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shooting my first wedding.... questions?


eden_soto___dallas_tx

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I bought a Canon 28-105 F3.5-4.5 II USM lens on Ebay for my wedding photography a few weeks ago because I didn't want to lug two lenses around and I had a budget. I have heard from portrait and wedding photographers who swear by this lens. I've shot two weddings with this lens already. The image quality is great. Now I swear by it.
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Do you have any experience shooting weddings? Do you have a complete set of back up gear (camera ,lens,flash)? Do you have the "eye" needed for shooting? Are your people handling and posing skills ready?

 

 

Are you completely in control of things that can go wrong? Or of simple things like exposure? Weddings aren't brain surgery, but they happen at their own pace, not yours. And it easy for the tyro to be swept away and drowned.

 

 

I assure you Im trying to encourage, not dis-courage you. But there is a lot that can wrong at weddings, and your pictures will be the proof.

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Dallas is a major hub. There should be a camera rental place in town where you could rent

a selection of lenses, and even a flash.

 

I suggest the following setup:

 

-580 EX flash

 

-16-35mm f2.8 lens

-24-70mm f2.8 lens

(OR, if you can, get the 17-85mm f4-f5.6 IS USM lens - it'll cover all the bases of the

above two lenses, with a slightly smaller aperture.)

 

-70-200mm f2.8 USM IS lens

 

-If you can get a set of Pocket Wizards and an off-camera portable light that will greatly

enhance your images, but you need to be comfortable with off-camera lighting first. If

you've never used it, your first wedding isn't the time to learn. But it's a great goal for the

future.

 

-FLASHCARDS!!! Make sure you have plenty of flash memory. You will likely shoot MUCH

more than you anticipate. You don't want to run out of space. We shoot RAW with a series

of 2G cards.

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You need a 2nd camera more than you need better lenses.

 

Consider getting a cheap Rebel film camera with 400 film as a backup.

 

The Sunpak flashes are pretty good and cheap. I have a 355 that works well as a simple TTL unit with my Nikon gear.

 

Wedding Shot List

 

Before Ceremony

 

___ Bride preparing (optional)

___ Flowers and food setup

___ Tables

___ Candids of people arriving/mingling

 

 

Ceremony

 

___ Shot of bride coming in

___ Closeups of exchange of vows and rings and kiss

___ Shots of couple exiting

 

 

Posed pictures after ceremony

 

___ B&G (3 shots each camera)

___ B&G with family (3 shots each camera)

___ B&G with wedding party (3 shots each camera)

 

 

Reception

 

___ Bouquet toss

___ Cake cutting

___ Toasts

___ First dances

___ Table shots

___ Candids

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For rentals, check out these two places:

 

Bolt Productions Digital

2410 Farrington St

Dallas, TX 75207

(214) 234-8428

 

Dallas Camera

1321 Chemical St

Dallas, TX 75207

(214) 630-4040

 

I'm not certain that they rent, but they were listed in the Yellow Pages as photographic

rental houses.

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William-

 

If you are depressed then your mood will come through in your pictures of other people.

 

Omega-3's are one good treatment for depression.

 

Antidepressant drugs are not very effective- 75% of people on them still have symptoms of depression.

 

Talk therapy is important- you may have a lot of inner anger that is manifesting as depression.

 

Speaking from experience...

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One tip... if ever in doubt shoot in shutter proiority (not sure what Canon calls it) and set the shutter at 1/60th indoors and 1/125th outdoors. I work for a very successful pro, and she shoots this way for every wedding compensating with the flash +/- when neded. Remarkably consistent.

 

If you aren't a complete novice you should do fine. They are pretty predictable, but nerve racking. Whatever you do, keep it simple and work within your limitations. Don't be afraid to take charge and ask to retake a shot(within reason).

 

Bring/buy lots of memory and shoot RAW.

 

Don't forget a tripod and a cable release. Good for dark churches during the ceremony or dragging the shutter a bit (shooting at 1/30th) to help with formals. We use it with faster lenses like f/2.8 and they are a great aid!

 

Indoors....if the ceilings aren't more than 12 feet then bounce all of your flash.

 

The histogram is your best friend. Learn it. Know what it is telling you...

 

Body #1...existing Rebel/kit lense (assuming that is your setup) with the 580 flash.

 

Beg, borrow, or steal a second film or digital Body #2... 50mm f/1.8

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  • 4 months later...

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