First time shooting a Wedding!

William Michael · April 29, 2012

I will be shooting with a Canon Rebel xs and a Canon T3i. I have 3 lenses: kit lens (18-55mm), telephoto lens 75-300mm and a 60mm macro lens. Other equipment: tripod, small reflector, external flash and a cable release/remote . . . I live in a small town and the wedding is a friends daughters, best friend. . . I will be getting paid. . . All three of the wedding's that I have been asked to do are all people that I have known for a long time (10+ years). All of them are very much aware of what I have accomplished thus far and that I am new to photographing weddings.

</blockquote>

Thank you for answering some of my questions and thus allowing me to building a better understanding of your situation.

I assume you were approached – i.e. you did not put a shingle out touting for work. I assume you are in some capacity helping out these friends, but also there is benefit for you such that these three could be a platform for you to launch a Wedding Photography business – in any case it is certainly a broader experience for you in your Photographic endeavours. This is not an unusual happenstance – a person is keen and enthusiastic with a camera and is often seen by family and friends snapping shots and has therefore builds a reputation in a particular genre and then . . . bingo . . . the kitchen table discussion by Bride and Groom or Mum and Dad “Bobby/Betty is a keen Photographer, they could do the Wedding Photos . . .” This is a natural progression. It is human nature. It has happened so for a long time.

However, it is the fact that the Wedding Photography is a different genre, which is the critical element that is often missed by many and (I assume) that is one reason why you have come here for some advice . . .

“Any advice would be GREATLY appreciated!!!!” The key element in that sentence is NOT that you will “greatly appreciate the advice” (that is nice): but rather the main point is that - it is our expectation (at least my expectation) that you will take under consideration all of the advice – that is your part of our contract. Sure you can choose to dismiss some advice and sift out what you believe is most relevant to you - that is expected: one sieve which could be used for that process, is perhaps firstly, <a href="http://www.lindsaydobsonphotography.com/">to investigate from whence the advice comes. . . </a>

*** That stated, some advice from me . . . Apropos the Technical - You have a critical shortfall in the following areas:

<ul>

<li>You have no fast standard lens (should FLASH be not allowed) – depending upon the venue and the light: if you are inside you might squeeze by with the TSi at ISO 1600 / ISO3200 and the Kit lens around F/4.5 (which is the lens wide open at about FL= 35mm).</li>

<li>You have no fast short telephoto (should FLASH be not allowed and your movement be restricted).</li>

<li>You have no spare main working lens (unlikely that the 18 to 55 will go down – but if it does, you are history).</li>

<li>You have no spare Flash – (more likely a Flash will go down than a lens - that combined with the fact that you have no fast lens – if the Flash goes down: you are history).</li>

</ul>

Apropos the Logistics –

<ul>

<li>Know the Rules, during the Ceremony Proper, regarding the use of Flash and of your Movement.</li>

<li>Understand that what the Bride or Groom state are the rules might not be so.</li>

<li>Understand that the timeline is only a guide.</li>

<li>Understand that (if you are shooting “Formal Portraiture”) you must Direct and Control the set.</li>

</ul>

Apropos a list of the most common / most concerning "Fisrt-timer" mistakes I have noted:

<ul>

<li>USING Av Mode and not understanding how it works, thus resulting in too slow a Tv (Shutter Speed)</li>

<li>NOT knowing how to use Flash as Fill – and why it should be used.</li>

<li>NOT having enough battery power for Flash for the duration of the Wedding – worse: not having enough battery power to allow adequate recycle time during the Ceremony Proper.</li>

<li>NOT understanding that Correct Exposure is critical as Higher ISO is used.</li>

<li>ASSUMING that everything (mainly incorrect exposure) can be fixed in PP.</li>

<li>NOT knowing how the TTL METERING MODES work.</li>

<li>NOT understanding that a Wedding has a defined “Flow” and that much can be anticipated, such that the best Camera Vantage Point can often be gained with minimal fuss and effort – which in turn exudes a sense confidence and control: however running willy-nilly, albeit with great enthusiasm, usually has the opposite effect and also winds up more the usually already tense, MOB and B.</li>

</ul>

WW

crystal_rice1 · April 29, 2012

Evening everyone,

I just wanted say thank you to everyone for their advice and to apologize if I disrespected anyone here. Most of all Lindsey. I will admit that I was offended by the first comment made in your post. I have read and re-read these posts and it has been bothering me they way I responded to it. I truly do appreciate all the advice, even if it wasn't what I was expecting to hear. Maybe its the Canadian in me, sometimes we tend to sugar coat things as to not hurt peoples feelings. I really do respect the honesty.

I took William's advice and investigated where the advice came from. Lindsey your work is absolutly stunning. Your work is inspiring.

I am 31 years old and am finally realizing who I am and what I want to be. I love photography and I realize that I do have a long road ahead of me. I hope that you all will continue help me in that journey.

ianivey · April 29, 2012

Crystal, welcome to photo.net -- :)

There's an encyclopedia of information in these forum threads, and you'll benefit a lot from reading through them.

If you do read through the wedding forum, you'll notice a pattern of responses like what you've received here, posted in other threads like this one. Experienced wedding photographers have a -- perhaps unfortunate -- tendency to react grumpily to exuberant newcomers to the trade because the stakes are high for the couple. Yet, the incentives are often perverse: it can be hard to find opportunities to second shoot, it is flattering to be asked to shoot a wedding, and it is exciting to imagine delivering such important images to a couple and enjoying a client's heartfelt appreciation.

It is also true that wedding photography is among the most demanding genres of photography. Battlefield photography is more dangerous. Sports photography isn't far off. Only a few subjects require the same command of photography skill, subject-matter knowledge, and physical and mental endurance.

Weddings move from small, cluttered, dimly lit rooms, to fast-walking subjects outdoors, to dark formal environments with tight restrictions, to rooms full of dancing, often intoxicated people. Lighting conditions range from near darkness in rooms with dark walls to thunderstorms to direct overhead sunlight, and in each circumstance, having the right lighting gear and knowledge is critical. Knowing what comes next on the schedule and being able to plan your route to the best spots for coverage without missing key elements is vital.

Being hampered or distracted by gear limitations is a common problem among folks new to wedding photography. Approaching a wedding with entry-level DSLR bodies and kit lenses imposes a serious burden that would be hard enough for an experienced wedding shooter to overcome. Inexperienced shooters often produce blurry, incorrectly exposed, and poorly composed images as a result of a complex collection of interacting factors. Slow gear isn't the only factor, but it is often a major contributor.

Please forgive any harshness you perceive in these responses. In some cases it might be intended, but in others -- probably most -- it is merely a helpful and generous offering of frank advice intended to help you avoid trouble.

Having said all of that, some successful wedding photographers just jumped in with both feet. Some of those had immediate success, by luck or talent, while others did their early experimentation at the expense of their first clients.

I second-shot a few weddings before ever shooting solo. And I read a lot about what to expect and do, both here in this forum, and in books about wedding photography. Twice I just asked friends who were getting married if I could shoot alongside their hired pro, and then carefully avoided disturbing the pro, and sought opportunities to be helpful unobtrusively. Still, I probably shot my first wedding solo before I should have, but I learn best under pressure. If you do, too, then I assure you that you're about to learn a lot. :)

Regarding your gear: Get or rent faster lenses, if you possibly can. The bodies are less important than f/2.8 zooms or primes of f/1.8 or f/1.4. For example, see if you can get your hands on a Tamron 17-50mm f/2.8 with VC for one body, and maybe a 70-200 f/2.8 for the other. Renting lenses is a great option when you're starting out because it lets you try some combinations without major cash outlays.

I, for one, have no compunction about flatly saying that shooting a wedding with slow kit lenses is a mistake.

Regarding your other items: I like that you've thought out some of the things you might want to have, like clips, stickers, and blankets. That's promising. These things are icing on the cake, and you really want to focus first on getting the cake right, but the fact that you're mapping out how the day would look -- with you in it -- means you're probably on a better track than many folks who post threads like this.

So, what are you worried about, specifically? Ability to anticipate the flow of the day? Technical skill?

fuccisphotos · April 29, 2012

We, as always you are wonderful. Crystal, my general suggestion if you had more time before the wedding would be to

second shoot a bunch, and try to find someone to be the lead who would let you 2nd shoot. but I don't think you will have

that luxury. But someones wedding should never be a spot as the primary photographer to use as a learning experience.

Stick with the t3i and use the xs as a back up. The xs focusing and iso handling is very poorly comparison to the t3i. I

have had a second shooter get good results with the t3i. I would suggest buying locally or ordering overnight the 50 1.8.

It is only a little over $100. Then between now and The wedding read this piece on dragging the shutter

http://neilvn.com/tangents/flash-photography-techniques/3-dragging-the-shutter/ and practice your brains out. After the

wedding if you dont have it already download the trial version of Lightroom. It will be fully functional and will help you edit

much better. Shoot tons and tons that daybut don't give the bride every shot that is decently in focus and ok exposure.

Be sure to give them the shots of key moments, but after that be super selective with what you give them. Better to give

the only 400 good ones than 2000 mediocre ones with 400 good ones mixed in. This was one of my biggest mistakes

starting out. Don't throw away the ones you don't pick to give her because she may come back looking for more shots.

Have someone come as your second shooter/assistant. Having someone there even just for moral support is important.

Have that person shoot with the xs. Talk with them in advance so they know NOT to be in your shot line. And DO get a

contract. Good luck.

markonestudios · April 30, 2012

WW, unfair! :) You have hit all the points and left nothing for me to say. Well, almost ;-)

I couldn't agree more regarding the lens advice you have received. Having become used to constant max aperture glass, I would not go back to shooting with variable max-aperture glass unless in a complete pinch. Look to buy, borrow or rent maybe a 50 f/1.8 for your low light, no-flash scenarios. And I second the proposed 17-xx f/2.8 lens also, for your wider shots. More often than not, you'll find yourself in a room with no more rom to back up, so a wide angle lens is useful. The 50 f/1.8 will be more like a moderate telephoto on your cameras (80mm),

A large proportion of the wedding shoot involves reacting to dynamic situations (including fast-changing/unpredictable lighting) and understanding how to deal with people: temperaments, personalities, etc.You need to have a clear mind and exude confidence. any lack of confidence on your part will quickly transmit to others and can translate into sub-par images.

Confidence comes with:

i) understanding your tools

ii) thinking on your feet

iii) having a plan (including contingencies)

iv) experience

----

i) - iii) should be well within your control.

iv) is what you're trying to work on now ;-)

lindsay_dobson · April 30, 2012

"I just wanted say thank you to everyone for their advice and to apologize if I disrespected anyone here. Most of all Lindsey. I will admit that I was offended by the first comment made in your post. I have read and re-read these posts and it has been bothering me they way I responded to it. I truly do appreciate all the advice, even if it wasn't what I was expecting to hear. Maybe its the Canadian in me, sometimes we tend to sugar coat things as to not hurt peoples feelings. I really do respect the honesty. I took William's advice and investigated where the advice came from. Lindsey your work is absolutly stunning. Your work is inspiring. I am 31 years old and am finally realizing who I am and what I want to be. I love photography and I realize that I do have a long road ahead of me. I hope that you all will continue help me in that journey."

Crystal, thank you for the kind words. I'm sure all of us here have heard some tough advice through our respective photographic journeys. I'm so pleased you've gone away and had a think, and seen that the advice has been sincere and constructive - WilliamW has covered the important points perfectly. Yes, photography is a long road, and that can be frustrating when we're starting out and we're hungry to move forward. Don't be despondent - an organized approach to training and development will always pay dividends and this forum will help you with that. You've booked some weddings and that shows you're determined and enterprising (vital if you're to run your own wedding business). Add the right training and knowledge to that and there's no reason why you won't go far. But try not to run before you can walk - and I re-iterate the need for insurance - accidents do happen and if a guest were to trip over you, or your camera bag, and injure themselves then you could have a disaster on your hands. Liability and Indemnity insurance isn't all that expensive, and you do need it. Best of luck with the wedding and for the benefit of other newcomers who will read this thread do please report back afterwards.

Jerry_ · April 30, 2012

"...so I am not a total newbie. "

1. You need something like a prime 28mm lens (with a lens hood) for your wedding. The zooms are nice, the macro will be a little long for couple images.

2. Flash bracket. Do you have one? You will need a cord as well to connect the flash and bracket to your camera.

3. Time management. Unlike flowers - trees, etc., how good are you at managing the event so you get your photos, and the bride-groom get to enjoy their day. You may need one family member on each side to get all the groom's family to a spot for their images, likewise for the bride's family (even though you know most of 'em.)

There is a area full of information on Photo Net, in the First Time Wedding area.

http://www.photo.net/wedding-photography-forum/?category=Must+Read%3a+Before+you+shoot+your+first+wedding

Good luck.

rayt · April 30, 2012

<a name="00aKM2"></a><a href="../photodb/user?user_id=4039845">Lindsay Dobson</a> on Apr 28, 2012; 02:15 p.m scribed:

You've asked for advice and my advice is to do your clients a favour and find them an experienced professional who knows what they're doing.

</blockquote>

And with such advice no one would ever get started. Everyone, even you, has a first wedding. Instead of telling the person "don't do it" advice of what to watch for, be prepared for and helpful hints would be more appropriate.

My biggest piece of advice is to relax and have fun. Stress will make you forget things and make mistakes. Brides, grooms and wedding parties are not much different than nature. Except with weddings things move. Exposure is exposure, DOF is DOF, camera shake is camera shake. The venue changes none of that.

Shoot raw and ignore the white balance setting in the camera as it has no bearing in RAW images except to give the RAW processor a starting point. Use a digital color balancing target (with black, grey and white) in at least one image for each different lighting situation. Color balance later. You also have more exposure lattitude with RAW than you do with JPG.

Attend the rehearsal so you know the flow of the wedding.

Try to anticipate and be in a good location when events happen (part of attending the rehearsal).

Things sometimes move fast so be prepared.

Don't shoot with odd camera tilts. If you want to tilt you can do that in post processing and if you do such, do it sparingly.

In group shots control the situation. A lot of other people will have cameras and people in the group shot will be looking everywhere giving that Marty Feldman look to the images. Everyone should be looking at you until you have completed your images. Then let others have their chance for pictures. You must stay in control.

Stay hydrated, drink lots of water or Gatorade.

Use smaller memory cards. If you lose a card you don't lose everything. If a card has an issue immediately switch cards and don't mess with trying to get it to work. Use high quality cards, Lexar is my preference.

Wear comfortable clothes and shoes. Bring a change of shirt/blouse if you sweat a lot.

Relax, relax, relax. The couple chose you because they have faith in you. Be confident, be assured. You can do this.

lindsay_dobson · April 30, 2012

"And with such advice no one would ever get started. Everyone, even you, has a first wedding. Instead of telling the person "don't do it" advice of what to watch for, be prepared for and helpful hints would be more appropriate."

A strange presumption Raymond. I would hardly give that advice to a newcomer who has studied, practised, assisted, and perhaps second shot as well, because clearly they have prepared themselves for the rigours of their first wedding. Please don't assume that I ever undertook paid work without the knowledge, contingency, and training to do so. However in Crystal's case my response was based on the information provided, and that information indicates she's not really in a position to take paid wedding work yet. You've also overlooked the advice I offered - particularly the need for insurance and written documentation.

picturesque · April 30, 2012

I would be very interested to know the topics covered in the wedding course you took. Care to list the lessons?

crystal_rice1 · April 30, 2012

Three styles of wedding photography (Traditional, Photojournalistic and Portrait Journalism)

Stages, timing and scheduling, proper etiquette, pre-ceremony photos, details to remeber

Photographing the ceremony, post ceremony portraits, sequencing of photos, shooting on locatio, trouble shooting

Business tips and pricing

Practical photo shoot on location

picturesque · April 30, 2012

And technical content? For instance, techniques for shooting the processional, receptions (such as dragging the shutter, etc.).

William Michael · April 30, 2012

In a NUTSHELL – one of my main concerns (for you) is this bit here:

NO: - “I would be very interested to know the topics covered in the wedding course you took. Care to list the lessons?”

CR: “Three styles etc . . . Photographing the ceremony, post ceremony portraits etc . . . Practical photo shoot on location.”

NO: “And technical content? . . etc”

***

"Practical photo shoot on location" maybe occupied two hours at one location in a class of ten with one instructor.

In the two week you have, before the first Wedding you will shoot, it would augur well if you created the situations, which you expect at that Wedding, and practice shooting them.

Especially for the “at the Home”, “the Ceremony” and the “Reception Area”.

You only require one other person as you Photo Dummy, if the Ceremony is to be in a Church, then maybe you could get access on a Weekday at the same time of day as the scheduled Wedding, noting of course that it could be overcast or raining – also, there might be another Wedding this weekend at the same Church location, which you could observe.

ANY practice you get, between now and the Wedding day, which you think will reflect the situations you might engage, will be more flying hours you have up – and that can only be a positive.

I would suggest at least one and one half hours per day – except the last two days before the Wedding.

On the second to last day you should check list: the logistics and the shoot list and the gear.

On the last day before you should re check the gear; eat well but light and rest confident in the fact that the 20 or so hours of solid practice will stand you in good stead.

To be brutally frank – Ashkenazy doesn’t power through the Rach 3, with only two day’s rehearsal . . . Schipper doesn’t swim 2:03.41 by doing an odd training day here and there.

I usually make a couple of workshops throughout each year: unreservedly I can state that both are heavily technically biased – but PRACTICAL technical.

There are always a few laughs when I begin the weekend with my little “must say” about the camera being an extension of the brain, merely subconsciously managed by the fingers and the eyes.

But I know one thing – at the end of the weekend there is rarely one person who can lift either their right or the left arm above their head, as they have practiced so rigorously.

Again, to be frank: most (I do mean “most”) people to whom I suggest “Practice” ignore it; or at the most effort, they take it semi seriously for one or two days day and feel they “have it covered” . . .

You might very well surprise, I don’t know.

WW

William Michael · April 30, 2012

On one technical point - there are quite a few discussions threads on this very topic, if you care to read the arguments for both opinions:

I suggest one large, good quality memory card in each camera. The view being that the one card in each camera, will contain the whole wedding.

The argument for this approach is that (for a novice especially) managing the CHANGING and CONTAINING of the memory cards, at appropriate points throughout the day, are yet other element to consider, thus making the day more complicated.

The other argument is that the fewer memory card changes, the less likely pin damage - I don’t have stats and I don’t really know if there are any: but my gut tells me that a (good quality) memory card is more likely to foul by a physical error, than it being digitally corrupt.

WW

fuccisphotos · April 30, 2012

Both of her cameras take SD memory, so they are much less prone to pin damage. But the chance of losing a card is still there no matter what! keep them on your body at all times!

aopstudio · April 30, 2012

Wow, I'm sorry but I think you guys are really tough. It seems the OP is photographing weddings for friends who know her and like the photos she has produced. My opinion is she is already over one of the biggest hurdles, establishing a personal relationship with the couple. I remember being talked into my first wedding although I tried for all the world to get out of it. I photographed it with a Mamiya RB having had only limited studio experience at the time and it turned out fine. I also contest the idea that you have to control the people at a wedding. I have always turned to the bride and the groom or even the best man to do that. Simply explaining if they wish to keep visiting and such that that is fine but we'll have to miss some of the photo ops.

I have attended weddings where the photographer was very aggressive. I suppose they did get the necessary photos but talk about killing the mood!

Oh well, I no longer photograph weddings. Got out of it when the digital crowd took over. Has nothing to do with digital but the way things have changed over the years, weddings started to lack emotion for me. I would never dream of asking the wedding party to run and jump and things like that. I have noticed how many of the weddings seem to be all about the fanfare and not nearly so much about the emotion. I mean hey, these youngsters are committing themselves exclusively to each other for the rest of their lives. I know as professional photographers we tend to think the photographs are the most important thing about the wedding...but are they really. To those of you who are married, when was the last time you looked at your wedding album? I used to recommend a wall portrait of the couple displayed in their home where they had to pass it everyday. That way they can remember the day they got married when all of life's little gremlins are working on them. If they can remain in love as much as they were on that day all else will work out.

But I'm much too old to worry with this anymore. Just wanted to say, a lot of the advice is valid but there is no reason to scare the girl to death. I mean, how many close friends actually sue a friend they ask to do their wedding. In today's world I quess it could happen.

I do believe one of the biggest mistakes I see in wedding photos today is not slowing down the shutter speed when posing at the alter thus making the background way too dark. Also perhaps putting the subjects too close to light colored walls and creating shadows even if using a bracket. Oh and also there are a bunch of instructional DVD's out there that are very helpful. Keep your technical skills sharp, but tune into your friends' emotions and you will be fine.

Dave Gardner · May 1, 2012

William W.......I would never put all the shots on one card...that's a no no. You would be looking at a complete loss.

All of our cards are formatted before the day begins. So there is no reason to format a card when it's changed during the wedding...if a card has images on it...it is probably from the wedding....no exception!

I'd like to add that....although lessening the chance of pit falls....experience and/or fallowing someone as a second shooter....does not mean that things will not go wrong or that you shouldn't shoot a wedding.

Also IMO what Lindsay Dobson said about calling in another "experienced photographer" was rude....that's the kind of stuff you hear on other forums....i expect more from Photo.net..

john_deerfield · May 1, 2012

William W.......I would never put all the shots on one card...that's a no no. You would be looking at a complete loss.

</blockquote>

We do it all the time... kind-of. Now-a-days we have dual card slots so, one card Raw and one JPEG. But in the "olden" digital days of one slot, we used the largest card we could, still shooting Raw + JPEG. That said, at the first sign of in issue, we would swap out cards. So simply having one card large enough for an entire wedding isn't enough. If you suspect a card of "geeking", then you must have a spare. Provided you have a good workflow (format cards in the cameras that will use them the day before a wedding, never let a computer format the card and so on), you are pretty safe with one card. Sure, things can still happen, but that should be covered in the contract. For what it's worth, we lost more images due to film processing than we ever have with memory cards.

Also IMO what Lindsay Dobson said about calling in another "experienced photographer" was rude....that's the kind of stuff you hear on other forums....i expect more from Photo.net..

</blockquote>

Good thing she didn't actually post on a professional forum such as PPA.

marc_weintraub · May 1, 2012

I remember being talked into my first wedding although I tried for all the world to get out of it. I photographed it with a Mamiya RB having had only limited studio experience at the time and it turned out fine.

</blockquote>

Am I right in guessing that you had a great understanding of exposure, metering, and the like?

steve m smith · May 1, 2012

I also did my first wedding with an RB67 but didn't have the benefit of any studio experience. I did do a lot of research and experimentation with fill flash first though.

My father was a wedding photographer and based on his experiences, I decided that I would never do weddings but I told my friend that I would make an exception for him - I have done a couple more since but I don't seek them out.

To the OP, I would say that if you are happy doing it then do it. It's not rocket science.

William Michael · May 2, 2012

"I would never put all the shots on one card...that's a no no. You would be looking at a complete loss."

</blockquote>

No, you are not “looking at a complete loss”.

However, it would be “a complete loss” if the one card was lost stolen or completely and irretrievably corrupted. - there is a difference in the meaning and there is also the question - "what's the probability?"

On the other hand, if there are several cards and one card fills up at a critical moment and the novice photographer has to spend time changing cards and misses few critical shots - then that also is a loss.

Which scenario is more likely?

As I mentioned, there are arguments for; and also against.

After reviewing these arguments - the OP can choose which advice best suits her specific situation.

WW

lindsay_dobson · May 2, 2012

Dave Gardner: "Also IMO what Lindsay Dobson said about calling in another "experienced photographer" was rude....that's the kind of stuff you hear on other forums....i expect more from Photo.net.."

Dave, my response was based on the information given - that Crystal has almost no professional people photography experience, has booked a wedding for payment, is getting nervous, is poorly equipped, and later on indicated she hadn't even considered insurance. With that in mind, my suggestion was an appropriate and fairly sensible one and I'm sure Crystal understands why I said it. It certainly was not intended as rude and should not have been read as such.

I'm an experienced and very well qualified portrait photographer, with a fair amount of knowledge of weddings and bridal editorial photography, but the wedding business I brought in was always referred straight to the lead wedding photographer - with me taking a back seat. And I can say that if I were asked to shoot a wedding as the sole photographer I would most likely hesitate or decline or I would seek out somebody with more wedding miles under the bonnet. I have a lot of skills, I have all the insurances, but I'm pretty sure I'd still shoot my first two or three solo weddings on an unpaid low-expectation basis, even though I think I'd do a good job. I hope that clarifies my view that a client's big day should not necessarily be seen as a vehicle for dipping one's toes in and seeing if the shoe fits, however old fashioned I may sound to you. My view remains that it is risky for an individual to accept payment for a task they are not properly equipped or prepared for.

Crystal's clients may be very easy-going, clients often are before the wedding, because their expectations have not yet been met, exceeded, or smashed. I will say again that effective communication is Crystal's best defence against the latter.

Dave Gardner · May 2, 2012

William W...."No, you are not “looking at a complete loss” However, it would be “a complete loss” if the one card was lost stolen or completely and irretrievably corrupted.

It appears you answered your own statement..

Lindsay D.....hey that has a ring to it. Lindsay...your response would have been better accepted with words of encouragement...words of advice....and some words of warning. Not a smart remark like....i'd call another photographer.

Besides taking great photos...a wedding photographer should also have people skills....softer words go further

lindsay_dobson · May 2, 2012

Dave. If you had read my responses you would see that I have offered advice to Crystal along with the words of warning, and encouragement to follow a safer and more structured path to her goal of becoming a professional wedding photographer. And I have already explained to you (and more importantly to Crystal) why I feel my initial response was justified and I'm sure she appreciates where I'm coming from.

I may not agree with your views, but I would never criticise you for them - on the contrary, you are as entitled to express your opinion as anyone. Please afford me the same courtesy.

ianivey · May 2, 2012

"I would never put all the shots on one card...that's a no no. You would be looking at a complete loss."

</blockquote>

No, you are not “looking at a complete loss”.

</blockquote>

Have to agree with William on this one. There's always a risk of total loss, whether you use one or multiple cards, from events such as: theft of the entire set of cards, catastrophic physical event like a car crash or flood that destroys the equipment, or coincidental total data error. The question here is what's the bigger risk: total-card error on one high-quality high-capacity card, or mistake by the photographer resulting from having to pay attention to yet another variable?

Using one Sandisk 32gb SD card per camera seems safer for a new wedding shooter than trying systematically to isolate parts of the day onto different cards. It also reduces the risk of theft or physically losing the cards that are out of the camera bodies.

And Dave, I believe William's point in countering your "looking at a total loss" comment is mainly that a data error on a card usually doesn't mean loss of all the images on that card, but rather just some portion of them.

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