gettin into wedding photography

[mikehsia]

hey folks,

been a while since I've posted, work is sucking up all my time. Anyhow, pretty soon I'll be getting into wedding photography ...mostly for my friends and stuff...but I had a few questions. I believe they are called 'brackets'...but are they necessary and which one is a good one if so? and should I sell an organ to buy a 550ex and a nice lens? (jk on the kidney) I currently have the 135IS. oh yea, and typically, what type of albums or such do wedding photos typically go into (like the ones that are just normal binder type lookin ones or do people have them send off and professionally made into a book type thing? ...sorry, i'm a complete newbie at this whole growing up and having friends get married thing! Just trying to dust off my 10D and get back into photography also. Thanks!

Mike

[FlyingPete]

In my mind shooting a wedding is an awesome responsibility, you have one shot at it, no second chances if you screw it up! That is why I currently avoid them, I often shoot some on the side (and yes most of the time my shots are better than the paid photographer :cool: ) but I would want to be well set up if I was sole shooter (spare camera body etc, there is no time to find another body, if something goes wrong!)

True some people won't care that much, but our wedding photographer old us years ago (I know its a sales pitch), but after the day is gone, that is all you have to remember it by (don't 100% agree with this, but you get the idea).

The brackets I think you are referring to are a piece of metal to raise the height of the flash above the camera to reduce the chance of red eye, you will also need an off shoe cable to use on of these, another cheaper simpler option is to use an Omnibounce or Lumiquest to diffuse the light, also makes it higher up as well:
http://www.lumiquest.com/lq941.htm

Can't really comment on the albums, I think that is an entire topic on its own, might pay to find someone who can do them for you.