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Home: Video University Forums: Digital Photography for Videographers:
Rain and the wedding party

Brackish
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Apr 24, 2007, 6:39 AM

Post #1 of 17 (1041 views)
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Rain and the wedding party	Can't Post

I'm wondering about something. Maybe some of you
experienced folks could help with an answer.

Basically, I'm wondering how the outdoor shoots are
affected by just a light rain, like a drizzle? Are the
wedding party - and I'll include the family members
here - willing to proceed with trying to get some
shots? Or are they chased off by even the littlest
bit of rain?

Of course, ultimately, I'm wondering how prepared I
have to be to shoot in a light rain.

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"We'll always show up at the wedding with a gift bag for the bride. Inside we have these incredible fuzzy slippers in the teal of our branding."

RT Steele
Veteran

Apr 24, 2007, 10:16 AM

Post #2 of 17 (1026 views)
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Re: [Brackish] Rain and the wedding party [In reply to]	Can't Post

My last wedding it drizzled off an on. It didn't phase the photog one bit and he didn't offer the option of going inside. I stayed out there for 30 seconds and said screw it. I've got a "rain-out" clause in my contract stating that rust and cameras don't mix. Laugh

That was really stupid on the photog's part because the church was empty the entire time.

- RT

StillMotion
User

Apr 24, 2007, 1:02 PM

Post #3 of 17 (1020 views)
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Re: [RT Steele] Rain and the wedding party [In reply to]	Can't Post

Probably just under half of the couples we have had this happen are willing to stay out in the rain. Sometimes the parents won't, sometimes just the couple will, it really varies from situation to situation. Those can be some awesome shots, so I would be prepared, just don't expect anybody to tough it out. I would be extra careful if your shooting with Canon as well.

Brackish
Veteran

Apr 24, 2007, 11:26 PM

Post #4 of 17 (995 views)
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Re: [StillMotion] Rain and the wedding party [In reply to]	Can't Post

In Reply To

"Under half"?? That many?!? I guess that tells me I better plan for rain.
I've never seen any "rain shots" but I bet those shots would look cool.

What are y'all doing for rain protection of your gear? Does anyone have any
stories of shooting in the rain?

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"We'll always show up at the wedding with a gift bag for the bride. Inside we have these incredible fuzzy slippers in the teal of our branding."

StillMotion
User

Apr 25, 2007, 1:05 AM

Post #5 of 17 (987 views)
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Re: [Brackish] Rain and the wedding party [In reply to]	Can't Post

We had one shoot that was an outdoor wedding, all started of well, and then it started coming down in the middle of the ceremony. The couple had umbrellas for the guests and we had the cams prepared with those mini-hot umbrellas, so at least our gear was protected. What really made it tough was that the couple also had the Life Network there filming "I do, Lets eat" which is a wedding show focused on the reception food. It was a very tough shoot. We had to mic a live trio and rig up a tarp in the trees so that they would sill agree to play. One of our photographers shot with all of his Nikon bodies in the rain without any protection, and all seemed to work fine afterwards. Another photographer used those plastic bags that you put produce in at the grocery store and those cams also came out good. It was by far the most interesting and challenging shoot to date. Considering everything, the couple was good enough to go outside for some shots in the rain too.

Sandy B
Veteran

Apr 25, 2007, 1:55 AM

Post #6 of 17 (980 views)
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Re: [Brackish] Rain and the wedding party [In reply to]	Can't Post

If there is falling moisture, I ain't shooting.

Sandy B
SSPBLOG

"Good luck seldom comes in pairs, but bad things never walk alone" Chinese proverb

Brackish
Veteran

Apr 25, 2007, 4:04 AM

Post #7 of 17 (975 views)
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Re: [Sandy B] Rain and the wedding party [In reply to]	Can't Post

In Reply To

If there is falling moisture, I ain't shooting.

I hope you got that in your contract, Sandy.

Basically, my plan has been that if they're willing
to brave it out then so should I.

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"We'll always show up at the wedding with a gift bag for the bride. Inside we have these incredible fuzzy slippers in the teal of our branding."

Brackish
Veteran

Apr 25, 2007, 4:08 AM

Post #8 of 17 (974 views)
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Re: [StillMotion] Rain and the wedding party [In reply to]	Can't Post

In Reply To

... we had the cams prepared with those mini-hot umbrellas, so at least our gear was protected.

"Mini-hot umbrellas"?

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"We'll always show up at the wedding with a gift bag for the bride. Inside we have these incredible fuzzy slippers in the teal of our branding."

Brackish
Veteran

Apr 25, 2007, 4:21 AM

Post #9 of 17 (973 views)
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Re: [StillMotion] Rain and the wedding party [In reply to]	Can't Post

In Reply To

We had one shoot that was an outdoor wedding, all started of well, and then it started coming down in the middle of the ceremony.

Hi, Still.

I think the first time I can remember shooting video in the rain
was ...

I rode along with the wedding party between the ceremony and
reception, just to get some shots of the ride over. They stopped
at the lakefront to get some shots and waited around for the photog
to show up but he never did. (Come to find out later that the
photog had figured that because it was drizzling that the
shoot was called off so he didn't bother to show
up but instead went directly to the reception site.) So, the
B&G were kinda bumming out just waiting around for the
photog to show up at the lakefront so I offered to shoot
some video there. I covered my cam in a plastic bag and
poked a whole for the lens to go through. I used a rubber
band to hold the plastic tight around the lens.
The shoot actually turned out quite nice and was in
my demo reel for a while. The only thing that I didn't
expect when I shot it was how the sound of the rain drops
coming down onto the plastic bag would restrict how
much of the natural audio I could use.

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"We'll always show up at the wedding with a gift bag for the bride. Inside we have these incredible fuzzy slippers in the teal of our branding."

Brackish
Veteran

Apr 25, 2007, 4:28 AM

Post #10 of 17 (972 views)
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Re: [StillMotion] Rain and the wedding party [In reply to]	Can't Post

In Reply To

We had to mic a live trio and rig up a tarp in the trees so that they would sill agree to play.

You put up a tarp in the trees? Now that's going the extra mile for
the client.

So, the couple and the officiant stood through the ceremony
holding umbrellas?

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"We'll always show up at the wedding with a gift bag for the bride. Inside we have these incredible fuzzy slippers in the teal of our branding."

StillMotion
User

Apr 25, 2007, 10:10 AM

Post #11 of 17 (962 views)
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Re: [Brackish] Rain and the wedding party [In reply to]	Can't Post

Hi Brackish,

I bet your plastic bag works a lot better than the produce bag idea. The produce bag is nice because it is clear, so on a DSLR so you can still see and use everything. The downside is that it is very thin. We won't do that with Canon, but Nikon is watersealed so it is a safer move.

Regarding the umbrellas, I actually meant mini-hat umbrellas. You cn usually get them at the dollar store and they are just slight bigger than the camera. The advantage is that the elastic that fits around your head to wear the hat umbrella will also fit around the handle of a camcorder so it can wear the umbrella, and it protects it pretty well. Wouldn't work with a DSLR though.

Several of us actually strung up a tarp in the tress as the trio was saying that they wouldn't play and the ceremony location didn't really have any covered options. They actually ended up playing quite far away, but the couple met in the rain and were engaged in the rain, so they loved it. If your ever curious to see how it looked, it is the fourth highlights on the video portfolio on our website.

Patrick

Brackish
Veteran

Apr 25, 2007, 10:15 PM

Post #12 of 17 (946 views)
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Re: [StillMotion] Rain and the wedding party [In reply to]	Can't Post

In Reply To

but the couple met in the rain and were engaged in the rain, so they loved it. If your ever curious to see how it looked, it is the fourth highlights on the video portfolio on our website.

Is there any rain coming down in the video?

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"We'll always show up at the wedding with a gift bag for the bride. Inside we have these incredible fuzzy slippers in the teal of our branding."

StillMotion
User

Apr 25, 2007, 10:18 PM

Post #13 of 17 (943 views)
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Re: [Brackish] Rain and the wedding party [In reply to]	Can't Post

Hmm, I think there should be. The couple has umbrellas during the ceremony and so do the guests. I think she walked down the aisle without an umbrella in light rain and then it picked up and the groom grabbed an umbrella for the two of them.

Here is a link to their abum we designed if your curious. Probably shows more than the video does:
http://stillmotionblog.com/?p=53

Patrick

Brackish
Veteran

Apr 25, 2007, 10:29 PM

Post #14 of 17 (942 views)
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Re: [StillMotion] Rain and the wedding party [In reply to]	Can't Post

Just wanted to let folks at home know that I was able to make a
satisfactory rain cover in about 10 minutes.

What it is is a clear plastic bag pulled over the camera. You cut
a small hole (about 2" across) in the corner of the bag. The hole should
be a bit smaller than your lens hood so that when you pull
the bag backward onto the lens hood it is a snug fit. Then you put
a rubber band or two over the lens hood to hold the bag tight.
(I first tried taping the bag onto the hood with electrical tape
but, through experimentation, found that the tape lets
loose right quick once water gets under it.)

I tried a quart size sandwich bag, which was too small. A gallon
size will work but is a tight fit, leaving an opening at the
bottom that rain can get in. What worked best - because of
larger size and because it seems clearer to see through - is
using a Reynolds Oven Bag ("Large" 16" X 17.5"). This bag
is designed for putting roasts in the oven with but is very
clear and also folds up very small in size to carry with
without taking up hardly any space. I even put a second
rubber band around the base (where the hands go through)
to make it a tighter water seal.

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"We'll always show up at the wedding with a gift bag for the bride. Inside we have these incredible fuzzy slippers in the teal of our branding."

Brackish
Veteran

Apr 26, 2007, 4:49 AM

Post #15 of 17 (928 views)
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Re: [StillMotion] Rain and the wedding party [In reply to]	Can't Post

Which of your videos show still images being incorporated into them?

I'd like to see how that could be done.

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"We'll always show up at the wedding with a gift bag for the bride. Inside we have these incredible fuzzy slippers in the teal of our branding."

StillMotion
User

Apr 26, 2007, 10:49 AM

Post #16 of 17 (922 views)
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Re: [Brackish] Rain and the wedding party [In reply to]	Can't Post

Hi Brackish,

The first highlights on our website has photos incorporated (it was also shot quite abit in the rain, however it is hard to notice then when you see the clip).

This is an E-shoot with photos incorporated a little bit more throughout:
http://stillmotionblog.com/?p=51

Patrick

Brackish
Veteran

May 9, 2007, 5:47 AM

Post #17 of 17 (801 views)
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Re: [Sandy B] Rain and the wedding party [In reply to]	Can't Post

Ran across this:

http://www.stormjacket.com/

I think it goes for $40 or $50.

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"We'll always show up at the wedding with a gift bag for the bride. Inside we have these incredible fuzzy slippers in the teal of our branding."