I booked a "theatrical" wedding for this August. She's the director of the theater that the wedding is being held. He's a production and lighting manager of a major dance company on broadway. I'm doing their e-pics in the theater tonight and wanted to know if anyone has had any experience with theater lighting, has any ideas or advice for me. This is definitely the type of shoot that I can't just look around on the web of examples and need to pull my creativity out of hiding! LOL

Thanks!

Just ask Garrett Nudd. If I remeber right, he had some incredible theater shots.

I would shoot a lot with my 50 1.4 with as much available light as possible or if you have any kind of continous light source use it (ie clamp lights, baf (big a%^ flashlight), or worklights. You would just have to bring an extension cord or something...but since it's in a theater there is bound to be some of those that you can use.

If it's in a theater or a theatrical theme spotlights should be the norm. You should have some really dramatic lighting to play with I'll bet. If you use studio lights you might consider snoots or honycombs to make spotlight looking lighting. Maybe even different color gels for different looks. Sounds like you can have a lot of fun with this.

I 2nd this advice. Just shoot them a message. Garrett and Joy shot in the Fox Theater in Atlanta. Thread lost in the crash. There is some from a bridal shoot and the wedding shoot on their blog. Look in the Sept. 2006 archive.
Wish the thread was around, Garrett answered some specific questions about the shoot I believe.

Thanks everyone! I will definitely send them a PM this weekend when I can actually absorb the information. I'm fried right now. I did the engagement photos the other night. I'll post some once I get a chance. I'm glad I did the e-pics there to give me a head start on all of the lighting challenges! I'm also going to the rehearsal in August to shoot some to make sure i have it down.

I knew I could count on you all! THanks!

I did a wedding in a theatre, and honestly, it was the most difficult wedding I've ever shot. The lights were... horrible. Blue and green and red and pink and yellow, along with white, all over the stage. Very hap-hazard. Great, I'm sure, for dramatic stage lighting of plays, but VERY difficult to work with.
There was no bouncing light for the formals, because of the traditional dark curtians and walls and ceilings.
I now wish that I had talked to the lighting guys or stage managers before the wedding and checked out what the lighting would be like on the day of the wedding.
On the upside:
The best shots we got were from back stage in the wings. The lights then did make for some VERY dramatic back lighting.