How to Photograph a Wedding Ceremony Without Flash

[@Joymichelle]

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[@In-Rainbows]

Loving that the this is a video about shooting without flash, and there is a humungous flash on your camera!!!!! AND you mention the weight of the camera!!!! Priceless!!!

[@amandadaniels156]

Loving ALL of these behind the scenes videos they have all been so helpful! Thank you so much for sharing all your experience & knowledge. You’re amazing!!! I look forward to them every week!!!

[@Joymichelle]

So glad!! Do you have a church wedding ceremony coming up??

[@amandadaniels156]

Joy Michelle Photography I do!!! I actually have like 6 church weddings this year which is odd, I try to stay away from church weddings. lol

[@blankoko]

I love how unintrusive you shot this! It's an intimate ceremony and it's kinda annoying seeing people darting about, flashes everywhere, etc. Loving these behind the scenes!

[@Joymichelle]

Thanks so much! This beautiful church in particular is very strict about where you can go and how you can shoot and after shooting many weddings like this (especially basilicas and catholic ceremonies) it has taught me a lot about being more fly-on-the-wall for all ceremonies!

[@standhd]

Great vid, I love the channel. I recently assisted another photographer who had two Canons. He gave me the one with the 70-200L f2.8 to get the long distance shots, of course. It is a heavy combo for sure. By the end of the wedding, I felt as I had been in the gym. He told me he was ready to downgrade; the camera he was using had the 24-70L f2.8 with the 580 EX flash and he looked exhausted. Keep up the good work!

[@Joymichelle]

Thanks!! Yes!! It's so heavy! No joke! haha, I need to work out more and/or switch to mirrorless

[@GeeberK1]

Great stuff! I'm shooting the ceremony (only) for a friend this week ... not a full mass ... very short. ... You confirmed a lot of my thoughts: high ISO, bring a monopod, get ready with a flash for afterwards ('down the aisle' pix and maybe some 'church group' pix too). ... ... ... Glad I stumbled upon your videos today, Joy Michelle! !

[@Joymichelle]

Good luck!! Glad you found my channel

[@TamizhanInAmerica]

THIS WAS SUCH A BEAUTIFUL EXPLANATION!!! KEEP ROCKING

[@Joymichelle]

❤️ thank you so much

[@johnmiller5717]

Thank you so much for these videos. I shoot Olympus M43 and after seeing what you showed us i have no fear of grain or image quality with my low light shooting. Again very enjoyable instructions for wedding shoots.

[@Joymichelle]

So glad to hear this John!! Thanks for commenting and watching

[@stephaniev9262]

Was expecting this video! I'm in love with your videos lately 😀

[@Joymichelle]

YAY!

[@eamadori]

Loving All your videos! You are one of my fav accounts these days :)

[@Joymichelle]

Elena, that means the WORLD to me!

[@miguellamas2915]

Thanks for this video. I'm gonna have myself a baptism session this weekend so this definetly it's gonna help to get some good shots ❤

[@Joymichelle]

You’re welcome! Good luck! 🙌

[@clarah172]

I’ll be shooting my first wedding tomorrow thank you for all your adivices !!

[@Joymichelle]

Good luck! 👏👏

[@philfreemedia]

Excellent Video! Super concise! Super quick! And very clearly expressed! Glad to subscribe!

[@Joymichelle]

Thanks for the sub!

[@martyscheall9626]

Can’t wait to see next weeks episode! 😊

[@Joymichelle]

So glad you’re enjoying these!!

[@Hollie.97]

These videos are very helpful. I always feel panicked by low lighting when shooting a wedding without flash. I get conscious of my ISO being too high when shooting on a crop sensor, but I guess it has to be done to get the results! Thank you!

[@Joymichelle]

Exactly!! so glad you're finding these behind-the-scenes type videos to be helpful. :)

[@AdrianLardPhoto]

Loving the BTS videos Joy! These are some great tips! And I agree about the 70-200...it will give you a good arm workout LOL.

[@Joymichelle]

Yes, and the only reason I could carry that beast is because I carry a baby around all day lol

[@RachelBadibanga777]

Awesome video! This video was really helpful in letting me know that I am on the right track. I photographed a wedding last year that was inside a really dark church that had a horrible orange colour cast in it but I figured that if I used my 50mm F1.8 lens plus flash that I could pull it off. I did that and for the most part I got some really good shots. The only problem is that I don't have a full frame camera so, my images have more noise in them than I would like but you live and you learn. I definitely plan on upgrading my camera to a full frame this year and I plan on buying a couple of lens as well - the 35mm and the 85mm. Fingers crossed I can do that this year!

[@Joymichelle]

It sounds like you rocked it, Rachel! What full frame camera do you have your eye on? :)

[@RachelBadibanga777]

@@Joymichelle I like Canon so I have my eye on the Canon 6D Mark ii or the classic Canon 5D Mark iii. One of my photography goals is to upgrade to one of those camera bodies at some point this year so, I'm really working hard towards achieving that goal!

[@Joymichelle]

You’re going to LOVE either of those options. 💕

[@RachelBadibanga777]

Thanks, @@Joymichelle!!!

[@Sadierosephotography]

Love love love these behind the scene videos! Just love all of your videos! They have been so helpful!

[@Joymichelle]

Thanks Sadie!! ❤️

[@_LianaHardy]

Love your explanation and example of photos ! So great

[@Joymichelle]

Thanks!! Happy to help!

[@PGF1953]

Way to go with this video! I am now going to switch up my ISO and not concern myself with it as I have avoided it because of the noise. But as you say post editing can work on it and it means also that the better the camera the better the noise will be. I think using primes is a great hint, because as you were shooting with the 24 70mm I was thinking back and remembering that lens is almost too much weight~I would probably want that on a tripod or monopod and a second shooter using that rather than hand hold it for fast moving shots. What I feel wasn't answered is what white balance did you choose? Or did I miss that somewhere? And how do you get the sharpness on the bride and groom at such a long distance? I've found the further away someone is the harder it is for my camera and my eye to "see" them sharply? What focusing setting are you using? Thanks for another great video!!

[@Joymichelle]

Good question! For this ceremony I was using auto white balance. This depends on your camera body too, but the most accurate white balance will be kelvin. I find that having the camera and lens calibrated helps with getting them to be sharp at a long distance like 200mm and also making sure the shutter speed is fast enough not to get the shake. For this, I’m in focus mode continuous but I use back button focus so when I find that my subject is in focus I don’t move from where I’m standing and I don’t refocus

[@papawithgaming]

amazing video once again can't wait to see the reception video always a challenge on where to place the light.

[@Joymichelle]

Thanks Frank!!

[@papawithgaming]

@@Joymichelle your welcome :) have a great week can't wait for next video :)

[@Joymichelle]

You do the same! Thanks for watching

[@fangli]

Agree with you joy, now im trying to get the right exposure on the camera so im not waste time so much in lightroom

[@Joymichelle]

It helps! As does RAW :)

[@stephencarbone8135]

Perfect timing on this video! I have a wedding next month that I'm pretty positive the church lighting is going to be next to non existent..jk, not that bad. But I am nervous about it. I always worry that when I use high ISO with the noise reduction tool in LR that it makes the subject look cartoon-like. Do you shoot with mirrorless camera at all yet? I know you mentioned considering switching over in a previous video. I shoot with Sony A7iii and everyone raves about the high ISO ability but I still find myself just under exposing and correcting in post instead of just kicking up the ISO!

[@Joymichelle]

Thanks! I don't shoot mirrorless right now mostly because my whole system is on Nikon DSLRs and the switch would be super expensive and complicated for me in the middle of serving clients and having a system that works for now. But I do plan on investing in mirrorless soon! If I were starting a business now I would absolutely go straight to mirorrless because the tech is amazing and I would LOVE the benefit of it being so lightweight.

[@katherinestein6721]

Hi. Your video is veey helpful. I need your advice what lens is good for wedding and what is your lens? Thanks

[@Joymichelle]

You might find this video helpful for comparing lenses! kzbin.info/www/bejne/fWWQcnp7mcaYg9U

[@katherinestein6721]

@@Joymichelle thank you 😊

[@haydenelyse]

Thank you for this helpful video! Could you do a video on editing tips to help with low light/ higher ISO photos?

[@Joymichelle]

That's a great idea for a follow up video to this! thanks!

[@giraphe45]

Loved it! Great work again Joy!

[@Joymichelle]

Sarah, so glad you enjoyed this!! :) Thanks for watching

[@jessitrueg4714]

As always another great video! Thanks Joy! I noticed during the kiss there was a guest leaning into the aisle to get a cell phone image. How do you deal with situations like that where guests could be ruining important shots?

[@Joymichelle]

Good question! For this wedding specifically I was not allowed to step Into the aisle at ALL so there’s nothing I can do about it besides ask that they have an unplugged ceremony - and do my best to avoid them and their phones. This is why I have a second shooter with me always. They’re getting another angle and that gives me peace of mind. But when it’s outside ceremonies or whenever I can be in the aisle I will step right up where I need to be to get that shot and even ask them to stop if they’re blocking me

[@stevenclancey1947]

Kick them from behind

[@vajdasandor6008]

Nice vid! Last october we were in a church at Gyöngyöspata Hungary.Nikon Z6 70-200f2.8 f2.8 1/160 iso 5000 that was dark 😃 (no flash allowed) but it was not problem with z6

[@Joymichelle]

Great camera!

[@Polrtemis]

This deserves more views.

[@Joymichelle]

Hey Ed, thanks! 😁

[@dariak7930]

Thank you so much for the video and the tips! May I please ask what kind of camera harness are you using?

[@Joymichelle]

It’s a harness by Holdfast gear

[@ericcarlson8864]

Is there a point when you say it's really too dark and setup flash? I know everyone has rules but I was shooting as 2nd shooter the other week and while I thought it was going be brighter in the ceremony space a rain storm came in and really made it dark. I was at iso 5000, f/2.8 , 1/100 of a second on the 70-200. I manged to do fairly good in terms of sharpness with these settings but in hindsight I really wish I had put up some lights. What are you thoughts on this?

[@Joymichelle]

Absolutely I do! The problem arises when the church doesn’t allow flash during the ceremony itself. I’ve had priests and pastors say that I cannot walk past a certain line or use flash at all during the ceremony portion which poses lots of challenges - otherwise I would very likely keep using flash the whole time during these situations and not just processional recessional

[@tiah4225]

Your videos are so helpful!!! Thank you so much for sharing!

[@Joymichelle]

You're welcome, Tia! :) Any requests for future videos?

[@tiah4225]

Joy Michelle Photography I’m not sure If I missed it but pricing advice for beginners or wedding package ideas. Like digitals only or adding a usb,etc .

[@StellaandPeteyBulldogs]

Im just an amateur who shoots for family and I really enjoyed this video. Thank you! I use a Canon T7i crop sensor (I wish I had bought full frame), and low light in a church, or in a banquet hall is challenging, so these tips helped. I look forward to going through all of your uploads now...lol. im going to binge watch now! And subscribed!

[@Joymichelle]

Yay so glad this helped!! Thanks for subscribing!! You can do incredible things with a crop sensor for sure!!

[@bnoyumori739]

How do you manage taking pictures in big groups in low light tho? Opening the aperture more will brighten the image but the focus won't be that great?

[@Joymichelle]

Good question! When I'm taking the group photos (family formals) I will absolutely use a flash at this point because the ceremony is over and the rules for the ceremony no longer apply. I still shoot with a pretty wide aperture though sometimes and to keep everyone in focus I have to keep my subjects on the same plane of focus. I can't stack as many people behind each other because that would be a deeper focus plane. Hope that makes sense.

[@bnoyumori739]

@@Joymichelleis the high ceiling of cathedral won't give bad result to flash in your experience? I've tried takin photos in high ceiling venues but won't light the subject enough even at full power flash :(

[@oscaralexisphotography3455]

Hi Joy, quick question you mentioned a couple of things how you setup you flash in conditions like this one with low light, and which angle?

[@normameyers4904]

Did you take photos from the front during ceremony?

[@Joymichelle]

Only during the processional!

[@LunaBellaPhotos]

I lower my shutter speed to as low as 1/80 at 200 mm if and only if the subject is standing there or sitting there, which for a catholic wedding that's mostly all they are doing.

[@Joymichelle]

Makes sense when they’re not moving!

[@medwayboy66]

Great video Joy.... Loads of info to work with :-)

[@Joymichelle]

Thanks Tony! Glad you enjoyed it!

[@szanka96]

It's crazy that you give us this information for nothing. Thank you very much :))

[@Joymichelle]

👊 community over competition

[@ronisedaluz2355]

Thank you for the great tips.

[@Joymichelle]

You’re welcome! Thanks for watching 🙌🏼

[@rileyjbibey5423]

I love this video! It also reminds me to remind my brides to hold their bouquets down by their belly buttons, it's such a bummer hers was like covering her face when they walked back down the aisle!

[@Joymichelle]

Such a common thing!!

[@bkpeary]

That is a church in Shiner, Texas I do believe. I have done one there.

[@Joymichelle]

Oh it must look very similar, this one is in Maryland :)

[@blakeblock9376]

Why were your photos not grainy although it has higher ISO?

[@Joymichelle]

I’d say that comes down to a couple of things. 1- the camera body I used preforms well in low light. This is dynamic range! 2- i exposed properly or pretty close to what it would need to be at

[@Pollakspd]

Thanks for the tips.

[@Joymichelle]

No problem!

[@s.rockphotography]

Thank you for the video

[@nestormanuel]

Super thank you for this video:)

[@Joymichelle]

You're very welcome!!

[@seanmorales680]

I gonna do simple wedding photoshoot will one camera will do?

[@Joymichelle]

Yeah absolutely! If possible I recommend shooting on a camera that writes files to 2 cards

[@DebbieWatkins133]

Did you shoot continuous mode when they was walking towards you ?

[@Joymichelle]

Yes! Continuous with back button focus

[@DebbieWatkins133]

@@Joymichelle thank you.

[@francissosing]

Thank u for this!

[@Joymichelle]

You bet!

[@tiffanygafford3067]

Thank you so much!!!

[@Joymichelle]

You're welcome, Tiffany! Thanks for watching

[@DebbieWatkins133]

When shooting group formals, what aperture do you use please?

[@Joymichelle]

Depends on the size of the group but at least ~F4 or higher

[@DebbieWatkins133]

Thank you x

[@manoharmgr8235]

SUPER. SUPER , THE BEST நன்றாக இருக்கிறது வாழ்த்துக்கள் R.MANOHAR-CHENNAI

[@ChoicesHabitsAttitudeLuck]

What metering modes did you use?

[@Joymichelle]

Depends on the time of day and type of images I’m taking but I’m often in matrix metering

[@horoshev1988]

Thanks a lot!💜

[@Joymichelle]

You’re welcome 🙌🏼

[@Mr_Wht]

I was Using my 70-200 F4 G and had to bump the ISO to 4,000-5,000 lol at 100 Shutter speed. They came out not too bad now it’s just the edit that will complete it. One problem that I did have with the Church was the lighting inside of it…. I asked my friend are you sure it’s bright in there he said OH YEAH! Okay we arrive and I was like dude ur killing me I don’t have a freaking FLASH on me. He said your a good photographer u can do it 😰😰😰. I’m a car photographer lol I NEVER use a flash so now I went and bought a Sony HVLF46RM just to be rdy and set! Definitely like to get into flash portrait photography not too hard at all.

[@Joymichelle]

Sounds stressful! 😅😅😂😂

[@eduardocortes-dv4lo]

wicht cameras has the best low light rendition beside the D810 and D750?

[@Joymichelle]

From Nikon?

[@eduardocortes-dv4lo]

@@Joymichelle I do have the d810 and d 800 , sD810 its ok bud maybe could be a better option in other brands?

[@samanthasantillan979]

what flash do you use?

[@Joymichelle]

Nikon sb910

[@shahdi8105]

This is a great 👍

[@Joymichelle]

Thanks for watching!!!

[@ewak6434]

Thank you! See you!

[@Joymichelle]

You're welcome

[@snapkingpackages4763]

White balance card?

[@Joymichelle]

Oops I think I meant “white bounce card” on my flash at the end. Is that what you are asking about?

[@snapkingpackages4763]

@@Joymichelle yeah 👍👍

[@uandersonbrittes6526]

How to photograph without a flash and then... I used a flash. Just because I could. Well...

[@Joymichelle]

Haha yup! The ceremony is no flash, but afterward I used it! Definitely use the tools you have 👊🏼

[@johnjones2545]

Like the video good tips!. I checked the date as it felt a bit old school....heavy cameras...mention of tripods ect😀😁

[@tn43balaramtransport74]

Nice tipes

[@Joymichelle]

Thank you!

[@studiosmit5347]

This aint dark environment though...

[@Joymichelle]

it looks much brighter via video, but the actual church itself is pretty dark. It's one of the oldest churches in Maryland.

[@cfager]

This is how you shoot a ceremony without flash: Use flash sometimes.. :P

[@Joymichelle]

😂😂😂