lou korell

<p>The 2020 was a very early autofocus camera. It is possible that you have one with a failing autofocus mechanism. You can try cleaning the contacts but you may need to have a repair shop look at it. At a certain point I think if I were buying a "vintage" camera it would be an all manual model. The reliability of very old autofocus models is questionable after so many years.<br>

Check back with KEH to validate the model of the lens. They are a reputable company and should help you determine if you have purchased a bad camera or the wrong lens. I have bought a lot of used gear from them over the years with no issues.</p>

 

<p>That's really scary Bob. It makes you stop and wonder, do I have enough insurance to cover something like that? Yikes! </p>

<p>A few ideas: You will certainly need to work with a pro for more than just a few weddings. You may have a small budget now but you will at some point need to purchase some more useful gear for weddings <strong>before</strong> you start charging people to produce professional results.<br>

Weddings are not a "transition". They are people's lives and they involve extreme emotions.<br>

For a photographer they are a passion, a calling if you will. For some they may just be a business idea but if that is your primary motivation you may be disappointed.<br>

A lot of people started out with a small budget. I did too. But I did not compromise on quality when I did spend money. Obviously you cannot buy everything you need at once. You won't even know what that is until you have shot for a while, developed a style of working, and an understanding of what equipment will best facilitate that style.<br>

You will need superb lenses. There are a lot of "ok" lenses but you will find they will not make your pictures as good as they could be. You need four areas covered - wide, mid range, telephoto, and macro (for details). They can be zooms or primes but zooms should eventually be a fixed aperture lens and fast is better - 2.8 for zooms, 1.2-2.0 for primes are optimal. Weddings sometimes occur in dimly lit places. You <strong>must be equipped </strong>to handle that without question. That means your camera should be able to handle higher ISO extremely well and your lenses need to be fast in order to get the most light. You also need to understand every single combination of settings on your camera in order to deal with whatever is thrown at you.<br>

What is a wedding photographer? A wedding photographer shoots portraits, action, fashion, still life, landscape, products, and everything under the sun. Some weddings contain elements of all of these in some way in every condition and light imaginable. They are also someone who can deal with people of all kinds and all personalities. They must be ready to respond in an instant to a given moment - and capture it.<br>

As you work with your pro "mentor" ask questions about exposure and settings. It is stuff you need to know. Leverage the experience of others. Look at the results and see if that is what you expected. Learn to know what you like to see. As a wedding pro, you will always be a student. You will never know it all. But that is what makes it so exciting. Every wedding is a chance to learn something new - about your photography and about yourself.<br>

Good luck!</p>

<p> </p>

<p>I'm too short to play basketball.</p>

<p>There is a more important theme regarding doubt. All people doubt, but when they do, is it an appropriate time? When I am working (shooting weddings and events) if I doubt, I fail. I cannot spend my energy questioning "how" I am doing, rather I need to be totally in the moment of "what" I am doing. There is no place for doubt there. Then, if you are finished and you begin to doubt what you've just done, it is a clear indication you need more practice. If the confidence is not there, the performance will suffer. It is no different in music. I was a professional musician for many years. After a while I was no longer nervous on stage. Why? I was prepared.<br>

The antidote of doubt is preparation. But then again, there are many forms of doubt and self-doubt is only one kind. You can doubt others as well. Or you can doubt the intentions of others. So doubt exists in many forms and I'm sure we have all been there.</p>

<p>Why is a Snicker's bar good? Why is Seared Ahi good? Rocky Road Ice Cream? All subjective.<br>

Why is Mozart good? When you compare Mozart to Beethoven who is better? All subjective.<br>

Photographs? The degree of "acceptance" of a good photograph will be marginally different depending on the person(s) who perceive it. If you are a photo competition judge, "good" means something different than it might to someone browsing in an art gallery and a photo exhibit. Is there good or bad art? <br>

My understanding of a good photograph is one that leaves me satisfied with what I have seen. Did I experience something? Maybe it was the composition. Maybe it was the subject. Maybe it was the colors or lack thereof (nice black & white tones). Maybe it was all of these.<br>

All forms of art requires some degree of technical skill. Some people will be impressed with the technical skill and say "that's good". Some will simply feel something and say the same.<br>

Then there are those who really don't pay that close attention but they like what they see and just peripherally indicate "that's good".<br>

All subjective. And...that's good. :)</p>

<p>First, determine the purpose for your bag(s). Storage, transport, and shooting are all different requirements. <br>

Storage - a bag (or case) that you keep all of your gear in when you are not using it.<br>

Transport - a bag (or case) you use to bring your gear back and forth from a shooting location<br>

Shooting - a bag you use while you are actively shooting. In this case you don't need it to hold your camera. It should be in your hands!<br>

Storage cases should be roomy and protective. It will depend on how much stuff you want to put into it and how squeezed you want your stuff to be.<br>

Transporting gear also depends on how you are traveling. If you are walking, a backpack is nice or a roller case. Driving - you can use almost any kind of case or bag but a good roller is versatile. Flying, the roller is almost invaluable and you can bring a smaller empty bag for shooting when you arrive at your destination.<br>

I now use Think Tank rollers and Lens Changer bags for all of my work. Domke also is a great choice, especially for a solid shooter's bag. My roller is the Think Tank Airport International. I use it for weddings and events.</p>

 

<p>Owning the copyright does not automatically imply that you can do whatever you want with the images. If a client prefers you do not post them, they have a right to ask that. A copyright means <strong>others</strong> cannot do what <strong>they</strong> want with <strong>your</strong> images without your express permission. Again, it doesn't mean <strong>you</strong> can do whatever you want if your clients do not agree.</p>

<p>Apart from getting a Rottweiler and teaching him to second shoot, this is a very serious issue.<br>

Do not - NOT - ever trust your gear to another wedding vendor. They are doing exactly what you are - paying attention to the wedding! If you are going to utilize any space near the DJ make sure you have a strong bag that locks and a security cable that fastens to a solid stationary object. Even with this method there are no guarantees. I have heard about wedding crashers dressed to the nines, carrying small bolt cutters for just such cables. They do their research. Funny thing is they prey on upper class venues because they probably figure the photographers are high end pros with the top of the line gear.<br>

Above all, make sure your memory cards are on your person at ALL times. If you put down a second camera, remove the card and keep it on you. That is your most valuable piece of gear. Guard it with your life!<br>

I try to utilize the minimum gear I can easily carry, but for most weddings you do want to have some stuff that you will only use sporadically and just don't want to lug around all day. Then, for the reception, I like to go with a single body and lens and no grip. So, it makes sense to have something in which to store your extra gear. The most important thing you can do there is invest in a good quality case, like Think Tank Airport International (my case) or something similar. It's easy to cart around because it has wheels and it has more than one way to lock it down.</p>

 

<p>One more thing...a fast prime of the 85 1.4 or 50 1.4 variety may also help you. If you can't get real close to the altar, the 85 1.4 is a great way to get some good light!</p>

<p>I am glad to see so many responses here that are helpful. There are also a few pointers that may help but it may not apply in this case because it may be too late. First...so many people attempt to shoot weddings with equipment that does not really handle the uniqueness of that type of event very well. Just as you can't drive in the Indy 500 with a Prius, you really need to research the kind of gear that adequately does the job at weddings. Second...if flash is intimidating to you, and you want to do weddings, you need to put your fears aside and just learn the techniques. Your portfolio of weddings, while small, has some very nice available light shots but does not represent most of the aspects of wedding photography throughout the wedding day. Your landscape shots are terrific and show that you have a lot of skill in that area, so assuming you have a very good grasp of exposures and composition, you just have a few things to concentrate on to put your wedding setup together. Fast lenses! Landscapes and travel photography do not require speed. Weddings do..and then some! If you expect to increase your wedding portfolio you need to gear up with the right stuff. Weddings are a specialty and that requires some specialty tools. A couple of fast lenses will get you there easily. You should have the 24-70 2.8 and 70-200 2.8VR. That will cover almost everything for you in the beginning. Learning your flash techniques will get you the rest of the way.<br>

Also, you indicate you use the D90. I'd use that as a backup and move on up to a D700. That really helps in low light. If you have a D700 and 70-200 for a dimly lit church, a wee bit of flash should go a long way. Of course, you may not always be able to use flash during a ceremony. For a really dark place, just putting the lens and camera on a tripod and setting the iso at 1600 or 3200 will get you in the ballpark. <br>

Hope that helps! Have fun.</p>

 

<p>Rich means something different to everyone. Nowadays, if you have a job you are considered rich by the government, because you are the ones paying taxes. If you can support your family by shooting photographs chances are you are not just doing weddings. Remember that there are mostly weddings on weekends with only a few small exceptions. There are only so many weekends and there are only so many weddings you can personally handle. It isn't just a day's work. If you are a brilliant marketer you may be able to establish a company of photographers and book hundreds of weddings, but even so there is a law of diminishing returns.<br>

Weddings are a personal thing and if you are doing more than you can efficiently process with a high degree of satisfaction, you will eventually lose clients or book less. Or, be forced to lower your prices and that evens it all out. You either do lower priced weddings on volume or you do fewer at a premium price. Either way, you are not making the big dollars.<br>

I balance out my work with weddings, portraits, and events. It is important to have a steady cash flow for any business and if you don't plan your budget accordingly, you will spend way more than you make - or worse - more than you can potentially make.<br>

It is getting harder and harder to start out because everyone can buy a good camera and the perception is that good cameras make good pictures. No matter how hard we try to educate people, they still believe this to a large extent. With so many new photographers out there competing on price, it is harder for established photographers to maintain their client base.<br>

If I were to advise anyone today who is looking forward to a career in photography, I'd tell them to keep it as a hobby but get another job to be financially safer.<br>

There are many great photographers out there earning some big dollars but my guess is that they are not new to the business and it took them many years of struggling to become major players in the game. Yes, it can be done, but the odds are not in your favor.</p>

 

<p>This thread is another example of how the concept of what wedding photography "is" does not interpret the same for all photographers. If all photographers ever agree that there are certain "standards" that should be applied to all wedding photographs, we will all be taking a huge step backwards with promoting wedding photography as being a viable photographic "art" form. Good photographs may be made by using or breaking rules or any combination thereof. As with all arts and crafts it will still be the buyer who decides what is appealing. As professionals, we will always have our own favorites and preferences when it comes to styles and looks. That's fine, but we still should remember we are trying to make a living. If a preset or action or style or look gives your clients what they like, you will be successful. Every field has its experts, skilled craftsmen, hacks, pontificates, etc. Disagreements on methods are natural and can actually stimulate thought on creativity. <br>

Using any method to create photographs is up to the photographer. Do your own thing. If it works for you, you will be where you want to be without worrying about other people's opinions.<br>

BTW, this isn't a slam of the original post. It just says that everyone views wedding photography in their own way. It is the same thought process that says, use a 50mm lens here instead of a 135 for this kind of portrait. If one uses the 50 and the shot becomes famous, everyone will go out and buy a 50. Since Cartier-Bresson used a 50 mostly, why do we not all limit our shooting to the 50? Wasn't that the "right" way to make pictures?</p>

<p>Sometimes it's tough when you have someone in your way who thinks they have priority. I had one situation where I was shooting during a ceremony and the "perfect" vantage point was clear to me. Just before I moved there someone took up that position and started shooting. It was too late to try and take that position without disrupting the ceremony so I had to just find another spot. Some photographers feel they can do anything to shoot what <strong>they</strong> want to shoot. If you ever feel that way, stop and think before you react. You are not a family member or guest. This is <strong>their</strong> event. You are hired to record the event - not to create it!<br>

Diplomacy is the key towards diffusing uncomfortable situations that limit or interfere with your flow of shooting. When someone is in my way, I give them a big smile and they usually get it. If not a polite exchange of explaining what you are trying to do is preferable to being more aggressive. People usually understand why you are there. They just need a little reminder sometimes.<br>

I've never run into any real hostility at weddings and after fourteen years of shooting them I hope I can remain that way. Some folks have real horror stories and I always cringe when I hear them. I always wonder if there would have been any other way to deal with the situation, but I sure hope I never have to be in that situation.<br>

When you talk about guests with cameras, I did a wedding where the groom's family were all pro or semi-pro photographers. They weren't wedding pros though so they didn't use a family member to shoot the wedding. That of course did not stop every one of them from bringing their latest state-of-the-art gear to the wedding and finding the best spots to shoot from, which as you may have guessed puts them into my sights for a lot of important shots. But, I still had to shoot. I think in that case the couple will see a lot of people shooting in their pictures, but they probably expected it given the people attending.</p>

<p> </p>

<p>BTW, Neil Ambrose - now one of my favorite photographers. Love your approach Neil, beautiful pictures.</p>

<p>I think there are no absolutes in wedding photography. Weddings are not all action shots. There is a combination of portrait, candid, still-life, and even landscape depending on location. The PJ that many discuss on forums can mean so many things. Let's consider a photojournalistic magazine piece. Let's use National Geographic for instance. Depending on the story there are posed shots, landscape shots, close-up details, action and candid shots, etc. To me that is PJ. So why at weddings do we limit PJ to any one particular style of photography?<br>

PJ may be more of an intent than a shooting style. If your photos are made to tell a story than you have "documented" for that story and it does not matter the types of photos, only that they are in some kind of relevant mix to tell the tale.<br>

In my opinion that defines PJ, but others will argue solely based on style of the photos.</p>

<p>I have a different way of looking at it. You can be full time in one career and part time in another. So, to me a full time photographer is one who makes the majority of their money and spends the majority of their time as a photographer. You can maintain other areas of business along with photography, but if you make most of your living from it then you are a full time photographer. Maybe that isn't technically correct but it is hard to think of not diversifying in today's economy. Many who earn a lot of their money from shooting but make a lot of money selling actions, templates, and other photographic products are still considered photographers - but full time?<br /> Well, they are photographers and their "other" business is also in that field albeit sales primarily. But what if their second business is not related?<br /> Here's an example: (my situation)<br /> You spend most of your time shooting, processing, designing, selling your photography. You also teach music lessons and play an instrument for money. So you are both a pro photographer and a pro musician. Are you a full time photographer? If your second job is only for supplemental income, I believe you are a "full-time" photographer.<br /> If you want to be precisely technical, full-time could mean ALL of your time is spent earning a living from photography. I guess it can also mean that you spend ALL of your time being a photographer....but not making any money. :) Hey, it can happen.<br>

After re-reading the original topic it specifies WEDDINGS. So a full-time WEDDING photographer would be one who mostly does weddings as a primary area of photography. It doesn't mean they don't shoot anything else, only that it is your specialty and you spend most of your time in that field. What do you think?</p>

 

<p>When I am a guest at a wedding, I leave my cameras at home. Period. Why? I've seen a new trend and it bugs me. I've done weddings where everyone, literally, has had a camera. I even did one where some guests had the same camera that I did! Ok, so the whole lot of them were professional photographers or at least serious amateurs, but think about this: If <strong>you</strong> were getting married would you want your whole wedding album to be full of pictures of everyone taking pictures? Really? That would drive me up a wall. I don't want to shoot pictures where even the groomsmen and bridesmaids are shooting while I am trying to shoot them. But sometimes you can't help it since they all have cameras. Why does everyone need to do this? Doesn't the wedding mean anything anymore other than a photo op? I'm not screaming here, but I would just prefer to enjoy a wedding without trying to capture every moment. After all, I get paid to do that at other people's weddings. If I'm a guest I want to drink, eat, dance, and chat with people. I want to watch friends get married, be happy, and not worry about how to "get the shot".<br>

Maybe that's an antiquated opinion but geez, it's getting crazy with the paparazzi wedding guests out there.</p>

<p>Making good photographs at a wedding is very demanding, so you should get the best lenses you can afford.<br>

There will be a difference in the quality of your images by using less than the best lenses. Now, what does that mean exactly? A great photographer can work with almost anything, but if you do some research, they do not choose to use anything but the best even if they can utilize cheaper equipment. Tools are important.<br>

It is not easy to start in the wedding business. You will get some people being critical for asking your questions for the simple reason that if you have experience you will know what you need already. But how to get that experience? Working as an assistant or second shooter with an established pro whose work you admire is the best way to discover what your needs in equipment will dictate. If you haven't done a wedding on your own yet, there is no way that anyone's advice will give you absolute answers. You have to work a little first to figure out what your shooting style is and how best to make the pictures you want to make. This is a trial and error effort. Unfortunately, you cannot "experiment" too much at someone's wedding. This is why you would be better served by "not" being the primary shooter at several wedding so you can try different equipment and techniques to see what is most useful and comfortable for you.<br>

Comfort is an important element of shooting weddings. You are going to bust your tail working all day at a wedding. You must find the gear that is easiest for you to maneuver. How much weight do you "really" want to carry? How easily can you run around with the gear you have? What kind of bag will carry your gear? How many lenses do you need or want to carry? Do you need long lenses for ceremonies? What kind of flash equipment is good for you? Do you understand lighting well enough to buy the right gear?<br>

This is at first a learning experience by watching a veteran work and by analyzing the kinds of shots you need to capture. Then with some experience it becomes a trial and error process after much research, on what tools are available and what suits your style. Don't be discouraged. We all buy a lot of stuff we end up no longer using in favor of alternatives. But realize that you are going to spend money. Gear isn't cheap.<br>

If you are shooting full frame, a "basic" kit could be 16-35, 24-70, 70-200, all 2.8 and all expensive. You have the entire focal range covered though with just those. Then I'd add an 85 1.8 and a 50 1.4. They are less expensive but nice for low light and easy to carry. Beyond that, if you like primes (which I always used when I shot with Canon) the 35 1.4 and 24 1.4 are both lenses you will keep forever. They are killers! If you are a prime person, you also will really enjoy the 135 f2. It is one of the best you can buy.<br>

Hope you make lots of money. You'll need it! :)</p>

<p> </p>

<p>More importantly, what do you <strong>see</strong> when you "walk around"? Will your equipment give you the response you need?</p>

<p>"We stumbled upon what appeared to be what I would consider a "diamond in the rough" wedding photographer. Technically, her photos weren't perfect, but her composition was great and she seemed to have an eye for the moment...something you really can't train."<br>

As stated in other posts, this is your issue. I know a photographer who could shoot a wedding with an iPhone. Gear is not the issue at all. The person you hired was not a seasoned professional wedding photographer. You got what you asked for. You hired an amateur and you got amateur results. It happens all the time. I love amateurs for their passion but I would not hire one to do a professional job, any more than I'd hire a budding young surgeon to operate on me. As for the "eye" that you can't train, sure you can. It is about experience and practice.<br>

That all may have sounded harsh, but I really am sorry you had this experience. You deserved better. I hope you can salvage some of the images so at least you have something to show for your wedding pictures.<br>

All the best Richard.<br>

Lou</p>

<p><strong>Reflections</strong></p>

<p><strong><br /> </strong></p>

<p> </p><div></div>

<p>There are professional photographers and photographers and people who own good cameras. If you choose only <strong>one</strong> of these over the other two you will get someone who will get the job done. Most people don't understand the difference, but some think they do and don't understand the significance of their choice. Wedding photography is also a specialty. It requires skills far beyond just knowing how to compose or expose a good picture. There are probably many photographers who can take decent pictures but doing them in the hundreds or even thousands during the wedding day and in all lighting and logistical conditions is not necessarily a skill that all of them possess. Caveat emptor. Let the buyer beware.</p>

<p>Contrary to some opinion, photojournalism does not limit in any way the tools available to photographers. PJ is an often misused term for "candid only - no flash" photography. If you look into the history of newspaper and magazine photographers you will find that almost all used flash - don't forget film was very slow in the old days.<br>

Photo opportunities for news photographers were and still are not limited to action only pictures. Celebrities, politicians, and other dignitaries were often photographed posing for a handshake, an appearance, a document or book signing, etc. as part of a news story or editorial piece. Somehow the original idea of "telling a story with pictures" has morphed into a set of regulatory or confined activities about <strong>how</strong> to shoot to tell a story.<br>

Weddings are a combination of many "types" of photography. Like it or not, you typically have to know portraiture, still life, architecture, food and product, and oh yes, documentary style photography. Every wedding presents the opportunity to play in a variety of photographic areas depending on the event.<br>

Wait a minute - I don't shoot doves being released into the direct sun - that's wildlife photography! I'm PJ only. Yikes! I had to do butterflies. Believe me it wasn't as easy as it sounded. :)</p>

<p> </p>

<p>Sure thing Otto. I hope some of the suggestions here prove useful. What we do isn't easy. I also like to receive criticism so I can always be in the mode of fine tuning every aspect of my business. Take care!</p>

<p>Lou</p>