Worship Service Shots

[cw4u]

How do you go about taking shots in a worship service?

The only one's I've taken are from one of our camera platforms, but I'd really like to start taking some of a regular service once a month or every two months and then highlight christmas, easter, 4th of July...stuff like that. We always end up wishing we had taken shots for various things when we are creating documents and web pages, so I thought doing something on a regular basis would be a good idea. I don't want to intrude on others time in worship, but I also want to be able to effectively communicate the power of what is going on in our worship services.

Any tips or suggestions?

[Esoteric]

A very good zoom lens. Then, dress in all black, move with a purpose, and people will hardly notice you.

Mike

[petereit]

Originally Posted by Esoteric

A very good zoom lens. Then, dress in all black, move with a purpose, and people will hardly notice you.

Mike

LOL! You beat me to it. When you first start this, everyone will "accidentally" look right into the camera. About halfway through the first service the newness wears off and your become ninja-invisible.

[cw4u]

Hahaha. I'll try to become "ninja-invisible". I'll be carrying around a Canon 50D with a 24-70 f/2.8 and my 7D with a 70-200 f/2.8. I guess the next question is...flash or no flash? Stage shots would be fine without a flash because of stage lighting, but congregational shots would be tough to get a well defined face.

[Esoteric]

NO FLASH!!!! Get a lens with a good f/stop.

Mike

[cw4u]

Man I wish I could use a flash to just fill in some, but I'll give it try with those two lenses. I should get pretty decent results.

[[Director] Joseph B]

I know the 50D has a H2 setting (64000 ISO). It's got noise but you can get most of it out with photo shop.

[cw4u]

I'm hoping with the 7D that I shouldn't have to go beyond 2500ish ISO with a 1/120 shutter speed.

[[Director] Joseph B]

If you're steady you can hand hold at a 30th (I used to be able to do that but I'm much older and not as steady so I try to stay at a 50th unless I can brace myself).

[rkresge]

Originally Posted by Esoteric

A very good zoom lens. Then, dress in all black, move with a purpose, and people will hardly notice you.

Mike

I especially like the "move with a purpose" suggestion. I have a team member who absolutely refuses to listen to that excellent guidance. Instead, and despite repeated attempts to convince him otherwise, he "creeps" around the sanctuary at those occasional times when a tech absolutely must go move equipment, check a connection, etc. And as a result he draws attention to himself; it's almost like shouting, "Hey, look at me!" When you move with confidence and purpose you become part of the scenery and keep the distraction to a minimum.

Drifting a bit off topic -- We had a wedding in our sanctuary a while back where the videographer stationed in the chancel area actually dressed in black and covered himself and his camera with black cloth - only the lens protruded. Personally I thought the very obvious black "lump" was very distracting. But what else can you do? Our rules now prohibit live photography from the chancel area during weddings - photography must be done from the rear, or after the service.

Roger

[jksbc]

Sorry to sound so ignorant but what is a chancel?

[rkresge]

Originally Posted by jksbc

Sorry to sound so ignorant but what is a chancel?

Good definition here - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chancel

Roger