sting1

I 100% agree with jude.. this is the key thing "DONT SELL YOURSELF SHORT" Generally people believe if something is cheap.. then it is cheap" see my point? I think that people generally expect to pay a fair price for a photographer and think that because you are charging, then you must be relatively good. After all, who is going to deliberately go out of their way to hire a rubbish photographer for their wedding?!

Im in the UK and have done only very few weddings, however I am charging considerably more than the $500 I see here. Putting my (little) experience to one side (if i can) for a moment, the hours i spend on image production on the PC and art-work for the DVD covers and discs etc usually equates to less than just a few pounds per hour! My last wedding = 35 hours of work (thats a working week here in the UK.. almost).

 

However, if someone says its too expensive.. dont be afraid to negotiate money. They do in many shops i buy things in and they get my business!

1D, 1Ds - its called marketing!

mars c, I wouldnt have thought the technology is that much more advanced.. the specs are little different from each other. plus I would have thought Thomas would only be interested in factual information rather than just speculation on a camera that doesnt exist yet. From what I've seen the successor to the 1Ds wont be out until some time next year.. I didnt see it in the new canon catalogue. However, if he can wait...

IMHO:

 

8Gb has served me pretty well for weddings.. 1Gb is nowhere near enough!

 

Take a second body (with charged batteries) if you can also your battery charger plus leads and an extension power cable if poss. Power is always a concern.

 

You have all focal lengths covered.. I would have thought your sigma 24 - 70 f/2.0 would be appropriate during the reception as you can get quite close to the bride and groom; you'll probably have less restriction.

 

Your tamron 28 - 300mm would be good during the ceremony assuming you have restriction on where you can wander. Even better if your 280-300 is a fast lens due to the low light plus you'll get some nice close-up out-of-focus backgrounds that emphasize the adrenaline on the bride and groom during the ceremony.

 

Your nikon 50 mm f/1.8 will be good for when you get the bride and groom alone for a portrait session, or small groups.

 

 

Your tamron 90 mm f/2.0 - Again probably good as a portrait back up lens for could do some nice close ups (macros) of the fingers, Rings that sort of stuff.

 

The above is only a rough guide to how I use my gear, other more experienced users here may disagree or have their own methods.

Portrait photography benefits a lot from mega pixels! the 1Ds is far more suited for this. However, If you are ?portraiting? the 5D 12.8Mp is better then the 1D MkIII and of course far cheaper. My photography is quite varied so for me the 5D has the best of both worlds.

Believe me there was nothing deliberate about misrepresenting myself on my original statement, it wouldnt be to my advantage.

Anyway, I really don?t want to make any enemies here; I just come here to LEARN something and I love using this forum. I may have been using cameras for sometime but when it comes to making a living from them, I consider myself ?new to photography? because when I see other users? comments on here it often makes me realise just how little I know about photography but makes even more eager to learn. I just want to do my best. I?m in a position now where I am trying to make a living from this.. Or rather I have to!

Lied! about what exactly? I even mentioned the statement was inaccurate how is this a lie?!! Anthony if you have something worth while to add to this thread then add it.. otherwise stop being rude as your comment is UNCALLED FOR!

Thank you Don. No I didn't ask on the wedding forum as its not only weddings I will do. However, a quick scan before I posted this question didn?t yield much. Then again, it as only a quick scan!

 

But reading some of the photo magazines (im in UK), it appears that many digital photographers have them but don?t use them often. As you say, I guess this is where your experience comes in, a combination of Histogram/Light meter and experience gives you the right exposure!

 

For my last wedding I only used a Canon 580EX on-camera flashgun, and the results we pleasing and just using the histogram. But yes you are totally right about relying too much on this because on several occasions I had re-shoot individual shots which made my schedule a little tight.

Thanks Don for your info. No, this is not my first and my risk is calculated. I?ve done a few weddings before and very akin to dealing with people and certainly the post production with regard Photoshop etc. I have a great print service so not worried about the printing aspect.

 

My original statement was a little misleading but I wanted to point out that I don?t have much professional experience. The weddings are a few months off and I have more than enough equipment to cope with the event. I just wanted some help with regards to light meters as i have virtually no experience with these nor external lighting for that matter.

 

Yes, my other business is irrelevant here. However, I thought it might drive the point home to frank. Sorry, if it was a bit strong!

 

And, if I mess up... I'll tell u all about it!! LOL

Another thing Frank... when i was 20 years old i didn?t know anything about teaching. But in 7 years I OWNED and successfully ran a private college that became known internationally for its teaching of some of the youngest children in the world to take examinations! Always in the press and TV and Guinness book of records 4 times. Now, that's the sort of business model i like to work with frank.

 

any questions?!

Frank - it's called JUST DOING IT! And if you didn?t realise good business takes BALLS! then god help you!

However, the question is more to do with using the light meter so I accept my statement was a little inaccurate. Sometimes I like to exaggerate in order to emphasise my point  I've been using cameras with out a light meter for almost 25 years though not in a "professional" manner.

Jim, i've probably got less wedding experience than you.. at my first wedding i only had 1 camera with 1 17-85 lens and a flashgun! But it turned out ok. Your gear looks fine from what i can tell, you seem to have all focal lengths covered which is usually my primary concern.

I've been looking on the net at other peoples photos and also what my friends had done at their weddings. Just take loads of photos to give variety and have fun!

Edsel, you may be a better photographer than others and myself here but you gotta come back down to earth and read Jon's post. He's asking for help.

 

And by the way. I've only shot couple of weddings so far, and Ive had no complaints! But who's saying im a "Good Photographer"? or more to the point Jon is?!!!

 

Anotehr (small) ponit, sure there are many wedding photographers but if you think that everone is shooting weddings, u probably dont know that many photographers. I know many working photographers and most of them dont shoot weddings!

Edsel, im not really a photographer either(meaning, ive never done it for a living) .. But this past few months its become my main job and people that I've worked for liked what I did.

 

Being supportive does actually help people!

thank you so much for your comments, i really do enjoy using this forum and have learnt so much.

 

As I am new to photography but desperately keen to learn, I took the plunge and purchased a Bowens 2 x 500w/s monolight kit and powerpack, with a softbox and a separate lastolite 36" reflector. Plus a Sekonicic L758D light meter. I must admit, I'm really still in the dark (no pun intended!) and have weddings booked in a few months from now. i'll probably post another million questions here before im done! LOL

i read in a well known uk photo magazine that many photographers (including the

one that was doing the review i was reading) don?t bother with external light

meters when shooting digital. I know and can see the importance for film

photographers but do the top working digi photographers really work without

them?

 

thanks..

you actually bother to get model release signature from participants at weddings? OMG! where do you get the time to actually shoot?!

 

I've shot only a few weddings but ~I've bothered with model release signatures as its a forgone conclusion the pictures will be sold to bride & groom!

im no expert on this but i only use polorizers for two reasons: 1. to cut down reflections 2. to darken a blue sky... great for the deep blues in the sky or black if u go B&W.

 

in your case i think its a matter of preference. if it looks good ten does it matter?

great thanks guys... I have a book but im away at the moment and i couldnt remember, if indeed i actually knew?! Sometiems its just quicker to get answers here..its why i like it so much here.. people are so helpful. thank you kindly, all of you.

i just bought a 758D, the DR has the built-in Radio Transmitter but be warned, I've heard that the frequency is only compatible with the pocket-wizards as these products are now sold together in the full package. However (and to side track a little) the aforementioned compatibility doesn?t really matter as you can always fire your remote heads from the transmitter that you can hold in your hand! This works because the 758 series has a 'Waiting for Flash' function :) Thought this might be of interest to anyone whi wanted to get the DR instead of the D as it was to me.

 

Anyway, back to your point! As far as I'm aware, the Cine versions? are the same but have the addition of being able to take in account shutter angles.

 

I am also getting calls for video but know my 758D will do he job as light meter as im not using a ?100,000 video camera! Even Z1E's and V1E or U depending on where u r, have very accurate and reliable exposure system and the 758 could easily (IMHO) be suited to that kind of equipment.

 

Having said all this of course..if u can get a Cine for the price of a 758D .. GO FOR THE CINE! (be sure to check out ALL the differences first, but as i've mentioned, he Cine jus ADDS to what the 758 has.

 

Hope this helps.

Could someone please explain the difference between EV and F-Stop when talking

about camera apertures/exposure?

 

 

thanks

Thanks all for your comments. I did think of Garys suggestion and agree its a good idea. But someone like myself who is a complete novice when it comes to lighting I need some kind of reference or at least a pointer as to what other photographers are doing. I think lighting diagrams are what u make of them.. if want to follow them and apply no further thought then your result will be as they will be!

I like the idea of lighting diagrams as you can quickly copy them BUT then start to apply your own train of thought and experience.

 

Thanks again everyone.

Could Anyone Recommend a Good 'Lighting for Portrait Digital photographers'

Book please.

 

I am quite new to digital photographic lighting and just acquired my first

proper monolight kit. I got some weddings to do and need good (not too hard

going) book with plenty of lighting diagrams and easy explanations and examples.

 

Many thanks!

I have 2 x Bowens Gemini 500w/s lights (Travel Pack kit, if that helps?), one

used with a 60x80 softbox. i use 90cm silver/whte umbrellas.

 

Q. Could someone please tell me the approximate distances in which to use these

lights (using standard light configuration) for portrait of between 2-6 people.

 

Many thanks.

Why Do Rounder Apertures Create a Better Bokeh? It's ok to be technical!