I'm not a Wedding Photographer, but I need help...

[stephen dohring]

You have everything you need. I would use your 50 and take shots of the details, rings, table setting etc. The 35-70 is going to be your all day setup with flash. If there are large group shots you might want the 24, you will make the call but keep it around. Outdoors have the 35-70 with flash around your neck and set up the other d200 with the 80-200 and snipe during the ceremony.

[christopher hartt dallas]

Yeah, I agree with Steve's advice. Set the main cam up with the 35-70 and the other up with the 50. Remember to do some max aperture natural light pics of the bride getting ready in addition to the higher contrast flash shots. I do suggest you invest in a good flash bracket - My choice is the Custom Bracket - to get the flash off the camera but Arca Swiss will be alright too. Estimates vary, but about 70% of the shots will be Portrait and using a good bracket is the only way to minimize distracting shadow, red eye, etc. Make sure you have plenty of flash cards and batteries. In an ideal world, you would have a Quantum or Digital Camera Battery to boost your SB800. Without the supplemental battery though, use the highest MaH AA's you can find.

[bwcombs]

Jim, I'm not a wedding shooter either, but last year I was coerced into shooting a relative's

wedding. So, I know from where you come my friend.

 

Your gear is more than adequate, although a wider lens might be useful for some shots

(Tokina or Nikon 12-24mm).

 

Enlist someone you trust to help you. Not to shoot, but to help organize and move things

along, gather gear, get releases signed, etc. My wife was invaluable during my shoot.

 

If you think you have enough CF cards, get some more.

 

Add another SB800 to the lineup. Backup or second light, very helpful. A tripod if you need

it. I used it for the sanctuary shots after the service, and set it up at the reception to hold a

remote SB800 for side lighting.

 

And if you can, scout the sites for the wedding, reception, rehearsals, etc. ahead of time to

get an idea of light, positions, etc.

 

Hydrate. Bring some bottled water. You'll need it.

 

As I've said before, I don't shoot these events, but have a whole new respect for those that

do it well. They are worth every cent and more.

 

Good luck!

[jcshoots]

WOW! Thanks for the great responses; the wedding is two weeks away and I was hoping to get a response or two by then...

 

I do have a Stroboframe flip to get the flash up; my trusty wife will come along to help;

 

I just finished discussing the ceremony with the bride; her husband is a police officer, the entire wedding party is police officers and 90% of attendees will be police officers. As if I needed the added pressure. :( Could be my first and last Wedding!

 

Thanks again all, I truly appreciate the help!

 

Jim

[jcshoots]

Hello All,

I am not a Wedding photographer but have gotten roped into shooting a wedding

for some co-workers who have little and/or no $$$$. I'm not taking anyone

else's business; without me this wedding would have been shot with Grandma's

P&S. I don't mind helping and will end up shooting the wedding for model

release signatures only. I can use them in the stock side of my business.

 

I would appreciate some recommendations; it is important to me to provide a

quality service regardless of compensation.

 

The wedding will be outdoors; the reception indoors. My current gear is:

 

D200 (with a backup D200)

50mm 1.4

35-70mm 2.8

80-200mm 2.8

24mm 2.8

SB800 flash

 

Any thoughts on how to proceed and what gear is recommended?; I will let the

bride tell me what she wants as far as candids v. posed, etc.

 

Thanks in advance,

 

Jim

[jimstrutz]

You have no wide lenses. Probably not an issue for the outdoor ceremony, but for the indoor reception 24mm (36mm equivalent) will be limiting. I'm sure it can be done well with what you have, but I would be irritated trying it. Could this be a good excuse for getting Nikon's 17-55 f/2.8?

 

The 12-24 is another option, but I would prefer a zoom to cover the middle range. Still, shooting with two cameras, and the 12-24 on one and the 35-70 on the other, you'd be covered pretty well.

 

You can probably tell, I'm not a prime lens fan for weddings.

[sting1]

you actually bother to get model release signature from participants at weddings? OMG! where do you get the time to actually shoot?!

 

I've shot only a few weddings but ~I've bothered with model release signatures as its a forgone conclusion the pictures will be sold to bride & groom!

[timberwulf]

Make sure you're very familiar with when and how to bounce your flash and drag the shutter to get good ambient light fill-in. As for the equipment, you already have a better bag and glass than I do (of course, I'm a mid-budget part time shooter too). ;)

[DickArnold]

I've done a lot of outdoor weddings. The advice about a moderate wide lens is good. The only time I used a tripod was for formals. That is also the only time I generally have used a wide angle. The formals can wind up with a lot of people, as many as sixteen. You need to do formals of the B&G as well. The tripod will provide a fixed location in which to gather what formals you will, and that you have hopefully listed for both families. I tried to get someone to gather groups for these pictures who knew both families so they could sort them out for the most ordered pictures. You may have limited time between the ceremony and the reception so I found the organization of this part of the wedding critical to not hurting feelings by leaving someone out.

[picturesque]

What is your level of skill with photography? Unless you are reasonably knowledgeable, you can get yourself in trouble by trying to follow pro advice without really knowing why they are telling you to do something. For instance, do you normally use automated modes on your camera? Do you use your flash often, and if so, how?

[john_h.1]

This isn't an answer to your question but the whole model release thing seems the be a hurdle if you intend to use images of guests. If so, how are you going to get all those people to sign?

[stephen dohring]

Listening to all this release stuff makes me open my mouth some more. I would not get a bracket and not bring a tripod etc and a folder full of releases jeez!!.

 

Keep things really simple, be comfortable and get the moments. I use the 5th battery and 2500mah NIMH batteries with the 800, two sets should get you through but keep extra just in case, recycle is still very fast. don't weigh yourself with stuff you don't know how to use study some compositions instead of learning new gear, watch the event and be ready. Pay attention to your settings from indoors to outdoors - change the ASA as needed if you can... stay at 400, 800 is ok if you have neat image or noise ninja but the d200 is very noisy in the blacks at 800 unless slightly overexposed. good luck!!!

[john_h.1]

"Keep things really simple, be comfortable and get the moments."

 

Excellent advice. Don't miss the moments by getting over your head in technical matters. Practicing alot beforehand and adopting techniques that work will help things go smoothly at the time.

[edsel_adams]

Listen to your own advice "I'm not a Wedding Photographer".

[sting1]

Edsel, im not really a photographer either(meaning, ive never done it for a living) .. But this past few months its become my main job and people that I've worked for liked what I did.

 

Being supportive does actually help people!

[sting1]

Edsel, you may be a better photographer than others and myself here but you gotta come back down to earth and read Jon's post. He's asking for help.

 

And by the way. I've only shot couple of weddings so far, and Ive had no complaints! But who's saying im a "Good Photographer"? or more to the point Jon is?!!!

 

Anotehr (small) ponit, sure there are many wedding photographers but if you think that everone is shooting weddings, u probably dont know that many photographers. I know many working photographers and most of them dont shoot weddings!

[sandra_schaffer]

Edsel, Steve L., whoever you are, the guy is offering to help out someone by taking photos they cannot as they are the participants and they have no money. He is not claiming to be Monte or Bambi.. he is saying, look, these are my co workers and I am trying to help out.

 

Cut him some slack and offer some helpful advice instead of just tearing him down!

 

Jim:

If you can try shooting some flash photos of inanimate objects so you can see what you like or don't like. Shooting flash at f8 with an F8stop and shutter at ambient (but not faster than the synch) and from 5-15 feet from the subject is a starter.. but go and shoot and SEE it on the screen!

 

Try to get a flash bracket (strobo fliframe is a good one and not expensive.. you will have to get a remore synch cord to fire the flash). Flash over the lens on a bracket will improve falsh photos.

 

Shoot vertical as much as possible for up to 3 people in a group. Get close enough but remember they may want an 8X10 and so you need to leave "cropping room" at the edges.

 

Go to wedding books and to other ppl's websites and look at the photos and think how the ones you like will look in your View finder.

 

Practice a ton before you go and Good Luck. Have some fun!

[edsel_adams]

If wedding photography was easy everyone would be doing it. Wait a minute, everyone is doing it. Never mind.

 

 

 

I have shot a few hundred weddings, and I have trained a few people to shoot them also. And trust me when I tell you the following.

Just because you are a "good photographer". And you own a multi thousand dollar "wonder-camera". And you think that you can shoot a wedding. In all likely hood, without a few years of learning "the basics", and a season of assisting, you can't.

 

 

It is major league presumptuous, to assume otherwise. It is not unlike being any other type of trades person. Carpentry or leather work are both easy to pursue on a hobby level. But performing at anything on a professional creative level without training is a "pipe dream".

[sting1]

Jim, i've probably got less wedding experience than you.. at my first wedding i only had 1 camera with 1 17-85 lens and a flashgun! But it turned out ok. Your gear looks fine from what i can tell, you seem to have all focal lengths covered which is usually my primary concern.

I've been looking on the net at other peoples photos and also what my friends had done at their weddings. Just take loads of photos to give variety and have fun!

[jcshoots]

Thanks for all the help. I knew I would get some negative responses, so again for the record: This is not a wedding that would have been shot by another professional; I'm very conscious of not venturing in fields that others make their living in. This is purely a favor where the bride and groom will sign a model release. They additionally will allow me to shoot them later for stock purposes.

 

Edsel,

I'm sure you are a wonderful wedding photographer whose business in being softened by the new technology. Don't think you are alone; my "stock" world is being attacked my six megapixel point and shooters. I don't complain and I don't chastise the shooters. I resolve to shoot more and shoot better and to accept this new photographic world as it is!

 

Peace and Thanks to All for the Great Tips!

 

Jim

[DickArnold]

Wow. This is how I got into the wedding busines. I was a stringer for the local paper after I retired for the second time. The receptionist was getting married. Her photographer crapped out at the last minute. She asked me to do the wedding. She was desparate or she wouldn't have asked me. I had two Bronica bodies along with a couple of Canon bodies and an assortment of lenses. I had Vivitar 283s for MF bodies. I shot the wedding on a bright sunny day at the beach. I used one stop down flash fill on all shots and did a lot with MF. The pictures were great. The formals were shot in a gazebo in shade with fill. She made a very good subject. I used a tripod with the MF bodies because they are heavy and I stand by my point that a camera on a tripod defines a shooting area that people gravitate to. This is important because of the usually limited time between wedding and reception. I posted a couple of 11x14s in the newspaper office. That brought another wedding. I used shots from the first wedding to put in a brochure which I displayed at the chamber. I used that brochure until I dissolved my very active photo business seven years later as I was getting old and really wanted more time to myself. I was turning away business when I decided I had had enough. Most of my weddings were out of doors near the ocean. Do what I did, go out and photograph the wedding, make some mistakes, take a lot of pictures. Digital makes it easy, you know what you got when you shoot it. The bride and I were quite friendly so she would have forgiven me had I not done well. She was ecstatic. It was my first wedding, she did not have a lot of money and I did not charge her a lot. I took a garter picture in that wedding that is still in my portfolio; she was lovely, her leg was lovely and her smile was great and the ocean behind was blue. I actually captured a majority of the market in my area for some time. I did it by under pricing, taking great care with the members of the wedding and their families, trying to be as unobtrusive as possible while shooting and trying to do my best work. Where I excelled was fast delivery of proofs and I did an 11x14 in my dark room the day after the wedding to send to the B&G. The technical stuff is not that important in the long run. What is important is the expression you catch likr the look between bride and groom. I did one fiftieth wedding anniversary picture for the local minister of his parents. They weren't the best pictures I have ever taken but the way they were looking at each brought tears the ministers eyes. That's a successful picture. It is important to let people relax.