Beginner Beginner Wedding Photography Lens

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chrisidas

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Chris
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Hi,

So I'm just getting into photography.

I work for a party business and will be doing a little photography for them on the side. I've done a few shoots so far, but have only used the kit lens on my camera. The customers seemed happy with the pictures, but i think i will need a more professional lens for weddings.

I have a Nikon D3300. I only really have the budget for the one lens. Which lens would you advise to be best for wedding photography on a low budget? My budget is around £200.

Looking on Amazon, I've found a Nikon 18-200MM F3.5-5.6G IF-ED AF-S VR DX lens, and this seems to be winning for me so far. What do you think of this one?

Also, would you say an after market flash is needed (if so, any examples would be appreciated)?

Thanks in advance,

Chris.
 
I'd say that lens isn't fast enough for wedding photography (obviously all depends on the lighting of the ceremony)

I used a 2.8 zoom at the weekend but I wish I'd swapped out to the 1.4 prime I had as I felt forced to up the ISO way higher than I wanted. Not sure how the D3300 deal with high ISO but I'd suggest not risking it unless you have to

You definitely need a flash if you're taking pictures at the reception in my opinion, i just got a £70 one off ebay (can't remember the model, if no one wiser pipes up I'll nip and check it for you :) )
 
For £200?

A 35mm 1.8.

Then keep saving up for a 2.8 std zoom.
 
What Phil says, or maybe you could pick up a second hand Tamron 17-50 f/2.8 first but the fast 35 f/1.8 would give you some creative options with shallow depth of field.

Matt's suggestion of a bounce flash is a good one too.

18-200 won't do you much good at all really so I'd not go down that road.
 
Don't want to sound harsh Chris but if you are "just getting into photography" do you really want to be doing weddings.
The fact you are asking which lens to use shows your inexperience. I know we all have to start somewhere but you are putting a hell of a lot of pressure on yourself on someone's big day.
Don't mean to sound critical so apologies if it comes across like that but I have seen quite a few people who pick up a camera and believe they can go into that sort of big bucks photography with no training.
John
 
Jesoid said:
Don't want to sound harsh Chris but if you are "just getting into photography" do you really want to be doing weddings.
The fact you are asking which lens to use shows your inexperience. I know we all have to start somewhere but you are putting a hell of a lot of pressure on yourself on someone's big day.
Don't mean to sound critical so apologies if it comes across like that but I have seen quite a few people who pick up a camera and believe they can go into that sort of big bucks photography with no training.
John
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Whilst we try to just 'answer the question' without being disparaging, there's an oft quoted saying by pros "if you're asking questions about the gear to use, you're not ready to do the job".

It may sound harsh, but if you're not used to shooting in low crappy light, you don't understand the demands that the conditions require.

Turning up at a wedding (for money) without the appropriate skills and equipment (and spare kit) is stupid.

What's the plan for if your camera fails? Or a lens, or flashgun. All the talent in the world will not get you through when your gear fails. Talent will get you shots, knowledge and experience will help you when Murphy's law kicks in. Part of that experience is knowing what gear you need to achieve the results you expect.

And that's the key, my camera bag might be different to the next guys, but it's the gear we chose to shoot the way we want, to shoot our style. If you're unsure what gear you need, it's because you don't know what you're planning to shoot. Would you be happy paying a mechanic/ plumber/ dentist to do some work for you if they had just been on the internet to find what tools to buy?
 
Chris, following on from mine and Phils comments, if this is the route you wish to go down then I would suggest finding a reputable wedding photographer and see if they will allow you to shadow them, obviously they may not be too enthusiastic about you possibly taking work from them in the future.
Best advise I can offer though.
People have seen that wedding photographers charge £900 or so for what seems like a days work, think they can buy a cheap camera and do the same.
I have worked my way up to a 5d mk3 in four years and still struggle with portraits..its not as easy as point and shoot.
 
boyfalldown said:
Just to add a little to the harshness. Go and spend a couple of years learning about photography. When you can take a great photo regardless of conditions or the day and know exactly how to do it. Then you are possibly ready to think about professional photography.
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:plus1: Excellent reply.

George.
 
Agree, needs more experience before doing weddings imo. I've been in photography for 6 years with equipment more than up for the job and i still refuse to do weddings. Theres a lot of pressure, to give real end results with those high expectations from the bride and groom to capture those 'right' moments isn't easy.

But then again, sometimes the best and quickest way to learn is to dive into the deep end! Just be clear to the customers about your experience and don't charge to higher rate for low end gear & experience, you can't go wrong if your honest and upfront with low costs - even better if you get a portfolio, so they know what there in for. at the end of the day you get what you pay for. if they want high end quality pictures with plenty of experience people will pay the price for it as it all reflects.
 
boyfalldown said:
I think thats very demonstratebly not true. We've all read stories about people who've done just that, been pilloried in the press and taken to court to recover those low costs. Its fair to say they went wrong.
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This^
You can't go wrong if you're free!
But free isn't very attractive to people who think this is 'easy money'.
Jumping in at the deep end is a great way to learn! But not at the expense of paying clients. :(
 
Phil V said:
This^
You can't go wrong if you're free!
But free isn't very attractive to people who think this is 'easy money'.
Jumping in at the deep end is a great way to learn! But not at the expense of paying clients. :(
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Yep I flatly refused to be paid for the first wedding I did (last weekend) as I didn't want to go back on my original "No thanks, I'm not a professional" stance when I was first asked.

In the end I was talked into doing it on a 'best endeavours' basis with the understanding that I had absolutely no experience (there would have been no photographer at all had I not agreed, so I had the comfort of knowing that anything was better than nothing), and even with those caveats it was a very stressful day for me.

I'd say getting paid if you're not sure will just make it even more pressure on the day, and as Phil points out isn't fair on the client.
 
I would really recommend the 35mm f1.8 Dx prime. It's so good I see full frame photographers using it. It's light, well built and a great price. I'd stay off the convenience zooms if I were you ( that means the zooms that try to cover a wide range, be the only lens you need. You know, Jack of all trades etc??)
 
i am a beginner myself and although you pro's are thinking you are being harsh, i disagree. this is exactly why i am on this forum to learn from you and to get real talk about how it is. give the feedback straight and you lot aren't disappointing. thanks

my starter kit goes like this:

  • Nikon D200
  • Nikon MB-D200 battery grip
  • Nikon Nikkor 35mm F1.8 G (approx £120 bran new)
  • Nikon Nikkor 55-200mm F4-5.6 G ED
  • Nikon Nikkor 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 G DX
  • Yungnuo YN-560 ii flash (approx £30-40) good purchase i thought for a starter flash
to offer my answer to you post - i love the crisp 35mm and the flash also works great so for £150-160 you can get yourself a new lens and flash to go with it that will last

i agree with it possible being too much to be the primary photographer for your first wedding, id recommend being a second shooter for a handful first to get the flow of the day sorted, and see how a pro works. this will allow you to develop your own style based on what works for you and they get head first into doing your own once you are ready.

i not took the plunge myself but might one day see if anyone out there is willing to let me tog along with them on a shoot, as i would love to learn more about this myself
 
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I have a strong suspicion the OP isnt coming back - but to answer the question you can get a tamron 17-50 f2.8 (the non VC model) for not much more than 200 second hand. That said I agree with Phil et al - if you have only an entry level DSLR and one lens you arent ready to cover a wedding. at minimum i'd also want someting longer like either an 85mm f1.8 or a 70-200 f2.8 , a second body and a couple of flash guns... and substantially more experience of using all of the above

For Liam - more or less the same applies - your long lens is too slow for wedding work as is your kit lens (and although the prime is handy its not enough on its own ) - I'd say get a second body (theres a lot of D300s arround cheapish), and another couple of primes like the 50 and 85 f1.8 ,and/ or a 17-50 f2.8 and 70-200 f2.8 , and a second flash gun.
 
i am am certainly going to upgrade my glass before i start to even think about anything like doing proper shoots

i would like to get an upgraded body too, just got my current kit to get to grip / the feel of DSLR and also begin to learn everything to get out of auto.

once i am confident enough to go out full manual and get the shots i want, then ill consider doing paid work until then, i am feeding off all your advice


big soft moose said:
I have a strong suspicion the OP isnt coming back - but to answer the question you can get a tamron 17-50 f2.8 (the non VC model) for not much more than 200 second hand. That said I agree with Phil et al - if you have only an entry level DSLR and one lens you arent ready to cover a wedding. at minimum i'd also want someting longer like either an 85mm f1.8 or a 70-200 f2.8 , a second body and a couple of flash guns... and substantially more experience of using all of the above

For Liam - more or less the same applies - your long lens is too slow for wedding work as is your kit lens (and although the prime is handy its not enough on its own ) - I'd say get a second body (theres a lot of D300s arround cheapish), and another couple of primes like the 50 and 85 f1.8 ,and/ or a 17-50 f2.8 and 70-200 f2.8 , and a second flash gun.
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Liam Brewster said:
i am am certainly going to upgrade my glass before i start to even think about anything like doing proper shoots

i would like to get an upgraded body too, just got my current kit to get to grip / the feel of DSLR and also begin to learn everything to get out of auto.

once i am confident enough to go out full manual and get the shots i want, then ill consider doing paid work until then, i am feeding off all your advice
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You don't need to go full manual except in very specific circumstances. I'd wager the majority of the pro wedding photographers that have commented rarely use full manual.
Ignore full manual. Lots of beginners get this idea that they need to be shooting in full manual all the time to be a good photographer. Nonsense. Master aperture and shutter priority modes, by the time you understand those you'll know when and how to use full manual.
 
ghoti said:
You don't need to go full manual except in very specific circumstances. I'd wager the majority of the pro wedding photographers that have commented rarely use full manual.
Ignore full manual. Lots of beginners get this idea that they need to be shooting in full manual all the time to be a good photographer. Nonsense. Master aperture and shutter priority modes, by the time you understand those you'll know when and how to use full manual.
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This^
Exposure modes are just ways to use a camera. Judging exposure is something you need to be able to do (your camera uses the same metering in all modes). Making pictures is what you should be thinking about improving, not learning to shoot 'full manual'.
 
As always, depends on what you want to make pictures of. Sometimes you have to learn how to do manual in order to get the shot that you want ... such as long exposure seascapes or light orbs etc.
 
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ghoti said:
You don't need to go full manual except in very specific circumstances. I'd wager the majority of the pro wedding photographers that have commented rarely use full manual.
Ignore full manual. Lots of beginners get this idea that they need to be shooting in full manual all the time to be a good photographer. Nonsense. Master aperture and shutter priority modes, by the time you understand those you'll know when and how to use full manual.
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:agree:

I shot well over 400 weddings professionally and can truthfully say that I only remember using manual exposure on one occasion - and that was when I'd only done maybe 30-40 weddings.
 
Stuart M said:
As always, depends on what you want to make pictures of. Sometimes you have to learn how to do manual in order to get the shot that you want ... such as long exposure seascapes or light orbs etc.
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This is true but liam was talking about weddings

Personally I use AV for 99% of my photography both paid and unpaid, there are occasions where full manual is necessary but Ive found them few and far between
 
Weddings is a long way off for me yet lol

I'm mainly in manual at moment to do long exposure/ night photography

But that pleasing to know that you don't need to shoot full auto when doing these type of events

Thanks everyone
 
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Liam Brewster said:
i am a beginner myself and although you pro's are thinking you are being harsh, i disagree. this is exactly why i am on this forum to learn from you and to get real talk about how it is. give the feedback straight and you lot aren't disappointing.
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psst ... we don't really think we're being harsh. We just say that to make ourselves look like nice chaps ;);););). Being slightly serious for a moment please do carry on asking.
 
These things always go the same way :(

OP didn't say if it was photos for the bride or just photos for the party company that do stuff at weddings.
 
DBT85 said:
These things always go the same way :(
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And the reason is, the advice is right, so tends to be repeated over and over...

Sadly, some people are put off by the sensible advice and choose to walk away - which appears to be whats happened here, as the OP hasn't returned since asking his initial question. It's a shame, as there's a wealth of information locked up in the pro's who posted here (and of course there's Mooses contributions, but we try and gloss over them ;) ) - and if they stuck around they'd end up a better photographer for the experience.

Would you prefer that all the Pro's start lying when asked questions instead ?
 
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Some great advice here. I hope the OP hasn't been 'scared off' from all your comments lol
 
TheBigYin said:
And the reason is, the advice is right, so tends to be repeated over and over...

Sadly, some people are put off by the sensible advice and choose to walk away - which appears to be whats happened here, as the OP hasn't returned since asking his initial question. It's a shame, as there's a wealth of information locked up in the pro's who posted here (and of course there's Mooses contributions, but we try and gloss over them ;) ) - and if they stuck around they'd end up a better photographer for the experience.

Would you prefer that all the Pro's start lying when asked questions instead ?
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I'm not saying the advice is wrong or bad advice, at all. All I'm saying is that someone asks question a) and then gets answers to questions a), b), c) and d).

We don't know if the OP wanted a better lens to take pictures for the brides or for the party company, both of which would have different demands. If you're taking the pictures for the bride then of course everything in John and Phil's excellent posts is exactly what you want to see people replying with. Doing that job means needing backups and contingencies and knowing what you need and if not, how to work it out yourself.

Taking some photos for your employer who wants cheap promo material from someone who's job is actually something else is a different matter.

The OP just wanted some ideas for a cheap lens to get some better shots at weddings for an undisclosed purpose, and whether a flash is needed and if so what direction to go in.

That's all I'm saying.
 
The only reason threads like this go the same way is because someone comes in a fortnight after the last post in a pretty amicable thread and makes it go 'that way' because they reopen it by stating it will 'go that way' when it evidently hasn't. They don't actually add anything to the thread
 
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