Minimum Kit for Second Shooter?

[jenkins]

<p>Today i was walking around Downtown when passed a really classy looking Photography Studio, there were a number of portraits on the wall so i walked inside to take a look. They were very nicely done and as i was about to leave the Photographer approached me and we got chatting, i asked him if he ever had the need for a second shooter, i said i would be happy to work for the experience and he mentioned i should contact him in the week, he also mentioned that their might be a possibility for a job.</p>

<p>I own a Nikon D40 with the kit lens and an SB600, this has served me very well up until a situation presents itself like this because obviously this will not be enough. So my question is this, if you had somebody that was interested in becoming a second shooter for you what sort of minimum kit would you expect them to have?</p>

<p>Any advice would be very helpful, money is an issue but i don't like buying cheap and cheerful only to have to replace it further down the line.</p>

<p>Thanks.</p>

[ejder]

<p>Acceptable...At least one fast f/1.4 or better prime in 24 to 85mm range and/or f/2.8 standard zoom or other f/2.8 zoom they are comfortable with, two camera bodies, enough memory and batteries for 2k RAW photos, at least one good flash (580EX if Canon), knowledge of using bounced light, knowledge of general lighting and composition.</p>

<p>Preferred...at least one fast f/1.4 or better prime in said range, plus f/2.8 standard zoom, an ultra-wide and/or 70-200 f/2.8 IS, two or three camera bodies, enough memory as specified before, at least one or two good flashes, some off camera flashes/strobes and knowledge of how to use them, umbrellas, stands, diffusers, knowledge of composition, posing, bouncing light, general lighting.</p>

<p>Can someone do a wedding with one lens alone? Probably, and the lens will likely be a 35mm or 50mm with f/1.4 or faster aperture, or a standard f/2.8 zoom. In either case, a good flash is still necessary and so is a second body, plus all the mentioned knowledge and batteries/memory.</p>

[john_deerfield]

<p>It all depends on how I am using an assistant as to what gear is required. As example, if you were there to hold diffusers/reflectors, set up lights, lug around equipment and what not, then if I had nothing for you to do, feel free to shoot with the D40. At the other end of the spectrum is someone I would trust to actually shoot a wedding. At this point I really try to stay out of the exact equipment a photographer needs provided they can consistently deliver great images. As example- the D40 would not be my first camera choice. The CCD sensor doesn't do so great over ISO 800, it only has something like 3 focus points and so on. But if you know those limitations, have fast glass and lights to keep the ISO @ 800 or less and can deliver the results, that is what I want to see. With all of that in mind, to shoot a wedding you need a camera that has a reasonable clean ISO up to 1600. This is almost any modern DSLR with a CMOS sensor. For Nikon I believe that starts with the D5000. The D90 allows you to use Nikon lenses without a motor built in (unlike the D5000). Lenses will be more important than the camera. The better the glass, the better the image. A good starting lens is the Tamron 17-55 f/2.8. This would be a "workhorse" lens. I would avoid a variable aperture lens. And eventually you will want some faster glass than f/2.8. A wedding shooter for us will have at least the 17-50 lens range covered on a cropped sensor camera @ f/2.8. At least one faster (f/1.8 or faster) prime (usually the 50mm) and something a bit longer such as an 85mm or a 105mm. And of course a back up plan. Flashes.... the SB600 is OK, but slow. I can't shoot with one because I inevitably find that right after I click the shutter, somebody does something that I want to get a shot of and if the flash can't accept external power (such as the SB600) I don't get a flash due to too slow a recycle time. It's OK if I am able to expose for ambient light but that isn't always the case. Nikon has a hug hole in their flash line up at this point. You go from the SB600 all the way to the SB900. The SB900 is a great flash and highly recommended, but a bit pricey. So, if forced to recommend something I would say the minimum would be a Nikon D5000. At the end of three years, about the time you might really want to upgrade the body, you can better decide what will suit you. The Tamron 17-50 f/2.8. It's simply a very good go to lens. Of course the best lens would be the Nikon 17-55 f/2.8 but at over $700 more it might be too much to start. Add the Nikon 35mm f/1.8 or the Sigma 50mm f/1.4 next. Add something like the new Nikon 85mm VR after that and you are on your way to a nice lens collection. And at least one SB900 flash. The more the merrier. In the meantime, study light. Learn light. All of the above are just tools to shape light.</p>

[benjamin_tapper]

<p>Ya, glass is almost more important to me than body for what i'm looking for w/ a second shooter. At least when we were starting out, now I require a high ISO body too, just to go with the flashless vibe (and before i get flamed yes, it's more complicated than just wanting to go with a flashless vibe, just didn't want to hit you with a wall of text) But i would start investing in some decent primes. You can get some of them pretty inexpensively, which would free up some extra money if you really wanted to get into it and get a better body.</p>

[lukesmith]

<p>Well, you would be shooting on his cards, so you won't need memory, but you would need a 24-70/f2.8 and a 70-200/f2.8. You would also need a decent flash (SB-800 maybe?) to use for bouncing.<br>

I generally use my second shooters (if the client requests, and pays, me to have one) to be in the places I can't be or to get a different perspective on the must have shots. In a tighter schedule, I'll also have them do some of the stills just in case I can't get to them before the crush of the reception. You're basically there as insurance otherwise, and maybe to help load and unload gear.</p>

[sherijohnson]

<p>You would also do well to ask this photographer what they would expect because what their thoughts are vs. what other people tell you may vary. I think that is very exciting that they mentioned the possibility of a job. I know I would be thrilled to hear something like that if I was visiting a studio.</p>

[savagesax]

I would actually suggest to you to hold off on buying anything. The reason for this is if you are mentoring under him, see what his style is, his approach to photographic gear, including processing labs, to PJ, to the classic approach.

 

He surely doesn't expect you to be a great photogapher, but is excited to teach you everything needed to become a great photographer and maybe even a future partner. He may hate the Canon line and love the Nikon line or maybe even the Sony line with Zeiss lenses. He may be the type to shoot with film in some cases. Whatever gear he uses he has made the decision with careful thought. Knowing this, you should hold off buying anything, use the gear you have and when the time is right buy what you, as well as him, think you need to be a wedding photographer.

 

Enjoy your training experience and keep us posted on how you are doing.

[StuartMoxham]

<p>I would talk with the photographer and see what he suggests. As a second shooter you may be assisting him for a while to learn what he does and may not need any equipment for a while.</p>

[markonestudios]

Yup, talk to him. In the meantime, have a look at this: http://www.photo.net/learn/wedding/ and this: http://www.photo.net/wedding-photography-forum/00V98v

[jenkins]

<p>A ton of information very kind all of you.</p>

<p>Sheri it is extremely exciting especially as i have struggled to find work since moving to the U.S, this could be the break i am looking for, so i hope it pans out as i really need a change in career, to do something i enjoy would be a dream.</p>

<p>I will ask the Photographer what equipment is required for his second shooter, i certainly cannot buy all the equipment mentioned here right now, but this thread has given me an excellent insight into lens requirements.</p>

<p>I see the 17-55 f2.8 comes up quite a bit, is there a real need to go wider than that on a regular basis or does the Prime come out every now and then?</p>

<p> </p>

[john_deerfield]

<p>Well, as a 2nd shooter I can't imagine a reason to go wider. That said, when I am shooting I am always looking for a way <em>not</em> to use the 17-50! Don't get me wrong, it gets used all day long. But it is your "standard" lens. A longer lens will compress the background and give you a nicer out of focus background. The longer the lens, the creamier and out of focus the background. A wide lens (I use the Tokina 11-16) will encompass more of the background for when you want to "bring it all in". Going this wide also makes the perspective distortion more evident: objects closer to the lens appear larger. I will bring out the 11-16 to get a wide shot of the church, or anytime I want to include more background- say I am shooting at the harbor and I want more boats in the background. A Macro lens for the Macro shots. The primes come out when I want sometime faster than f/2.8. I shot a candlelit service a few weeks back: ISO 3200, primes @ f/1.4 or 1/.8 and shutters around 1/40th. Or if I want that shallow DoF (wider aperture) on a portrait.</p>

[rt_jones]

<p>17-55 2.8/IS, 50mm f/1.8, 100mm f/2.8 macro, 135mm f/2.0.<br>

As a 2nd I'm pretty much complete with the above 4 lenses on a crop camera. I shoot for multiple photographers though so my "tasks" vary with each one.</p>

<p> </p>

[ron_steedman]

<blockquote>

<p>Can someone do a wedding with one lens alone? Probably, and the lens will likely be a 35mm or 50mm with f/1.4 or faster aperture, or a standard f/2.8 zoom.</p>

</blockquote>

<blockquote>

<p>It all depends on how I am using an assistant as to what gear is required.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>As you get experience working as his assistant or second-shooter, you'll learn what gear is necessary to better fulfill that role for him. It may not be quite what you expect! You don't need much glass, but it must be fast--an f/2.8 zoom is a simple solution.</p>

 

<blockquote>

<p>, but you would need... a 70-200/f2.8.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>For some photographers yes, but for many no. Getting closer is also an option.</p>