New to wedding photography need advice

[alringg]

Hello! I am a budding photographer and am branching out to wedding photography. I have taken senior portraits and have mostly just used my 18-55 mm and 70-200 mm. I have been making do with the 70-200 to get those blurred background portraits. But I want to really give this couple some amazing photos. So I was wondering if any one had suggestions on a lense to rent for their wedding? The lighting is inside a barn and kind of dim as well. But the reception will be outside. Only the ceremony will be inside.

 

[tirediron]

You don't mention which system you use. If it's Nikon, then the 14-24 f2.8, 24-70 f2.8 and 35, 50 and 85 1.4s. I hope you're the second and not the primary on this wedding.

Edit: Oops, my spidey-senses just twigged to the fact that this posting was in "Canon Lenses", so, based on that, then whatever the Canon equivalents of the above lenses ( as well of course, as a second body and a couple of speedlights).

 

[alringg]

You don't mention which system you use. If it's Nikon, then the 14-24 f2.8, 24-70 f2.8 and 35, 50 and 85 1.4s. I hope you're the second and not the primary on this wedding.

Edit: Oops, my spidey-senses just twigged to the fact that this posting was in "Canon Lenses", so, based on that, then whatever the Canon equivalents of the above lenses ( as well of course, as a second body and a couple of speedlights).

Thank you for the advice. And yes, there are two of us there. It's for a friend's wedding, I did their engagement pics and that's why they chose me for their wedding.

 

[Derrel]

Hey--I saw what you did there: "I am a budding photographer and am branching out "!

Maybe look into a 17-55mm f/2.8 lens for your APS-C d-slr. Amazing photos depend more on the photographer's skill, timing, and artistry than on the lens, but yeah...in dim lighting conditions, a camera that performs well, focuses well, and a "bright" lens (one that has a wide aperture, like f/1.4 or f/1.8 or f/2) can often be pretty helpful.

 

[TCampbell]

Three lenses come to mind...

1) The EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM (Derrel mentioned this lens above). Though it will provide appoximtely the same focal length range as your 18-55, it collects substantially more light... at 35mm or longer it will beat the 18-55 by two full stops (collecting four times more light).

2) The EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM II. This is a staple for Canon shooters. Either you own it... or you want to own it.

3) The EF 50mm f/1.4 USM. This is a low focal ratio prime which works very well as a portrait focal length on an APS-C crop-frame body. It's 2 stops faster than an f/2.8 lens (4 stops faster than the 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 at the 50mm focal length -- literally collecting SIXTEEN TIMES more light.) Just be VERY careful if you use the f/1.4 focal ratio. That's a shallow depth of field so it's easy to miss focus.

 

[TonyUSA]

Three lenses come to mind...

1) The EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM (Derrel mentioned this lens above). Though it will provide appoximtely the same focal length range as your 18-55, it collects substantially more light... at 35mm or longer it will beat the 18-55 by two full stops (collecting four times more light).

2) The EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM II. This is a staple for Canon shooters. Either you own it... or you want to own it.

3) The EF 50mm f/1.4 USM. This is a low focal ratio prime which works very well as a portrait focal length on an APS-C crop-frame body. It's 2 stops faster than an f/2.8 lens (4 stops faster than the 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 at the 50mm focal length -- literally collecting SIXTEEN TIMES more light.) Just be VERY careful if you use the f/1.4 focal ratio. That's a shallow depth of field so it's easy to miss focus.

Is it a big difference in distance of 18-35mm and 17-55mm for wedding photo because I just bought Sigma 18-35mm f/1.8? Also bought new 50mm 1.8 STM before I bought 18-35mm and only use 50mm once, don't know if 5omm would benefit me because I already have 18-35mm.

 

[Dillard]

Is it a big difference in distance of 18-35mm and 17-55mm for wedding photo because I just bought Sigma 18-35mm f/1.8? Also bought new 50mm 1.8 STM before I bought 18-35mm and only use 50mm once, don't know if 5omm would benefit me because I already have 18-35mm.

The 17-55 is a 2.8 lens, so the 18-35 is a bit faster, but it's also a more limited focal length. It really depends on your style and what you want to get out of it. I do a fair amount of wide angle work, so it really wouldn't bother me, but then again I have my 24-70 for anything I need in that range.

 

[sabbath999]

Wedding?

Wedding shooting is all about REDUNDANCY. Take backups of EVERYTHING. Extra camera bodies, extra batteries, make SURE they are charged, extra SD cards, EVERYTHING. You don't need backup lenses because lenses are pretty reliable and you will have several so if "something bad" happens to one, you will still have others to shoot with.

I am not even kidding about redundancy. Backups of your backup's backups. Weddings are something that, if you screw up, you screw up.

Additionally, you need insurance. Never shoot an event for money without it.

 

[waday]

A few months ago I shot a backyard wedding for a friend. It was my first, and probably last. Friend understood that it was my first, understood that there would be very few posed shots, understood that there would be no additional lighting, and understood that the photos might not be the best.

It was either me or her family taking cell phone shots. She was not going to hire a photographer, so my wife volunteered me.

That said, I only have a Canon Rebel XSi and the typical beginner lenses (kit lenses and 50mm). So, I rented a 5DMkiii, 70-200 f/2.8, and 16-35 f/2.8. Aside from a select few shots, the 70-200 stayed on the 5DMkiii, the 16-35 stayed on my XSi. The 5DMkiii really, really, really helped with the low lighting as the sun went down.

I would not have been able to do the wedding without renting the 5DMkiii. While I did have some really nice shots from my XSi, the best shots came from the 5DMkiii. YMMV.

 

[Vtec44]

Did someone say wedding photography?

How are you on directing poses, communicating with clients, lighting (both natural and OCF)? Weddings are very unpredictable and you have to be on top of your game to do it right.

 

[gsgary]

Wedding?

Wedding shooting is all about REDUNDANCY. Take backups of EVERYTHING. Extra camera bodies, extra batteries, make SURE they are charged, extra SD cards, EVERYTHING. You don't need backup lenses because lenses are pretty reliable and you will have several so if "something bad" happens to one, you will still have others to shoot with.

I am not even kidding about redundancy. Backups of your backup's backups. Weddings are something that, if you screw up, you screw up.

Additionally, you need insurance. Never shoot an event for money without it.

What about a backup car just in case you breakdown on the way to the wedding, backup shoes, backup pants just in case you get that nervous and have an accident

 

[sabbath999]

What about a backup car just in case you breakdown on the way to the wedding, backup shoes, backup pants just in case you get that nervous and have an accident

Laugh all you like, but yes, my assistant and I took different cars to the wedding if the weddings required lengthy drives and boy I glad we did, it saved my ass once. I had a flat tire on the way to one of them, and had I not had my assistant following me we would have been late.

Weddings are something that you don't screw around with, you either do it right or you shouldn't do it at all. Once in a lifetime opportunity, and if you screw it up, are late, fail to do your job or whatever, you can end up getting your ass sued off.

There's a reason I don't shoot weddings any more, they are too much of a pain in the ass for the money... the money can be really, really good, but life's too short to put up with that much BS IMHO.

 

[beckylynne]

What about a backup car just in case you breakdown on the way to the wedding, backup shoes, backup pants just in case you get that nervous and have an accident

Laugh all you like, but yes, my assistant and I took different cars to the wedding if the weddings required lengthy drives and boy I glad we did, it saved my ass once. I had a flat tire on the way to one of them, and had I not had my assistant following me we would have been late.

Weddings are something that you don't screw around with, you either do it right or you shouldn't do it at all. Once in a lifetime opportunity, and if you screw it up, are late, fail to do your job or whatever, you can end up getting your ass sued off.

There's a reason I don't shoot weddings any more, they are too much of a pain in the ass for the money... the money can be really, really good, but life's too short to put up with that much BS IMHO.

What kind of clients were you attracting that you had to put up with that much BS? Contracts help with the ass suing.

 

[sabbath999]

What kind of clients were you attracting that you had to put up with that much BS? Contracts help with the ass suing.

To be completely fair and in full disclosure, I shot back in the day of film. There was no "chimping", not "OK, let me look at the lights to make sure I have everything just right..." There was no auto-focus, no TTL flashes, etc... so it was much more "check everything 5 times"...

I always always always used contacts and shot sheets that listed EVERY expected shot, and did a checklist as we knocked them off... but you just get into some really pain in the ass situations, especially when you have a bridezilla or momzilla, or when you have parents of the bride or bridegroom who are not on speaking terms...

I live in a small town, in a small county, and I shot weddings here and in the surrounding counties, so my clients were "every day folks..." To date, I've had four brides I shot ask me to shoot their children's weddings, so I guess I did OK.

Around here, it's not like there's much of a choice on who you take... you take the people who are getting married, or you don't. Just like on their end, who is the videographer? Joe. Who shoots the weddings? Sherri. Who's going to be the DJ? Rick. We have one grocery store, so that's where you go if you want groceries... or you drive 50 miles to go to Walmart.

This may not be a normal situation for most, but I assure you that you don't have to live in flyovercountry to meet momzilla. She's everywhere.

 

[beckylynne]

What kind of clients were you attracting that you had to put up with that much BS? Contracts help with the ass suing.

To be completely fair and in full disclosure, I shot back in the day of film. There was no "chimping", not "OK, let me look at the lights to make sure I have everything just right..." There was no auto-focus, no TTL flashes, etc... so it was much more "check everything 5 times"...

I always always always used contacts and shot sheets that listed EVERY expected shot, and did a checklist as we knocked them off... but you just get into some really pain in the ass situations, especially when you have a bridezilla or momzilla, or when you have parents of the bride or bridegroom who are not on speaking terms...

I live in a small town, in a small county, and I shot weddings here and in the surrounding counties, so my clients were "every day folks..." To date, I've had four brides I shot ask me to shoot their children's weddings, so I guess I did OK.

Around here, it's not like there's much of a choice on who you take... you take the people who are getting married, or you don't. Just like on their end, who is the videographer? Joe. Who shoots the weddings? Sherri. Who's going to be the DJ? Rick. We have one grocery store, so that's where you go if you want groceries... or you drive 50 miles to go to Walmart.

This may not be a normal situation for most, but I assure you that you don't have to live in flyovercountry to meet momzilla. She's everywhere.

I hear you. My first wedding was on film....I'm not as young as I look
Chimping..I'm new to that phrase. I like to call it the Spray and Pray.
I've encountered some momzillas. I even had one that wore a (gasp) white gown to her sons wedding.
I live close to Toronto. Lot's of photographers...but lot's of clients too. Easier to look at a potential Bridezilla and give the 'ol "I'm not sure creatively we are a good match....let me give you the name of my nemesis down the street" Then silently chuckle that you dodged a bullet.