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02-24-2015, 01:47 AM   #1
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Camera setting for sun wedding

I will be photographing a friends wedding using my K5II in August of this year. It will be a beach wedding in Greece when the sun will be very strong. I am advised that the Bride will wear a traditional white Wedding dress.


I would appreciate and advice as to camera setting. Sand, beautiful sea, clear blue sky, strong sun. The contrast could be quite high.


Help!

02-24-2015, 02:11 AM - 1 Like   #2
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Firstly, are you the main photographer? or will you be just taking shots as a guest?
Weddings are no walk in the park and I would suggest starting out as a backup shooter to someone who does them regularly.
You will be dealing with potentially crazy people on the day and be sure that they know what level/quality images you are capable of.
Suggested reading:
https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/137-photographic-industry-professionals/2...31-images.html

https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/58-troubleshooting-beginner-help/144584-l...ps-please.html
https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/58-troubleshooting-beginner-help/126593-h...ing-about.html
https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/173-general-photography/269618-first-wedding.html
How to shoot a wedding - Lesson 2



If you are the main photographer, you have yourself a solid challenge ahead. When dealing with shots where there is high contrast you will want fill light - reflectors could be useful for the site shots to fill the shadows, hot-shoe/off camera flash will be important for the main event as reflectors are cumbersome. Actually no point in me blabbing on about this, read the threads above.
02-24-2015, 05:33 AM   #3
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Good advice above. I shot my first wedding for a friend last year. If you are the main photographer you really should read as much as possible and study many pics online. Above all else you need to practice practice practice fill flash. In strong sunlight it is pretty much essential. Do not attempt to cover someone's wedding without the required equipment. Two bodies are essential for starters IMO. If you don't feel confident in your own ability to make a reasonable job of it then don't.
02-24-2015, 06:18 AM   #4
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If you live somewhere snowy, you could practice a bit - snow and sand both behave similarly in sunlight. Get someone to wear white and go shoot them against the snow and see what settings work for you.

I don't envy the challenge ahead - maybe you'll get lucky and the sand will be of the darker variety at the site.

Also be prepared for whatever the backup location is in case it rains out. Nothing like showing up ready for the beach and finding out you're really at a dark hall of some sort.

02-24-2015, 03:58 PM - 1 Like   #5
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There's a lot of inspiration and technical advice in the workshops on the B and H youtube channel.
I like the presentations by Joe Buissink and Jerry Ghionis but they have plenty more that are informative.
Here are some links to get you started, some 8 hours in total but worth it.

I hope these will inspire you, enjoy the preparation.
Karet
02-27-2015, 05:16 AM   #6
raf
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Weddings in the Sun

Thanks you for the replies, however there was a lot of assumption.


For more years than I care to remember I was a reasonably successful Wedding Photographer in England using Hasselblad equipment (roll film)


I retired to Greece not intending to take many photographs. A friend from the UK asked if I would photograph his daughters wedding, they were coming to Greece for the Wedding.


All I asked was could someone advise the setting. I should use.


I guess from the answers that no one is able to advise. So, I will have to try and play from July (similar sun)


However, I do agree with the sentiments, if no experience Do Not Be the Main Photographer at a Wedding. But, I would think that it would be a lot easier than my years, as with digital there are no restrictions to number of shots, plus images can be manipulated using Software. In my time Every Shot had to be perfect.
02-27-2015, 08:44 AM   #7
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Please don't take this the wrong way as I don't mean to offend, but if you were a successful wedding photographer why do you even need to ask this question?

02-27-2015, 08:52 AM - 1 Like   #8
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QuoteOriginally posted by Papa Lazarou Quote
Please don't take this the wrong way as I don't mean to offend, but if you were a successful wedding photographer why do you even need to ask this question?
An *ENGLISH* wedding photpgrapher.

Maybe sunny beaches are just not something he ran across too often.

(I kid! I kid!)
02-27-2015, 09:03 AM - 1 Like   #9
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QuoteOriginally posted by Sagitta Quote
An *ENGLISH* wedding photpgrapher.

Maybe sunny beaches are just not something he ran across too often.

(I kid! I kid!)




Being English myself I have to say that's a very fair point!
02-27-2015, 09:28 AM   #10
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QuoteOriginally posted by raf Quote
I guess from the answers that no one is able to advise. So, I will have to try and play from July (similar sun)
I think you are little unfair.
As an establish photographer you should know that is hard to predict what and how to shoot in February for the August's weather. You can make assumptions but in the end you don't truly know how the weather will be like unless is a couple of days just before the event and you have a more solid forecast. The best thing you can do is to plan for the worst (like rain and shooting inside).

If is going to be very sunny... is it morning sun!? Afternoon sun!? Evening, late evening sun!? All of them (each will have different settings)!? Are you going to shoot right in the sun or you plan for shade!?
If is going to be cloudy... you shoot with different settings...
If is going to rain and you will be inside... other settings... and so on and so forth...

Soo... how can we give advise!? What is your plan!? What equipment you have other than the body camera!?
03-01-2015, 01:29 PM   #11
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35mm on a FF, 21mm - 24mm focal length, f/8 and be there...
03-01-2015, 05:11 PM   #12
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QuoteOriginally posted by raf Quote
Thanks you for the replies, however there was a lot of assumption.

For more years than I care to remember I was a reasonably successful Wedding Photographer in England using Hasselblad equipment (roll film)

I retired to Greece not intending to take many photographs. A friend from the UK asked if I would photograph his daughters wedding, they were coming to Greece for the Wedding.

All I asked was could someone advise the setting. I should use.

...
Yes but you didnt give any of this (rather important) background in your first post, and you ended with "Help!"
It's no surprise that most assumed you were a novice at wedding photography.
03-01-2015, 05:22 PM - 1 Like   #13
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I'm just a hobbiest hack as far as photography is concerned, so take this with a grain of salt, but I did take some photographs recently for a Beachish wedding…….with K5II and a K3. I found it reasonably logical……..I won't bother with the normal stuff (i.e. visit locations, shot plan, consider approach for different weather scenarios, bring props etc……) but with pentax cameras you really need to shoot Raw (obviously) and plan how you want to balance the inevitable artistic compromise shot by shot with Highlights versus shadow recovery, especially at the beach……..ie

[url=https://flic.kr/p/qS9Y5p]
by Noelpolar, on Flickr

We took this seat from home


] by Noelpolar, on Flickr

Also look just back from the beach for other interesting coastal things

by Noelpolar, on Flickr

I used some flash (best one can) and a bit of reflector from time to time for the backlit shots. If really bright you may need to consider a ND filter and/or CPL to be able to get rid of some reflections and/or open your lens a bit for the obvious SDOF shots. I assume you know that Pentax cameras allow you to pull up the shadows by 3 or so stops…..but blown highlights are goodbye mostly.

Worth investing in Huelight Color profiles for your raw processing as well.

Obviously the light changes significantly in the last hour or so if the wedding is near the evening……as was the one I did recently.

Be aware of the sun and how people respond to it……squinting….sunnies etc

One last obvious thing….it's a beach wedding…. so it can be less formal…..

Last edited by noelpolar; 03-01-2015 at 07:01 PM.
03-02-2015, 10:28 AM - 1 Like   #14
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Hope someone answers the original question but just had to say thanks for those videos! Don't mean to hijack the thread but I found it fascinating that Buissink only shoots in P mode. Great thread
03-02-2015, 04:41 PM   #15
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QuoteOriginally posted by MyTZuS Quote
Hope someone answers the original question
???

Alll three exposure parameters will need to be constantly varied to suit both the artistic intent of the photographer and the light conditions at the time etc........so no simple answer there ......other then the shoot Raw advice and manage highligts/shadows....(OP would know that given his/her experience I would think)...... AV, TAV etc is almost a personal preference about how you want to interface with the Camera over these. Most in camera other image settings are irrelivant for RAW.....

I think the ND and CPL filter are probally the most unusual suggestion...... given normal wedding shooting conditions

---------- Post added 03-03-15 at 10:30 AM ----------

The only other thing worth mentioning, is I did a wedding a few months ago that was to be a typical outdoor ceremony and then a trip to a localish garden for some more photos, however it rained really heavily and the ceremony ended up being done in the reception venue....with no notice whatsoever (sort of a restaurant)........ so with any outdoor wedding you do need to be prepared for whatever eventuates.

Last edited by noelpolar; 03-02-2015 at 05:07 PM.
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