Wedding - which 35mm films to use

Two of my friends are getting married. They don't have the funds to
hire a photographer so they were just going to put disposable cameras
around and use those photos. They asked me to take a few shots. By
chance I have studio equipment (Photogenic PowerLights®, Photogenic
PhotoMaster). I was planning to take some posed shots with my studio
lights before the ceremony. The want a shot coming down the aisle and
just two or three during the ceremony. I can use flash when the are
coming down the aisle but not during the ceremony. I don't know what
the lighting situation is in the church.

I was planning on taking Portra 100NC for the posed shots, coming down
the aisle, and some candid shots at the reception. I was thinking
Portra 400NC or Porta 800 for during the ceremony. I was also
thinking a roll of Reala.

They know to take what the get since I am not a professional. Without
me, they will not have much of anything so...

I will be traveling 250 miles the day before and I may not have access
to refrigeration. Any thoughts?

(replies trimmed to appropriate group)

hba1c wrote:

Two of my friends are getting married. They don't have the funds to
hire a photographer so they were just going to put disposable cameras
around and use those photos. They asked me to take a few shots. By
chance I have studio equipment (Photogenic PowerLights®, Photogenic
PhotoMaster). I was planning to take some posed shots with my studio
lights before the ceremony. The want a shot coming down the aisle and
just two or three during the ceremony. I can use flash when the are
coming down the aisle but not during the ceremony. I don't know what
the lighting situation is in the church.

I was planning on taking Portra 100NC for the posed shots, coming down
the aisle, and some candid shots at the reception. I was thinking
Portra 400NC or Porta 800 for during the ceremony. I was also
thinking a roll of Reala.

They know to take what the get since I am not a professional. Without
me, they will not have much of anything so...

I will be traveling 250 miles the day before and I may not have access
to refrigeration. Any thoughts?

Refrigeration shouldn't be a big issue for a single day's travel each
way, as long as you don't leave the film in your car in the sun (140
degrees F after a couple hours in direct sun *will* damage professional
films pretty quickly, not to mention it won't do plastic camera parts
any good, either).

Posed shots are commonly done after the ceremony, from what I've read (a
practice probably related to the superstition about it being bad luck
for the groom to see the bride in her wedding dress prior to the actual
ceremony), but I have no personal experience -- the photographer at my
1982 wedding was an amateur who had equipment trouble, no backup, and
wound up getting nothing; the only pictures that exist are from guests
who brought their own equipment (fortunately, a couple of them were
pretty good).

Generally, especially in 35 mm, you'll want the lowest film speed that
will let you get the shots you need. I'd suggest taking a roll or two
of the 800, but plan on 400 for the aisle shot if you have a fast enough
lens and can set things up so depth of field isn't a problem. I've shot
400NC a good bit and 160NC a few times, but only in medium format, so I
can't tell you what the grain will look like from 35 mm.

If you have time and funds before the wedding, you might also shoot a
couple test rolls to determine if you're better off shooting 400NC at EI
800 and requesting one stop push as opposed to using the 800. I'd guess
you'll have similar grain and poorer shadows and saturation with the
push as compared to the higher speed film, but I haven't shot this film
this way and have never used Portra 800 at all -- it wasn't on the
market yet last time I bought color film in 120.

Another consideration is that unless your camera uses DX and can read
speeds higher than 400, there's a significant advantage in terms of
accident prevention to using a single film speed throughout -- that way
you just set it once and forget it; you'll have enough to think about
without having to change the film speed dial when you reload (or wonder
if you remembered, just as the bride comes down the aisle).

Overall, though, Portra 160NC, 400NC, and 800 should be all the films
you'll need or want for the kind of shots you're talking about at a
wedding. I don't think Reala is really any better than 160NC (I've shot
a couple rolls of that, too), and it's 2/3 stop slower.

--
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-- E. J. Fudd, 1954

Donald Qualls, aka The Silent Observer
Lathe Building Pages http://silent1.home.netcom.com/HomebuiltLathe.htm
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Opinions expressed are my own -- take them for what they're worth
and don't expect them to be perfect.

Posed shots are commonly done after the ceremony, from what I've read (a
practice probably related to the superstition about it being bad luck
for the groom to see the bride in her wedding dress prior to the actual
ceremony), but I have no personal experience -- the photographer at my
1982 wedding was an amateur who had equipment trouble, no backup, and
wound up getting nothing; the only pictures that exist are from guests
who brought their own equipment (fortunately, a couple of them were
pretty good).

Should be done before the ceremony so people won't look tired and
haggard...and then the couple can spend the reception with their
friends and relatives, not a photographer.

"Donald Qualls" schrieb

Posed shots are commonly done after the ceremony, from what I've read (a
practice probably related to the superstition about it being bad luck
for the groom to see the bride in her wedding dress prior to the actual
ceremony), but I have no personal experience.

if I was to take a guess, then I'd say after the ceremony is better
since the couple will be a lot more relaxed after the "official" part is
over. They'll be beaming and happy, not anxious and nervous, but
that's just a guess from my side.



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In article , Mathias Schmid
wrote:

if I was to take a guess, then I'd say after the ceremony is better
since the couple will be a lot more relaxed after the "official" part is
over. They'll be beaming and happy, not anxious and nervous, but
that's just a guess from my side.

Great idea! The people will look tired and haggard...everybody is in
an hurry to get drunk at the reception...the flowers are a bit
wilted...yeah...do 'em afterwards.

I think you were the sweaty haggard one, holding all that
expensive Hasselblad gear. Come on now admit it, was really you
that was in a hurry to get drunk.


In article ,
Randall Ainsworth wrote:

In article , Mathias Schmid
wrote:

if I was to take a guess, then I'd say after the ceremony is better
since the couple will be a lot more relaxed after the "official" part is
over. They'll be beaming and happy, not anxious and nervous, but
that's just a guess from my side.

Great idea! The people will look tired and haggard...everybody is in
an hurry to get drunk at the reception...the flowers are a bit
wilted...yeah...do 'em afterwards.

--
LF Website @ http://members.verizon.net/~gregoryblank

"To announce that there must be no criticism of the President,
or that we are to stand by the President, right or wrong,
is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable
to the American public."--Theodore Roosevelt, May 7, 1918

In article ,
Gregory Blank wrote:

I think you were the sweaty haggard one, holding all that
expensive Hasselblad gear. Come on now admit it, was really you
that was in a hurry to get drunk.

It was on a tripod most of the time and I do not consume adult
beverages.

I do some of both, for the Bride and Groom seperately
I do individual portraits. As well Bride with family and Bridesmaids
before hand. Likewise with the Groom. After the ceremony I do the
alter returns, any groups that could not be done before hand
and the Bride and groom together. Most people I photographer
do not want the Groom or Bride to see each other before hand.



In article ,
"Mathias Schmid" wrote:

"Donald Qualls" schrieb

Posed shots are commonly done after the ceremony, from what I've read (a
practice probably related to the superstition about it being bad luck
for the groom to see the bride in her wedding dress prior to the actual
ceremony), but I have no personal experience.

if I was to take a guess, then I'd say after the ceremony is better
since the couple will be a lot more relaxed after the "official" part is
over. They'll be beaming and happy, not anxious and nervous, but
that's just a guess from my side.

--
LF Website @ http://members.verizon.net/~gregoryblank

"To announce that there must be no criticism of the President,
or that we are to stand by the President, right or wrong,
is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable
to the American public."--Theodore Roosevelt, May 7, 1918

In article ,
Gregory Blank wrote:

I do some of both, for the Bride and Groom seperately
I do individual portraits. As well Bride with family and Bridesmaids
before hand. Likewise with the Groom. After the ceremony I do the
alter returns, any groups that could not be done before hand
and the Bride and groom together. Most people I photographer
do not want the Groom or Bride to see each other before hand.

You tactfully explain that by doing the formals ahead of the time, they
will look better and can enjoy their reception with friends and
relatives instead of being continually hassled by a photographer.

hba1c wrote:
Two of my friends are getting married. They don't have the funds to
hire a photographer so they were just going to put disposable cameras
around and use those photos. They asked me to take a few shots. By
chance I have studio equipment (Photogenic PowerLights®, Photogenic
PhotoMaster). I was planning to take some posed shots with my studio
lights before the ceremony. The want a shot coming down the aisle and
just two or three during the ceremony. I can use flash when the are
coming down the aisle but not during the ceremony. I don't know what
the lighting situation is in the church.

I was planning on taking Portra 100NC for the posed shots, coming down
the aisle, and some candid shots at the reception. I was thinking
Portra 400NC or Porta 800 for during the ceremony. I was also
thinking a roll of Reala.

They know to take what the get since I am not a professional. Without
me, they will not have much of anything so...

I will be traveling 250 miles the day before and I may not have access
to refrigeration. Any thoughts?

You choice of film is very good in my opinion. I hope you have shown as
good judgment in explaining that you are not a professional wedding
photographer (It is a specialty and not every professional photographer
would be any good at it) and that they should not expect the same results.
Sometimes I think someone in your position should make the sign a statement
that they fully understand and accept that. :-)

Good Luck

I suggest you brows some wedding books at the library (Brides Today,
Modern Weddings etc.) They should give you some ideas. Make a list of what
you want and try to check them off. If you don't know them well, find
someone who knows both families well and is not doing something else during
the wedding. Use them to point out who is important family members and to
work as your gofer. (go for the brides mother, go for the best man, etc.)

--
Joseph E. Meehan

26 + 6 = 1 It's Irish Math