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How do you deal with DJ lighting at wedding reception

CarlosZCarlosZ Member
edited March 2014 in home
How do you deal with Dj lighting at wedding reception including up lighting. Where should you setting be on your camera and flash.
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Comments

  • Neil vNNeil vN Administrator
    You will have to be much more specific with your question. Show an example or two, with EXIF, so that we have an idea what you are up against.

    ie, we can't just tell you a generic: 1/60 @ f/4 @ 1600 ISO to cover every situation.
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  • CarlosZCarlosZ Member
    Neil vN , Thanks for the info just love your forum and tangent, sorry I was not specific with the info. Seem like most brides in Nj love those dj with the crazy colored lights on the dance floor including spot lights when they come in. Must of my wedding are at the Venetian Garfield NJ Thats what I am talk about the colored lights of the dj and the lights with the spots on it. Also the colored lights on people dancIng on there face and clothing just crazy. This just drives me crazy trying to get a good exposer and not having a big yellow light across someone face while they are dancing.
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  • CarlosZCarlosZ Member
    Neil Vn, One more question on dj lighting when they use colored lights and spot light on people dancing at the wedding reception and you are trying to get some candids of people dance including the bride and groom of course. I like to bounce with my speed light should I use a gel or not and is TTL or manual which would be better for this situation that I have said. Thank you very much in advance for the great info of 1/60@F4 @1600 ISO- SPEEDLIGHT flash setting??
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  • Neil vNNeil vN Administrator
    edited March 2014
    Re-read what I wrote: I said we CAN NOT give you such generic do-all settings. You can't get ONE set of camera settings that will cover everything.

    Anyone who gives you such specific advice is a fool. Scenarios and circumstances vary too much.
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  • Neil vNNeil vN Administrator
    ok .. that comment above was written quickly while in a taxi cab, before this all goes awry.

    Now that I am back in my hotel room, and had a few minutes, here's the more thorough reply:
    http://neilvn.com/tangents/wedding-photography-dealing-with-dj-lights/
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  • ZenonZenon Member
    I don't have anywhere the experience that Neil has but one approach is to shoot at sync speed to kill as much ambient as possible. This however can kill too much and you start to lose balance between flash and ambient. Basically the ambient looks dark and the subjects looked a bit nuked. You can try a little slower shutter speed and see what happens.

    Many photogs used 2 to 4 light stands in corners with strobes or speed lights so basically the flashes fire and overpower the entire room. Still hard to kill coloured lights completely but it helps.

    I just work around it. If that is the way the scene looked then that is the way you see it later. Typically the first dance is most important so you suggest the couple ask to make sure the house lights are up a bit and keep the DJ lights down of off. Later it is just fun. Oh yeah cake cutting two. I've never had a complaint. The shot Neil's new blog looks very unique so you can work with it.
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  • CarlosZCarlosZ Member
    Neil vN and Zenon Thank you for the great advice and the links. Neil your the best.
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  • ZenonZenon Member
    Here a a few band shots that I overpowered the lights with. They were pretty strong and the people were purple when vexing them. I was shooting at 1/160.

    image

    image
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