Weddings

Kryptix

Kryptix

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Edit My Images
Yes
If you only had my kit, and someone enquired about a wedding -- what would you do?

I know it's the person behind the camera and so on, but I read so often that f/2.8 is so important and you need some really fast primes as often even f/2.8 isn't enough.

Have I got enough to feel confident about a wedding or would I need to ask to see the church prior to agreeing anything (or is this a given even with f/2.8)?

If I was to get a prime, what range would you suggest? I hear 85mm if good but as I'm on a 1.6 crop I'm guessing the 50L (or f/1.4) would be a good choice?
 
Kryptix said:
If you only had my kit, and someone enquired about a wedding -- what would you do?
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Run a mile


then you go on about lenses..... but you only have the one camera



Run a mile then look back and run another mile :)
 
Having only taken shots as a guest at a wedding, I'd say run a mile, or be the second shooter alongside an experienced tog. Only then will you realise how hard it is to get a few keepers without interrupting the event.
 
I appreciate that but these people are not prepared to pay £2,500. In fact, they said their budget is £400 and I've already told them how low that is.

Where would my kit fail?

I have access to a 450D and a 400D that I could use for the day as a back-up in case it did fail.

Ignore my ability, where would my kit hold me back?
 
have a go in a church to see if your kit will cope, the 50d handles iso well, but you really don't wanna shoot the whole thing at iso 3200, which I was doing at f2.8 t'other day (not a wedding but candids at an evening do)

also if any one component of your kit fails what will you do, and I stress any, you've mentioned spare bodies but you only have one flashgun and one lens over 105mm

primes can be backups though.......
 
Removed : Unnecessary and inflammatory comment
 
Kryptix said:
I appreciate that but these people are not prepared to pay £2,500. In fact, they said their budget is £400 and I've already told them how low that is.
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For £400 I wouldn't be fretting about not having the right kit, in fact I wouldn't even be considering it. One thing I've learnt over the years is the people with the least to spend for this sort of thing expect the most for their money.
 
Kryptix said:
You're getting very predictable and boring now, and you also take threads off-topic each and every time.
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You mean a thread where you ask if, never having done a wedding before,you ask should charge someone money to ruin cover theirs?

Sounds like another great plan, I wish you all the success with it :thumbs:
 
Quite frankly, it's nothing to do with you and your opinion means nothing to me. You don't know the circumstances and being polite as possible, you know nothing about the situation what-so-ever.

I'm asking about the kit. I'm asking where I'd struggle and my understanding is it depends on the church, f/4 could be fine but the main thing to remember is to have back-ups of everything and be prepared.
 
You need to check the venue. If f/2.8 is vital then you are not best prepared.

But it's only a stop to f/4. I can't see that is going to be the biggest compromise you'll have to make for a budget wedding.

If I was doing weddings (and I'm not) I would address the occasional low light issue with a couple of primes. F/2.8 to f/4 might not be that much, but 1.4 to 4 is major. Sigma 30 1.4 is nice, and Canon 85 1.8, but you could do a heck of a lot with a 50 1.8 at very sensible money.
 
Flash In The Pan said:
One thing I've learnt over the years is the people with the least to spend for this sort of thing expect the most for their money.
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So true, the penny pinchers are most likely the ones to be the most problematic afterwards.

Kryptix,

Seriously now, it's not just about the gear, it's about experience and knowing what to do if the circs are hardcore against you.

You can take a half decent photo, yes but can you whip up the goods in a s***-storm? How are your people skills, more to the point how are your people skills under pressure?

These folk paying you £400 sheets are going to expect you to deliver, do you know what their requirements are?
What are they expecting for that kind of money? Half day, full day? portraits only?

Anyway, bottom line is your going to do what you want to do.
 
In all of my 30 years as a wedding photographer I have never had anyone approach me telling me they had £xx to spend, they usually ask me how much.

For years most photographers used just a basic medium format camera and a standard 80mm lens. Where you are struggling presumably is that you do not have anything to show the couple as far as wedding photography is concerned. In your instance I would explain this to the couple, offer to do the wedding on that understanding and then work like hell to get a pro photographer to take you on a few weddings and show you the ropes or spend some money on day courses, Bret Harkness does one for £285

stew
 
as a customer rather than a tog I think the management of the process and the people skills are what makes and breaks the day.

when we looked for a photographer (years ago and before digital) one concern uppermost in our mind was we didn't want the photographer spoiling the day for us and our guests.

I've been to weddings where the photographer was simply obnoxious and upset everybody.

The best ones seem to get great shots with the minimum of fuss and still allowing guests to take their own shots. Simple things like asking the Bride and Groom what group shots they would actually like seem to me to be obvious things that some professionals don't always bother with.
 
To an extent you are spot on trapper but the photographer still needs to use his experience to ensure they get what they really want rather than what they think they want.
 
artona said:
To an extent you are spot on trapper but the photographer still needs to use his experience to ensure they get what they really want rather than what they think they want.
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Yes, I go along with that, again all down to people skills.
 
artona said:
To an extent you are spot on trapper but the photographer still needs to use his experience to ensure they get what they really want rather than what they think they want.
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Oh, how I get that!

Like one of mine who insisted she wanted "reportage" and not stuffy posed shots who proceeded to fill an album of the formal group shots I insisted she list for me! :lol:
 
Yep, people skills are the most important aspect, I agree. People will spot a really bad photograph, will possibly not really appreciate a fantastic set because they will not recognise them but will spot poor people skills every time.

I do a lot of gypsy and Indian weddings. I am trusted not to rip them off, to work extremely quickly and in the case of the gypsy weddings to do the men's ties up prior to each shot. The first time I did this I wondered what the reaction would be as they all thought they wanted the knot lose but as I said their wives and mums would moan like hell when they saw the pics after the wedding if their ties were undone lol. I am sure thats why I get their work, I help them get an easy time with their wives lol lol

stew
 
KRYPTIX, HOW CONFIDENT ARE YOU THAT YOU CAN DO IT??
 
As fletch5 said, if you're confident, go for it!

I'd sell you're "Sigma (ugh!) 10-20" and get a 50 f/1.4

Good luck! :thumbs:
 
Looks like he has abandoned his thread.

I don't think this thread had anything to do with weddings. Clearly, he has caught the lens purchase bug. All you good minded people are telling him things that he patently doesn't want to hear.

John
 
Another wedding thread gone downhill. We are supposed to be helpful on here are'nt we?

Ok maybe we should think about what and how we say things before we press the ''reply'' button.

I for one am losing a bit of confidence reading about what I should or should'nt do....and what I should or should'nt use regarding equipment.

So come on here less and less.

It is becoming a ''look what I bought' forum.

Sorry rant over.
 
The topic - it is this way -->

Kryptix, I think flech nailed it. Equipment aside, are you confident you can go there, manage a crowd of folk into some sort of order and pull the shots off? If the answer is yes then I agree, go for it. You can beg, borrow and hire equipment but confidence you have to have enough of it before you start.

Are they friends? If so you could do the wedding for free and make your moeny off the prints. If they are Joe Public, run in the manner Kipax described.
 
The original question was, would you do it with the kit the OP has.

You could do it, yes, but it feels a bit slow to me. But if you're using flash a lot less of a problem.
 
jolsterj said:
Another wedding thread gone downhill. We are supposed to be helpful on here are'nt we?

Ok maybe we should think about what and how we say things before we press the ''reply'' button.

I for one am losing a bit of confidence reading about what I should or should'nt do....and what I should or should'nt use regarding equipment.

So come on here less and less.

It is becoming a ''look what I bought' forum.

Sorry rant over.
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Hear Hear, well said that woman :clap: :clap:
 
Kryptix

I think the lenses will be fine, you will need a flash and certainly a back up camera or two. A second person shooting with you as well to cover all the angles.
When I shot my first as the front man last year I found it really useful going to the rehersal, took my camera spoke to the Minister about what he was happy with and such. I had my wife take the back up shots and between us (we used 4 cameras, 2 Canon 400Ds and 2 Nikon D80s) but the end results after processing were excellent.
 
I would plan out what you want to do first, what kind of shots you want to get then ask them what they want work around this, build it into your plan. Scout out the venue and find out how you are going to get the shots as in portraits, candids etc.. then talk to the minister ask if they mind u using a flash or the click of the camera during parts etc...
Remember the 3 Ps, Planning, Preperation & ...[ok so its only 2 Ps]



Then Ignore everything that people are saying as your going to do what you like anyway.
 
stephen ley said:
Kryptix

I think the lenses will be fine, you will need a flash and certainly a back up camera or two. A second person shooting with you as well to cover all the angles.
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And for £400 that'll be mostly wiped out with a flash, let alone a backup or two.

And you don't need a second shooter.
 
Viking said:
Looks like he has abandoned his thread.

I don't think this thread had anything to do with weddings. Clearly, he has caught the lens purchase bug. All you good minded people are telling him things that he patently doesn't want to hear.

John
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I haven't 'abandoned' the thread -- I simply haven't been online for a few hours. Christ.

And no, you're right -- it's not what I wanted to hear. I wanted to hear about equipment (which is why I posted it in Talk Equipment).

I've read the above over and over again in various wedding threads.

pchidell said:
As fletch5 said, if you're confident, go for it!

I'd sell you're "Sigma (ugh!) 10-20" and get a 50 f/1.4

Good luck! :thumbs:
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I've just ordered a 50L. :)

Thanks for those who did reply to what I asked.
 
Kryptix said:
it's not what I wanted to hear. I wanted to hear about equipment (which is why I posted it in Talk Equipment).
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I didnt notice that to be honest.. I use the NEW POSTS button on the menu and saw the thread.. I didnt clock that it was in equipment.. and as you say that does throw a different light on it:)
 
You have ordered a £1,200 lens for a £400 wedding! :eek:

Good luck with it :thinking:
 
Kryptix said:
Where did I say it was just for the wedding? :thinking:
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Seriously mate, before you commit to that fabulous 50 1.2 L, consider that you could get a Sigma 30 1.4, 50mm 1.4 and 85 1.8 all for that money. Two of them are in For Sale now.

Do you really need half a flippin stop that much :eek:

* You could always paint a red ring on them ;)
 
ok quick question... would any of you shoot a wedding using a Nikon D50 with the 18-55mm kit lens and that is all the kit you can use.....????????? (and no i am Not)
 
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