Help!!!!!

[sdesha]

So I am slowly buying everything I will need for my first weeding shoot. I have a new Rebel XSi. Do I need both the external flash and diffuser? or will the diffuser work, and or would just the speed light work? The wedding will not be in a church but a room with lots of beautiful french doors so there will be natural light and out side pictures before hand. With that information, what will I need? I am doing this for a friend, I have to start somewhere...lol...

please and thank you in advance.

oh and i have a uv filter what filter would make the wedding more elgent feeling???? maybe a warming filter?

 

[Johnboy2978]

Most everyone who has shot weddings will tell you that you really need a lot of redundancy. That is at least 2 bodies, 2 flashes, multiple lenses, tons of memory and tons of batteries.
A UV filter isn't going to do anything for you inside. I wouldn't use a filter at all indoors.
I'd also skip the diffuser and bounce the flash off the walls and ceiling. Make a bounce card like this (www.abetterbouncecard.com) and avoid spending $ on attachments for your flash. You really need to make sure that you have back ups for each piece of equipment unless they have a pro who will be taking the bulk of the pics. Even if you do it as a favor w/o pay, if they don't have someone else shooting and your 1 camera fails, that's the end of that friendship.

 

[sdesha]

Most everyone who has shot weddings will tell you that you really need a lot of redundancy. That is at least 2 bodies, 2 flashes, multiple lenses, tons of memory and tons of batteries.
A UV filter isn't going to do anything for you inside. I wouldn't use a filter at all indoors.
I'd also skip the diffuser and bounce the flash off the walls and ceiling. Make a bounce card like this (www.abetterbouncecard.com) and avoid spending $ on attachments for your flash. You really need to make sure that you have back ups for each piece of equipment unless they have a pro who will be taking the bulk of the pics. Even if you do it as a favor w/o pay, if they don't have someone else shooting and your 1 camera fails, that's the end of that friendship.

i have an extra camera my old one =D and 2 batteries....and 3 cards...I may go to 5 since I will be in Cali all weekend! and you really dont think I need all those other gagets right now? Will the diffuser work by it self? just in case i need some flash? thank you for the link...going to look at it now!!!

=D

oh what do you think of the battery grips? yay or na?

 

[tirediron]

When you say you're doing this for a friend, what is she expecting? Is she aware of your skill level? What equipment you have? Even though she's a friend, discuss in advance what she wants, what you can provide and what the terms of the picture's use. Is there going to be a pro/other shooters there as well? If you're going in as first shooter, you should have a minimum of two bodies, but you HAVE to have LOTS of memory and batteries. Planning is the key: Scout the location in advance, know where people are going to be, know where you're going to be. Plan your shots, and anticipate where you need to be to get the next shot. Work with the wedding planner/bride's family so that you have a schedule of events. shoot RAW, use a white/grey card to record a calibration point every 10-20 images and your WB and exposure issues will be greatly reduced.

Filters: For the outdoor shots, a CPOL may help (depending on time of day, angle and sky). I've never found warming filters to be worth much, but that's a personal opinion.

Flashes: You may well need a diffuser, but it's not for every shot. If you're using it for close-in fill light, then yes, if you're using it off camera from a distance, or bouncing, then probably not.

 

[johan.sie]

yup2 if you're a solo ... i would say at least 2-3 bodies, you won't be fast enough to change lens for certain shots here and there various lens you've tested for some time and know what and when to use them ..

other than that i think depend on what tirediron said, how's your level and their expectation

 

[sdesha]

I am new, yes she knows my skill, Its a small wedding with only 2 bridemaids and 2 groomsmen. My camera again is a rebel xsi with a 5o mm 1.8 lense and a fisheye lense. (only using that for portirit hoots)We are doing the majority of pictures b4, and reinacting the cermony pictures, for a just incase. I just would like to know about the flashes and if the diffuser would just work. please and thank you everyone. Your tips are great.

 

[Johnboy2978]

It may be a small wedding, but it's still the most important day of their life, hopefully. Your fisheye will probably get little use and stay in the bag except for making a brief appearance to break up the monotony. Maybe some outdoor shots in front of the church with the couple, etc. Otherwise, I'd say you'll be using the 50 about 99% of this shoot. If it were me, and I wanted to add a piece of equipment to this shoot, it would be on a quality 24-70mm f/2.8 lens. That would help you more than anything, b/c you aren't going to have a lot of reach with the 50.

With doing the majority before the ceremony, allow PLENTY of time. Guests usually show up much to early, and if you're doing any pre-ceremony in the same place as the ceremony, you can deduct at least an hour off of your available shoot time. That is, if the wedding is to start at 2, you should be done by 1230 b/c the elderly people will be filling the church "to get a good seat".

As to your diffuser questions, get one and play with it and see before hand. I personally think they're a great waste of energy, but they do have their place at times, kind of like the wide angle lens.

just my .02

 

[tirediron]

With a limited and (no offence intended) less than ideal selection of glass for the task at hand, I'd suggest renting a couple of good lenses. Perhaps something in the 15-30 and 24-70 ranges, and perhaps even a second body; a one-day rental shouldn't be a huge amount and it will make ALL the difference. Good luck!

 

[reg]

Oh dear...

Other than the fact that I think nobody has any business doing a wedding without the proper experience (I don't feel ready to do one, I hope I'll know when I am), you'd probably want to rent a 24-70, a backup body, maybe a 70-200? if you like shooting from the back of the church. Put the 24-70 on one body, 70-200 on the other. Or skip the 70-200 and have the 50mm on one body, and the 24-70 on the other. I'd say that 3 bodies is overkill, but I dunno. I guess that sort of redundancy is good, but one body would probably stay in the bag the whole time, unless another body failed.

You'll probably want a speedlite, unless the lighting is really ideal (Rule number one: whatever needs to be ideal won't be). Put it on whichever body you don't put the 50mm on. Might as well get the diffuser unless you plan to learn to bounce flash by the ceremony.

When *is* the ceremony anyway?

 

[manaheim]

warning! warning! danger, will robinson! danger!

 

[DRoberts]

Shoot RAW!! With everything that has been said here, there seems to be the likelyhood of major post production work.

 

[tsaraleksi]

The big problem is of course that no matter what you say, your friend has in her mind picture perfect professional quality images, which means that if you deliver anything less she is going to be disappointed at best and angry at worst.

 

[beaminge36]

Cmon guys, I keep running into these threads. She's obviously definately going to do the wedding. I wouldn't touch a wedding with a ten foot pole as I am not comfortable with bearing that responsibility. If her friend can't afford a photographer, decent pictures are better then no pictures. With that being said, the whole redundancy concept that keeps coming up can't be stressed enough. I've never done a wedding but have pro photographer friends/family and I've heard my fair share of horror stories. I think as somebody mentioned, rent an extra body and lens. Anyway, good luck with everything, I hope it works out for everybody's sake.

Nick