halp!

challengemaster

Friends, Fellow photographers, lend me your ears & experience - help!!

I'm going to be doing some photographic stuff for family as my cousin is being baptised soon enough.. and obviously they want pictures to remember it, etc etc..

I'm wondering what exactly I should be trying to get photo's of.. (*waits for 'the baby') anything in particular to focus on.. etc, or even just general advice

I'm thinking kit-wise 50mm f/1.8 && 24-70L f/2.8 ?
(body 400D btw)

please and thank you

pyramuid man

Wow. your in so much trouble you spelt help wrong.
Kit looks like it would do the job alright.

Ricky91t

A flash might be handy as well
If you're going for a meal after?
The lense seem good bring a few batteries and cf cards
Just incase you're there for a lot longer and take alot more pics than you expect

sineadw

Hmmm.. group shot of parents, baby and god parents at font, also group shots with priest/whatever and grandparents at the font. Any other children in the family? Get them in too. Make SURE you don't miss the actual water-being-poured-on-baby bit! Some of the baby in the gown (if he/she's wearing one..). Some with baby and mum, baby and dad, baby and both parents.. ah you'll probably be told what to do by the mother's mother anyway - they go into wedding mode

Is there a cake? Get that! And some of the general carnage, kids-running-round-like-lunatics-spaced-on-too-much-7up-in-the-pub-afterwards stuff...

Have a look in the church first (assuming a catholic service?). Churches can be veeeeery dark - even the 50 would struggle in most. You got access to a flash?

challengemaster

I dont actually have a flash.. >_< hmm.. /goes to check funds

as for batteries - battery grip
as for CF cards - about 16gb of them

Stephen

pyramuid man wrote:

Wow. your in so much trouble you spelt help wrong.

Oh but he didn't!

Placebo

tele zoom lense?

challengemaster

challengemaster

Placebo wrote: »

tele zoom lense?

what?

sineadw

you'll HAVE to check out the church so - go at the same time the service'll be on a day or two beforehand and see what sort of light is available/from where. There might be a sweet spot somewhere you could get people to stand. Also have a good snoop around the different angles of the font, as that's where all the action will take place. You might be lucky and its a modern church where light is actually allowed inside!

Fajitas!

Take some photos. Baptism's are handy.

Muineach

Check out the church first, it's a must, I had to do a christening and 1st communion (link below), go around and take some test shot's at least then you'll know what ISO/Aperture etc. you will need inside, and remember to change the ISO once you come outside (that was a doh'eth moment for me).
Some priests don't like flash during the mass, they only allow it at the end, and getting into a good spot amid 30 parents to try and take a picture is a f**king nightmare :rolleyes:.

For the christening I was the god father so I take no responsibility for the shots of pouring the water etc
Now these photo's aren't great, just might flesh out what people might expect.

Christening
1st Communion

challengemaster

hmm.. I seem to have found an ancient piece of hardware.. Canon speedlite 133A... it works.. :eek:

might need a homemade diffuser..

rymus

I wouldnt bother with a flash unless the lighting in the church is dire.. Bump up the ISO and save everyone's retinas. The two lenses you've mentioned are perfect for the job.

sheesh

you could go all out and bring an A3 or A0 sheet of white paper and use it as a reflector. (or just bring a reflector)

Benster

Nice one CM, glad to hear you're on the "relative who does photos" list, do a good job and you might get called to do more.

Couple of things that come to mind (I did a christening about 18 months ago)

- It's like a conveyor belt system in most places these days, there could be up to 10 other families in the queue, so work fast.

- Yes, use a flash. Most churches won't have the lighting even for your fancy L lens (g'won ye boy ye!)

Also, I'm thinking the 50mm might be too cropped for a "font-side" group shot. Just stick to the 24-70, best combination.

Oh, and make it look good... The other families will think "Jaysus, they've hired a professional!" Hand out cards, maybe :-)

Cheers,
B.

challengemaster

Benster wrote: »

Nice one CM, glad to hear you're on the "relative who does photos" list, do a good job and you might get called to do more.

thanks

- Yes, use a flash. Most churches won't have the lighting even for your fancy L lens (g'won ye boy ye!)

haha

Oh, and make it look good... The other families will think "Jaysus, they've hired a professional!" Hand out cards, maybe :-)

Cheers,
B.

mhm.. now to make up some..

Thanks benster

Muineach

Benster wrote: »

Nice one CM, glad to hear you're on the "relative who does photos" list, do a good job and you might get called to do more.

that's why you have to make a mess of it on purpose

challengemaster

well - soon to have a flashgun - not in time but.. ah sure

Sigma EF-530 Super ordered from kea-photo

sineadw

How much you get that for? Or do I want to know...

challengemaster

sineadw wrote: »

How much you get that for? Or do I want to know...

Well...

sineadw

No, I didn't want to know..

Meh, I've heard with flashes you get a better response with a canon one though. Of course, I heard that from people trying to sell me one....