How to SET UP OFF CAMERA FLASH LIGHTING for an Event or Wedding Reception - Behind the Scenes

[@hughchristie4200]

Hi Vanessa can you let us know what make/model is your speed light holder which looks brilliant attaching to the handrail and then light stand?

[@zaveriparas]

Would like to know that too…looks pretty cool

[@VanessaJoy]

Manfrotto Cold Shoe Spring Clamp: adorama.rfvk.net/BDDgq

[@cadmus777]

@@VanessaJoy I like the Godox brackets because they take the connection away from the hotshoe, which is the bit you really don't want to break off. Do these feel like they put any stress on the shoe at all? Thanks.

[@donaldjones2106]

A great Video. I did it back in the film days. Back in the 1960's it was change film. Run over here and there. lol. You are the Superwoman of Photographers. Thanks for the memories.

[@TheFilmCouple_]

6:30 my heart stopped worrying for that lens in a vulnerable place near the light stand! :)

[@VanessaJoy]

Haha and I felt it was protected there

[@erichanson5628]

Such a beautiful wedding. So fun!

[@cotswoldphotographers]

Thanks Vanessa and found this really helpful and good to know that my understanding is correct with increasing ISO. Great work and thanks for taking the time to show this 😃👍👍

[@michiuno2238]

Nice shots - as always. Interesting to see some of your activities during the event. For me it would have added value to understand your lighting setup. What are your criteria for placement? What is your thought process when you place them? What do you do about the natural light coming from the window: Do you set your camera for ambient and then set the power of each flash to illuminate the center of the dance floor correctly? What do you do about the light fall off further away from the flash? You do have a large dance floor to contend with. I saw you used grids. I understand why, but perhaps elaborate your thinking? I understand that this video was perhaps not intended to teach these things, but from the title I got the impression you would.

[@lassg.3047]

This was amazing wedding video loved it very too work. 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾

[@whiterock1865]

Hi Vanessa, first of all thank you so much for going to the effort of pulling this together, I appreciate it greatly! Secondly some requests that would give me more out of it 1) narration (you know like Taylor Jackson does ;)) well he's got that dry sense of humor, but narration during the video would give us a lot more insight into what you're doing, angles, framing, motivations...why light placement. 2) How you handle difficult lighting scenarios (like as a video shooter I would have had my constant light up a lot higher). I know all this takes more of your time, so maybe for us paying folks in the group. 3) Also great idea to have a full work flow video showing initial contact, sweet talking, selling coverage, to all your preplanning, questionnaires etc to the shoot day, then after the shoot day, would love to see an actual IPS session...do you "talk" em into more pages, etc...to the actual culling and processing in all of its lengthy and painful glory. I know you have bits and pieces of all of this but would be great to follow through one whole wedding beginning to end with all the minutiae.

[@whiterock1865]

Oh, and would be great to see the initial selling process for family photography too...woo hoo!

[@shotbyshan77]

OMG yes I have not even watched yet! You are amazing thank you.

[@derbagger22]

Goes to show what good technique and excellent editing can do. I do appreciate that you show all of your shots. I'm pretty critical of my work always thinking it's not good enough. There were plenty of shots you took that would need to be edited a bit or maybe not used in a finished album. And your finished product is always so stellar. It encourages me to keep improving...

[@VanessaJoy]

Just want to show what it shoot, not necessarily what I edit ☺️

[@derbagger22]

@@VanessaJoy so my comment didn't come out right. It's more me being hard on myself with my shots pre edit. Maybe it's Jared in my head saying don't crop, lol.

[@derbagger22]

Although I have an R6 so maybe I shouldn't crop...

[@jimcarmellini8294]

Very fun and informative to see the set up and BTS...it would be great to see the settings on the shots that popped up. I know you verbally commented on ISO etc but it looked like you may have been changing it up a bit. Had to do a double take at the end...different wedding? Thanks- always fun and great content. You put a great deal of time and energy into both your photography and educational businesses...it's appreciated by those of us still learning.

[@Sportserjeff]

I like how you shoot staying on the edges.

[@VanessaJoy]

Trying to not be intrusive ☺️

[@dartagnanpascaljoseph3985]

Hey Vanessa, great job. First off, congrats on your new home studio for KZbin. Definitely has a different punch to it. Second thing, I realized the context of these lighting setups was not a favorite of photographers. Had you possessed only one speedlite, how would you approach proper lighting on these events?

[@vperalta]

This video takes me back when I shot weddings in the past. Did that in the film days. Question; do you ever get your lights knocked over, even worse broken from a fall?

[@VanessaJoy]

The wind knocked over a b1 of mine once - lol and it survived

[@joyleviere]

I always find timelines are so tight. How much time time do you typically carve out to set this up? Is someone else with the bride and groom?

[@VanessaJoy]

I do it during cocktail hour while my second photographer is covering that

[@FranciscoAlvarezTV]

This is undoubtedly going to be my go to set up for reception, specifically dancing. I love the flash photography angles and the rim light that you get which separates the couples from the background. And some pictures you can actually see the Rembrandt lighting it creates. Just out of curiosity, did you feel the constant lighting towards the end was absolutely necessary or was it an added bonus? Would love to know!

[@mariabaptiste8429]

Thank you. This was wonderful. I always appreciate your work and your teaching ability for photographers who want to learn more. Can you briefly talk about the lighting with regard to the second shooter. Was she using her on camera flash simply as a trigger? Thank you.

[@VanessaJoy]

My second shooter usually just fill or bounce flashes 🙏

[@ale.giacobazzi]

Thanks Vanessa, this has been very useful! May we see a light schema/diagram too, maybe? 😁

[@VanessaJoy]

Wish there was a way to comment a photo!

[@Snapit551]

Fantastic video 👌👏🏻 at receptions I try not to use off camera flash as the light from the flash always ruins the photos and the ambiance and I use on camera flash pointed up and bounced or I use a rogue flash bender if ceilings are dark, but there’s no right or wrong way but it depends what works for you and I never go above iso 800 because I like cleaner images which have better dynamic range in editing too, I always use a 24-70 zoom too. Keep up your amazing work 💪🏻👌

[@wendystumbaugh695]

Hi Vanessa! How do you “marry” your cool outdoor lighting with your OCF and ambient? Is that OOC or in post? Your finished images look so seamless. Beautiful! Thank you.

[@VanessaJoy]

gels a lot of times - definitely not in post :-)

[@nycks1]

This was awesome

[@vicmwaf]

Beautiful pics

[@VanessaJoy]

Thanks 😊

[@ymmichael1]

This is so helpful to see! If you are in a venue with white walls or surfaces, do you still use direct flash, or do you bounce it just a little to make the lighting source larger? And/or do you ever use even small modifiers for the same purpose? Also - do you choose an F/stop and largely leave it the same, or do you use different f/stops and change your ISO to maintain exposure?

[@VanessaJoy]

I’ll bounce flash in a scenario like that:kzbin.info/www/bejne/Y4eVknSXgJadjbM

[@JaredRibic]

18:08 - I was going to ask why you don't just use the videographer's lights. But when I saw this picture, it made me wonder if you would be able to stop the motion as nicely with continuous lights; probably not.

[@VanessaJoy]

I do often just use the videographers lights ☺️

[@stevenevosando8840]

I personally don’t like that set up because the lighting can be harsh at times. Not my taste !

[@llamarvasquez1803]

Hi there Vanessa Joy awesome video and photos... I have a few questions. Taking photos of people dancing what's a good lens? And F-stop? I usually shoot. At f4 using a canon 24-70 mark ii on a canon R5... what would you do? Thanks

[@stewartvill5410]

How many assistants do you use for your weddings? I noticed the 2nd photographer (lady), but also noticed another person taking pics with a flash with a Magmod Sphere on the flash. Thanks

[@VanessaJoy]

One photographer and one assistant

[@NatyMidnight]

What stands did you use? Lookin for new one that aren’t going to break in one use.

[@VanessaJoy]

Manfrotto stackables: adorama.rfvk.net/bndvM

[@Soul_Visuals_Photography]

So 6400 iso is no worry of noise because we’re introducing light with flash so noise is not a worry?

[@VanessaJoy]

No worry of noise because of how good the camera is ☺️

[@Soul_Visuals_Photography]

@@VanessaJoy yea true. I just find 6400 in low light for the R5/6 has a bit of noise.

[@thomasprosperabossolo4750]

Hi Vanessa and thanks alot for sharing your experiences with us. I have two questions : 1. I see so many flash stands in the video so I would like to how many flashes did you use and how did you position them in the hall ? 2. I saw you taking a picture of a lady somewhere around the middle of the hall right after you placed your flashes, what was the use of that shoot ? Thank you.

[@elisaschulz4368]

Regarding question 2, that was her assistant--Vanessa was testing the lights on her.

[@anthonystalcup9246]

Safety warning, if you had attached the light to the railing on the stairs, you need to make sure you have a strap attached, so if it fell, it wouldn't hit anyone.

[@VanessaJoy]

Good idea!

[@PIXELvoiz]

Hi what lens you used for the event? and sometimes I feel if there was an on camera flash photos might looks more soft. anyway this is also nice setup for a big hall like this without white ceiling or walls.

[@PIXELvoiz]

Big thanks for putting the video!

[@thomasprosperabossolo4750]

The lens looks like a Canon RF 28-70mm F2.0 L USM. She'll correct me if I'm wrong. 🙈🙈

[@VanessaJoy]

What Thomas said ☺️

[@ronlemelinphotography]

where did you get the claps attached to the speed lights from?

[@VanessaJoy]

Manfrotto Cold Shoe Spring Clamp: adorama.rfvk.net/BDDgq

[@ballinlise05]

Can the second shooter be connected to the off camera flash as well?

[@VanessaJoy]

Yup! If they have the correct transmitter

[@sharonleibel]

What's written on your left wrist? "Because the joy of..."? :)

[@VanessaJoy]

The joy of the Lord is your strength

[@sharonleibel]

@@VanessaJoy NICE :) I suddenly saw familiar letters.

[@davecrissinger8967]

Question, how do you deal with people with cellphones? Do you have it in the Contract or is it just a lot editing?

[@derbagger22]

The absolute worst. Actually, no. iPads are the absolute worst...

[@VanessaJoy]

I don’t. It is what it is at this point.

[@ediduoda9893]

Can i know what camera strap are u using

[@VanessaJoy]

Kawaprogear

[@VanessaJoy]

I finally have an answer for you about my camera strap! creative-teacher-9768.ck.page/1fb5eeedd8 this will be VERY limited so lmk here if you want to know when it's available!

[@therookiefisherman5234]

I wish I could have seen the end results.

[@VanessaJoy]

?? The pictures all pop up

[@mcmc-o9w]

Those flash popping on the images is just hella distracting. Sure you get that backlit look but damn that's annoying and honestly washes out the subject ever so slightly

[@VanessaJoy]

To each their own 🤷🏻‍♀️

[@richardellishk]

more commentary of what you are doing would be helpful, otherwise a good video

[@VanessaJoy]

We do videos like that on www.thephotoinsiders.com ❤️

[@derbagger22]

Footsies is completely unprofessional! But also kinda cuet...

[@VanessaJoy]

Footsies?

[@derbagger22]

@@VanessaJoy 10:25

[@derbagger22]

The unprofessional comment is in jest. I said it was cute. You called one or both of them cute. Don't fire anybody!

[@erichanson5628]

Wonderful video! Thanks for creating it!