light kits at receptions.... at DVinfo.net

Stephen J. Williams · April 11th, 2009, 06:47 PM

For those of you who use external lights at receptions. What does your setup look like?

I have a 3 light kit.. 2 500W and 1 250W

I would like to use them one day at a reception but I'm not to sure how the guests would feel.
Ideally I would like to break them out only for the main parts (bouquet toss, cake cutting, first dance, ect....)

Just curious where most people set up there kits at, and how most people feel about it?

steve

Travis Cossel · April 11th, 2009, 07:04 PM

I currently just use a single light setup .. 300w or 600w. I expected resistance from guests, but so far it's been pretty good. I have been shutting it down when the general dancing begins, though.

Walt Paluch · April 11th, 2009, 07:29 PM

Hi

We have been using 500 watts light for the special moments of the reception, first dance cake cutting etc... we are changing over to NRG dimmable light 2 ,100 watts battery powered. We have gotten a lot of comments to shut the lights off but we always tell those who do comment to go talk to the bride and they usually go away. Switched to NRG VARALUX PROFESSIONAL one on camera the other mounted on a stand aiming at the dance floor. Lighter and easier to move around. The work well don't kill the mood although I still like my 500 watt flood. One other thing we have told people who don't like the bright light is if it were and outdoor wedding wouldn't they be dancing, that works also.

Stephen J. Williams · April 11th, 2009, 07:33 PM

Travis... how do you use your single light? I would most likely do the same. Do you try to bounce off of walls or do you just aim it at what you need?

Stephen J. Williams · April 11th, 2009, 07:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Walt Paluch

Hi

We have been using 500 watts light for the special moments of the reception, first dance cake cutting etc... we are changing over to NRG dimmable light 2 ,100 watts battery powered. We have gotten a lot of comments to shut the lights off but we always tell those who do comment to go talk to the bride and they usually go away. Switched to NRG VARALUX PROFESSIONAL one on camera the other mounted on a stand aiming at the dance floor. Lighter and easier to move around. The work well don't kill the mood although I still like my 500 watt flood. One other thing we have told people who don't like the bright light is if it were and outdoor wedding wouldn't they be dancing, that works also.

Walt look like a good system.. I'm currently using a 50W light on a stand with a wireless remote (all battery powered). It works fairly well, I love the mobility... There were a few parts though where I could tell it just didn't have enough power though. I wouldn't mind switching to something new someday.

Travis Cossel · April 11th, 2009, 11:04 PM

My goal is to get the light up high and position it so that it won't be in the guest's eyes. And make sure you get it turned on before you need it, that way it feels more like a part of the original setup.

Renton Maclachlan · April 12th, 2009, 12:38 AM

For what it's worth: I'm not doing what you guys are doing, but I have a 500w light which I have made a dimmer for...so with such a light/dimmer at a wedding, you wouldn't be stuck with 500w only...

Stelios Christofides · April 12th, 2009, 01:39 AM

I am using a 350W single light bounced on an umbrella with a dimmer. This way it doesn't annoy the guest; and now with my Z5 I can even dim it right to the minimum. On the camera I use the HVL-20DW2 Battery Video Light 20W/10W.

Stelios

Stelios Christofides · April 12th, 2009, 01:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Walt Paluch

... Switched to NRG VARALUX PROFESSIONAL one on camera ...

Walt, How do you power this light? Aren't the batteries too heavy to carry around?

Stelios

Walt Paluch · April 12th, 2009, 05:31 AM

Bescor make 2 different battery pack sizes, both last the whole night since they are not on all the time. Yes the big belt is a little heavy the other one is have the size but it works great.

Scott Hayes · April 12th, 2009, 06:15 AM

if you have a harbor freight tools, you can get dimmers for $15! they are in the power tools sectioin, called router speed controls.

Nicholas de Kock · April 12th, 2009, 12:26 PM

I use one 500W light, I use to have two but realized one is more than enough with minimum disruption to guests.

Stephen J. Williams · April 12th, 2009, 01:03 PM

I'm thinking of using one of my 500W w/ an umbrella raised high and out of the way... I'm a little worried about 2 things.

1) harsh shadows (I'm thinking with an umbrella though they might not be to bad)

2) Someone knocking the light over.

Steve

Oren Arieli · April 12th, 2009, 06:27 PM

I've been avoiding using lights at receptions, but with the XH-A1, you need the extra photons (and on-camera has always been 1-dimensional looking). My advice would be two-fold:
1. Get the tallest light stand you can. I have one that hits 13ft, but folds down no bigger than any others. The higher you can put your light, the less it will be in the eyes of your guests. Heck, you might even fool them into thinking its a room light.
2. Dimmer. Don't do a hard on/off if you want to keep your presence subtle. As a bonus, I would keep the light at 25-30% level BEFORE the guests enter the room. That way, its part of the ambience and they're less likely to notice it.

For stability, you can't beat a sandbag...but that adds weight to your gear...so a roll of gaffer's tape is almost as good. Run tape across a section of each leg to the floor. If possible, you can 'hide' your stand behind the DJ's speakers and jigsaw the two stands together (with the DJ's permission). That way, it also looks like part of his gear (fewer complaints for you).

Stephen J. Williams · April 12th, 2009, 06:59 PM

Oren...

Awesome advice.... especially using a dimmer and keeping the lighting at 20%...

I'll pick up some dimmers tomorrow and wire them in.

April 11th, 2009, 06:47 PM	#1
Stephen J. Williams Major Player Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Mays Landing, NJ Posts: 768	light kits at receptions.... For those of you who use external lights at receptions. What does your setup look like? I have a 3 light kit.. 2 500W and 1 250W I would like to use them one day at a reception but I'm not to sure how the guests would feel. Ideally I would like to break them out only for the main parts (bouquet toss, cake cutting, first dance, ect....) Just curious where most people set up there kits at, and how most people feel about it? steve

April 11th, 2009, 07:04 PM	#2
Travis Cossel Inner Circle Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Miami, FL Posts: 2,933	I currently just use a single light setup .. 300w or 600w. I expected resistance from guests, but so far it's been pretty good. I have been shutting it down when the general dancing begins, though. __________________ Black Label Films www.blacklabelweddingfilms.com

April 11th, 2009, 07:29 PM	#3
Walt Paluch Regular Crew Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Syracuse NY Posts: 65	Lights reception Hi We have been using 500 watts light for the special moments of the reception, first dance cake cutting etc... we are changing over to NRG dimmable light 2 ,100 watts battery powered. We have gotten a lot of comments to shut the lights off but we always tell those who do comment to go talk to the bride and they usually go away. Switched to NRG VARALUX PROFESSIONAL one on camera the other mounted on a stand aiming at the dance floor. Lighter and easier to move around. The work well don't kill the mood although I still like my 500 watt flood. One other thing we have told people who don't like the bright light is if it were and outdoor wedding wouldn't they be dancing, that works also.

April 11th, 2009, 11:04 PM	#6
Travis Cossel Inner Circle Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Miami, FL Posts: 2,933	My goal is to get the light up high and position it so that it won't be in the guest's eyes. And make sure you get it turned on before you need it, that way it feels more like a part of the original setup. __________________ Black Label Films www.blacklabelweddingfilms.com

April 12th, 2009, 01:39 AM	#8
Stelios Christofides Trustee Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Nicosia, CYPRUS Posts: 1,080	I am using a 350W single light bounced on an umbrella with a dimmer. This way it doesn't annoy the guest; and now with my Z5 I can even dim it right to the minimum. On the camera I use the HVL-20DW2 Battery Video Light 20W/10W. Stelios __________________ My Blog: http://steliosc.blogspot.com "I hope for nothing, I fear nothing, I am free" Nikos Kazantzakis

April 11th, 2009, 07:33 PM	#4
Stephen J. Williams Major Player Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Mays Landing, NJ Posts: 768	Travis... how do you use your single light? I would most likely do the same. Do you try to bounce off of walls or do you just aim it at what you need?

April 12th, 2009, 12:38 AM	#7
Renton Maclachlan Trustee Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: New Zealand Posts: 1,180	For what it's worth: I'm not doing what you guys are doing, but I have a 500w light which I have made a dimmer for...so with such a light/dimmer at a wedding, you wouldn't be stuck with 500w only...

April 12th, 2009, 05:31 AM	#10
Walt Paluch Regular Crew Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Syracuse NY Posts: 65	Lites weddings Bescor make 2 different battery pack sizes, both last the whole night since they are not on all the time. Yes the big belt is a little heavy the other one is have the size but it works great.

April 12th, 2009, 06:15 AM	#11
Scott Hayes Major Player Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Lexington, KY Posts: 692	if you have a harbor freight tools, you can get dimmers for $15! they are in the power tools sectioin, called router speed controls.

April 12th, 2009, 12:26 PM	#12
Nicholas de Kock Major Player Join Date: May 2007 Location: KLD, South Africa Posts: 983	I use one 500W light, I use to have two but realized one is more than enough with minimum disruption to guests.

April 12th, 2009, 01:03 PM	#13
Stephen J. Williams Major Player Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Mays Landing, NJ Posts: 768	I'm thinking of using one of my 500W w/ an umbrella raised high and out of the way... I'm a little worried about 2 things. 1) harsh shadows (I'm thinking with an umbrella though they might not be to bad) 2) Someone knocking the light over. Steve

April 12th, 2009, 06:27 PM	#14
Oren Arieli Major Player Join Date: May 2007 Location: San Jose, California Posts: 919	I've been avoiding using lights at receptions, but with the XH-A1, you need the extra photons (and on-camera has always been 1-dimensional looking). My advice would be two-fold: 1. Get the tallest light stand you can. I have one that hits 13ft, but folds down no bigger than any others. The higher you can put your light, the less it will be in the eyes of your guests. Heck, you might even fool them into thinking its a room light. 2. Dimmer. Don't do a hard on/off if you want to keep your presence subtle. As a bonus, I would keep the light at 25-30% level BEFORE the guests enter the room. That way, its part of the ambience and they're less likely to notice it. For stability, you can't beat a sandbag...but that adds weight to your gear...so a roll of gaffer's tape is almost as good. Run tape across a section of each leg to the floor. If possible, you can 'hide' your stand behind the DJ's speakers and jigsaw the two stands together (with the DJ's permission). That way, it also looks like part of his gear (fewer complaints for you).

April 12th, 2009, 06:59 PM	#15
Stephen J. Williams Major Player Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Mays Landing, NJ Posts: 768	Oren... Awesome advice.... especially using a dimmer and keeping the lighting at 20%... I'll pick up some dimmers tomorrow and wire them in.