Most new digital cameras can produce amazing quality images at extreme high ISO. Don’t be scared of pushing your camera body to its limits. Obviously shooting in low light requires you to have a fast lens, this does make a hell of a difference when you are struggling to get the shutter speed. Winter weddings are a perfect place for getting creative and being able to create images which are different. Using a flashgun has its own time & a place. I try and keep the flash away from my hot-shoe as much as possible. Bodies like the D3/D3s makes it all the more easier for me to photograph without a flashgun. First dance is a perfect example when one would struggle without a flash gun, so let me share with you some of my favourite images from last year.
There has been no noise reduction software used for any of these images. Processed through Aperture 2. I don’t think I’ve got a noise reduction software, I probably have it but hasn’t been installed on my Mac!!!
This is one of my faves from last year. It was shot by Farzana (my wife). Shooting with a fast prime lens made all the difference.
Nikon D3s with a 35mm f/2.0 1/100sec 10,000 ISO
The below image was shot in very very low light with no flash, just using ambient available light.
Nikon D3s with a 35mm f/3.2 1/50sec 10,000 ISO
Shooting the 1st Dance without flash really does speed up the shooting. You can feel the atmosphere in the image as it has not been spoiled by an on-camera flash.
Nikon D3s with a 24-70mm f/2.8 1/50sec 5,000 ISO
Without the spectacular lighting provided by the band, I wouldn’t have been able to create this image. The lights were amazing, one of the best I’ve seen at a wedding. You just need to be a bit careful when shooting with a slow shutter speed. Be careful of camera shake and subject movement. I do shoot hand held around 1/30 quite comfortably and don’t use a tripod. Can’t remember when I did use one.
Nikon D3 with a 50mm 1.4 f/2.0 1/80sec 4,000 ISO
To recap:
– use available light as much as possible
– keep the flash away from the hot-shoe
– don’t be scared to bump up you ISO
– use a fast prime lens
Oz
Leave A Reply (7 comments So Far)
Cliff Beard
570 days ago
Thanks for the advice Oz. I do intend to use some decent glass on the day but was a bit wary of focusing on say the bride’s face and the groom being unsharp. Therefore I used F5.6 as “worst case” scenario where I wanted to be sure of getting the window sharp too. I will take your advice and up the shutter speed. My 24-70 will probably be on the camera most of the day and the 70-200 later for more candid stuff. I have a brief to shoot the large reception hall in wide angle as it has a stunning roof, so the 14-24 will be in the bag too.
I found it interesting that you don’t use the auto ISO feature. I find it a great feature for situations where you have little time and where exposure varies widely and it is well-implemented on Nikon bodies. I tend to set manual exp mode so I can adjust aperture and shutter to what I want without worrying about the shutter speed falling too low for example.
As an aside, I am finding the new noise reduction tool in Lightroom 3 to be really amazing…certainly much better than anything I have used before. So that will come in very useful for high ISO images
Cheers,
Cliff.
Cliff Beard
573 days ago
Dear Uzair,
great to see you sharing your knowledge and I have enjoyed a few of your demos at various Nikon expos in the last few years.
I shoot ambient light and boost ISO generally in low light and use a D700/300, so a stop or three behind the D3s in capability.
I have just visited a church where a colleague and I are due to shoot a wedding next month. The light is low inside but one shot will be with a lovely and large stained glass window behind as the couple leave the register signing (matrix metering of scene approx 4500 ISO F5.6 1/60th) We were struggling to get a decent exposure where the light and detail would be sufficient on the couple while holding highlights in the window. Any use of flash tended to look harsh and cast shadows on a close background, as the interior is dark. We intend to revisit and try a reflector or SB900 in a Lastolite Easybox Hotshoe. Best results first time around appeared to be the simple high ISO shot. Can I ask how you approach such a contrast and exposure problem?
Kind regards,
Cliff
Uzair Kharawala
572 days ago
Hi Cliff
I would suggest you keep things extremely simple during or after the ceremony. 4500 ISO on a Nikon D700 will be just fine, in fact it will be superb. I note that you are shooting at f/5.6, do you have a fast lens like a f/2.8 or faster. Don’t be scared of shooting at f.2.8, you’ll get the depth of field for the couple walking towards you. If the couple are moving then you need to shoot at a faster shutter of around 1/125th. 1/60 you may get some subject movement. If you haven’t got a fast lens like a 24-70 (which would be a perfect lens for this) then I would suggest you need to invest in some decent glass.
Just shoot ambient light and avoid the flash and the reflectors, you can use them when you take the couple for their shots. Have a look at my Ice Hotel wedding images, all shot between 2,000-10,000 ISO but on a D3s.
All the best.
Wedding Photographer Suffolk
672 days ago
Great article Oz, I agree that avoiding the flash if at all possible gives a better atmosphere in your photos.
I don’t know about Nikon but after doing my first wedding with the Canon 5D Mk2, I’m really impressed with it’s results. However as a word of caution, and hence reason for commenting, with auto ISO it attempts to set the shutter speed around lens focal length and if you decided to add a little fill-flash it locks the ISO at 400!
Therefore if you’re shooting indoors shutter priority may be better than aperture priority especially if you want to use a wide angle lens. And forget about using fill-flash with auto ISO. This seems to be a real over-sight in the Canon’s logic. Even in low light you want at least 1/90s to avoid motion blur – unless you want it of course.
I thought auto ISO would be the answer to the wedding photographer’s prayer, not having to switch up and down several stops every time you step inside or outside, but unfortunately it’s a little lacking in its functionality.
How does this work on the Nikon Oz – is it a little better thought out, does it have an auto ISO feature?
Pat
PatB Wedding Photography
Uzair Kharawala
671 days ago
Hi Pat
I personally don’t use the auto-ISO function. It works very well on Nikon. I hardly ever use flash on-camera these days, however, as you know, I do use a quite a bit off-camera. I regularly shoot at 6400ISO and during the last winter season I can’t remember the last time I used on-camera flash. Along with a fast lens like 35 f/2, 50 f/1.4 & 85 f/1.4, I don’t need flash to be honest.
With regards to shutter speed, if your subject is not moving, you can get away with 1/60.
Here is an article which featured my recent trip to Sweden and how I shot in extremely low light levels & cold conditions. Hope you enjoy.
http://sfphotoschool.com/king-of-cool-photo-pro-magazine-april-issue/
Oz