Not the first time youve heard this...

[rabidzoomer]

Im going professional soon.....
Dont exit...just hear what i have to say...

I would like to start off on weddings (keep reading) and my cousin is having a wedding. I know i cant shoot at it since im not all that advanced so im going to do some free-lance for it just to start off.

I shoot 35mm and im not going digital so dnt try to talk me into it because i wont listen. I love film and developing it so there is no way im trading off to digital.

What camera would be good IN 35MM! that would be good for weddings/portrait photos? I am mainly looking at the Canons because I have never been let down with them.

Currently i own a Nikon EM with 80mm telephoto zoom lense, vivitar wide-angle, and stock lens and i also have a Canon Rebel G with Vivitar Telephoto zoom lens.
I would do most of my shooting with the canon since the EM is just kinda a camera i take with me for snapshots or school since it is very light an inexpensive.

Any ideas or questions i will be wide open to just dont flame me to much since im begining! to become pro.

 

[dewey]

So it sounds like you've read the other daily posts from people who pop in and say "hey wedding photography looks easy and I have this fuji Qucksnap flash... give me advice quick the wedding is Sunday"

Unfortunatly I cannot offer you any film advice, and no I have no interest in talking you into digital. I still enjoy film for certain things but I cannot afford it for weddings anymore. Shooting an average of 2000+ shots per wedding would kill me with film and developing costs... plus the time in getting that many shots transferred to digital for editing makes me shake. I think you'll find to stay competitive in the wedding business you'll have to look at digital at some point - I'll leave that to you to discover.

BUT...

Since it looks like you have read all of the other threads the advice is the same. The best thing you could do would be to work as an assistant or second shooter for another local photographer. Also, film or digital you're going to need better equipment than you list. And of course get some books and of practice practice practice.

Good luck.

 

[mortallis288]

ok i do not know a lot but i do know that if you do not know what kind of camera you need, you do not need to be doing weddings. i have been doing photography for about a year and i want to do weddings sometime in my life but even after a year of doing it constanly and taking a class in highschool i would be afraid to try to do someones wedding esp since a wedding is a once and a lifetime thing and if the photographer messes up then you do not have pictures from that day. That is a lot of pressure are you ready for that? I shoot film too, but like the person said who posted above me, cost for developing 2000+ negatives is outrageous. So you might want to look into digital cameras

But if not then what i would recommend for someone starting out is the n55. 216 dollars on amazon and wolf camera. has autofocus and other various nic-nacs for it. That is what i have right now and i am very happy with it

 

[EOS_JD]

i agree 100% with Dewey.

I'll also add you will need a second body, a couple of decent flash guns, a couple of fast f2.8 zooms (preferably with IS) and a couple of fast primes. Plus there's lots more required. Film, diffusers, a tripod etc etc.

Weddings are expensive not only because of the skill of the photographer but because they have spent thousands on buying the best equipment to do the job.

By the way backups are essential because film cameras can break down just the same as digital cameras.

You also mention you have an 80mm telephoto zoom lens?...... There's no such thing..... If it's 80mm it's a prime lens - not a zoom. Zooms have variable focal lengths eg 70-200. The lenses you mention I've never heard of but any Vivitars I've seen have pretty small apertures. If that's the case you'll struggle badly.

I'm not trying to flame you but you have read other posts. you need experience and decent equipment before considering shooting as a pro.

Get a job with a photograpoher first and learn the trade.

 

[Big Mike]

Do you find anything lacking with your Rebel G? You can attach the same lenses to that camera that you can to a $500 Canon EOS 1n.

When we are talking about film, the camera is basically a light tight box to hold the film. It's the lenses that make or break the image. As mentioned, if you want zoom lenses, get the ones with a maximum aperture of F2.8. And/or look at prime (non-zoom) lenses with wide max apertures like F1.8 or F1.4.

You may want flash units, check out the Canon 430EX, 550EX or 580EX.

You will need backup equipment as well.

 

[rabidzoomer]

well i do like the rebel and it doesn't lack anything so im thinking about getting many lenses for it but it i guess does cross my mind that you would have to shoot around or over 2000 shots and it would be better to digital but thats why im here....to learn.
The problem is i know nothing about digital and have no digital equipment accept for a 20$ family camera.
i wanted to go into film since its what i love to do in making shots but i think i can develop my own film shots and have a digital camera for a main.

so who wants to educate me on a dslr???

 

[NJMAN]

So it sounds like you've read the other daily posts from people who pop in and say "hey wedding photography looks easy and I have this fuji Qucksnap flash... give me advice quick the wedding is Sunday"

dewey, I hope you are not talking about me. I have the highest respect for experienced wedding photographers who dont underestimate the level of skill and responsibility it takes to get the job done right. If I ever decide to take on a wedding myself someday as a paid pro, it wont be with a Fuji Quicksnap, or whatever the heck that is... , and the decision wont be made lightly. Good luck to anyone who thinks they can tackle a wedding successfully with little or no experience.

 

[Jim Gratiot]

I would like to start off on weddings (keep reading) and my cousin is having a wedding.

Isn't that a bit like having a 16-year old with a new driver's license startiing out in the Indy 500?

 

[rabidzoomer]

The words "Keep Reading" must mean alot more to me rather than you...

 

[mortallis288]

like i said i am no expert but mabye i can help you out some until some of the photo-gods can come back and enlighten you a little more.

DSLR is just like a SLR, correct me if i am wrong but it still has the mirror like the SLR, but it is digital (imagine that). I love my film, and i love the darkroom much like you have said. But the thing is a DSLR would be benefictial to you because of the amount of pictures you would be wanting to take. Instead of film the DSLR uses memory cards which can range from 128 mb (about 30 pictures more or less) to i think they have like 8gb (1000 or more pictures) out there now. Since you like the darkroom so much they have "darkrooms" on computers too. Photoshop CS2 or Photoshop elements might be a idea for you to look at if you get a digital camera or Adobe lightroom, if you have an apple i have heard the apeture is decent, but i would still go with photoshop. There is also a image editing program that is sponsered by google, but i totally forgot what it was called. I would go to best buy, wolfcamera, or your local camera store to look at different kinds of digital cameras you can find. They are gonna range somewhere between 700 - 10,000 dollars, without a memory stick.

As for your wedding dream. i would start out taking a class, if you have not already and then i would try to get on with a wedding photographer as a gopher, but do not expect for him/her to let you shoot at all to start out with. Build a portfolio to show the photographers that you know the basics of your camera and photography and then go from there. This forum will help you out, but saying i want to photograph a wedding but i do not know much about photography is not a great idea.

 

[tekzero]

ull stay behind in the game if u dont go digital

 

[rabidzoomer]

im already in a photograpght class and the dslr would be perfect. The main thing i want is a digital camera to function as a film camera because i know many techniques with the film camera alng with exposure and so on. As for photoshop, i already have since i transform a few cars when im bored or decide to spice up a few photos. Now as for the price...thats why i wanted to stick with film. I think it would pay off better in the end than a film but there still so bloody expensive...

I decided maybe to follow a few people at weddings to see what they do and maybe free ance out of the blue on top of the other hired photographer just to see if im liked or getting better.

Thanks for the info, i guess there is still hope in digital afterall....of course not in a good way for my wallet...

 

[rabidzoomer]

Can some people tell me about the Digital Canon eos cameras? Which to get which not to??

I think i would go for either the rebel xti, 5d, 30d, or one of the 1d's.

 

[mortallis288]

ull stay behind in the game if u dont go digital

that is not very fair to say.. wedding photography wise yes, but photography in general i am sure they are tons of people still using film.

if i was you rapid i would pick a up a beginner canon DSLR, i think they are about 600 dollars but once you do decide that you really want to do weddings that can atleast be your extra camera

 

[rabidzoomer]

well i know i will always be available for weddings and i always use my film which i would like to start selling those so at least ill still be making a little bit of money depending on what type of interest im going with.