I need advice - a mixed but limited equipment setup for a wedding

[rwreich]

Hi

I consider myself very honoured to have been asked to photograph the wedding of my close friends in Italy next year. I said I'd do it as a gift, so there's no payment coming my way - just a great opportunity (as I see it)

I've done a couple of weddings before but I'm by no means a pro. Back in 2011, I had one of my two Nikon F5's stolen (thankfully not the one i paid £200 to have serviced by Nikon!) and all my lenses (20mm wide, 50mm, 80-200mm 2.8 and 60mm Macro - gutted.com) and my SB800 flash.

I used the "opportunity" to migrate to Hasselblad. I now have a 501CM, 80mm, 120mm and 150mm lenses, a Metz 45CL4 flash, Sekonic light meter and a range of Lee ND grad filters. No spare film casettes. In addition I have my other F5 and the standard f1.8 50mm lens.

THe reason for my post is this: my friends know and I have made it quite clear that I am limited in that my Blad shoots 12 shots, then a new film is needed. My Nikon doesn't have a good range of lenses. Like many 30 somethings, Im mortgaged to the hilt, have debts, and two young kids under the age of 7. Money is not something I have much of and the costs of the film and development and scanning will be a few hundred in itself.

So I guess I'm in search of some very affordable suggestions.

I thought about perhaps buying one or two Nikon F100's so that I have both spare bodies and the ability to shoot 3 films concurrantly, to be reloaded in those rare moments of quiet. But even F100's are about £100 give or take, and besides, there's the small issue of lenses!!! Of which I have only one.

The cost of my former lenses seem more expensive now than I got them for 8-10 years ago. 80-200mm for no less than £400 on average.

So then I thought about getting more film backs for the Hasselblad instead, so that I can load those up. But again, £100-£150 each seems standard.

So my Blad has a good range of lenses, but I have only one of them, and only one film back.

My Nikon has a good range of shots, but it only has one lens! And I also only have one of those.

And one flash between them all (though I can pick up another one of those for about £50).

Any advice? Notes of re-assurance? I know some of you will say "just don't do it" or "if you don't have the kit, you shouldn't do it" and so on. But I'm very aware that 20 years ago wedding photographers shot weddings with one Hasselblad and a few film backs. I got married in 2002 and the photographer used a Blad. I didn't see him change anything but the backs and the lenses.

Hey, Ted - hope you're well! I was wondering if you could tell us how it went and how it might have been the same or different from your expectations after reading the advice given, here. Anything would be really appreciated!

 

[Down Under]

Drat! I wrote a very long post to all this, and then reread the original, and realised it was posted last year. So the wedding may be a past event by now. I deleted all my comments. All deja vu. History now, likely.

Yes, how did it all go? Did you stuff it up? I hope not. I did a free wedding for (then) friends in the 1970s, and muffed it, and ruined the bride's big event. They are still happily married, but she won't speak to me to this day. This is what I meant to warn you about. To be like a good Boy Scout, and go prepared for the worst, which can and often does happen at weddings. The only two times in my life that cameras broke down on me, were during wedding ceremonies.

I would never use a Hasselblad to shoot a wedding, it's much too limiting. I would have taken the Nikon and the 50 and whatever other lenses I could beg or borrow from friends, and way too much film, and shot from the background and then the formals on a small tripod. Whatever you did, I hope it was successful. I also hope you enjoyed the event, the sociability of Italians, the good food and the fine wine, and afterwards, if you could still walk, that you strolled somewhere and photographed old Roman ruins or whatever. Italy is unique. Oh, and how goes your recovery from the nervous breakdown?

 

[pentaxuser]

afterwards, if you could still walk,

Sadly as I said, the vicar did say" We deal in lead, friend" and the bride turned into bridezilla as indicated by another cheerful poster so your statement above may be prophetic and "on the money" as they say

pentaxuser