wedding setup

Steve Roberts said:

For my welding set-up I like to use a CO2/Argon mix and moderate wire feed . ....... oh! must get my eyes checked ... WEDDING.

I've ended up covering a couple of weddings purely because the people involved were a) friends and b) cheapskates. One I did on an 'at cost' basis and the other I did as my present to the happy couple (who are since even more happily divorced, though my photography was not to blame for that). On those occasions, shooting 35mm, I used the standard 50mm lens and a wide during the ceremonies, but for the alcohol-fuelled receptions, a 135mm lens came into its own for candid shots. Flash was my ancient Hitachi. For one, I also shot a couple of rolls at the reception on my Pentax Espio 105SW P & S and the results from that proved very popular with the punters, many of whom had what appeared to be quite high end d*****l cameras but not a clue how to use them.

Steve

Click to expand...

Since in Britain two out of three marriages end in divorce I wonder if there's an untapped market for divorce photography because there's a market for everything else to do with marriage, engagement, maternity etc.

Hi! This thread is really timely I hope you guys won't mind but I'm gonna be tagging along for a pre-nup and a bestman for my friend's wedding and I also have a couple of questions.

Would you guys rather shoot HP5 or Neopan for a wedding? Also, as far as my set up goes, I have an Olympus OM1 with a 50mm 1.8 and a Vivitar 75-205 3.8, as well as a Minolta SRT-100B, Rokkor 28mm, 2.8 and hopefully by the end of August a 100mm 2.8, 50mm 1.4, and a 24mm 2.8, would those do?

benjiboy said:

Since in Britain two out of three marriages end in divorce I wonder if there's an untapped market for divorce photography because there's a market for everything else to do with marriage, engagement, maternity etc.

Click to expand...

Here's one attempt to capture that market http://www.weddingringcoffin.com/index.php

Would you guys rather shoot HP5 or Neopan for a wedding?

Click to expand...

Neopan if it's bright out, HP5 if you plan on shooting in dark conditions. I find that Neopan looks very nice with generous exposure and HP5 pushes better.

Last time I shot a freebie wedding I used a brace of OMs.

I've done a couple for friends and used my Bronica ETRS along with my Leica CL. The ETRS is used for portraits and where the noise would not be intrusive. The CL got used for where the Bronica could be noticed due to the sound and for candids, alter shots, etc. Barely noticable and quiet and with the 40 and 90mm lenses a very good wedding camera for my shooting style.

Also, I used the 35mm back on the Bronica as much as the 120 backs. At some point friendships have to be balanced against costs. The results were excellent when using the 35mm back on it. When I thought the shot may go beyond the 8x10 I slapped on the 120 back but mostly used the 35mm back.

benjiboy said:

Since in Britain two out of three marriages end in divorce I wonder if there's an untapped market for divorce photography because there's a market for everything else to do with marriage, engagement, maternity etc.

Click to expand...

Although people do not tend to formally celebrate divorce (I understand) it seems that people who is in the habit of getting married usually tend to marry again (imagine that). So in itself the possibility of divorcing almost doubles the market.

When a couple of cheapskates comes in your studio and wants to save money, draw their attention on the irrationality of saving on something that will outlast the marriage (the photographic album) and spending too much on something that will invariably end up in shit within less than two days. Not to mention a dress which will not be used any more.

You have to say that to the bride, obviously. If a man gets married it's obvious he got out of his mind already*.

Fabrizio

* You know that. Just look around you. If things go well, fine. If things don't work, she'll get the children, she'll retain the house and most of his wage. He'll have to pay a rent (to rent a room) with what he has been left. He might have to continue to pay her a monthly check even if she marries again (at least in Italy). I tell you if you get married you must be insane
Spend in your preferred hobby instead. It will never betray you

Hmmm.... A marketing idea for wedding photogrpahers. With every wedding album inlcude a 1/2 off certificate for a divorce cerimony shoot.

I shot my first wedding a few weeks ago. I used a mamiya super 23 mostly. With a lot of flash in various light modifiers. Only shot portraits and some rather posed scenes. Used 5 rolls, 40 photos. 400H and acros.

Ideally I would like to shoot with two TLR's , as 35mm with long zoom in case, and a 4x5 for posed formals. Right now though im at 1 TLR, two 35mm SLRs and a digi body.

If you wish to keep your friends as friends then strongly suggest to them that they hire a professional wedding photographer. Professionals have the experience, nerves and thick skin to deal with all those people associated with a wedding. There is not enough gold in Fort Knox to tempt me to do any more weddings.

Dear Jerry;
I have never been in such agreement with a post in my life!!! I always remember the caution that the "Wedding Photographer" is the first to be criticized and the last to get paid.
Denise Libby

my equipment:
Canon 1ds body, canon 5dmark II body, 17-40mm,24-70mm,70-200mm,20mm,24mm tilt and shift, 85mm
3 flash 580ex , 40gb memory cards , reflector portable black and silver , tripod, battery portable tugsten light .
lowepro super trekker pro .

I've had pretty good luck with:
8x10 deardorff - 8x10 and 5x7 backs, a bunch of holders, a jumbo film changing tent
hasselblad with 80 and 160 mm lenses and a couple of extra backs
nikon fe2 loaded with kodak tmax100, a nikon f3/t with hp5 and an assortment of lenses.

I like the large format for after-the-ceremony firing squad stuff (line them up and shoot them). If I have a chance I'll set up lights and backdrop and do pictures of guests who want to be photographed. Once I've processed the big negatives (pryo, in trays, by inspection rather than time and temp) I deliver either as contact prints on silver (lodima in amidol) or palladium (strathmore or rives bfk watercolor paper)
I've tried a 4x5 press camera and been unhappy with results.
Occasionally, I contact print the 6x6 negatives, but for the most I crop them pretty heavily. I print the 35 mm negatives on ilford fiber base full-frame (with the verification boarder).

I think as long as the bride and groom have a very clear understanding of what you're planning on delivering and your general aesthetic things go way smoother. I don't do photography for a living. I have a lot of respect for those who do.

After myself being married to the same woman for forty seven years, I realize why at the ceremony the bride wears white and the groom black

I've taken photos at two weddings, and one was my own (rimshot).

A friend of mine, back in the late '90s, knew I'd just recently started enjoying photography and invited me to be the "candid" photographer at his wedding, while the pro did his thing. He'd take the fancy posed shots, and I'd be right there to capture (for instance) the bride's expression when they were finally able to relax. While he was arranging family members and guests for group portraits, I was roaming the crowd catching what was going on... wedding street photography style. In fact, I think I was the only one who managed to get a shot of the cake before a friend of the bride unwittingly cut herself a piece and started chowing down... and I got a shot of the bride dressing her down as well.
I really enjoyed the relative freedom, and the ability to be a part of the party compared to the pro, and there wasn't a whole lot of pressure on me to produce technically superior photos, either.

It felt good, though, to discover that most of the photos that ended up in their wedding scrapbook were mine, taken with a lowly Canon EOS Rebel X. (see... I eventually got to the point!)

The marriage lasted about a year.

The Wedding Music Manager will provide information regarding performers,
ensembles, their charges, transaction framework, preparations of real blossoms for the back wedding, they must be left on the wedding after the ceremony...

The law of average dictates that if you do enough weddings one of them will go horribly wrong, so I quit while I was ahead before it happened, about twenty years ago.

I use what do you see in my signature

I shot weddings professionally for 31 years , until recently when I semi retired from it. My kit was first Olympus OM4ti, OM10 backup, 28mm, 35mm, 50mm & 70-210 zoom, Mets 45Ct1 Flash & Olympus T20. The after 10 years moved to Canon Eos 1, Eos 5 back up with 28-80L, 35-135, 70-300, flash speedlite 380ex & Metz 45CL1 and then changed to Canon digital.

Film wise I shot all Fuji Reala with the odd 400. I still miss Reala , it was such a great film.

I found that wedding photography to be 10% photographic skill and 90% logistics and to have the demeanour "like a swan on water" (gracefull on the surface, but going like crazy underneath).
I always got paid up front and I did meet a few Bridezillas but it wasn't more than 1-2%. In Ireland the Bridezilla only blossomed during the Celtic Tiger years (mid 1990s to 2008) when some people had more money than sense.

The wedding market has changes, of course it differs from country to country, but recently I have notices that (in Ireland anyway) some weddings have taken on the look and feel of a reality TV show.

I am semi retired for two reasons, health reasons and I am too old for it. I am the same age (if not older) than the brides father. I now pick and choose what ones to shoot and I pick small intimate weddings rather than the big day ones.

But no matter what type of wedding it is, no matter what country or religion, not matter what camera you use, wedding photography is all about capturing the emotions of the day.

I haven't done any wedding sine the 90's when film was king and you could actually made a small amount of extra cash

Back then I used : Pentax LX + motor drive , 50mm F1.2, 85mm F2. 28mm f2.8 plus a 35-70mm F2.8 plus a Super A as a backup or for B&W
and also a Bronica Etrsi with a 40mm 75mm and a 150mm plus a Motor drive + 4 backs pre-loaded.

Flash Equipment a Metz CT4 for the pentax and a Metz 32 ct4 hot shoe flash on the bronica

For film I used fuji NPH400 and Delta 400 that way I could shoot every thing the same with flash settings taped for F8

None of this equipment ever let me down, I also use to bring a female assistant when needed, Brides don't like men touching their dress !!!! ect

In this new digital world it would be hard work to make any money out of weddings

Johnkpap

I used to be a weekend wedding warrior and have done a couple of dozen weddings. I enjoyed the challenge of putting my photography skills on the line, and I enjoyed being a participant in a special family occasion. It was also lucrative work and I was able to reinvest much of that income in more photo gear and film for my personal work. My primary camera with colour neg film was a Nikon F4 with 50 and 28mm lenses, and a flash on a flipping bracket. I had a backup Nikon body just in case, but the F4 never let me down. My second active camera was a medium format of some kind with B+W film. Cameras I've used were Hasselblad 500cm, Rolleiflex 6006, Rolleiflex TLR, Mamiya 6, and Bronica RF645. They also had a flash and bracket attached. I standardized on 400 speed film for both colour and B+W. I offered a low cost service by providing the colour negs and 4x6 commercial prints (big failures were removed) so the couple could choose and handle getting enlargements on their own. I also provided contact sheets of the MF B+W shots which the couple could order enlargements from me at extra cost. I used up to 10 rolls of 135 colour film and 8 rolls of 120 B+W.

After a couple of dozen weddings the thrill began to wear off, I had a bunch of photo gear, and I wanted to retire before messing up a job, so I stopped this sideline work. I continued on with individual and family portraits for many years but even that I rarely do anymore.

Yeah - the set up for a wedding !
First let me state : I never shot weddings
and I will not shot in the future (hope).
(A colleague had done this with a professional wedding shooting a year ago)
I asked him about and his simple answer was : " First time in live he felt extreme bad" Becaus of what? Was it the paying?
He got 800 bucks in 4,5 hours - this can't be the reason.
He told me that so many people gave hints to him how to photograph much better during his shooting. A mass of real experts within the marriage guests.
The worst he remembered was a 76years old grand ma who told him : "Are you a real photographer - I don't believe - look you have to shot from the side of the trees there I want to see " - then laughing from the whole group.
I wasn't there and I can't say what was wrong - but I know him as a real competent assistant and a year later (today) he has lot of nice jobs (advertising) and better clients.
But I remember he stated : Not another time - even with 1000,- or 2000,- bucks.

So - what is the technical set up ?
Never mind so much about. You might have to realize first your task group.
Because your photography has to reach the taste of your task group. Is the wedding an upper class wedding for example - your photographic style could be more against the normal roules of artistic translation. There you can follow more your own intention because they all
might love your look. (but no unsharpness pls)
So you might have general roules to general people ? I realy can't say I would say : "YES" but obviously it depends.
To prepare yourself with the people you'll shot is the main job - I would like to state. And if I would ever have to shot a wedding I would have a complete list : A who is who with ALL guests and I would have the idea to shot all of them because grand ma smith might have payed a big part of the complete wedding and when she can't find herself on a foto you definitive louse your job.....
If she and others don't like your photographic look you definitivly would be a lousy photographer.
But if they all might have a bad taste you personaly might be the highest champion with lousy photography.
Therefore to me : "NO WEDDINGS"
(Highest payed exeptions wellcome)
But if you ask about set up - I am not afrait - because you all may beat me therefore - to give an example :
As a good photographer you should be able to fullfill the general tasks during weddings with a simple Pentax K1000 with a normal lens F 1,7/50mm.
WITHOUT FLASH !!
What about the (possible ceremony in church) ??? You may be able to shot with digital all time. With film you should have "standing" and ask about bw in church.
ISO 3200 DELTA will help you then.
If it has to be with film ( color ) I wouldn't have Fuji ISO 1600 films - I would better have lower speed films with tripod and avaible light in any way.
As I stated 50mm ? What about shots with a bigger distance from the scene?
I sayed :"standing" thats my answer.
You should be able to come into the scene as you are the "wedding photographer" - otherwise : No Way At All. So you might have no need to tele-lenses.
At last - we all should know : 80mm is a good lens for portraits in 35mm : YOU ARE ALLOWED TO USE IT ...
Notice : It is never the wrong swimming trunks wich let the swimmer drown.

with regards

PS : Last hint : I made good experience with 300mm lens in midt format to have extreme portraits within fashion shootings. But that's also in good light conditions allways better with a tripod.
I could imagine it would be also fine to use it in a wedding portraits shot (after ceremony in the gardens/parks) but therefore you have to have a little bit more time - that's allways the problem during weddings? I can't say I remember just my colleague again :
"Hurry up - hurry up photographer but notice you may stumble soon - (sounds of laugther comming from a group of people....)

with regards

Johnkpap said:

I haven't done any wedding sine the 90's when film was king and you could actually made a small amount of extra cash

Back then I used : Pentax LX + motor drive , 50mm F1.2, 85mm F2. 28mm f2.8 plus a 35-70mm F2.8 plus a Super A as a backup or for B&W
and also a Bronica Etrsi with a 40mm 75mm and a 150mm plus a Motor drive + 4 backs pre-loaded.

Flash Equipment a Metz CT4 for the pentax and a Metz 32 ct4 hot shoe flash on the bronica

For film I used fuji NPH400 and Delta 400 that way I could shoot every thing the same with flash settings taped for F8

None of this equipment ever let me down, I also use to bring a female assistant when needed, Brides don't like men touching their dress !!!! ect

In this new digital world it would be hard work to make any money out of weddings

Johnkpap

Click to expand...

Easy to make money with film. I got business because of film and the way it looks compared to digital. Plenty of well known photographers who are film only for weddings. I retired from the biz...but up to a few years ago, I was still doing 25-35 weddings a year....90% of each shot on film. Two Nikon F5 bodies, Pentax 645 and Mamiya RB67. Fuji Pro400H, Portra 800.

frank said:

I used to be a weekend wedding warrior and have done a couple of dozen weddings. I enjoyed the challenge of putting my photography skills on the line, and I enjoyed being a participant in a special family occasion. It was also lucrative work and I was able to reinvest much of that income in more photo gear and film for my personal work. My primary camera with colour neg film was a Nikon F4 with 50 and 28mm lenses, and a flash on a flipping bracket. I had a backup Nikon body just in case, but the F4 never let me down. My second active camera was a medium format of some kind with B+W film. Cameras I've used were Hasselblad 500cm, Rolleiflex 6006, Rolleiflex TLR, Mamiya 6, and Bronica RF645. They also had a flash and bracket attached. I standardized on 400 speed film for both colour and B+W. I offered a low cost service by providing the colour negs and 4x6 commercial prints (big failures were removed) so the couple could choose and handle getting enlargements on their own. I also provided contact sheets of the MF B+W shots which the couple could order enlargements from me at extra cost. I used up to 10 rolls of 135 colour film and 8 rolls of 120 B+W.

After a couple of dozen weddings the thrill began to wear off, I had a bunch of photo gear, and I wanted to retire before messing up a job, so I stopped this sideline work. I continued on with individual and family portraits for many years but even that I rarely do anymore.

Click to expand...

Hey frank - glad to see you posting again!

Mamiya C220 with 80mm and 135mm lenses. Portra 400 film in 220 back in the old days. Wish we could still get 220. Been a while since I shot a wedding but will be doing one this fall. I'll be adding a Bronica SQa with half a dozen 120 backs, 80mm, and 105MM lenses. Using a stroboframe on the Mamiya and have the speed grip on the Bronica, so far. A Vivitar flash and since my White Lightnings are long gone I'll be using a couple Alien Bees 800s to light up everything. Can't do digital, I am already on the computer too much and hate to see the current method of simply machine gunning weddings with a digital camera. Afterward you have 10k images to sort through not to mention being in the bride and grooms faces nonstop hitting them with enough artificial light to deep fry them both. If I can't shoot a wedding with 10-15 rolls of 120 and 2 135mm 36 exposure rolls with my Nikkormat (for candid guest type shots) then I don't need to be doing weddings...