure on the couple or the wedding party, I had to overexpose the background.  In hind-sight, is there anything else I could have done, not being able to use my flash?  Also, side question, why no flash?  I can kind of understand in a church, but at an outdoor wedding???

Thanks!


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## tirediron (Jul 9, 2012)

To be blunt:  This is your own fault.  While I agree that it's unusual to have flash restricted at an out-door wedding, one of the things that you should be doing in preparation is meeting with the pastor/JP/whomever and asking for their "rules" so that things like this can be worked out ahead of time, and more importantly so that you can explain to the clients that this restriction will have an adverse effect on their images.  That allows them to try and resolve it.

Regardless, it's done, and no, there probably wasn't much else you could do other than blow out the background.


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## jmtonkin (Jul 9, 2012)

I accept the fault in not finding out the "rules" prior.  I knew that flash was often restricted at weddings, but since it was an outdoor wedding, I didn't even think of it being an issue.  I went into semi-panic mode after the pastor and I talked, but I did my best trying different angles to get the tree behind them so it was a little darker, etc.


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## Kerbouchard (Jul 9, 2012)

Wow, this thread should be interesting.

Flash is usually not allowed during the ceremony.  It's rare where flash can be used, and even when it can, it should be used rarely to avoid distraction.  Yes, that means the guests get to use flash and you don't.  Them's the breaks.

You basically showed up to your first wedding completely unprepared, without knowing the rules, and without having any idea how to do it right.

Before we get too far into nailing your hands to the cross, do you feel like sharing any examples?

Indoor ceremonies are hard.  Sometimes outdoor ceremonies are harder.  For the outdoor ones, a lot of it depends on choosing your angle and your background.

Possibly, you made the right decisions, but saying that you couldn't use flash during a ceremony is a cop-out.  During every ceremony, you should assume you cannot use flash.  When you can, you should treat it as a blessing and use it sparingly.

Just my .02


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## jmtonkin (Jul 9, 2012)

I messed up...I knew I did the minute the pastor walked up to me.  I messed up, but I want to learn from that mistake...Is there something I could have done differently for the lighting?


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## Kerbouchard (Jul 9, 2012)

jmtonkin said:


> I messed up...I knew I did the minute the pastor walked up to me.  I messed up, but I want to learn from that mistake...Is there something I could have done differently for the lighting?



Without examples, there is no way to tell.  Perhaps you did it pefect and are just too hard on yourself.  Perhaps you screwed up.  Show us some examples and we can offer our opinion.


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## jmtonkin (Jul 9, 2012)

Here is a couple examples:













I'm not completely finished going through them in PP yet...


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## Kerbouchard (Jul 9, 2012)

I don't have a problem with either of those two examples in regards to not using flash.  I would say that I think they would have been better taken from about a foot lower and I think they are slightly underexposed.  I think you were worrying too much about the background.

Yes, if you have a subject in the shade with a lake in full sun behind them, the background will be blown out.  Doesn't make you a poor photographer.


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## jmtonkin (Jul 9, 2012)

I agree that I was worried primarily about the lighting issues and let myself lack in other areas.  I was super nervous as this was my first attempt at a wedding and I really didn't want to botch it.  I need to up the exposure a little in most of these shots.  I was trying to get some detail in the background and underexposed in most of them to try to compensate...


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## Kerbouchard (Jul 9, 2012)

jmtonkin said:


> I agree that I was worried primarily about the lighting issues and let myself lack in other areas.  I was super nervous as this was my first attempt at a wedding and I really didn't want to botch it.  I need to up the exposure a little in most of these shots.  I was trying to get some detail in the background and underexposed in most of them to try to compensate...




If you continue to shoot weddings, there is a saying you should become familiar with...'It is what it is'.

They are always going to put the cake right against a wall.  They are always going to use spot lights that make things look horrible.  They are always going to have Devil Lights going at the reception.

That is what makes Wedding Photography so difficult.  If you could choose the the circumstances, it would just be taking pictures.  You don't, and it's not.  You have to overcome all of it and make the best out of a bad situation.  When you can do that, then you are a wedding photographer.

Right now, you are probably a good photographer who knows when a picture will look great and feel comfortable shooting in those situations.  Turns out, wedding photography isn't like that.

ETA:  Also, when you can't choose your background, shoot tight.  If you can't shoot tight, crop.  Sometimes, you just have to give yourself the best shot you can, knowing that you will have to fix it in post.

If you ever figure out how to make a ceremony fit into ideal circumstances, write a book.  You will make a fortune.


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## jmtonkin (Jul 9, 2012)

Couldn't agree more!  I loved the family/wedding party/bride/groom/ring shots (all the posed ones where I had more control), but the reception was a nightmare...I felt quite out of my comfort zone; I'm thinking it's going to be a long time before I do another wedding...


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## Robin Usagani (Jul 9, 2012)

I would have shot it the same way.  I almost never use a flash during the ceremony.  But that is the way a wedding is.  It is never as planned and you just have to adapt.


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## tirediron (Jul 9, 2012)

Under the circumstances I would say that those are absolutely fine!  I doubt that you could have done much differently or better.  There's enough detail in the background that some selective adjustment with the exposure tool in LR should improve it greatly.


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## Robin Usagani (Jul 9, 2012)

Sure you can do selective adjustment to bring the background details.  I think most wedding pros would have even increased the exposure even more and get white background.  I guess it is up to you, you are the artist.


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## Robin Usagani (Jul 9, 2012)

P.S. your condition is not bad at all.  It could be a lot worse.  They could be standing in the sun with bad shadows from the tree on their face.


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## jmtonkin (Jul 9, 2012)

I think, most of the time, I'm my harshest critiquer...I wanted to trash all of them, but I figured the couple wouldn't be too happy...As long as they like them, which they do from the few that I've shown them, I need to just suck it up and deal with it...


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## Solarflare (Jul 9, 2012)

jmtonkin said:


> Here is a couple examples:[...]
> I'm not completely finished going through them in PP yet...


 I cant see any problem with these pictures. They arent great in respect to what a model shot could be like. There is no light in the eyes etc. But they are in focus, they have decent lighting, and they have composition.


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## jmtonkin (Jul 9, 2012)

Schwettylens said:


> P.S. your condition is not bad at all.  It could be a lot worse.  They could be standing in the sun with bad shadows from the tree on their face.



This is very true...I probably would have just packed up my stuff and went home...Well, I would have wanted to at least...


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## gsgary (Jul 9, 2012)

Did you use the 18-200 ? is that the only lens you have ?


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## jmtonkin (Jul 9, 2012)

Unfortunately, yes, it is the only lens I currently own...I'll be getting a new one in the fall


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## 12sndsgood (Jul 27, 2012)

I think they look pretty good considering the time and location. but yeah, waiting till the last minute to ask the important questions hurt you a bit and put you in panic mode. I just shot my first wedding a few weeks ago and I wasn't exactly happy with my photos as well, but if you continue to do this make sure you get with the couple well in advance, get with the place they will be holding the ceremony, the officiant, so you know well in advance what you have to work with. It's a lot less panicky when you go into that situation a month ahead of time and had practiced and planned versus finding out an hour before you start and then freaking out wondering what you can do at the last minute to find a solution.


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## fjrabon (Jul 27, 2012)

As was said, the only thing I would have done differently given the circumstances is exposed them a touch more and shot from a slightly lower angle.  But these are far from bad for a first wedding.  Overall, I'd say you did pretty well given everything.  

Now you just get to see how good you are with photoshop.  If you really get it right in post, nobody will ever know that you totally freaked because you gaffed your pre planning.  I'd say you learned a lot and it would be foolish to let that go to waste by not shooting a wedding again.


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