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Wedding question in 2 days


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Greetings,

I have anxiously been awaiting for Overgaard's Q2 master class video which still hasn't delivered and I have my son's wedding on Sat.  I am NOT the primary photographer but will have M240 Nocti and 35FLE plus my new Q2.  I am still "fumbling" with the settings in Q2 and would welcome 2 simple suggestions please:

 

1.  For group shots

2. Portraits

The Q2 is there for my autofocus back-up and weather sealed (supposed to pour on Saturday here in the UK), but would be most grateful for your "safe" settings for the Q2 for these 2 uses please. I did buy a  ND filter which is coming today, but suspect not necessary at this stage.

I have generally been using Aperture mode, set min. shutter to 1/125, max ISO 12500 and used spot meter and AWB and wide-open.  I haven't played much with the scene modes (Portrait-- how does this work for 2 faces when the they are not in perfect plane?) nor full automatic.    Maybe full auto is the way to go with group and Portrait mode-- but welcome your input.

Many thanks

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Good luck with getting your stuff from Overgaard. I preordered and paid a book last year in August, not yet delivered :-(

If I shoot events with the Q, I set the desired Aperture and Speed, depending on the situation. Could be 1/125 sec to avoid movement blur, and 5.6 to get some safe DOF, and then I set auto ISO to get the EV close

 

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If you shoot everything in RAW you only have focus and exposure settings to worry about.  I personally shoot everything in in AF-S, spot focus, Auto ISO, shutter speed min 1/125 as this is enough to stop most motion unless there is real fast motion (then I'm happy to have that blurred anyway), so I'm really just adjust aperture and exp comp as needed.

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On 8/15/2019 at 6:54 AM, ralphh said:

If you shoot everything in RAW you only have focus and exposure settings to worry about.  I personally shoot everything in in AF-S, spot focus, Auto ISO, shutter speed min 1/125 as this is enough to stop most motion unless there is real fast motion (then I'm happy to have that blurred anyway), so I'm really just adjust aperture and exp comp as needed.

Excellent suggestions. I’d add beware of DOF when photographing individuals versus small or large groups. I’m okay wide open for individuals, but quickly stop down to f/4 for 2 or more people. Even more for a large group and then I’ll use a tripod. Auto ISO is excellent. Sometimes I put the camera on low speed continuous so I take a few shots even when I only ultimately want one. Invariably one will have eyes closed or a funny facial expression. If it’s inside and really dark that can be an extra challenge. I sometimes use the SF-40 flash, but prefer natural light if possible. Take an extra memory card and battery. Shoot RAW. Much more forgiving on dynamic range than jpg. Step back and shoot what the pro photographers are missing. Good luck. 

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I don't know about 'settings' but just keep it simple. ISO at whatever it needs to be so that you're shooting at least say 1/125 at f5.6 on the Q, that should ensure sufficient DOF with the 28mm lens for groups and portraits to ensure everyone is in focus. Use the M and Nocti for the fuzzy 'arty' shots :)

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2 hours ago, Leica Guy said:

"Step back and shoot what the pro photographers are missing."

I agree with many of the technical suggestions here (which is what you were asking for) but this is probably the most important piece of advice. The pro(s) will get all of the "standard" wedding stuff, but you are in a unique position to record some of the more intimate moments they'll miss because they don't know your family like you do. Set up your camera as automatic as you can, use RAW so you can correct technical issues later, and look for those moments.

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My 2 cents. I just retired as a pro-wedding photog having done over 1,000 weddings the last 12 years alone.  Get the photos the pros are not getting, stay out of their way and let them do what they do. Have fun in getting details sometimes missed. The Q2 is a great macro camera have fun with it. The small size of the Q2 should allow you to get close and personal so I would leave it on auto ISO set at  f8 and not worry, but do shoot raw.   But most of all enjoy the wedding,  

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I agree with Sturkel.  No reason to take the same pictures the primary photographer is taking. Get less formal stuff—guests at tables, vignettes, flowers, the scene, things like that.  Pictures that will capture the mood of the event.  Auto ISO, auto white balance, f/8, 1/125s, spot AF.  Adjust exposure as necessary for the lighting conditions indoors.  Keep in mind image stabilization won’t help with moving subjects.  For group shots, put it on continuous drive (high) and snap four or five frames.  You won’t be able to monitor all the facial expressions at once so having a few won’t hurt.  Up close is nice, but don’t forget the (unflattering) perspective of a 28mm when used too close.  That, or take advantage of it to take “goofy” shots of the action—just don’t try to do a posed portrait with a 28mm from 18 inches away.

Mostly?  Have fun!  If you’re not the paid photographer, don’t let the picture taking get in the way of your enjoying the event.  It’s your son’s wedding, after all.  You’re part of it, too.

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9 hours ago, sturkel said:

My 2 cents. I just retired as a pro-wedding photog having done over 1,000 weddings the last 12 years alone.  Get the photos the pros are not getting, stay out of their way and let them do what they do. Have fun in getting details sometimes missed. The Q2 is a great macro camera have fun with it. The small size of the Q2 should allow you to get close and personal so I would leave it on auto ISO set at  f8 and not worry, but do shoot raw.   But most of all enjoy the wedding,  

Excellent advice.  I photographed a family wedding yesterday.  As I used to run a photography business I asked if they had a photographer (not always a given).  Happily they did, so I just covered what he didn't - the getting ready the night before, the trip to the hair and makeup salons in the morning etc, then I just made sure I was where the real photographer wasn't - he concentrated heavily on the couple so I concentrated on the guests, esp the couples children.

And realise that the photographer is not interested in a long conversation about you and your camera.  He is there to work, not chat.

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+1 to shooting continuous drive (to avoid blinks).

BUT cautioning that High (and Medium) Speed Continuous can be a pain in the a**.  

The slightest press off the shutter release in these modes shoots off so many actuations that it doesn’t really add any benefit.  You’ll simply get five shots of the blink.

Kinda obvious, but practically the continuous mode does need managing for the situation.  High speed best reserved for the fastest action shots IMO.

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9 hours ago, paul.bridges.3388 said:

+1 to shooting continuous drive (to avoid blinks).

BUT cautioning that High (and Medium) Speed Continuous can be a pain in the a**.  

The slightest press off the shutter release in these modes shoots off so many actuations that it doesn’t really add any benefit.  You’ll simply get five shots of the blink.

Kinda obvious, but practically the continuous mode does need managing for the situation.  High speed best reserved for the fastest action shots IMO.

Interesting—I’ve actually had good luck with high speed for this.  It ensures the camera doesn’t try to change exposure between shots (or focus if in continuous mode).  And I might get two frames with the same blink, but never four or five.  High speed let’s me choose the basic moment I want but still get some variety in facial expressions and eyes.  

To each his/her own.  I’m sure low speed continuous works for this situation as well, and there would be fewer images to cull.

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