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Lights for a wedding
I have a lighting quandary. I primarily shoot weddings, and am often in dimly lit locations, and bring colors back up in post. Obviously having some sort or light would help to get better color and remove some of the grain I am getting in my shots, but I am always concerned about showing up with too powerful a light and disrupting mood that is being set.
I use Canon HV20s, can anyone confirm that getting by without a light is okay, or if someone has experience and knows of a light that will give me a better shot without it seeming as if I am casting a flood light onto what I am shooting?
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3 Replies
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Every wedding location is different and prescribing a light is difficult.
Adding light is definitely going to help this little sensor in the HV20.
Here is just one solution that is affordable and durable.
PAR cans (rock n roll lights) can offer you the power may need and can be dimmed down with inline dimmers. I would recommend PAR 64 par cans with medium (1000 or 500 watt) beam globes. You will want to make sure you also purchase the Gel Frame if sold separately for adding diffusion/color correction and a Bail Block to attach to a light stand. You must be aware that if you choose the 1000 watt globes they will take 8.3 amps of power and you will need to find dedicated outlets for running 2 of these units, assuming the facility is using 20 amp breakers. You can build your own dimmers with rated 1000 watt wall dimmers and placing them inside a nice single gang box that is properly ground. I would recommend some half CTB (color corrective blue) gel to use with day light balanced rooms and some lighter Lee 251, 250 soft frost diffusion when you need to soften the source light. I would recommend some triple rizer steel American stands with at least 1-20 pound sand bag for each light to safety the light stand to the ground in case someone trips over it.https://www.prolightingsupplies.com/parcans.htm
https://www.americangrip.com/baby.asp
https://www.americangrip.com/sandbag.aspThis is just one possibility to help you get the light you need.
Good Luck
Michael Palmer -
Do you have any recommendation for a more mobile solution, such as a camera mounted light.
Reason being is that with shooting a wedding reception we are moving around a lot to capture action. Setting lights is not really an option except for getting the dance floor.
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A light on the camera will: add weight, and produce very flat lighting unless you are using it just for a touch of fill. There are some LED camera-mounted lights which are probably the best bet at present. Beware of battery drain.
Rick Wise
director of photography
and custom lighting design
Oakland, CA
https://www.RickWiseDP.com
https://www.linkedin.com/in/rwise
email: Rick@RickWiseDP.com
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