Candid photos...

[NL2377]

I am going to a wedding this weekend and was asked to take some candid photographs (sort of street photography style) and I am very happy to do so... but I just had a couple of questions for you out there.

Obviously I intend on bringing Sylvia, but I was also thinking of bringing my nikon fg w/ 105 2.5 just in case the chance arose in order to catch "that portrait" shot. do you think this will be too much gear to have w/on me at a wedding.

It will be indoors, so I'll probably be shooting w/ Kodak portra 800, for the extra speed. Sound about right?

In order to save on having to bring the light meter out before every photo, I intend on taking a meter reading and then just shooting a half a step above it, for all of the area under the same lighting conditions (adjusting accordingly for variances) are there any other tricks I should consider?

Thanks.

 

[willie_901]

Since you were asked to photograph, two cameras and two lenses is not to much gear. Your idea about using the light meter to size things up and go meter-less is a good strategy for events where there's not a lot of variation in light levels.

ISO 800 film is required for most indoor lighting. You already plant to overexpose a bit, which is good. The Nikon FG with a 105/2.5 (what a great lens!) means you have to have to shoot at 1/125 or 1/250. This may be tough with ISO800. One trick that can help is to identify all the places where the light is most intense. This may be under ceiling spot-light cans, or near wall lamps etc. Then you have to wait for people to enter these brighter locations before you shoot. This method may get you an extra stop or two of light.

Finally, take lots and lots of film. Shoot twice as much as you're planning to shoot.

Have a great time, it should be fun.

willie

 

[Kin Lau]

A 105/2.5 is nice for isolating someone in a crowd. The FG has a built in meter, so that would help too.

 

[MadMan2k]

Ugh, fast color print film... What about Provia 400 pushed a stop or 2 stops if you need to? Or Tri-X if they really want a 'street' look

 

[NL2377]

Ugh, fast color print film... What about Provia 400 pushed a stop or 2 stops if you need to? Or Tri-X if they really want a 'street' look

I know, I know... but I just got done a roll of fujipress 800 and then converted it to grayscale and had some pretty good results. Shaddow detail was lacking and the dynamic range wasnt exactly what I was hoping for, but as far as grain and overall image quality was concerned, it worked out quite well. That, and I don't currently have any developer for true b&w so, just using c41 at work for free is really handy.

 

[NL2377]

Willie, thanks for the added advice. having been shooting w/ the M for a little while now, I forgot all about having to worry about shutter speed, as with the FG... Maybe I should opt for some 1600 film, then??? I've not had terribly much experience w/ it, though I shoot 800 quite a bit, even in daylight...

The whole spot lighting bit sounds like a great idea, too...

 

[MelanieC]

If you want to have fun at the wedding I'd personally only bring one camera. I brought three for my brother's wedding (I was a bridesmaid as well) and took craploads of photos but ended up almost only using the M3, with the Rolleiflex for more formal shots and my dSLR basically not at all. I used Tri-X 400, Neopan 400 and 1600, and Acros 100 because I figured the "official" photographer would take enough color photos to last a lifetime and because b/w has a broader exposure latitude and at the time I didn't own an accurate meter.

Even though I basically wasn't metering and a lot of the photos were taken in fairly dim light they almost all came out usable. My brother and his wife were very happy with my photos, especially because the official photos turned out to suck big time. At the same time, they got plenty of color photos that their friends took with their little point and shoot digicams (most of which were better than the official photos, sadly). There's something special about black and white, especially for "photojournalistic" purposes.

Wedding photos here:

http://www.pbase.com/miranc/wedding

 

[IGMeanwell]

800 should be fine for the wedding

I have gone to 2 weddings in the past 3 months where I guess you could say I was asked to be a backup photographer

and basically I just brought along my Nikon with a couple lenses

I just made for a wedding present a nice 12 x 12 album from shutterfly of all the candids and portraits... people love to see their wedding from different points of view

BTW, Mel love those shots ... especially the rolleiflex... majestic comes to mind

 

[Terao]

Shot my cousin's wedding at the start of this month with my R-D1 and almost exclusively used my Nokton 40mm (which on the R-D1 is a 60mm equivalent). Thought about using my 75 but found I just didn't have the time (or maybe the skill) particularly as I only had one body. Two bodies and two lenses will be good enough, as long as you can keep them on your person and swap quickly photojournalist style. As to ISO I was getting away with ISO200 indoors @ f/1.4, outdoors was ISO1600 and wide open all the way!

My shots are here, I really rate the Nokton for this sort of work...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/kiloran/sets/72157594405039949/

 

[willie_901]

It sounds like light will be in short supply at this wedding. Fuji S-1600 might be the film of choice (or the film of last resort) for the FG-105/2.5. If this film is not under exposed it gives reasonable images. II guess you either risk fuzzy 105/2.5 images due to slow shutter speeds with Fuji S-800 or you get grainy but sharper images with Fuji S-1600.

You can always convert these images to B&W if the shadows color blocks up too badly from grain.

willie

 

[tkluck]

It's a wedding. Use a flash. People expect to get flashed at a wedding. Use a deffuser. Doesn't have to be an elaborate rig. Get an Omnibounce to fit what ever you have laying around, or
http://www.instructables.com/id/EFWF47HEFPEV2Z6BX8/?ALLSTEPS

 

[NL2377]

It's a wedding. Use a flash. People expect to get flashed at a wedding. Use a deffuser. Doesn't have to be an elaborate rig. Get an Omnibounce to fit what ever you have laying around, or
http://www.instructables.com/id/EFWF47HEFPEV2Z6BX8/?ALLSTEPS

That's exactly what I don't want to do... There will already be the "Professional Photographer" there, and the last thing I would want to do, or have done to me if I were the main photographer, is to have some person off to the side flashing thier camera left and right.

There's something special about black and white, especially for "photojournalistic" purposes.

I would have to agree fully. I know that my exposure lattitude would be much better w/ B&W but I just don't have the chemistry/patience/wish to do that right now especially since I am out of practice and may end up messing something up terribly.

I loved looking at the series w/ the link you posted. Some of them were just spectacular!

Shot my cousin's wedding at the start of this month with my R-D1 and almost exclusively used my Nokton 40mm (which on the R-D1 is a 60mm equivalent). Thought about using my 75 but found I just didn't have the time (or maybe the skill) particularly as I only had one body. Two bodies and two lenses will be good enough, as long as you can keep them on your person and swap quickly photojournalist style. As to ISO I was getting away with ISO200 indoors @ f/1.4, outdoors was ISO1600 and wide open all the way!

Terao, absolutely loved the image where jade had her chin on Stuart's head. It was adorable!

It sounds like light will be in short supply at this wedding. Fuji S-1600 might be the film of choice (or the film of last resort) for the FG-105/2.5. If this film is not under exposed it gives reasonable images. II guess you either risk fuzzy 105/2.5 images due to slow shutter speeds with Fuji S-800 or you get grainy but sharper images with Fuji S-1600.

Willie, I had thought about using 1600 w/ the FG, but I've got a new roll of portra 800 that I was wanting to try out in there... maybe I'll pull it out and put the portra in the M2, though I've never shot with it before, and I'm pretty confident in my Fuji 800 that I've shot rolls upon rolls of... and then throw some 1600 in the Nikon (as we have some of this at work.) I also wouldnt really have to worry about the whole difference in metering, either, as I can just use the TTL metering for the FG... I really dont plan on using that camera much, just for those shots that I really want to get closer in with.