Lighting my friend's wedding

H

hmi5600

New member
Hi,

A friend asked me to shoot her wedding because I've done other weddings. The only problem is that she wants her ceremony to be inside someone's livingroom at night after the sun has gone down with a candle lit "mood". The weddings I've done before have been outside during the day with plenty of natural light.

How would you recommend I light this/shoot it with my dvx100A so it not only looks "GREAT" (not just okay), but pleases her as well? The room will be full of about 30-40 close relatives from both sides, so I don't have any space to do anything crazy.

How would you balance video lighting w/ "Candle Light" dim atmosphere, so that it doesn't look too dark/ugly, yet still maintains the "Mood" she wants and actually looks very appealing?

Please let me know your thoughts, as well as any relevant experiences.

Thanks everyone,
HMI5600
 
Re: Lighting my friend's wedding

Wow.  Tough request.  But this is what I would do (Keep in mind this is on my budget and resources and I have no clue what you have available)

A living room at DUSK and into NIGHT with Candles everywhere.

1. I would use Brooder lamps with WARM FLORO Lights in them; the twisty kind that do not run hot and are able to be touched by hand when on.   These are rated for 20,000 hours.  They are cheap and spread a soft light.

2. I would take BOUNCE CARDS; the flexible kind of poster board and bend them into 'U' shapes; putting the little lights pointed into them and the light is spread back out.  These 'showcards' can be placed in decorative areas and the boards come in all colors; most importantly gold and silver and other pleasing colors.  These cards can be placed on the floor behind a couch (Angled couch), behind a book case, near a wall unit, etc etc etc

Hope this makes sense.  

I'd also consider the use of CHINA BALLS using the same WARM TWISTY FLOROS; the living room can get hot I think with too many lights, people and candles.
 
Re: Lighting my friend's wedding

John,

That totally makes sense. Could you please describe in further detail the WARM FLORO lights (what they look like, where to get them, etc.)

I think I have what you call "Brooder lamps". Mine are cheap hardware lamps (half a sphere "Scoops") with ceramic for my 125w tungsten photofloods, but they become too hot to touch when on because of the 125w photoflood. If I'm right, you're asking me to purchase the WARM FLORO lights and use them in my scoops which won't become hot because they will probably only be 40w or so. Then you want me to bounce of gold colored boards for ambiance. Add a million lit candles and you have a wedding. Is this correct? Would it be better to do the same thing with two regular tall standing lampstands (instead of brooder lamps or scoops) in the two far corners of the room? Advice?

I appreciate your help!
Thank You!
HMI5600
 
Re: Lighting my friend's wedding

The lamps can be found almost anywhere. The ones I am using currently I found at HOME DEPOT for like $12.00:

CFLs-2.jpg


They make them in a vareity of sizes, wattages, CRI and Temps. The key word here for you is WARM

untitled15va.jpg


The reason I was thinking this little set-up is to 'hide' and 'strategicly' place the lamps as oppossed to having the lights spreading everywhere and competing with the candles attenetion. You can place them behind Palm Plants for example or under a tablecloth covered table or behind some chinese wall divider

s2.4creamcoro.birds.jpg


The key is HIDING the brooders while using these very cool to touch lamps.
 
Re: Lighting my friend's wedding

I understand.

Your 2D diagram rocks! :)

Thanks for the advice.

I don't shoot the wedding until March 25th, so I have plenty of time to do some tests.

Thanks again! You were very helpful!
HMI5600
 
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