Wedding Photography Camera Upgrade

[jpross123]

Sure get the D500 so when the bride flies away that 10fps and 200 shot raw buffer will suffice. or get a more practical good all around D750. The D7500 would be fine to but with paid gigs I think having two card slots is a much safer bet for back up.

I laughed way to hard at this

 

[Vtec44]

Invest in fast full frame lenses and off camera flashes. When you upgrade cameras, you can reuse those too

This is advice from an expert who takes gorgeous wedding pics. Since you're new I thought i should point that out for you.

Dang, so should I pay you in cash, check, or do you accept PayPal? LOL Thanks for the compliment

 

[SquarePeg]

Invest in fast full frame lenses and off camera flashes. When you upgrade cameras, you can reuse those too

This is advice from an expert who takes gorgeous wedding pics. Since you're new I thought i should point that out for you.

Dang, so should I pay you in cash, check, or do you accept PayPal? LOL Thanks for the compliment

Just remember this in 10 years or so when I try to get you to fly to Boston for my daughter's wedding.

 

[vintagesnaps]

Trying to crawl first would probably be better done taking class(es), finding a photographer to observe/shadow, etc. Photographers usually expect an assistant to be able to do assigned shots without supervision so that may be why you can't get on as one. You probably need to already have a good portfolio.

Establishing yourself as a cheap craigslist 'person with a camera' probably isn't the best way to develop a reputation as a good professional photographer. I'm not sure why doing small weddings is better starting out than doing large weddings; seems like either way clients would expect to receive top quality. Craigslist seems to be for the wannabees and the 'tire kickers'. If that's where you want to be, so be it; if you really want to become a photographer you might need to learn more and rethink how you're going about this.

If you haven't yet get on American Society of Media Photographers - Homepage or PPA. ASMP did have a Find a Photographer/Assistant section but they changed the site and I'm not sure if it's still on there. Photographers and second shooters would list their experience and availability and that might give you some idea where you need to be to get on as an assistant.

The Photo District News does an annual wedding issue - the most recent was the May issue. They have back issues available I think. PDN Online | Photography News, Techniques, and Gear Reviews for Professional Photographers

 

[Vtec44]

Just remember this in 10 years or so when I try to get you to fly to Boston for my daughter's wedding.

Oh you're good! LOL

 

[table1349]

Just remember this in 10 years or so when I try to get you to fly to Boston for my daughter's wedding.

Oh you're good! LOL

And you my friend to put it politely, have been backed into a corner.

 

[Solarflare]

blablabla

Oh and thats just stuff I picked up from people who claim to be wedding shooters; no shortage of those on the net for sure ! I myself have no experienve in weddings.

 

[photo1x1.com]

I have stopped photographing weddings years ago. I´m doing weddingfilms instead. Doing this and attending friends weddings, I have seen a big change in the industry lately. Many (wedding) photographers here in Europe don´t seem to use flash these days, especially not for the outdoor shots. But even indoors many don´t. They do a lot of post processing though. I must admit I like that style.
Just recently the daughter of a friend asked us to photograph her wedding, and they wanted exactly that dreamy, somewhat overexposed look. I couldn´t talk her into a video instead, so we did an (almost) flashless wedding, and they loved it. So did we, because it was an amazing thing to not have to carry around and setup flash units. Interestingly these flashless photographers that like to call themselves "fine art photographers" seem to charge more than others.
So much for flash. It is good to have, but not a necessity to use.
In regard to full frame or crop sensor: that again depends on the style you´d like to achieve: if you like to have as shallow depth as possible, you´d need to go with a bigger sensor. If you´d stop down your lens anyway you could easily go with the smaller sensor because ISO and noise is not so much an issue for clients than it is for us photographers.
However, it feels weird to show up on a big wedding with an a6300. But if you are confident enough and deliver the results the people expect there is nothing wrong with it, because in the end it is the photographer that creates the images, not the camera.
Regarding Lenses: take a look at Sigmas Art Series lenses - they are nothing short but awesome. I´ve bought the 135mm f1.8 and had my hands on the 35mm f1.4. Not only are they cheaper than (I can only talk for Canon and Sony) lenses, some of them are even better!
EDIT: regarding Sigma - focus wise that´s only valid in regard Canon, I finally bought the Sony 35mm f1.4 for my Sony cameras because the focus with the Canon mount Sigma was too slow. However, the image quality and look was much better with the half priced Sigma.

 

[goodguy]

I am a wedding photographer, I own full frame and APS-C, DSLR and Mirrorless.
Here are few insights which are mine and mine alone, other might agree or disagree
1.Do you need full frame for wedding ?
Must ? NO
Recommended ? YES
I can shoot a whole wedding with my backup camera D3300 with good results but the D750 is just much better, offers more flexibility and performance.
If you can get a full frame then get it, get the D610, its a great camera.
2.D7500, for professional wedding work, my advice stay away from it simply because it doesn't have 2 SD card, that one time your disk will die and you will stand in front of your clients telling them ALL their wedding pictures are dead will make you wish you bought a 2 SD card camera.

Mirrorless vs DSLR
I own the Sony a6300 which is an a6500 with smaller buffer, no IBIS and no touch screen
Can I shoot wedding with it ? yes but I find the DSLR auto focus system is still better and more reliable in low light situations and I feel mirrorless is still in need for improvement in this area.

Bottom line my advice if you can get a full frame DSLR then get it, if its too expensive get the D7200 or even D7100 with fast glass.

 

[tecboy]

Do clients judge based on your skill as well as what dslr you are shooting?

 

[jpross123]

Do clients judge based on your skill as well as what dslr you are shooting?

Some might, if they do their research on 'pro cameras'. Most of the time though, they wont know the difference between a D200 and a D5

 

[tecboy]

I think clients do judge. I had people asked me what dslr I'm shooting, and they compare their own dslrs.

 

[jpross123]

People will always be judgemental, and most like to test your knowledge when it comes to your job. I get that all the time at the hospital, lol.

 

[photo1x1.com]

Do clients judge based on your skill as well as what dslr you are shooting?

Some of them do, others don´t. But usually on a bigger event like a wedding, you have at least one hobby photographer who knows quite a bit about equipment. Then it feels better to have pro equipment. But again, it depends on your self confidence.

 

[pixmedic]

I think clients do judge. I had people asked me what dslr I'm shooting, and they compare their own dslrs.

if they judge you based on your gear and not on your results, they are not clients you want anyway.