Pls help with a flash for beach wedding

[Nic]

Hi, I am shooting a wedding in a few weeks with my Canon450D and 2 kit lense( It"s a casual beach wedding at 7am to 11am) I know it is the morning and the light should be great, however I thought i would pick up a flash just incase- good idea? and an easy one as I am not familiar with flash photography.

Would this be suitable for a beach wedding? Is it easy to use? and will it work for fill....thats all i really need it for and perhaps some indoor shots in the fully lit with windows resturant later in the morn.
I plan on upgrading in the future but i just havnt got the $600.00+ I need for the 580II now! Pls share your thoughts on this flash with me

Pls look > http://cgi.ebay.com.au/External-ETTL-Flash-for-Canon-40D-350D-400D-450D-1000D_W0QQitemZ200323904239QQcmdZViewItemQQptZAU_C ameras_Photographic_Accessories?hash=item200323904 239&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=66%3A2%7C65%3A1%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318

[habro]

I'd highly doubt their claim to GN99, but there are a couple of user reviews here;

http://www.amazon.com/Phoenix-SmartFlash-Canon-Digital-Cameras/dp/B0010HJA4E

If you want to spend $100+ on a temporary flash have you looked into just hiring a speedlite?

[trigger]

Second on that... that 100 buck cheapy could blow up your camera.

[Nic]

Oh bugga!!! Review isnt good! I would hire one if i knew more about flashes but I dont and need to purchase one fast and learn.
Any other suggestions for a cheaper alternative??? Thanks

[habro]

You can get away with using your on-board flash, just stick a diffuser over it & try to get most shots with the sun behind you & not the subject - up the ISO if need be

[Nic]

Great advice..thankyou so much. Ok..off to find or make a diffuser. Any particular difuser? I think i will just go without the flash....7am should be fine!
Can I ask , If I up the ISO, Is there software I can download ;) to help prevent noise as some of these pics will ofcourse be blown up.
Thanks again

[DG77]

Sometimes it's better to leave the noise, rather than have everything look plasticy... which you will notice even more on a large print than noise.
You're doing a wedding and have no experience with flash photography ?
Hope the clients know that.
I'm going to have a shot at open heart surgery next week, have never attempted any form of surgery before... anyone got any tips ?
My wife sometimes gets me to carve the roast, I figure it can't be too much different.

[IanB]

Nic; I'm going to hit hard here: if you have to ask such questions you should not be photographing some ones wedding: you never photograph a wedding without knowing your equipment inside out: I presume you have a backup camera or two.

:(

[trigger]

Ouch... well. I must admit she has got the guts to do it so why not?
Maybe the clients aren't fussy and wanted what ever they could afford?

Any way. Some tips -

450D

ISO 200 in good light
ISO 100 bright sunlight
ISO 800 or even 1600 in very low light


You might want to buy or borrow a ND filter (Sunglasses for the lens)
So that you can use low F/numbers like f/3.5 to isolate your subjects from the backgrounds.

If you do manage to get yourself a flash then grab a piece of cardboard and do this.

http://www.abetterbouncecard.com/0628.jpg

Meter the light of the background, set your exposure and let the ETTL flash do the rest.

[habro]

1. Any particular difuser?

2. I think i will just go without the flash....7am should be fine!

3. If I up the ISO, Is there software I can download

1. Try cutting the handle off a 2L milk carton and slipping that over your pop-up, then you can trim to the right length

2. Possibly you can, but you may want a fill in flash so you don't have to overexpose the background just to get the subject exposed correctly [assuming the sun will be beside or behind the subject]

3. Yes I use Neat Image while others use Noise Ninja. The trailware of Neat Image will only let you work on pretty small files & will only save 75% quality jpegs. The full version however is amazing & doesn't cost very much, about $75 or so. Maybe get the couple to fund it and then you have it forever?

Make sure whatever setup you go for that you do some practice before the day. Get some mates or whatever to stand in certain places so you can play with the light, and make sure you do this at 7am so you're playing with the same light as you will on the day!

[trigger]

Harbro. This doesn't work outdoors. you still need something to bounce off.
I've tried with a milk carton and it throws like 10% of the light forward wasting all the power.


1. Try cutting the handle off a 2L milk carton and slipping that over your pop-up, then you can trim to the right length

[Nic]

Harbro and Trigger, Thanks so much...Brilliant tips,and great advice...thanks for going to the trouble to show a pic also! I really appreciate your help. Im heading over this week early morn with freinds and white sheets in hand to get the lighting right.

DG77...Very Immature!

IanB, thanks for your comment also, I have backup- the brides camera :)

Thanks for the vote of confidence Trigger....It is pretty gutsy lol,but I have been told not to stress by the wedding party, they just want some nice shots of the day. Its a very casual affair. They know my experiance and still want me to do it. Hey I might just surprise them - I'm very creative lol
Those are wonderful tips, I will take that all into account..thankyou!

[Scott Jay]

hmmm in my experience they always say to just relax and its only a casual affair, but really it's not, it's their big day and what if you TOTALLY screw it up, do you think they would be relaxed and casual then? I'm not saying don't do it, that's how my first few were but I made sure I had a complete set of equipment and read websites like the one below about a thousand times and practice with a model a LOT before hand.

check it..

http://www.planetneil.com/tangents/

[Nic]

Thanks Scott...will check out that site too...Now!

[DG77]

DG77...Very Immature!



I'm not the one about to shoot a wedding asking how to use a flash.

[trigger]

now kids. Play nice. lets goto the rock pool and cool down? :D

[brontux]

nic

make sure you shoot in RAW........and do what i do at weddings....have fun with the bridal party. if you are uptight and stress you will stuff up not to mention you don't get the bridal party to relax which means your pics look like they all have sticks up their backsides!!!!

[Nic]

lol, Thanks for the tip Bontux, I will definatly shoot in Raw..its all i ever shoot in. It will all be good on the day, they are a beautiful family and Im looking forward to sharing it with them.

[b2barker]

Hope it goes well. Be sure to share the results.

[Nic]

Dg77I In the spirit of your response---:p :D Cheer up! I'm the one suppose to be uptight , not you!

Thanks b2barker!!