Advice, please.

[Student123]

Greetings,
Well, here's the deal. I have two years to learn how to use an SLR camera and buy software designed for photo editing, etc for a wedding. I am in school right so I don't have the time to take a 'photography' class. What I would like to do is buy the correct software (the most inexpensive one if possible) and learn to use an SLR camera the best I can. Any advice or suggestions would really be great. Thank you and I look forward to hearing from you.

 

[flightless_beaker]

Greetings,
Well, here's the deal. I have two years to learn how to use an SLR camera and buy software designed for photo editing, etc for a wedding. I am in school right so I don't have the time to take a 'photography' class. What I would like to do is buy the correct software (the most inexpensive one if possible) and learn to use an SLR camera the best I can. Any advice or suggestions would really be great. Thank you and I look forward to hearing from you.

Photoshop elements would be good to start and get your feet wet (and its cheap too) and I enjoy using Adobe Lightroom for all my RAW developing. Its a couple hundred bucks or so so my advice is to download it first from Adobe. You get a month trial to decide if you want it. I personally think its worth it.

 

[gsgary]

Capture One Pro 6

 

[Student123]

Hi gsgary, if you don't mind me asking, why do you recommend that software? By the way, Thank you very much.

 

[Sonoma]

If you are in school now you should look at the student versions of the software you choose and save yourself a bunch of money! Most of the Adobe software comes in student editions and is not crippled in any way.

Good luck!

 

[gsgary]

Hi gsgary, if you don't mind me asking, why do you recommend that software? By the way, Thank you very much.

Because it is one of the best raw converters on the market, download a trial and try it

 

[KmH]

If you are in school now you should look at the student versions of the software you choose and save yourself a bunch of money! Most of the Adobe software comes in student editions and is not crippled in any way.

Good luck!

+1.

As long as you qualify you can get up to 80% off the retail price.

Adobe.com EducationStore-North America

 

[JasonLambert]

I agree with Sonoma, you should be able to save a few bones being a student... You can go inexpensive but remember the old adage "you get what you pay for". Gimp is a free Photoshop-ish program that you can get for free but in my opinion it's crap. Photoshop Elements has some use but again you are restricted. IMHO Photoshop CS5 is the only editing tool for me.

Now, if all you are doing is white balance and color correction... Ya, something like elements will work just fine but then you might want to think about having your monitor calibrated.

I guess what I'm saying is that if you are going to do weddings then please do them well. I hate to see someone "skimp" when it comes to a bride and grooms big day. I have invested a lot of time and a LOT of cash in equipment, software, hardware, and knowledge to shoot weddings. I would hate to F up someones memories of their wedding day because I didn't get the $2500 camera and $5000 in lenses along with the $3000 computer and $900 in editing software.

Just don't think that you are going to go get a $1000 T1i with the kit lens and then edit with Elements and you are the next Kevin Kubota, Dennis Reggie, or Curt Littlecot.

 

[Student123]

Thank you all for such helpful advice. As for the DSLR cameras, could anyone make any suggestions? Thank you again.

 

[DVC Mike]

Thank you all for such helpful advice. As for the DSLR cameras, could anyone make any suggestions? Thank you again.

I'd recommend Nikon or Canon, but Pentax and Sony are also good. Besides the specs and features, be sure to actually hold each camera in your hands and see how it feels.

You didn't give a price range, so I'm not going to mention specific models.

 

[KmH]

Any entry-level dSLR will serve as a means to learning how to do photography.

Many indoor wedding venues are not lit for doing photography. A camera needs much more light indoors than our eye does. Consequently wedding photographers look for cameras and lenses that work well in low light (good high ISO performance and wide aperture lenses).

Because those cameras and lenses are more capable, they are also more expensive.

You can buy new entry-level gear for $500. A mid-range wedding setup will be more in the $3000 - $4000 or so range.

Which budget range works best for you?

 

[JasonLambert]

For weddings I use the Canon 5DMKII ($2499 body only). I is known for it's excellent low light / high ISO function and is one of the most widely used cameras for wedding photography. The 5DMKII has a 21.1mp full frame sensor.

You could go with a Canon 1DsMKIII but now were talking $6999 for the body alone.

The Canon 7D ($1699 body only) is also a great camera but doesn't sport a full frame sensor or the low light capabilities of the 5DMKII. You also give up a couple of mega pixels with it only being 18mp. Sports photographers like this camera because of the 8 frames per second it can shoot at. The 5DMKII only hits 3.9fps.

Nikon also makes some decent cameras with hight ISO capabilities... But I don't know the difference or specs of them.

No matter what camera you decide to go with, make sure you have fast glass. an f stop of at least 2.8 will be necessary to shoot in a church.

Hope this helps a little.

~Jason

 

[Juanka]

You dont really gotta have the best... to be good. I've seen amazing album weddings that have only been done with a Nikon D40... Experience/Creativity>>>>>>>>>>Gear