Is this gear enough?

[kris-bochenek]

Hi all,

I am thinking about getting into event photography business. I have the following: Nikon D40x, Nikon D80, Nikon 18-

70mm, Tamron 17-50 f/2.8, Nikon 50mm f/1.8, Sigma 70-300, SB800, SB600. Do you think this will get me started

or should I get something else I just cannot think of what. I would mostly shoot baptism maybe some weddings but I

would lean more towards small events for now. At this time I don't have a budget to get a D3 or D300 although those

preform good in low light.

Please let me know what you think about that.

[cliff_henry]

Kris, Many of us are equipment oriented; buying and owning new camera equipment can be fun and for many photographers that becomes their sole motivation. Unfortunately, those photographers, as a general rule, do not produce the most inspiring images.

 

My rule of thumb: Concentrate on the end results of your imaging making, not what equipment you use to get those results.

 

This link may be helpful:

 

http://www.photo.net/learn/wedding/equipment

 

Good luck,

 

Cliff

[pulpmojo]

sure, that should be enough, just don't forget the tripod

[thomasmckown]

Ciff had a great answer. I know several people who less lesser cameras than I do, and yet produce more

impressive pictures. Focus on what you want the end result to be, and buy whatever you need to accomplish that

goal. Study other peoples work and what they used in order to get what they wanted, then decide what will

accomplish the same results for you. With the right vision and enough talent, you can make impressive images with

anything you get your hands on.

 

<P> That said, many pros have anywhere from 4-10 thousand dollars worth of equipment, if not more. Its always a

hard balance of buying only what you need, while still trying to buy the best you can afford. I have found that I

never regret going for the better quality items, but I have also found I can usually get by with very little.

[frank_skomial]

If you remember about the tripod, then can use Sigma 70-300 or else leave it at home.

 

Make sure you have many spare batteries for your flashes, and room on memory cards.

 

Pay attention on possible flash under exposure signals, verify your photos often on the LCD.

[keithdunlop]

Do dovetail into what Cliff said, I think a sound business plan should come first in any new venture, well before evaluating your equipment inventory. Owning "enough" equipment does not a successful photography business make.

[jimstrutz]

I think you have what is necessary to do most jobs, but if you are looking at items to add to make a more versatile kit, you could think about adding a wide zoom starting at 10 to 12mm, or a better long lens option.

 

You don't specify what Sigma 70-300 you have. The APO version is reasonably sharp, but the DL is not really up to it in my opinion. Either way, they are both too slow for indoor use unless mounted on a tripod, and even then it is iffy. A fast 85 or 100 or 135mm lens is for nice indoor work.

[kris-bochenek]

thank you for such quick responses.

Jim- I have Sigma APO DG with macro option (not that I would be using it on any events)

I just hope my D80 will do the trick I've read that it's IQ is close to the one of D200

also investing in expensive body like D3 or D300 may not make much sense for me I'd rather but better glass and then given I have some money saved up my better body.

[dave_bean1]

The gear is only the beginning. There are so many other incidental expenses that can add up to the price of a

Nikon D700 on an annual basis. The economy has turned the market into a brutal, do-or-die, cut-throat

proposition. The pros who have been doing this for a long time are feeling the heat. Brides are just price

shopping at this point.

 

Here's my advice: Run for the hills, the people in the front lines are already up to their necks and sinking

further. If you want to get into the water, better have a good lifeline.

 

Dave

[ujwal]

Yes you can do a great wedding coverage with just the Tamron 17-50 and Nikon 50mm f1.8.

I covered my first few weddings with just one Canon 20D, Canon 17-40mm F4L and Canon 50mm 1.8 and a Metz Mz-54 flash.

 

(shooting a wedding with one body only....that was really risky...won't do things like that ever again, but I can

do it again with 2 bodies and the same 2 lenses only now even though i have 85mm f1.2, 70-200 F4 IS in addition

to those basic gear)

 

The tamron for everything, and Nikon 50mm for close ups and low light shots and portraits. Probably the only time

when u feel a bit "short" is when they exchange the rings and you should not be walking up to the altar.

You may have to use crop tool liberally OR don't hesitate to walk backwards or forwards a bit more..... Cropping

is not really big problem considering you are using 10MP cameras and photos are seldom printed bigger than 8x12.

 

And great thing with Nikon is that you can your flashes in wireless mode with your D80 using its built in flash

in commander mode. Imagine the possibilities.

 

 

Cheers!

[dave_bean1]

Just to clarify, I don't mean to sound mean-spirited or dissuade you from getting into the business. However, I want to sound-off on a harsh reality out there. It is brutal. I've spoken to studio owners w/ years of experience and they can't make a living anymore. They cannot cover their rent. There are so many people who pick up a digital SLR and lowball the market to get in that the bottom has fallen out of the photography market.

 

Then you combine it with the real fallout of the financial markets...poof. My day-job as a business analyst gives me some insight into the Fortune500 world. They are all planning for the worst right now.

 

Dave

[richard_wang10]

Kris

 

 

 

You want to be a photographer.

 

If it's your passion, I say go for it!

 

And I hope you succeed beyond your wildest expectation.

 

In my professional life, I've seen inflation, oil crisis, recession, dot.com bust, and now financial meltdown and every time people say it's the end of the world. Surprisingly we're still here.

 

But if you have passion, if you care about your clients, if you keep learning your craft, you'll have an advantage over 90% of the photographers out there. And you'll make it.

 

Don't worry, trust me you've got enough gear. And this is from someone with over $20K of gear.

 

Here's something I hope help.

 

Remember most of us stay mediocre because we would rather drag everybody down, instead of lifting ourselves up.

 

Once again the best of luck to you Kris

[kris-bochenek]

Thank you all for the replies I really appreciate your input and words of wisdom.

Regards,

[jimstrutz]

Dave Bean: I suspect you are probably right about the present difficulties for many professional photographers. However, in these times when people are looking to save as much as possible (for what ever may be ahead), it might be the most opportune time for one to get into the business as a part time wedding photographer. If Kris is like most new wedding shooters, she isn't thinking about this because she needs to pay the rent, but because she wants to do it. As long as Kris isn't depending on the extra income for necessities, she can reach some of those people looking for a bargain. There is plenty of them out there.

 

It seems to me that there has been a trend in recent years away from full time wedding photographers in favor of more part time shooters. There are a number of reasons for it, and I don't see the trend easing up any time soon. Kris may be perceived as part of the problem or part of the future, depending on your point of view, but we're not going to stop it.

 

I have a few pro photographer acquaintances, and I wouldn't want to be in any of their shoes right now. Some are doing fine, and others are struggling, But either way, this is not a time when I would want to be depending on the sale of luxuries for my living. And let's face it, wedding photography is not a necessity for most people.

[dave_bean1]

I am one of those part-timers. The squeeze is coming in from the top. I love wedding photography, love it. I do editorial, I do corporate events, I do sports but I love wedding photography. The mid-level togs in my neighborhood was somewhere in the $3k-$5k range. It's come down even more as they try to compete with part-timers on price and deliver a more uniform product. The full-timers are coming down to the $2k and under depending on the product. I can't charge more than $1,000. Hell, the Craigslist-shoot and burn people are charging $650 (NY metro area)

 

Pursue your dreams like I'm pursuing mine...but don't quit your dayjob.

 

Dave

[kris-bochenek]

Gents,

I wasn't gonna quit my day job at least not now I know the times are tough I feel it at my current job they are squeezing every penny and I work for the world's largest screen printing equipment manufactuer.

I would like to do it part time mostly area of Chicago's NW suburbs, I just hope it'll work out somehow

doesn't hurt to give it a try.

[arthur_ozolins]

I think that you have enough gear. I have less gear available ( for now ) but i am doing fine. It's good that you have constant job and that photo is not your only business. In other job you can earn money to buy better equipment so in that way you can start thinking to break out kindergarten to go out play with big guys and make more $$$ + make people happy ( this is most important part ).

Don't panic about the crisis. There will be always need for photographers, especially wedding photographers. because it is the most important day of young people life's. New start which they want to remember. Work will be for everyone, for those who ask alotofmoney and for those who have just started. Those two groups are not competitors because clients differ for those photographers.

[philipward]

Kris,I would probebly get rid of the D40 and pick up a used D200. With the down turn in the economy their should be lots of used bargains available(especially after xmas).The other thing you need is some back up strobes even the good old used Vivitar 285 work horses,cheap and reliable.You already have an advantage over the studio bound photogs with almost zero overhead.The real trick in this game more than equipment is knowing how to market yourself.Thats where you need to put your efforts.

[William Michael]

> I would mostly shoot baptism maybe some weddings <

 

You are missing a Fast Standard Lens - (preferably slightly to the wide FoV).

 

If there is a ``No Flash Allowed`` rule, and you are at close quarters, immobile, or restricted movements: - you are stuffed.

 

WW

[kris-bochenek]

William I have Tamron 17-50 f/2.8 isn't that enough?

[William Michael]

IMO, no.

 

At the Font located in a darker Church and no Flash Rule and you need the Priest, Mum Dad and the Baby -

perhaps the God Parents as the Baby is being Baptized.

 

(or transpose the example to Bride walking down a short Aisle / B&G at the Altar . . . many others) . . .

 

With a 35mm lens (on your cameras) you will need about 12 to 15 ft to work comfortably for an array of

compositions - and that`s about all you get, in some Churches.

 

F1.4 gives you 2 stops on your F2.8 . . . I always have preferred, to have those two stops.

 

OTOH, you could reverse the logic, and consider getting a Nikon which makes your50F1.8 a standard lens – that

way you get really nice high ISO too.

 

WW

[Spearhead]

Here's my take. It's always better to try with what you have and see if you like it before you go blow money doing something you aren't going to keep doing. Also, you can probably rent a lens or two.

 

I will give you my own example. This isn't wedding photography, but it's actually more demanding on equipment. I shot my first professional sports event with a Canon EOS 10D. It's about as far from a "sports" camera as you can get. I didn't get a whole lot of the kind of shots I had seen, but I ended up selling some to a magazine and got a cover. The next time out, I rented a camera and lens that was more appropriate. I did that for a year, renting for every event, and then bought my own. By the time I put out the money, I was getting regular work and knew I would keep going.

 

I really think you are better off not spending money when you are, in your words, "thinking about getting into event photography business." Far better to find out how well suited you are to the event photography business rather than your equipment.

[William Michael]

To make my opinion quite clear: I agree with Jeff Spirer - almost every word - certainly with the sentiment 100%. (and

others with similar sentiments)

 

I was merely answering the question and containing my answer to ``how is this gear limited as starting kit for

Weddings and Baptisms?`` :

 

To be brutal and on a tight budget, for a starting up kit: I would sell the Nikon 18-70mm f/3.5-4.5 AF-S DX and most

likely also sell the Sigma AF 70-300/4-5.6 APO.

 

I would buy a fast 35 or 28 or 24 and a fast 85 or 100 or (unlikely) 135.

 

I would run two bodies: The Tamron 17 to 50 on the D80 and, at the House have the wide prime on the D40x.

Depending on the Church / Venue size, swap the wide prime for the 50/F1.8 at the Church and maybe drop the

longer FL Prime on the D80 for the Service.

 

Whatever prime(s) were not being used would be in my coat pocket at all times.

 

***

 

However, leaving the question ``Is this gear enough?`` aside - and asking ``what do you guys think I should do?``

 

Concerning gear - renting is a very practical and logical suggestion.

 

Concerning entering the Wedding Profession - I suggest you work assisting a Professional, first: there is a lot more

to it, than just taking Photos – I suggest you re read this: ``Far better to find out how well suited you are to the event

photography business rather than your equipment.`` (JS)

 

***

 

Also, be aware that when starting out shooting a Wedding or Baptism for money - there are two factors which are

often different to when we start out shooting other types of gigs professionally.

 

1. Shooting a Wedding / Baptism are professional engagements, where the client requires specific outputs and

results - and specific shots are considered mandatory.

 

That is to say you: are not shooting an event on speculation, to later attempt to sell those images to a Photo Editor.

 

2. You usually only get one shot - at most of those mandatory images.

 

WW

[ujwal]

Yes indeed a fast lens is really important to get that one shot that you cant miss.

 

Only last week, I had to shoot a wedding in a dimly lit catholic church and flash was to be used very sparingly.

The priest would get annoyed. But the day turned to be a overcast day.

Even with my 20D and 40D at ISO 1600, i wasn't getting a shutter speed fast enough to cover ring exchange without

flash. No problem, i mounted my 50mm 1.8 and my new toy...85mm F1.2 L on other. I was shooting at 1/160 indoors

at F1.2. Didn't even need flash on overcast day in dim church.

The priest was happy because I didn't use flash....I was happy because the shots are all sharp and well exposed..

the bride was worried first because she didn't see any flash...but that all changed later when i showed her the

photos on the LCD.

 

 

I am not saying get an expensive prime lens.......even a 50mm 1.8 can save the day. It has saved mine a number

of times and has helped my get so many shots which i could never get with flash or with slower lens.

[markonestudios]

I started off doing weddings and events with a Canon EOS 500N (Rebel G) film camera and a 28-105 f/3.5-4.5 lens. That was it. I know, I know, no back up body etc. Thing is, I needed to earn money, but I took the craft very very seriously (still do :)) and eventually saved up enough to start building up a kit. But while I *thought* I needed a long telephoto 75-300 at the time), after doing my first few weddings and events, it became pretty clear that I need to go wider and needed a fast prime more often than telephoto. So I got a 17-40 and then a 50 f/1.8 prime. I now have 2 bodies and a cache of lenses that suits *my* style and is borne out of *my* experience. This is the gist, I believe, of what Jeff was saying. You need to figure out what fits your needs before you splash out...