equipment/features needed for wedding in photojournalist style?

MelissaHaws

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I am still discovering my style and haven't shot a wedding yet, but the photojournalist style appeals to me in that posing people makes me panic sometimes (i'm sure this has a lot to do with experience and I could get over it, but anyway.....). I am in a position that I'm going to be switching brands in a few months (i'm currently pentax) and so starting from scratch. So I'm curious what the key features in a camera and lenses would be for those of you who shoot weddings in a photojournalist style? Do you usually shoot in AF.S or in continuous? Primes or Zooms? What features do you feel are necessary in a camera? High ISO I would guess, and stellar focusing system. Does full frame make a huge difference?

Thanks in advance for your perspective.
 
IMHO, photography style has to do more with the photographer than the equipment. You can get a FF camera that can handle great noise at high ISO, but it won't automatically change your style from one to another. Great high ISO noise, fast and accurate focus system, good battery life, rugged built, etc are features you want. Only you can tell what features you need.
 
I don't shoot weddings but I do a lot of street photography using a D700 and 24-70 most (95%) of the time.
This fulfills all the quality, iso needs I have but it's a bit big.
If I did weddings I'd have another body with a 24-70.

My next system will be the successor to the Fuji X-1 Pro when they have solved the slow AF issue.
 
You could try shooting film only, it is going to be very big over here, one photographer i know has doubled his wedding work by going back to film he got disillusioned by digital and missed film
 
Here is the web site of a father/daughter wedding photographer team that creates some of the best PJ style wedding shots in Central Europe. Menin

Nikon full-frame cameras, 14-24, 24-70,70-200 f/2.8 AF-S Nikkor lenses...simply LOVELY selective focus work due to the FX-sized Nikon sensors. The D700 and D3s both have the same, killer AF system.
 
Thanks Derrel. Lovely inspiration from Menin. Is the equipment you listed what Menin uses? or is this your own opinion on what would be a good set up? Every wedding photographer I've looked up "what's in their bag" uses Canon and L primes (but none are PJ style). I love this work and prefer using zooms myself I think. I may rent before I buy I think.
 
I am still discovering my style and haven't shot a wedding yet, but the photojournalist style appeals to me in that posing people makes me panic sometimes (i'm sure this has a lot to do with experience and I could get over it, but anyway.....). I am in a position that I'm going to be switching brands in a few months (i'm currently pentax) and so starting from scratch. So I'm curious what the key features in a camera and lenses would be for those of you who shoot weddings in a photojournalist style? Do you usually shoot in AF.S or in continuous? Primes or Zooms? What features do you feel are necessary in a camera? High ISO I would guess, and stellar focusing system. Does full frame make a huge difference?

Thanks in advance for your perspective.

You would use the same equipment as shooting any other wedding. The key to shooting anything is knowing what you are doing in the first place, if you are afraid of dealing with people, setting up groups, start off by learning how to shoot flowers and sunsets, they aren't as scary as people.
 
"standard" gear = Canon or Nikon FF body, back up body, 24-70, 70-200 f2.8 lenses, a macro and some sweet primes, strobes, etc. $15K ought to get you close.
 
Take a look at this photographer UNDER CONSTRUCTION he uses a Leica M9 (around £5000) fitted with a Noctilux 50mmF0.95 (around £7000)

It's too bad that the photographer that you linked to displays his images at a ridiculously small size that I am unable to appreciate.
 
Two bodies capable of high ISO with clean images. Typically, full frame can do so but it's not entirely necessary. Just think, clean images at 3200 -6400 iso. Reason being, some places dont allow flash. Lenses? Whatever suits you and gets the job done. I would say anything from14/ 24-200 mm of fast glass.( I've seen them shot with primes too. 35, 50, 85, 105 etc.) Many prefer flexibility of zooms but that will vary. A few flashes, bunch of batteries, and if you want monos then add those with modifiers.
 
Take a look at this photographer UNDER CONSTRUCTION he uses a Leica M9 (around £5000) fitted with a Noctilux 50mmF0.95 (around £7000)

It's too bad that the photographer that you linked to displays his images at a ridiculously small size that I am unable to appreciate.
Well duhh... after you've spend $15000 for a body and one lens, you don't have much left over to waste on Internet pixels!
 
Thanks Derrel. Lovely inspiration from Menin. Is the equipment you listed what Menin uses? or is this your own opinion on what would be a good set up? Every wedding photographer I've looked up "what's in their bag" uses Canon and L primes (but none are PJ style). I love this work and prefer using zooms myself I think. I may rent before I buy I think.

The last time I saw him asked what he uses, which was in 2010, he responded with the above cameras and lenses...FX NIkon bodies, and the new "trinity" of the 14-24 AF-S, 24-70 AF-S, and the 70-200 AF-S. Looking at their photos, one can literally SEE the softer, more out of focus backgrounds that full-frame can give when used on full-length standing people, or groups; the difference between APS-C and full-frame is pretty noticeable to the discerning eye. I do believe that they now have added some additional lenses, like 85mm f/1.4 and the new high-speed 24mm f/1.4.

The FX Nikon bodies all have superb autofocusing abilities. And excellent light metering. And beautiful color. With exceptional, class-leading HIGH ISO performance. And they match perfectly with three of the word's best zoom lenses.
 
+1 to nikon FX bodies and their superb performance! I loved my D90 and then I picked up a d700 and my mind was blown with how good it was at basically everything. And the ISO performance especially, just wow. blew me away.
 

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