Preferred Settings for outdoor wedding

[jnjphotography]

Hi everyone, I am shooting a wedding for a friend of mine and wanted to get insight from Nikon owners especially nikon d80 on preferred settings for an outdoor wedding. I will be using a Nikon d80, Tamron 28-75mm 2.8, SB-800 for a fill flash. I am still very new to the game but wanted to know what you all recommend on camera settings for this event. This is what I was thinking.

White balance: Direct Sunlight/flash with flash
ISO: 100 outside/400 with flash
AF area mode: Dynamic Area
Center AF Area: Center
Center-weighted 8mm
Auto Bkt set: AE& flash
ISO auto: off

Rest wil be @ default. Any opinions and suggerstions? Please let me know. Thanks

[Ahh!]

Will you be shooting in Manual, A, or S on the camera? And the flash's settings?

[Ahh!]

Well, here's the short answer...

When I am in second shooter mode, and the action is changing, I use the TTL on the flash at -.3 or -.7, and I put the aperature at 8 or less and shoot in A on the camera. In darker rooms, I switch over to S on the camera and set the speed to 1/30 or 1/60, depending on the action. ISO for darker rooms I would suggest 800 if you can fully expose the shot. If you had a D300 or D3, Then you can push that ISO right up to 1600 or even 3200 if you have to.

For formals, it is Manual on the camera, and I use a second SB-800 on a stand with a small softbox, and meter the light. ISO 400 inside, 200 or less outside. Outdoors, no flash from the camera, indoors TTL at -.7 or -.3 again.

Shoot in Raw.

[jnjphotography]

Thank you so much =) I will def take that approach in consideration. BTW, what is the best way to deter noise? Increase ISO and stand closer to the subject? The normal stofen on the SB800 works ok but not great. I was thinking about getting the Gary Fong Lightsphere. Any thoughts and opinions? I will be mostly shooting in combination of M and A. Setting on Flash is ITTL since I hardly know how to use this darn thing lol.

[Ahh!]

Originally Posted by jnjphotography

BTW, what is the best way to deter noise? Increase ISO and stand closer to the subject?

1. Use as low an ISO as possible and still properly expose. Most digitals go to ISO 200 or 100. High ISO's (over 1600) start to become problematic...
2. Subject distance is only an issue when using flash, and getting them properly exposed. It is actually the distance between the flash and the subject that is the issue.
3. Noise Ninja (and there are others) is a great software tool for processing a file to reduce the noise in the image. But it won't make up much for an under exposed image.

Originally Posted by jnjphotography

The normal stofen on the SB800 works ok but not great. I was thinking about getting the Gary Fong Lightsphere. Any thoughts and opinions?

My personal opinion is the GFL is a slight improvement, perhaps, but not worth the hassle. Before afixing the stofen to the SB800, pull out the bounce card. You will get more light forward and not waste alot on a back wall that is usually either too far a way to help, or the wrong color.
For a dramatically bigger improvement, I also use a second flash (yes, expensive and a hassle) mounted on a stand @ 30 degrees to my left with a modest 1x1-1/2 foot softbox on it. It gets TTL, and the camera flash (on a flash bracket with the stofen/bounce card) gets TTL -.07. You must practice with the flashes master/slaves positioning so they "see" each other, otherwise use Radio Poppers to drive the flash.

Originally Posted by jnjphotography

I will be mostly shooting in combination of M and A. Setting on Flash is ITTL since I hardly know how to use this darn thing lol.

Cool.

[Ahh!]

Originally Posted by Ahh!

...bounce card. You will get more light forward and not waste alot on a back wall that is usually either too far a way to help, or the wrong color...

Of course, if it is an outdoor wedding, there may be no surfaces to bounce off of...LOL!

[jnjphotography]

Thank for the pointers. Yea, I will be using this indoors. LOL, forgot to mention the ceremony is outdoors and reception indoors with a high ceiling.

[Ahh!]

Receptions are famous for cavernous places, high ceilings with far away walls, and not much on which to bounce! Welcome to my world and have fun!