Wedding photograhy Gear?

stabo

Its something ive been thinking of getting into for a while. Im looking to upgrade my gear. So im just wondering whats a good cam/couple of lens to get me started? Ive been using a 450D since i started photog 3yrs ago. Any advice would be grateful.

charybdis

If you're really serious about doing this you should probably be able to answer this question yourself. There's no point in recommending a camera or a lens or whatever; you can't just go out and buy a "Wedding Photographer's Kit", you need to assess what gear you need.

stabo

Well im looking at going full frame (canon). What im asking is whats a good cam to get me started. Im not going to blow a load of dosh and expect brilliant pics.

wersal gummage

5d I or II x 2 plus 2x flash plus 1x 70-200 2.8 plus 24-70 2.8

Borderfox

two camera bodies - zoom lens - 17-40/24-70/70-200 - two flashguns €5,000

Optional primes 35/50/85 €1,000

Know who to use it all and react to situations in an instant while directing people - Priceless

Ricky91t

wersal gummage wrote: »

5d I or II x 2 plus 2x flash plus 1x 70-200 2.8 plus 24-70 2.8

It seems the OP isn't going into the professional Wedding area straight away and tbh recommending two bodies costing ( atleast) over €1000 each is a bit silly, Especially when he says in his post 'a good cam' and not two.

Everything else seems good though.

eas

I think there's some good advice in charybdis comment. Mainly, what makes a good wedding set up for me may not make a good set up for you.

The only way to know the gear that suits you is to understand the requirements of shooting weddings and clash that with your personal style and make an educated decision.

Ballyman

Ricky91t wrote: »

recommending two bodies costing ( atleast) over €1000 each is a bit silly,

I can't imagine a bride thinking it's too silly when your one camera decides to stop working halfway through a wedding ceremony.

wersal gummage

Ricky91t wrote: »

recommending two bodies costing ( atleast) over €1000 each is a bit silly, .

he asked about full frame and he's shooting with canon already. so i'm guessing he wants to stick with canon.... can you think of something cheaper than a 5d mark I that fits the bill ???? as he asked about full frame, i stated two cameras are necessary... would you seriously turn up to a wedding with one camera ???

stabo

eas wrote: »

I think there's some good advice in charybdis comment. Mainly, what makes a good wedding set up for me may not make a good set up for you.

The only way to know the gear that suits you is to understand the requirements of shooting weddings and clash that with your personal style and make an educated decision.

Yeah it a fair enough comment from charybdis. Im really only researching it now and normally don't read gear threads unless its something i think i need. It would be starting out basic at first and see how i progress. I was thinking of getting 5DI or II and using 450D as second body?

daycent

stabo wrote: »

Yeah it a fair enough comment from charybdis. Im really only researching it now and normally don't read gear threads unless its something i think i need. It would be starting out basic at first and see how i progress. I was thinking of getting 5DI or II and using 450D as second body?

In my (limited) experience, a 450D is a waste of time. Especially for a typical church wedding (indoors). Outdoors it can be okay.

eas

what is it that makes you think you need a 5d? If you're only looking to do a favor here and there you should be able to get perfectly acceptable results from your 450D + single lens + flash?

eas

daycent wrote: »

In my (limited) experience, a 450D is a waste of time. Especially for a typical church wedding (indoors). Outdoors it can be okay.

I honestly don't know the limitations of the 450D - however I can say with a degree of confidence that if used properly it could do the job very easily. I started doing weddings on a pair of d70's and made out fine.

Heebie

It wasn't really silly to suggest multiple bodies. If you're getting paid..and you don't have a backup body.. you're going to look pretty foolish telling the newlyweds, "Sorry.. no photos.. the camera broke."

Ricky91t

wersal gummage wrote: »

he asked about full frame and he's shooting with canon already. so i'm guessing he wants to stick with canon.... can you think of something cheaper than a 5d mark I that fits the bill ???? as he asked about full frame, i stated two cameras are necessary... would you seriously turn up to a wedding with one camera ???

It's one thing starting out shooting weddings for friends, I'm sure they wouldn't mind if your back up was a 30D or a 40D or even a 450D

2 x 5D MKII = €3664
2 x 580 ex = €726

canon 24-70 = €1000
canon 70-200 = €1700

Total: €7290

Where as a 40D new €530
Means a total of €5788
It's works out about 21% cheaper

*All prices were new and quickly found on ebay..

I'd much rather spend €1.5k less and buy a 5 series or 1 series when I'm actually making money.

stabo

eas wrote: »

what is it that makes you think you need a 5d? If you're only looking to do a favor here and there you should be able to get perfectly acceptable results from your 450D + single lens + flash?

It would'nt be a favor here or there,im hoping to do a bit more than that. Also i have the 450D 3yrs and would like and feel the need to upgrade.

stabo

Cheers for all the feedback so far.

daycent

eas wrote: »

I honestly don't know the limitations of the 450D - however I can say with a degree of confidence that if used properly it could do the job very easily. I started doing weddings on a pair of d70's and made out fine.

Ah, the old "if used properly" argument. Ouch!

It can as you say do the job (and has for me in the past), but it's far from ideal. Poor high ISO performance being the main drawback. Paired with really good lenses and it's pretty usable.

wersal gummage

Ricky91t wrote: »

2 x 5D MKII = €3664
.

i said a 5d mk 1, if you're doing it cheap you'd get one second hand. he said he wanted full frame. two bodies are a must for a wedding. thats why i suggested two. he has since said he'd use the 450 as the backup, so that means one second hand 5d mk1.

wersal gummage

daycent wrote: »

Ah, the old "if used properly" argument. Ouch!

It can as you say do the job (and has for me in the past), but it's far from ideal. Poor high ISO performance being the main drawback. Paired with really good lenses and it's pretty usable.

+1

having used a 450 d + 24-70 2.8 at 1600 ISO when flash is not allowed, if any amount of cropping is necessary, the quality isn't really there. as a back up, yeah fine. not as the only camera to shoot a wedding - no way. and what, up on the alter changing lenses ???

Borderfox

Add a 30/40d and two 430ex flashes and some 2nd hand good glass and you have a starting package.

Whatever gear you get practice until its second nature using it, I use a 1dmk3 and a 5d so slightly different controls on both but you get used to using them under pressure very quickly. Shoot a couple of friends weddings and get a portfolio together/website.

daycent

wersal gummage wrote: »

+1

having used a 450 d + 24-70 2.8 at 1600 ISO when flash is not allowed, if any amount of cropping is necessary, the quality isn't really there. as a back up, yeah fine. not as the only camera to shoot a wedding - no way. and what, up on the alter changing lenses ???

I agree. I used a nifty fifty on a 450d in a small bright registry office and it was fine, mainly bacause I was able to get close to the couple.

I used it with a Canon 70-200 f2.8 IS at ISO 1600 in a dark church and it didn't perform that well.

eas

daycent wrote: »

Ah, the old "if used properly" argument. Ouch!

It wasn't meant to be taken like that :rolleyes: - my point is that people have been fine shooting weddings for a long time using cameras that come no where near the level of today's high performance expectations, mainly because they knew how to get the most out of what they had. I'm talking only 5 years ago, not 20.

Xiney

eas wrote: »

It wasn't meant to be taken like that :rolleyes: - my point is that people have been fine shooting weddings for a long time using cameras that come no where near the level of today's high performance expectations, mainly because they knew how to get the most out of what they had. I'm talking only 5 years ago, not 20.

cameras have come a long way, this is true. But lenses... lenses have always had their high end counterparts. Glass, in my humble opinion, is far more important than the body behind it (although less important than the body behind that )

Borderfox

Very true, good glass will always elevate a camera body to better pictures.

PCPhoto

so in summary .... buy good lenses, good cameras (have a second body or even third if possible - in the unlikely event that one drops and the second jams)

- loads of spare cards
- loads of spare batteries

at least 2 flashes - and if possible off shoe trigger

suggested lenses are traditional zooms (16-35mm f2.8, 24-70mm f2.8 and 70-200mm f2.8)
and primes 50mm f1.2 , 85mm f1.2, 50mm or 100mm macro ... and a 14mm.

it all comes down to your style and what images you are trying to achieve....theres no real set which will get you going in photography but in order to stand out from other wedding photographers its more ideal to provide something different,

I don't shoot weddings - but have done so in the past for friends and just used a 70-200mm and 16-35mm and Canon 40D (just after 40D was released) .... I didnt shoot anything in the church as there was official photographers and I wanted to give them some random pics and also enjoy my time at the wedding. (hic !)

basic shots from weddings:
group
couple
couple+parents
couple+bridesmaids/groomsmen
bride+parents
groom+parents
etc etc .... so it all comes down to how you set up these images and all the other possible combinations.

JCJCJC

I shot weddings in the past - on medium-format film with Mamiyas. It's the most stressful way I ever made a bob - never, ever again for anyone. However, with 100asa medium format portrait film, manual focusing and a big but simple Metz flash I could routinely get sharpness in a 16" x 20" print that only the very best digital images could match to this day. With processing now easily available to scan the film to CD at high resolution in the labs, it opens up post-production with the initial quality of the traditional set-up. You could buy a competent Mamiya RZ 6x7 with a few lenses for under a grand, and if you know what you are doing with it - and it takes some learning - you will do a fine job on a wedding.

The most useful accessory is a spotty teenager to set up your tripod before you get to each location, and to hold a big gold reflector to make movie stars out of everybody on dull Irish days.

JC

Xiney

JCJCJC wrote: »

The most useful accessory is a spotty teenager to set up your tripod before you get to each location, and to hold a big gold reflector to make movie stars out of everybody on dull Irish days.

JC

Are the spots compulsory?

sprinkles

Just wondering, seen as a few people have advised 2x 5DmkII why not go for 1 5DmkII and a 7D? Low light very similar and you have the benefit of a cropped sensor and faster AF on the 7D for certain situations.

But in all seriousness, you should check out the sticky at the top of the forum, sometimes there are boardsies looking for people to help them out shooting a wedding - well, not shooting the wedding but helping out. You should look to tag along with someone who actually shoots these regularly and see what is needed. There is a lot of pressure to get the shots right and it's not just gear you'll need for that.

Experience is not something you can buy.

akaspike

Spend the money on the glass.
What dose your budget allow you? Max it out by 1k and try and make it back. Understand were you are, and inform the ones that are asking you.

Look it's not plain sailing, there is a nack to it and i give full credit to the main guys in town. Alot of them put a ****load of time, money and personal development in their skill. (it's no qet rich scheme) and if your really into it study a few wed phogs and develop your own style.

---

Thats my rant for above..

---

I was going to post a new thread but as it falls under wed martial i thought i'd hop on the back of this. So pardon me.
----
I have a slight dilemma.

I was shooting a wedding last week. Now i'm still starting out and i understand both side's of the sillyness between Pros and everyone below them.

Let me start out by saying that i was asked to do this about two years before, as the guys were running with the classic line of "oh you have a camera and that means you can take pictures" but i did inform them that it was for my own pleasure but i'd shoot their wedding, but i needed to get an understanding of what they wanted and what i could achieve. Yes i undercut the local market, but i was happy with my work up to that point and thought i could deliver, and i guess they thought the same.

So now i'm 4 weddings in and another one next week all is looking up. Truth be told it's one area i never wanted to get into as i wouldn't put myself into a people category but i'm learning. I wanted photography to be an extension of myself in some form or another, but the day job rates have been cut so far back that i'm just bobbing above minimum wage and life isn't as rosy as i thought it could be. So i'm either going to sink or swim. I choose to Swim with big ass arm bands.

The latest wedding i shoot, has been the most problematic. (Due to me arriving 1.30 hrs before hoping to shoot some marco shots, but she was already dressed. ) I love meeting the clients and getting a feel for what one wants and i must say i do enjoy the actual day, But and it's a big But. I'm still trying to get my head around the female idea of a perfect day.

This recent wedding i shoot, my bride who was lovely and has a great sense of humor (i made an error of saying ah bride do you wanna sort yourself out, when i ment to say - ah your hair has moved due to the wind.. It was met by a nice family OHHHHH) But anyhow she wore a low cut wedding dress. Fine, but her chest is scared and has been for more than 10 years, I'm editing pics at the mo and i', thinking do i try and airbrush it or leave it as she made a point of wearing a low cut dress.

I'm still still trying to figure out how people prceive themselves to be on that special day

But at the moment i have another 5 to shoot this year along with venues and parties so it's starting to look up. I think the wheels are on but are slowly turning. My main gripe with this is trying to find my own time to shoot my own stuff., between the day job

Hey folks please view my pix page http://pix.ie/spike/album/375961 and comment good or bad. I hold my pix.ie only to photographers so dont hold back on the comments, i'll delete the mean ones but take them on board.
Love spike,

Xiney

wouldn't take the scars out - they're a part of her and she didn't try to hide them so I think if you airbrushed them out she'd be offended.

stabo

Xiney wrote: »

wouldn't take the scars out - they're a part of her and she didn't try to hide them so I think if you airbrushed them out she'd be offended.

Agree,if she did'nt want them she would have asked.She would have wore a different dress if she really had a problem with it.

Borderfox

A wedding day is a fantasy and we (as photographers) are there to amplify the fantasy and to direct it in such a way as to enhance the Bride (who is the most important, naturally) Expect the unexpected as far as you were saying arriving before to take shots, run with it then and get the shots even with the Bride in the dress but include her in the performance.

I go to a wedding with a plan in my head of how the day will work out and after about 40 or so of them it yet has to go to my plan but thats great because they are spontaneous events and they will keep me on my toes (thats why I love wedding days)

I was talking to Animalrights at one and likened a wedding day to buying a really fast car, at first your overwhelmed but in a while you get used to it and can start to think as you go.

akaspike wrote: »

Spend the money on the glass.
What dose your budget allow you? Max it out by 1k and try and make it back. Understand were you are, and inform the ones that are asking you.

Look it's not plain sailing, there is a nack to it and i give full credit to the main guys in town. Alot of them put a ****load of time, money and personal development in their skill. (it's no qet rich scheme) and if your really into it study a few wed phogs and develop your own style.

---

Thats my rant for above..

---

I was going to post a new thread but as it falls under wed martial i thought i'd hop on the back of this. So pardon me.
----
I have a slight dilemma.

I was shooting a wedding last week. Now i'm still starting out and i understand both side's of the sillyness between Pros and everyone below them.

Let me start out by saying that i was asked to do this about two years before, as the guys were running with the classic line of "oh you have a camera and that means you can take pictures" but i did inform them that it was for my own pleasure but i'd shoot their wedding, but i needed to get an understanding of what they wanted and what i could achieve. Yes i undercut the local market, but i was happy with my work up to that point and thought i could deliver, and i guess they thought the same.

So now i'm 4 weddings in and another one next week all is looking up. Truth be told it's one area i never wanted to get into as i wouldn't put myself into a people category but i'm learning. I wanted photography to be an extension of myself in some form or another, but the day job rates have been cut so far back that i'm just bobbing above minimum wage and life isn't as rosy as i thought it could be. So i'm either going to sink or swim. I choose to Swim with big ass arm bands.

The latest wedding i shoot, has been the most problematic. (Due to me arriving 1.30 hrs before hoping to shoot some marco shots, but she was already dressed. ) I love meeting the clients and getting a feel for what one wants and i must say i do enjoy the actual day, But and it's a big But. I'm still trying to get my head around the female idea of a perfect day.

This recent wedding i shoot, my bride who was lovely and has a great sense of humor (i made an error of saying ah bride do you wanna sort yourself out, when i ment to say - ah your hair has moved due to the wind.. It was met by a nice family OHHHHH) But anyhow she wore a low cut wedding dress. Fine, but her chest is scared and has been for more than 10 years, I'm editing pics at the mo and i', thinking do i try and airbrush it or leave it as she made a point of wearing a low cut dress.

I'm still still trying to figure out how people prceive themselves to be on that special day

But at the moment i have another 5 to shoot this year along with venues and parties so it's starting to look up. I think the wheels are on but are slowly turning. My main gripe with this is trying to find my own time to shoot my own stuff., between the day job

Hey folks please view my pix page http://pix.ie/spike/album/375961 and comment good or bad. I hold my pix.ie only to photographers so dont hold back on the comments, i'll delete the mean ones but take them on board.
Love spike,

AnimalRights

akaspike wrote: »

But anyhow she wore a low cut wedding dress. Fine, but her chest is scared and has been for more than 10 years, I'm editing pics at the mo and i', thinking do i try and airbrush it or leave it as she made a point of wearing a low cut dress.

I thought you meant her chest was sacred!! I was going to say that this guy is even more sex crazed then me!

I checked ur pixie pics of her and it's a simple answer, if she had a probelm with the scars she wouldn'tve wore the low cut dress, so leave them.
She looks a good character alright.


As for weddings, I've did my 1st one a few weeks ago for my brother and was 7/10 happy, one with Borderfox 2 weeks later and again 7/10.
Big one yesterday tagging along again with him to learn and I fcked up, I made a simple mistake of relying on my IS on one of my lens and using aperture priority and obviously forgot it would lower my shutter speed to around 30, hence any mad movements were blurred.
It takes plenty of experience to not make these basic school boy errors and the next communion I'm doing in a couple of weeks will be check check check after every 2-3 shots!!!

mikeanywhere

AnimalRights wrote: »

............ and I fcked up

At least you recognised the errors you made, which to me is as important as getting the shots in the first place. The real test will be next time you start shooting and remember not to do it again.