lunaphotography

To all of those who were so helpful in this process...

Thank you! Chris seems to have already known what I just learned, that cards should not go between different cameras. Who knew? (well, I didn't!)

All's well that ends well: my husband used a different software to download the images off the card. I will reformat it and keep it dedicated to one camera. I am no longer panicking (thank you, Chris) and have learned much through this process and this helpful forum.

Thanks, everyone!

Lauren

Now I am really panicked. I changed cards, just to see whether it was the card or the camera/cable/card reader. the new card worked just fine: I could see and download the images. So now, how do I get the images off my card?

Also (man, you guys are going to htink I'm really limited) can you use CF cards between cameras? I recently acquired an EOS 1-D and I've been switching the CF cards back and forth between the cameras. Is that a no-no? Are CF cards only good for one camera?

thanks!

Lauren

Wow...

I have learned a lot. To answer your questions, I have used this camera and this card (yes, I now get loud and clear to not erase and rewrite and to format after downloading the photos--i did not know that) before. I did buy the cardreader, and when i tried it, the folders on teh CF card came up, but none of the images were visible through it. I think I may have messed something up there. I am calling in my "technical advisor" that would be my husband.

I think that Leon may have hit the nail on the head. I did switch USB ports on my laptop just because of location, and maybe they are different types of ports. i'll switch back; also, I think I am going to try Glen's advice, too--you know, revert back to basics!

I'm of course panicking--the bridal shoot was three weeks ago and the wedding is in THREE weeks! I need to get that image off and fast. I suppose in a pinch, I could take it to a moto photo or Penn Camera and have them download it onto a CD for me? do they do that?

Thanks everyone. I appreciate the advice. You would never guess that in other aspects of my life, I am actually quite savvy....

Thanks!

Lauren

Thanks, Jay.

Your advice is simple and logical (two things I like). Tomorrow, I am going to buy a card reader.

Thanks so much! Hopefully, I will have good news to post tomorrow. Yes, it's late here, too, and I like you need to get to bed!

Lauren

Oh, boy. Thanks, Jay.

I have to confess that much of the digital experience is still quite new to me. Let me say this: I can view my images on the camera and I have used this CF card since I bought the camera like 3 years ago. I regularly use it, fill it, empty it and do it all again. Do CF cards have a "life"? I am very open to getting a new cord and trying that. I really, really hope that my card is not damaged and these images are lost. That, to say the least, would be bad.

Thanks

Lauren

Nadine,

Your response intrigues me. I'm interested in why you came up with the AV or TV outside, but not inside. Ditto One Shot. Do you mind giving more elaboration on your advice? If you want, you can email me off line so as to not derail the original question.

thanks,

Lauren

Hi, there. I hope that you all can help a newcomer to this forum...

I have a 3 year old, well used 20D. I have a cord (yeah, I'm not the most

technically sophisticated) that goes directly from the camera to the computer

that I use to download my images. Well, of course, tonight I need to download

these images of a bridal portait shoot to send to the printer...time is of the

essence and...the camera keeps flashing "busy busy busy" but won't let me

download the images.

The battery is fine.

The connection is good, as the computer recognizes the camera and the camera is

aware that it, too, is connected.

Has this ever happened to anyone?

Can you recommend a way to get the images off the CF?

THANKS!

Lauren

100,000?? That is great and it makes much more sense. Now that you say that, too, I think that maybe it was what I was told. Anyway, I hope that's about right. I like this camera and am not ready to part with it or give it major surgery.

Do you happen to know the shutter life of the EOS 1-D?

For those of you still interested in this thread...I have settled my initial dilemma.

A friend of mine is giving me his nearly-new EOS1-D. It's about 3 years old and has fewer than 150 exposures on it. If I like it, I can keep it. If I don't like it, I think that I will consider seriously the 5D or the 30D. The big crunch is getting through this wedding in November. After that, I can take my time with the big camera, see how I like its feel (it's a big body--small hands issue), and see whether I can make it all work with the two bodies I have. Of course, when I bought my 20D, I was told that it has about a 10,000 exposure life on the shutter (I've learned about shutter life through other Canon cameras). My current 20D has about 6,000, so I'll need to replace this workhorse sometime soon anyway. Hence, the backup for now.

Anyway, thank you all for your great input and advice! I learned a lot and it was a huge help.

Lauren

Hi, friends!

I'm out of the country in Senegal (not bad work if you can get it!) and I'm just checking in...thanks for the responses---I will respond/read more closely when I get back to the States!

Cheers,

LA

Dear WW

You are quite a helpful one, aren't you? Would you please clarify this statement?

With the lenses you have, then my opinion is reinforced: a 20D and a 5D, but noted, this is not your go.

I think that you are spot on with your observations and suggestions re: lens speed and focal length, especially at the wide end. My upcoming wedding is small (50 ppl), daytime, and outside. It will not be hard at all. But the outdoor vistas will benefit from a wider angle...I would be interested in renting some lenses for this event--maybe i will even rent a 5d!

As for the fate of my EOS-1, it is a nice camera. I have no plans to sell it for the precise reason you state: I still do occasional film (but with two toddlers in the house, digital is so much easier!). I will keep it for now and probably for a while to come.

I am listening closely to your suggestion re: the 30D being the best investment/return at this time.

Does anyone have anything to share about renting equipment? There are some places that rent where I live (Washington, DC area), but I have never taken that route. Would you recommend this approach?

Thanks!

Lauren

Wow!

I guess I need to check this site more than once a day. Thank you ALL for your responses.

Let me answer William W's questions.

What is your lens kit? I shoot with a few primes 85mm, 100mm, and 135mm. These work well for my portraits. I have these in my bag, but I find that in the quick pace of a wedding day, I normally keep my 28-300 zoom on one camera and my 28-200 zoom on my other camera.

Do you still have a 135 film body? If so what? I do have a film body. It's a nearly-new EOS-1. I bought it right around the time that I got the 20D (or something like that) and never got that comfortable with it. It can do some amazing things, though, I need time and patience with it--two things that I do not feel that I have when I am shooting a wedding.

Is this to be a long term gig for you? I think so. I've been shooting weddings for about 8 years. I have a whole separate career and a separate life, so in a busy year, I do 5-8 weddings a year plus a few other social events and lots of kids. I anticipate that I will continue on this kind of path for the foreseeable future.

The advice that particularly resonates with me is the one to have two identical cameras. That makes a lot of sense. However, I also heed the warnings of buying old cameras and spending money now on camera bodies when "glass" (lenses) investments may be better in the long run.

For kicks and giggles, I am going to look seriously into the 30D, 40D, and 5D options. By the way, can anyone tell me how these feel in your hands in comparison to the 20D? I have small hands and the bigger bodies (like my film EOS-1) sometimes give me cramps over the 10 hours or more of a wedding.

Thanks again! I have learned my lesson now, and will check the site more frequently.

LA

Hi, there

I am new to this community and I love the feedback everyone gets and gives!

I need a back-up camera for an upcoming wedding.

Until now, I shot mostly with film cameras and used the digital for my backup.

I took some time off to have some babies and now I'm getting back into the

groove and realize that I do not want to do this wedding in film. Now I need

to find a back-up digital body.

My current body is a Canon 20D. I like it, can't say I love it, and want to

know what my best options are. I would like to be cost-effective about this

purchase.

For under $1000, what are my options for new equipment?

For the range of $1000-$4000, what are my options for new equipment?

What are good options for used equipment for under $1000?

Thanks so much,

Lauren

Also check out Candid2000.com They are great to work with, fast, and always super professional. They have their own templates, too, and the printing is crisp, clear. Beautiful. Great quality, great price, too.

www.candid2000.com

I say definitely do them. I agree with Matt and Conrad that these are the images that make the wedding, and make your images stand apart from the battery of P&Ss that will be there with the guests. And your candids are the moments that (1) the B&G either never saw or (2) the B&B will never forget. Remember that the B&G are really busy and the day/evening is moving faster for them than anyone else in the room. They'll love seeing everyone having a great time. They'll love seeing what they missed at their own wedding and being reminded of something that had slipped their minds.

I do have one word of caution. Don't be surprised if the B&G love the candid/journalistic images you took, but only order or request the formals and "boring" shots in their prints/albums. Not everyone has the same appreciation for the artistic candid/journalistic images that the photographer does. That said, people do appreciate a fine photo or an excellent image. Take the best pictures you can, of course, just make sure that at least some of them are ones suited for Auntie Sukey's wall.

I am interested in this question, too.

I am good behind the camera, but not an expert at PhotoShop. I hear people RAVE about Asuka books, but honestly, the fact that you have to develop your own templates and layout in PS intimidates me. Does anyone know whether there is another way?

I have used MyPublisher books for brides. I ALWAYS do the deluxe because it is a spectacular book AND because they do not put their MP logo on it all. It's like they know you are going to use it for a professional job. The product is great. Brides love it, love it! They run sales all the time (2 for 1)sometimes, and I order a second one for myself. When I talk to brides for the first time, it's an immediate seller. Since I do not believe that these books will last all the years of a marriage with kids, dogs, moves, grandkids, etc., I also end up selling two books--this one with the thin, magazine pages and then a more traditional album. MP prices are so low that you can really make money off selling this book to brides or other clients.

I have tried blurb.com books, but find that the paper is chintzy. I would not produce one for a paying wedding client.

I am interested to learn what others think about Zookbook/the zook photo book. Are these easy to make? Do you need to be a proficient PS user? Are there templates available? What are the costs of the Zook Books?

ditto with whiteweddingalbums. I'm looking for "wow" factor, reliability, templates, and easy in do-it-yourself desiging. Am I asking for too much?

Thanks!

Lauren

Bill,

I find the blurb books to be of OK quality for a commercial product, but not great as a professional item. I think it's cool to see your own wedding photography in a book like that, but I found the pages to be thin and the printing to be of questionable quality. For the comparable product, I recommend MyPublisher (mypublisher.com) books. They, like Blurb, have a nice photo dust jacket, and I think that in this price range, MyPublisher just has a better product. Neither of them, mind you, will last forever, and both book products show wear and tear pretty easily. Brides LOVE them; I always recommend getting this for show and another, more traditional book (stiffer pages, greater durability) to last the 50 years so that grandkids can revisit the wedding, too.

Wedding photography is as good as it gets. It's hard work. It's fun work. It's lucrative work if you want it to be. Once you get into the groove, it's not work at all. Every wedding I photograph sends me back to my wedding day, and I relive the tiny and big moments of the day through my lens. I think that putting myself back in the bride's shoes and dress helps to capture the little things that make the day special (as well as the big things that do, too).

Even though the photo editing, posting, and refining is hard work (and I'm not that good at photoshop yet) and can be time consuming, there is nothing I love more than to walk through the day in pictures with the bride and watch her see her big day for the first time through someone else's eyes.

Try it. You'll know after your first wedding whether you love it or not.

Good luck and feel the love!

I love taking pictures, sharing my images, and of course, selling my

images. BUT I have no interest or talent in learning how to design

my own website to do this. Up until now, I've kind of bootlegged a

website to show brides and other clients their electronic proofs, but

it's time for my website to be as nice as the images on it. I do

about 3-6 weddings a year, sprinkled with some portraiture. I have

looked into PhotoBiz.com and really like their product, but I don't

do enough paid work to justify the $50/month to keep 1,500 images

posted ($600/year!). I've heard of Pictage, too. Does anyone have

experiences or opinions about these online proofing/business/web

designing and maintenance companies? Can you recommend one that has

reasonable fees or at least flexible plans so that you don't have to

pay EVERY month if you don't have current clients?

Thanks!

Lauren

I have used Shutterfly.com and MyPublisher.com. Shutterfly is not going to cut it for any professional job, but I have used MyPublisher.com to create "mothers' books" for brides, brides families, and when I was a supplemental photographer for weddings. I have even used it for one bride's "official album."

I am very satisfied with the quality; the paper is heavy and glossy, and the binding is nice. The leather is a chintzy, but the linen gives a nice look.

I would be interested to hear other people's "Coffee Table Book" recommendations as wedding albums--it seems that the covers are not as high of quality (although the paper and prints are nice!) for an official wedding album.

Cheers and good luck! Go for it! you'll be really pleased when you see your images in a book.