I have a Nikon D3100 with a 55/200mm lens. I have some very good friends that need photos taken of the ceremony on a boat at night. They have asked my to help them out. I would like to give them the best possible shots with what I have to work with. Suggestions?
HELP with a small wedding on a boat at night
(27 posts) (15 voices)-
Posted 2 years ago #
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SB400 will give you snap shots with the 55 - 200.
best possible, on a "boat" at night with D3100: 35mm 1.8 with SB600 flash.
35mm 1.4 might be beter, but cost quite a bit more.
Posted 2 years ago # -
Hi,
I don't have a clue to their budget or yours, but your 'wide' end is lacking a lot. Your range, in 35mm terms is 75mm -ish to 300mm -ish and you're missing anything wide, and you could be on a small boat where wide could be your best friend.
Even CW's 35mm suggest of a 35mm will only take to you to 50mm.
You should consider something in the 18-55 range, too, and I would suggest an 11-17mm F2.8 Tokina (it's not my money) ;-) as a good wide coverage lens.
I would then suggest the 17-55 f2.8 Nikon. (It still isn't my money.)
You're on a boat, even a largish on, so I doubt that you'll use a big lens much. I'd borrow another camera and put a 105mm micro on it and use it for any closeups and tele work, and take your 55/200 lens, but leave it in bag after the sun goes down - you don't mention if the event starts/stops in the light of day or not, but they often end in twilight where you'll want the fasted lenses you can get.
I have a bag full of SB900s or SB800s or SB700s. (I have a bag full of such flashes and still don't own an SB600. ;-) ) I would even opt to shave a few bucks off for a Metz workalike before a I would get an SB600. There's more features to be had for any of them (900, 800, 700, or the Metz's) that you would use after this job as a master, remote, and slave _assuming_ that the D3100 fully supports Nikon's CLS. I only read that it supports CLS. It's a really big thing that will rock your world.
++++++++++++++++++ Reality check ==============================
I'm perfectly aware that your budget could be a big fat zero, and this could have been a 'technique seeking' post, so I will apologize in advance. You may not have $3500 to drop on a $500 camera ( :-) ).
If you can borrow a fast wide angle lens or a camera with fast wide angle lens, that would be a start. I traditionally cover most functions with 2 or 3 cameras rather than change lenses, so do a lot of guys and gals I know, you won't be out of place.
Borrowing a camera from someone might happen. Look around.
Shot at a fairly high ISO, balancing grain and resolution quality. Not so much grain as to be unattractive, enough resolving power to provide good quality and color fidelity, clarity and accuracy.
Get a friend that you can take with you to help schlep crap around (even if it is just moving some tungsten lighting (cheap lights from Target to fill in background for ambiance) from one location to another. He can also do modest crowd control, take some heat, whatever. He/she won't be invested. Pay him/her in canapes and cake or a handshake - the wedding party will also know that you're serious in doing a good job.
Concentrate on the bride and brides maids and groom and groomsmen and the immediate family. That sounds trite, I suppose. It has always occurred to me that they spent a lot of time narrowing down who they wanted to share the day with, so taking time to document them together seems like the right thing to do. Getting differing points of view and telling the story right will make this both a historical document and an artistic work.
Prepare for it and most of all, you really ought to have fun yourself.
My best,
Mike
Posted 2 years ago # -
you'll need a handful of speedlights. .
Posted 2 years ago # -
Please do a forum search. There are several threads giving tips for low light and wedding photography.
Here are two for example:
http://nikonrumors.com/forum/topic.php?id=1292
http://nikonrumors.com/forum/topic.php?id=2198Posted 2 years ago # -
If low budget get an 18-55VR and SB400. If no budget restrictions, the sky is the limit. 18-200VR + SB600 would be excellent and as space may be difficult, you will need to think about things like bounce technique and a modifier.
Posted 2 years ago # -
SnapShotz said:
with what I have to work with.Have lots of practice, before, the big day
if possible on the same boat and at night
see what sort of results you get at high ISO values 3200 compared with 1600 and 800
Try with and with out flash, also try the extended ISO values
with 12,800 you might want to convert to Black and White
Find out what is the lowest shutter speed you can hand hold
as other have said, 55mm is not really wide enough, so you will have to try and take several shots which might mount together in an album
or be stiched or joined in somthing like Photshop ElementsPosted 2 years ago # -
SnapShotz said:
with what I have to work with. Suggestions?Oops, missed that bit. Mike is right your wide end is missing. IMHO you will HAVE to get a wide lens as any kind of group shot will be very hard and the cameras flash will struggle at the distance that your widest setting will give you.
Seven's advice may help, but "with what I have" may be too much of a stretch. It may be wise to decline the request for the sake of your cred and your friendship.
Posted 2 years ago # -
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sevencrossing said:
As ever, very good a from spraynpray+1...even with the equipment I have I wouldn't shoot a friends wedding. If you aren't going to be the only photographer and they don't expect the same photos from someone they would pay lots of money to..then go for it. Otherwise attend the wedding minus the camera.
Seriously to be blunt. Your camera and lens will not cut it. You at least need a speedlite flash and I think you will still be hurting. You would also need a wide angle lens. Better yet a fast lens from 18-200 mm (which would require 2 expensive lenses). For your sake I would decline.
Posted 2 years ago # -
I would like to thank everyone for their thoughts so far.
I would also like to add that I have a 18/55mm lens and several different filters. I have no flash other than the one built into the camera itself.This wedding is a small informal event with maybe a dozen close friends. There is no budget for professional photos and it seems that I have the "best" camera of all the couples friends...hence the request to take some pics. They are aware that there will be severe limitations on the scenes and quality that I will be able to provide. I am in no way a professional photographer but I am extremely interested in providing my life-long friends the best possible shots of their memorable day/evening that I possibly can.
I would sincerely welcome any and all suggestions and tips to make this possible with the limited amount of equipment that I have.
Thank you very much.
Posted 2 years ago # -
Having done this about 25 years ago for some friends, I understand where you're coming from.
If you only have the built in flash, I would highly recommend a Gary Fong Puffer to help soften and spread the light from the flash. Should be about $20 at most local camera stores. That will keep you from blowing out some faces while leaving others in the dark.
I would take everyone's advice and shoot the 18-55 rather than the 55-200 unless the boat is a couple hundred feet long. That will give you 27-80 which should be OK. To get an idea of what you can shoot, put the lens on and try some group shots around the house. Figure out how much you can capture in the amount of space you will have and then plan on shooting to the size you will have.
Posted 2 years ago # -
Any possibility they could give you a small amount of money for a flash (even if it isn't a Nikon one)? Or as your wedding present that is what you get for them? I mean really that would make a big difference IMO. I would second the 18-55 if you have that.
Posted 2 years ago # -
Do you know how well lit the boat is going to be
Personally, I would turn off the built in flash and crank up the ISO
Assuming the 18/55 has vibration reduction, you should be able to shoot, in normal room lights, at 18mm at about 1/30 f4 ISO 3200Beware, at high ISO values, small faces in large groups, can look a bit grainy, so pose people in tight groups, rather than spread out. Then move in close and fill the frame
At High ISO values you will lose color fidelity so consider converting to Black and whiteDo you shoot jpeg or RAW(NEF)? are you familiar with any photo editing software?
Turing off the flash, should give a lot more atmosphere, which is what a night wedding on a boat could be all about
leave your friends, with their point and shoots, to do the flash shots
Posted 2 years ago # -
The 18-55 is good. at 18mm its F3.5 so its not terrible. with the pop up flash and iso at 400-800 you can get quite a good range and quality. As mentioned get that puffer thing. Get as close as possible. Of course dont shoot everything at 18mm :-) Try out the the settings at home at night .. and see how you feel about the output and range of the puffer.
Posted 2 years ago # -
I have learned that the boat will be a dinner cruise boat leaving from downtown Norfolk Va. so there will be lights from the city in the distance.
As for the flash, I have been searching ebay and have found a SB600 at a reasonable price so I will be purchasing it.
I have also been shooting jpeg but have been reading that RAW images produce better quality prints, especially larger ones. My camera has the ability to shoot in either format.I would like to say a HUGE Thank-you to everyone that has offered suggestions and advice.
Thanks to you I can make the photos much better than I would have been previously able to do.Posted 2 years ago # -
An SB600 will give a little more range but you will still need to soften the light. good ol Gary Fong has a few solutions for that. look into it. or you can make your own. see abetterbouncer or strobist has a few ideas there. I use cut up Ikea drawer liner myself :-) works well. I think its better than the gary fongs lightsphere which I have as well.. but I have to admit his new collapsible lightsphere looks nice.
Posted 2 years ago # -
Why not rent the equipment instead of scrambling to buy it? However don't overwhelm yourself with so much to learn. They know you are an amateur so just enjoy yourself and do what you can with what you've got. You can spend spend spend and your photos can still look like crap. Even if you are using a D3 and SB900. There's more to it then the equipment you use.
Posted 2 years ago # -
1) Don't shoot more than 1000 ISO, unless you are looking for that artistic grain effect
2) For sure soften the flash
3) You need a fast lens if you want to get anything available light. 35mm 1.8 would help
4) I doubt you would use the 55-200mm much in tight spaces
5) Shoot RAW or don't shoot at all
6) You just bought a flash and don't know how to really take advantage of it. Learn how to use it (RTFM). Learn how to bounce.
7) Put yourself in a similar situation before the event so you know what to expect with the lighting and flash at the same time of day
8) Have twice as many memory cards as you think you will need. Can't get a new card if you are on a boatHonestly, I would skip the photos and enjoy the party . . . there are no re-do's for a friend's wedding.
Posted 2 years ago # -
Segura said:
1) Don't shoot more than 1000 ISO, unless you are looking for that artistic grain effect
2) For sure soften the flash
3) You need a fast lens if you want to get anything available light. 35mm 1.8 would help
4) I doubt you would use the 55-200mm much in tight spaces
5) Shoot RAW or don't shoot at all
6) You just bought a flash and don't know how to really take advantage of it. Learn how to use it (RTFM). Learn how to bounce.
7) Put yourself in a similar situation before the event so you know what to expect with the lighting and flash at the same time of day
8) Have twice as many memory cards as you think you will need. Can't get a new card if you are on a boatHonestly, I would skip the photos and enjoy the party . . . there are no re-do's for a friend's wedding.
THATS ACTUALLY A GOOD IDEA!! Why not pool together with some friends and hire a photographer !
Posted 2 years ago # -
The SB600 will definitely improve things
and as heartyfisher suggests, use bounce and a diffuser, such as a Gary Fong A cheap diffisure will be better than none.
Using a diffuser and bouncing off the ceiling will lose a lot of light, so you still need to crank up the ISO, but as Segura suggests, try and keep it below 1000.RAW files will definitely be better, but RAW needs converting to jpeg with some sort of software, so think about getting some extra card and shoot jpeg and RAW
Take plenty of spare batteries
and practice flash
Posted 2 years ago # -
Snapshotz,
I just came back from shooting a wedding in New Orleans. Many of the shots with the bride/groom/guests were taken on Bourbon St at night with lots of neon lights and sometimes challenging lighting. My equipment included a Nikon D7000, Nikon 70-200mm VRII, Nikon 35mm f/1.8, Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8 and a SB700 flash. I took all shots RAW (NEF) instead of JPEG.
All of the shots at night were taken with my Nikon 35mm f/1.8 at an ISO of 1600, with about half of them using the SB700 flash. I really do not believe I could have taken them on the 18-55mm or a 55-200mm lens, simply because of the aperture size. However, I believe that I could have substituted the SB700 with my SB400, due to the relatively low power of the flash I needed.
Since you have a D3100, which I think is a great camera, I really suggest that you get a 35mm f/1.8, and a SB400. This will be a great investment for your D3100 for the future long after this particular wedding, and will turn your camera into a seriously awesome compact lowlight DSLR. I also think you will want to bring a good lightweight tripod. The tripod will be helpful if you are going to take photos of the bride/groom on the deck (if there is one on the boat) with the city lights in the background. The flash will help with outdoors for direct light as well as bounced light inside the boat. You can also try out rear-curtain flashes during dances and other action shots.
Posted 2 years ago # -
Since it is a dinner cruse get a ticket and go on the same cruse at the same time many weeks earlier. Take your equipment and practice using it. See if you can bounce the flash off the ceiling indoors. See if you can take photos of people on the deck with the city lights in the background. See what camera setting you have to use to get those effects. I would buy a wide angle lens, either a 35mm or the excellent 18-55 zoom. You want to know both your equipment and your settings before the wedding so that you can use the camera "on autopilot" and concentrate on capturing the right moment. When the event happens take two or three times more photos than you think you need so that you will have plenty to edit.
Posted 2 years ago # -
Okay if you can't afford the 35mm 1.8 lens, you can rent it or buy it and return it later. Sure it's pretty icky on your part but hey you do what you must.
And who knows maybe you will actually keep the lens after the wedding.
I used to work on dinner cruises an event photog.
If you want to do it on the cheap you can do it with the 18-55 kit lens. Keep in mind that you will have to use an external flash such as SB 600. Quality of photos won't be breathtaking but a tons better than shot with no flash and a super slow telephoto kit lens.
Get yourself Lumiquest 80-20.
Posted 2 years ago #
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