Off Camera Lighting for Wedding Receptions - Simple

[@poonamverma5381]

Like your setup here. Can you post more videos about flash photography or other flash techniques you use for weddings?

[@RickyCheung]

Thank you Poonam! It's my goto setup when room allows. I will do my best with more flash videos.

[@hehe1212]

The production quality is top notch! Love the pacing and info you've shared as well. You gained a sub!

[@RickyCheung]

Thank you soo much. Much appreciated, what would you like to learn more about?

[@lizalejophotography4248]

Thank you for this information. You made it very easy to understand and yes I would like more videos like this one explaining lighting scenarios at wedding receptions and such. Thank you my friend!

[@RickyCheung]

🙏 I hope to keep pushing content for photographers like yourself.

[@garyflom]

this is really helpful! Thank you!

[@ranaghosh1144]

How do you connect v1 with ad200 wirelessly? Pls explain.

[@RickyCheung]

That talk to each other so all you need to do is adjust/match CH, Group, ID (if needed) with your AD200 and V1 and you should be all good and ready. The process is straight forward.

[@Kelvinjan]

I definitely appreciate the content and production quality! As a newer wedding photographer and someone who second shoots, I'm currently using a 1 OCF setup as that's what's within my gear budget. Maybe if I get another wedding booked I can mentally justify another flash haha! But I follow similar guidelines you made for a single flash setup. I think the second will add a nice rim light, but one OCF should suffice for now.

[@RickyCheung]

You're in a good spot. Start with what you got, it took me years before even stepping foot into OCF territory. Keep it up and slowly build more kit. Thanks for checking out the vid and your support.

[@prabutangsjooproduction2818]

Thank you :) more videos like this will be helpful

[@RickyCheung]

Thanks for the support. What do you shoot?

[@jamesr4891]

His external flash setup is severely flawed. We want 360° access to the room, especially at a reception. I’ve been shooting pics longer then most. 53 years come this June.

[@RickyCheung]

If you want dramatic lighting, there’s no way that you’re gonna get that if you light the entire room and have 360 coverage sure it’s simple to bounce the flash in the ceiling and call it a day but if you wanna create dynamic looking shots you need to position your lights not have lights 360 coverage

[@Lucamitm]

Which size/type modifier you use on your ad200? Thanks

[@MartinV.]

Great Video!

[@RickyCheung]

Thanks!

[@ferreirap55]

Superb very informative

[@87dinab]

Just to understand, you are using the 2 lights as a primary light source as opposed to hair lights?

[@robertvhall]

Super informative video! What I would like to ask, is how high should the lights be on the stands and if you would recommend to gel the lights. Cheers!

[@RickyCheung]

Great to hear Thank you Robert! I put them up as high as allowed per venue. I house 2x 13ft stands. Heavy but and worth it in my book because I don’t necessarily want my light in the shots. Gels are great if you wanna match lighting or catch the light entirely. Most venues I shoot in are warmer white tones so I’m ok with a daylight/white flash light.

[@herbrockone5068]

Ricky, are your lights facing forward or bounced from each corner ? And are you diffusing the light ? Thanks

[@RickyCheung]

I’m diffused facing dance floor. If you bounce light on the corners of the walls your backgrounds will be lit, hard to hide the source.

[@dinabrookmyer2406]

Thank you for this video? What do you do in the case where someone grabs a friend near the set up flashes and asks you to snap a photo? Do you ask them to move to center of room?

[@RickyCheung]

Dina great question in this case you have to learn to control your group A,(B,C off camera) quickly and to disable flashes to make it an easy shoot or you rack your your f-stop and pop a stronger on camera flash.

[@dmackey6934]

Yes, liked this too. Your photos are STUNNING. Followed you on Instagram too. With the AD-200, how are they communicating with the V1 and camera? Do they all have built in receivers? This is all so confusing to me. I’ve only ever used on camera flash, and I’m so intimidated by all this. Ugh.

[@RickyCheung]

The V1s will communicate with the ad200 with no additional attachments. That’s the beauty of the system. All the Godox flashes talk to each other.

[@dmackey6934]

@@RickyCheung chatty bitches. Lol 😂 so much info, thanks.

[@medilexram288]

I've synced my V1 on my camera to my AD-200 as my off camera flash on my 1st wedding coverage and it worked perfectly fine. Try to watch a tutorial about it then you'll be good to go.

[@konghk227]

Very informative video, Ricky, appreciate sharing you knowledge. My question: you mentioned 2 AD200 and 2 V1, I can see in the video where the 2 AD200s are, and 1 V1 on camera. What is the purpose of the 2nd V1? Is it just for backup? Thanks again for your excellent video

[@RickyCheung]

Hey thanks for checking out the vid, I hope it helps. So the 2nd v1 would be on the second camera body. Never leave home without that backup. :), usually up to first dance, I’m dual welding 2x cameras. Best of luck to you!

[@konghk227]

Thank you @@RickyCheung! follow up question. I've bounced from the ceiling in all my wedding receptions, but in the most recent one, the ceiling was particularly low, and it cast very long shadows from the chandelier. Any suggestions for how to avoid that and still get soft shadows? Can the 2 AD200 setup solve/soften that problem? or would it just cast more shadows?

[@RickyCheung]

@@konghk227 tilt 45 behind you camera left or right. If that’s not enough you’ll need to fill card to fill shadows. Or use a diffuser to spread even more. The OCF will add to shadows because you have more sources of light so that won’t help what you are doing unless you are bouncing OCF as well.

[@konghk227]

@@RickyCheung Thanks again!

[@chrisserino9757]

great video! do all the godox flashes work wirelessly without a trigger unit?

[@RickyCheung]

All Godox flash talk to each other which makes it is so versatile. You do need a trigger on the camera or another godox flash to command other off camera units.

[@hungvu1676]

Very informative. For AD200 do you use grid or shoot up the ceiling for bouncing? AD200 is kind of strong light for reception though. I use 2 speedlites and I have to dial down to 1/32 or even 1/64. Thanks.

[@RickyCheung]

Depends on the events lighting. If bright/air. I’d leave it. If dark and modern, I’ll grid them.

[@RickyCheung]

I work at mostly larger venues and they are backed along the wall with a good distances from the dance floor.

[@alvarob17]

hey Ricky, are you using grids on your AD200's?

[@RickyCheung]

I did at one point and even today at some venues. Love the look even more so but it really cuts the light. Your shooting area will be very limited. For receptions, I found it not worth the trouble because the dancing is all over the place.

[@alvarob17]

@@RickyCheung thanks, I'll try that too and see how it goes 👍

[@TheCopernicus1]

Exactly how I set mine up well done mate! amazing photos too :), Are you finding any problems with the R6 with misfires/full 1/1 power due to hot shoe issues with these cameras?

[@RickyCheung]

Thanks Bass! I personally haven’t had any issues. A few of my friends mentioned their Godox flashes don’t like 1/3 stops settings, so they adjust in full stop increments but I don’t have those issues. Could be a CH/ID interference issue maybe? I always use ID on my setup.

[@TheCopernicus1]

@@RickyCheung Thanks so much Ricky, will have to try the full stop increment as I don't usually use ID also so may give them both a try. Cheers mate looking forward to more of your awesome content

[@RickyCheung]

@@TheCopernicus1 Yea, give it a try. I had communication issues sometimes at weddings with CHs so I lock my ID on all my flashes and usually scan for channels if it becomes an issue. Good luck. Thanks for the support.

[@TheCopernicus1]

@@RickyCheung Awesome mate! Following on instagram too :)

[@jamesr4891]

There is no way I would ever use your very restrictive flash set up. I cannot tell you the importance of being able to move around in a room by 360° in any given moment. Simply point your external flash units towards the ceiling if it’s white. Even use a flash Disperser to supplement your lighting needs. And make sure there is no direct line of sight from your external flash units. This keeps the lighting soft while not destroying the natural Ambience of the room.

[@RickyCheung]

I did the method you state here for years. It’s even, very well lit all around, soft, etc and works as well, nothing wrong with it but you lose all your dramatic lighting in high-end venues with 30ft ceilings and crystallized chandlers, etc. with larger ballrooms by moving the lights wall to wall to prevent dramatic falloff.

[@wetoyono]

I've been in the business for over 98 years now, his external flash setup is very effective.