Ray Anthony Posted February 14, 2012 Share #1 Posted February 14, 2012 Advertisement (gone after registration) Looking for some inspiration using my M9 and a flash. Photographing my first Leica M9 "only" wedding this week. I plan to mostly shoot without flash, but want to experiment during the night with a flash tethered to to the hotshoe by an off-camera cord. Got any tips, favorite techniques, photos to share? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted February 14, 2012 Posted February 14, 2012 Hi Ray Anthony, Take a look here Favorite Rangefinder Flash Techniques. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
earleygallery Posted February 14, 2012 Share #2 Posted February 14, 2012 No1 - don't 'experiment' with anything on the day! The wedding isn't being held for you to practice your photography (I'm assuming here). Obviously try to avoid direct flash lighting if possible - it's harsh and unflattering. Bounce the flash off a White wall or ceiling, or buy a suitable reflector. You might get more tips if you say which flash you're using and if your cable allows for TTL metering. Good luck! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray Anthony Posted February 15, 2012 Author Share #3 Posted February 15, 2012 No1 - don't 'experiment' with anything on the day! The wedding isn't being held for you to practice your photography (I'm assuming here). Obviously try to avoid direct flash lighting if possible - it's harsh and unflattering. Bounce the flash off a White wall or ceiling, or buy a suitable reflector. You might get more tips if you say which flash you're using and if your cable allows for TTL metering. Good luck! Well thanks, but I can assure you, I've got about 500 weddings behind me. Just never with my Leica only. The good thing about this wedding is that the client is very accepting of this first time approach with the Leica only and understands that it will be experimental. Experimentation with different flash techniques will happen during less important moments like the general dancing. I am using a Leica SF58 flash and a Canon off-camera sync cord. Actually, I was going to try some harsher direct flash and dial out the background for a few as well as bouncing the flash. I am looking for a variety of looks so if anyone has some photos to share, I would love to see them! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave_d Posted February 15, 2012 Share #4 Posted February 15, 2012 I find Bruce Gilden's work to be amazing and his flash technique bold. I think it would make for an intersting wedding album. I bet everyone would remember the photographer if you use his technique. Here is a video of Bruce in action: Please post some photos after the wedding. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray Anthony Posted February 15, 2012 Author Share #5 Posted February 15, 2012 I find Bruce Gilden's work to be amazing and his flash technique bold. I think it would make for an intersting wedding album. I bet everyone would remember the photographer if you use his technique. Here is a video of Bruce in action: Please post some photos after the wedding. I love Bruce Gilden's work and have seen this video! He is inspiring. He does a lot of flash photography during daytime hours to make his subjects pop in contrast to the background. I also like that he catches his subjects by surprise and their expressions are very unique. I will be doing a little of this during the night once people are dancing and having fun. Thanks for the reminder! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wda Posted February 15, 2012 Share #6 Posted February 15, 2012 Ray, as this is to be your first professional wedding shoot with only your Leica, I would just concentrate on using available light (assuming you have appropriately fast lenses.) I rarely use flash with the Leica - or at all outside a studio setting - but while I have been pleased with my results, there are so many venue variables that it is difficult to get consistently successful results. Unless you carry big and powerful flash units, you are dependent on the proximity of nice neutral reflecting surfaces to simulate soft daylighting. Practice plenty beforehand and see how confident you feel. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamie Roberts Posted February 15, 2012 Share #7 Posted February 15, 2012 Advertisement (gone after registration) If you've got lots of weddings under your belt, what I'm going to say will make sense.. I shoot all the time with digital Ms and on- and off- camera flash. In addition to Leica flashes, many flashes from Canon and Nikon work directly on the M hotshoe in manual mode. Some even work in "A" mode, TTL on the M9 is a little spotty with the Leica SF flashes IMO. Large areas of darkness totally fools whatever feedback mechanism they're using, so it's kind of useless during a reception. So just use manual (and for me--bounce) on the M. I also use Pocket Wizards (again in manual mode) to trigger remote manual flash then work the angles. It's very simple; of course not simple to do well. But your not taking a huge risk in any sense by doing this. You can always go back to available light--just turn the pocket wizard off Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
vanhulsenbeek Posted February 15, 2012 Share #8 Posted February 15, 2012 Why not try this: LED Lighting - Lighting | Manfrotto The smallest are ideal for travelling, and the Hybrid LED/Flash seems very interesting. Dimmable when too intrusive. And none of these alternatives will break the bank! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kanzlr Posted February 15, 2012 Share #9 Posted February 15, 2012 Nikon SC-17 cord, Metz Flash with auto-thyristor and a small photoflex softbox works very well for me, but I like to have someone with me who holds the flash Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray Anthony Posted February 15, 2012 Author Share #10 Posted February 15, 2012 Why not try this: LED Lighting - Lighting | ManfrottoThe smallest are ideal for travelling, and the Hybrid LED/Flash seems very interesting. Dimmable when too intrusive. And none of these alternatives will break the bank! Thanks for the reminder. I own this Switronix LED. I will bring it along! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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