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Hi all i have been asked to do a wedding soon i have some ok gear, a canon 10D with canon 28-75 zoom lens a canon ultrasonic 75-300 zoom and a sigma 50-500 zoom lens, a diecent trypod but no flash gun other than on camera.will i need one if so which is best and not too costly as i am still making no money frome this as of yet. also which other lens to add to my kit do you recomend if i need one that is,and any general pointers you can give me has anyone got any porfolios so i know what sort of pics to go for. i also have a nikon f75 as a backup camera thanks all in advance your help is much appreceated.
you'll find that good wedding photography is much more about the photographer than the gear. What you have, will likely do fine, as long as:-
a: you are 110% comfortable using it in fast changing circumstances
b: you are aware of its shortcomings, and can comfortably work around them.
c: you have a good eye for a picture, and can almost instantly capture what you see, first time.
Just google for wedding photographer. you'll find a zillion galleries. some fantatstic and some rubbish.
Good luck.
edit: oh, yes, and what Andy says.
So....
you have a 10D
kit lenses
a bigma
an incompatible camera as a backup
no flash
You then say...
what lens should you buy....
and what photos you should take...
Very funny!
What was the question again?
There are plenty of threads on this, the amount of people who want to photograph weddings is amazing.
Anyway in short the jist is;
Get decent insurance
Get the printing done professionally Inkjet prints end in tears
Price it so that a living can be made
Use gear you are comfortable with
Only do it if you respect the people involved and know what you are doing.
I would say your starting post tells me that you are not ready to do this so walk away. Offer to take some supporting shots, let an experienced person do the main bit.
If you are asking these questions you are not ready, gear or not.
Nice pics on your portfolio joefox,you trully are a professional photographer, you have even managed to look down your pro photographers nose at my request for help. thanks for the vote of confidence, and i hope to aspire to be as professional as you one day.then maybe i too can get my giggles at lowly amaters expenses.?
Thanks Mark,
Anyway - go ahead and shoot the wedding with what you have.
You'll do fine.
If you add a fast 50mm and a flash you'll probably be okay. We all have to start somewhere. Weddings are the deep end as it's one chance, but digital removes a LOT of the nerves. If you've got a big gob and can take a straight picture your half way there. Wedding albums don't need umpteen gazillion pixels and Zeiss glass for 10x8s.
Good luck!
Lee.
lol lat
if you search on this forum for weddings, then you will understand joes responce
it may seem disrespectfull, but after the same reply to 30/60 threads some people get a little short (no excuse) you have inadequate kit to attempt a pros approach to a weddind and obviously a lack of experiance
but you have stated you are making no money yet, so the pros need to cut some slack to a budding amature,
realising what levle you are at, and what you are aspiring towards is the biggest hurdle to overcome
listen to the pros, they know there ****
There are professionals who can appear to be unhelpful,pompous even hurtful however I really feel that they are sincerely concerned about somebody shooting a wedding who is so clearly and totally unprepared for a couple's mega major event in their lives.
If you are going to go ahead with the wedding anyway despite all the advice to the contrary please be very honest with the couple and tell them of your experience or rather lack of and give the responsibility for their pictures to them.
There are ways and means for total beginners to start wedding photography we all started somewhere!! Offer perhaps to work as an unpaid assistant to a professional photographer (try speaking nicely to Jo lol); many people started out working for Kodak Weddings, they are always looking for photographers though I am unsure what equipment they demand you have these days - high end digital or medium format I think.
Realistically there are some people who can't or won't pay pro prices and therefore will always try to get the cheapest option, I think it highly unrealistic that you could charge very much if anything at all atm. I know of a guy in a poor part of London who charges 100 to take 36 exposures and then gives the unexposed film to the B&G!
Someone once said (I forget who) that wedding photography is the easiest profession to get into and the hardest profession to succeed in, like any other profession the apprenticeship is long, hard and torturous and ill paid.
Worse still talking to one of my supplier's representatives the other day many wedding photographers go out of business quite quickly not only after starting up but also those who have been in business a long time.
Kind regards Peter.
Mark
If you are seriously interested in a career in wedding photography, then book yourself on a course and learn the subject, looking at your portfolio I would say that you could possibly make an excellent wedding photographer, but I would say that without the knowledge or experience in this field then the wedding that you have been asked to do could at worst end in tears or at best put yourself under unnecessary pressure.
I am not a profesional photographer but I hope that my thoughts have helped you on your journey
Good Luck
Stu
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