Lighting kit for wedding photography Part 1: Ceremonies.

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On these next few blogs, I will dive into my personal preference for what Off Camera Flash (OCF) equipment I use for a full wedding day, as well as how I use it considering a full wedding day presents different scenarios and lighting situations.

remember, there are more than one way to achieve results. Different photographers will use different equipment and methods, this is just what works for me.

Lets start with a list of my OCF kit that bring too every wedding, as well as a link to my favourite OCF supplier.
1- Two Godox V1 pro Speedlights Click here
2- Two AD200 pro Click here
3- One AD400 pro Click Here
4- One 34” Quick Octabox the works as a soft box as well as a Beauty dish since it has a beauty dish plate Click Here
5- One 75” ULM Silver reflective umbrella Click Here
6- Three Heavy Duty Air cushioned Light Stand Click Here
7- One Godox Xpro II Controller Click Here


There’s a lot more equipment you can use, like small diffusers for your speed lights and AD200’s, just go to www.flashgear.net and have fun shopping.



Now, let’s get to the fun part. What do I use all these lights for, during wedding Ceremonies?
Let’s start with understanding that a full wedding day presents different challenges lighting wise. The same with ceremonies. Every building is different.
For example, churches can be very dark with brown wood walls, same as barns, or they can be very bright with big windows and white walls.
So what to you do if you are presented with a church, barn, synagogue or any other temple, with very low ambient light?
That’s when OCF comes in handy. But first, remember to respect the location, and always ask the person in charge of the ceremony what are the rules. I have been lucky so far and have always been able to use OCF in dark ceremonies.

Maid of honour coming down the aisle

When bridal party (or the bride) is coming down the aisle, if it’s a small room, I always have two AD200’s Left and right of the altar, pointing at the wall BEHIND me on light stands. Why pointing at the top corner wall behind me and not straight down the aisle?
Because if it’s a small room, the light, even at its lowest power, would be too harsh . So pointing them at the wall opposite to the aisle, will make the light hit the walls, and as it bounces back, it spreads wider and by the time it hits people coming down the isle, it will be softer and less harsh. This image is a perfect example of what I mean. The two AD200’s diffused with a good dome, are pointing at the wall behind me, creating a nice and soft spill of light by the time it hits this maid of honour.

Bride coming down the aisle

Now, if its a large room, with very high ceilings and a long aisle, then I do the opposite, I point the lights straight down the aisle, at 13 feet high, diffused with a Godox Dome, to make it less harsh. This image is an example of it. Big church with super high ceilings, and a very long aisle. Two AD200’s diffused with a Godox dome, pointing straight down the aisle. The bride and her parents are properly exposed while still saving ambient light.





How do I control these lights?
I always have two cameras on me, each with a V1 Godox speed light on them.
One of the cameras has either a 85mm lens or 70-200 mm lens (Depending how big is the idle). That camera has the speed light controlling the OCF (The two AD200’s). The purpose is to have good light for when they are the further away from me, as they start coming down the aisle.

The other camera has a 24-70 mm lens. The speed light on that camera isn’t controlling any off, its just for when the bridal party gets closer to me and the speed light on my camera is enough to properly expose them.



Both Cameras always have high enough ISO to save ambient light. Some photographers even use coloured gels and adjusted Kelvin scale to match ambient light, but that’s a conversation for another blog.


During the ceremony, always trying to be the least disruptive as possible, have an assistant who’s only job is to work with the lights so that you can keep your focus on what’s happening in front of you. Try to adjust the lights in different angles, always to get perfect and soft light, when the couple is up on the altar. Walls are great light reflectors or just for bouncing, use them. Don’t point lights straight at the couple in the altar, they won’t enjoy it as its highly distracting, always bouncing off of walls.

A bride an her parents

But…

If it’s a building with a lot of natural light, big windows and white walls, you absolutely don’t need any kind of OCF, just flash on camera and enough ISO. In these two images (right and above) this church had white walls, big windows and a lot of ambient light, so I only used speed light on my camera for a bit of fill, and high ISO high enough. Keep it simple people, don’t do more than what you have to.




Next Tuesday, I will talk about my Reception Setup, where I mix the two AD200’s with a AD400, all controlled by one of my V1 speedlights.

For more tips and examples of my work, check my Instagram here
You can also join my Facebook educational group here

Drop a comment below and let me know what you think, and stay tuned for next week’s blog about lighting reception rooms