The Challenge

lawrie29

lawrie29

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Lawrie
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I have been asked to do the photos at my SIster in laws wedding.

This is on the back of photos like the ones at the bottom.

I have no kit to speak of, and can only stretch to £220 to buy everything I need. This is basically the cost of the 2 bridesmaids dresses my SIL will pay for for me doing the photos. If I don;t do the photos, I buy the dresses, so really the camera is free (thats my thinking).

So I need everything to do the photos at a wedding for £220.

A little about me. The photos below where taken on a konica Dimage Z10 - 3.2mp and 8x zoom, for those not in the know. My "style" tends to be built around the fantastic zoom on this camera. SO on that note, I was looking at the S9600 by fuji. Big zoom, though manual so a bit more DSLR like, and with RAW mode also. THe reviews I have read rate it, but is there better, bearing in mind the cost. I don't really want a DSLR, as dont have time to learn what to do with it, and couldn't afford a lens to cover the range of the s9600.

I need to buy:

Camera
Memory (enough for the day)
Batteries + CHarger
Case
Tripod
Flashgun (??)
Software (??)

So - the challenge - what would you do with your £220??


These photos are straight out of the camera - I have not edited them at all. I am aware they are not perfect, but am still proud of them, and know (think, hope.....) that with some tweaks, could be really good. Please comment, any advise on the pictures just as appreciated as on what to purchase.

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Hey, the pics aren't showing up.

Also - are you the only shooter? If so... might be worth hiring a DSLR and lens or two for a week (that'd give you time to get to grips with it).

It's just that £220 is not really a lot to get all / any of that stuff...

Just my opinion though.
 
Hmmm, I thought I might be struggling. My thought so far have gone:

Fuji S9600 - £179.99 ( amazon+ others)
Tripod - (£10.99 - sevendayshop.com)
2 x 2gb mem cards - £20-£30
Case - £20
Software - Gimp (free??)
Flashgun - not worth it??

How much would a hire be??

Thanks guys.

Still working out uploading photos, so use the flickr link.
 
Wow, you have quite a mountain to climb!!

Conventional wisdom will probably say that you won't be able to capture a wedding properly with this level of equipment.... for very good reasons.

Whilst the pictures may well look good on a computer screen, they probably wont look as good printed at high resolution on anything bigger than A5, and I'm fairly sure that the bride and groom and their families will be wanting big prints. You may also have to consider that the built in flash on a compact camera will not be up to the job of capturing internal scenes, never mind acting as fill in if you are shooting out of doors on a bright day.

A tripod is not really necessary with modern cameras, and a good one will take a real chunk out of your budget.

You'll need large cards, as you are sure to want to shoot in RAW, and I'd guess you'll shoot close to 1000 exposures - I did at my daughters wedding, and I wasn't even the photographer!! A couple of card will cost you best part of £50!!

You'll be wanting two cameras, really!! If one goes down during the wedding, and you don't have a spare, you'll never forgive yourself.

OK, that's enough. You'll be getting the idea. I'm not a wedding photographer, so I really don't know the logistics, but these are thoughts I've had while considering your post.

Are you really certain that you want to do it?? A wedding is one of the most important days in the bride and grooms life. If the photo's go wrong, there's only one person they will blame, and that's you, and they'll probably let you know it for the rest of your life. The parents and guests won't be too pleased either.

This is why I paid a photographer £2000 to capture my daughters wedding. They take a huge risk. It's no good relying on skill if equipment fails, which is why they are so well equipped.

If you want to do this, then go ahead - I'm sure that you will do your level best, but your results will depend on your skill, your equipment, and not a little luck.

I wish you lots!!:)
 
Thanks Doug.

I appreciate our comments. I'm not expecting to get full pro results, and I know the B+G aren't either. What they want is a good reminder of the day, they know the photos I have taken before, and are hapy enough. I would like to use this as a learning experience, as well as getting some good shots.

I agree with the dilemma on 2 camera's, but will just have to hope for the best on one. I can always use my existing camera (hmmm, not really).

I don't expect to shoot everything in RAW, although obviously some of the "classic" shots will need to be.

Really I would like an opinion on the s9600, and to see if anyone has a similar/better camera for the same cash.

also what about second hand kits?? is that an option?

I appreciate I have my work cut out, but I'll take advice on board.
 
Where are you based?

Why not invite someone else to go along (not me, I dont do weddings), the must be a few folk on here who would love to have a no pressure crack at a wedding shoot.

That way your chances of achieving useable results is doubled.
 
Trigger, thanks for the hint. The wedding service is at Derby register office, with the reception in South Normanton/Alfreton

I was gonna ask if anyone has shot at the register office in Derby and if they have any helpful advice??

I would have to speak to the B+G to see if they would be comfortable with someone else taking some.
 
AFAIK lots if not most pros would take an assistant on a wedding shoot.

Your helper might even have some extra equipment!
 
Got images showing now.
 
Great pictures in terms of content, but (and someone with more experience can correct me if I'm wrong), they dont look very sharp. Which will translate through to the prints.

Perhaps getting closer to the action will help on the day so you dont use as much zoom.

Its a big responsibility photographing someones big day, you also dont get to relax as a guest should either.

Good luck, try used cameras
 
I would agree with the above and suggest that £220 is no where near enough to buy kit to do a wedding. £220 wouldn't even buy you half of one lens that a pro wedding tog would have in his/her bag.

This is not because pro wedding togs want all the best kit for no reason. A wedding requires lenses with low f numbers for low lighting (as you may well not be allowed to use flash during the ceremony) and such lenses come at a price. The quality of the lenses you use will affect the image quality of the results and as said above, this will translate into your prints.

Hiring might be an idea, but make sure you give yourself enough time before the shoot to get used to the cameras (two bodies is indeed highly highly recommended) and make sure that you can change the setting without thinking about it.

Good luck!
 
Lawrie, these folks obviously like images that you've made before and would like you to do the same for them. The people saying that you won't get anywhere near the kit you need to get perfect photos of all the bits that happen at a wedding are spot on.....

..but that's not what you need to do. You need to go along and do just what you've done before. Point a camera at the stuff you see and capture the moments your way.

Sure the B&G wont have all the shots they might if they hired in a pro but they know this and have chosen to have your images instead. Don't worry about what you can't do and take lots of what you can. (y)
 
When considering zoom, remember its the optical zoom rating and not the digital zoom rating you need to consider. I always turn off digital zoom on my creative compact as you are constantly losing resolution.

Try to physically get nearer to the action, and make sure you hold the camera level, as I can see in No 1 that the horizon is off.

I've just looked at the review for S9600 http://www.dpreview.com/news/0608/06082412fujis9600.asp and it seems to be quite a nice camera for waht you require. I have the Fuji e900 as my walk around camera and have always found it to be very good.

Although you wont be able to get professional quality with this set up there is no reason why you should not be able to get some nice photos which will make the B&G happy.

Enjoy the wedding.
 
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