Advice for shooting first wedding

[jpphotography]

I've been given the honor of shooting my brother in law's wedding in October 2009. I want to be prepared, so I'm glad I have so much time before then. I'm ordering my 40D tomorrow/Friday with; an 18-55mm lens, a wide angle autofocus lens, 2x telephoto lens, UV/Polarizer/FDL filters, and a tripod. It's a pretty basic starter kit, and I'm aware I'll need to add to it. So does anybody have any advice/tips for me? On both what I should add to my collection, and the wedding itself.

[2.8orfaster]

http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=574172

[angryhampster]

If that's one of those ebay kits that seems like "a great deal," don't buy it.

[Mike30D]

I've been given the honor of shooting my brother in law's wedding in October 2009. I want to be prepared, so I'm glad I have so much time before then. I'm ordering my 40D tomorrow/Friday with; an 18-55mm lens, a wide angle autofocus lens, 2x telephoto lens, UV/Polarizer/FDL filters, and a tripod. It's a pretty basic starter kit, and I'm aware I'll need to add to it. So does anybody have any advice/tips for me? On both what I should add to my collection, and the wedding itself.

Find a pro you can learn from. If you can't learn from a pro, then you need to read up on a lot and practice as much as you can.

You need to know that camera like the back of your hand. You need to be able to change settings without looking.

What are the focal lengths of the wide angle and the telephoto? Unless this is gonna be in a very well lit room (most of them aren't) you need lenses that are at least f/2.8

Read THIS (http://www.mrwild.co.nz/WeddingFAQ/Wedding-FAQ-Pt1-beta.htm)

Also, you need backup equipment. Rent it if you have to. If your main camera takes a dump, you can't just get up and leave.

A good place to rent from is LensRentals.com (http://www.lensrentals.com)
You are going to need a flash. A 430EX or 580EX would be great. Check out Planet Neil (http://planetneil.com/tangents/flash-photography-techniques/)

You've got a LOT of groundwork to cover before now and next October. Good Luck. Nothing can prepare you for doing your first wedding like.......doing your first wedding.

Also, check out some of the more well know wedding photographer's websites for some inspiration. If you need some names....

AltF (John Michael Cooper) - http://www.altf.com/
Amy Deputy - http://www.amydeputyphotography.com/
Amy Squires - http://amysquires.com/
Bebb Studios - http://www.tyingtheknot.net/
Becker - http://www.thebecker.com/
Black Dog Photography - http://www.bkdog.com/
Blue Olive Photography - http://www.blueolivephotography.com/
Boutwell Studio - http://boutwellstudio.com/
Brittany Hanson - http://www.blrphoto.com/ NEW
Cameron Ingalls - http://www.ingallsphotography.com/
Cantrell Portrait Design - http://www.cantrellportrait.com/
Chris & Lynn Jaksa - http://www.chrispluslynn.com/
Christel Eldrim - http://www.estethia.com/
Climie + Co - http://www.climie.com/
Dane Sanders - http://danesanders.com/
Dave & Quin Cheung - http://www.dqstudios.com/
David Beckstead - http://www.davidbeckstead.com/ and http://admiredbybeckstead.com/ (not his own photography)
David Jay - http://www.davidjay.com/
Dino Lara - http://www.dinolara.com/
Elizabeth Messina - http://www.elizabethmessina.com/
Emin Kuliyev - http://www.em34.com/
f8studio - http://www.f8studio.com/
Gary Walters - http://www.gawalters.com/
Glen Johnson - http://www.aperturephotographics.com/ NEW
Helen Karlsson - http://www.lenek.se/brollop/
Isaac Alongi - http://www.iastudios.com/
Jacquelyn Marie - http://www.jacquelynmarie.com/
Jason Cole - http://www.jasoncolephotography.com.au/ NEW
Jeff Ascough - http://www.jeffascough.net/
Jeff Hawkins - http://www.jeffhawkins.com/
Jeff Newsom - http://www.jeffnewsom.com/
Jeff Youngren - http://www.jeffyoungren.com/
Jen Hillenga - http://www.momentoimages.com/
Jennifer Hughes - http://www.jenniferhughes.com/
Jerry Ghionis (XSiGHT) - http://www.jerryghionis.com/ and http://www.xsight.com.au/
Jesh de Rox - http://www.jeshderox.com/
Jessica Claire - http://www.jcsphoto.com/
Jessica Strickland - http://www.jessicarstrickland.com/
Joe Buissink - http://www.joebuissink.com/
Johannes Van Kan & Jo Grams - http://www.jvk.co.nz/
Joseph Milton - http://www.josephmilton.com/
Jules Bianchi - http://www.julesbianchi.com/
JVS Weddings (Joseph & Anne Stefanchik) - http://www.jvsweddings.com/
Katie DiSimone - http://www.katiedisimone.com/
Kelly Moore - http://www.kellymoorephotography.com/
Kevin Jairaj - http://www.kjimages.com/
Kim Anne - http://www.kimanne.com/
Mike Larson - http://www.mikelarson.com/ NEW
Milton Gil - http://www.miltongil.com/
Magique Studios - http://magiquestudios.com/
Maneuele Photography - http://www.manuelephotography.com/
Marisa Holmes - http://www.marisaweddings.com/
Mark Ridout - http://www.ridoutphotography.com/
Mike Colon - http://www.mikecolon.com/
Murray Wedding Photography - http://www.murrayphotography.com/
New Image Photography - http://www.newimagephotography.com/
Night And Day Photography (picturecrazy) - http://www.nightanddayphoto.ca/
Patken - http://www.patkenphotographer.com/
Paulina Westerlind - http://www.pwfoto.com/
Photos For Life - http://weddings.photosforlife.ca/
Powers Photography - http://powersphotography.com/
Ray Persinger - http://www.persingerphotography.com/
Rob Driessen - http://www.rdphotography.co.nz/
Roland Omoresemi - http://www.banfii.com/
Signature Studio - http://www.signaturestudio.com/
Still-Motion.ca - http://www.still-motion.ca/
Story By Photo - http://www.storybyphoto.com/
Storybook Weddings - http://storybookweddings.com/
Susan Stripling - http://www.susanstripling.com/ and http://www.susanstriplingblog.com/
The Image Is Found - http://www.theimageisfound.com/wedding/
Three Blones And A Camera - http://www.threeblondesandacamera.com/
Tiffany Aicklen - http://www.taphotodesign.com/
Tim Wild - http://www.wildphotography.co.nz/ NEW
Todd Johnson - http://www.tjweddings.com/
Tommy Colbert - http://www.tommycolbert.com/
TriCoast Photography - http://www.tricoastphotography.com/
Visio Photography - http://www.visiophotography.com/
Wedding Photographers Network (Singapore collective) - http://www.wpn.sg/
Wildberry - http://www.wildberry.com.au/
Yervant - http://www.yervant.com/

[gravy graffix]

please dont buy that package...18-55 is useless. so are the filters and the 2x thingy.

40d= good, i shot a whole wedding on a 50mm and a 85.. the 85 is 320.00 and the 50mm is either 70.00 or 300.00 (1.8 vs 1.4)

hope your visa has a high limit... order at least a 2nd 40d at least!
2 bodies
2 flashes
4 lens's 2.8 or faster
16 gig of cf
2-4 batts
12 aa batts
and a flask with some captain in it...make that 2... cant be to careful...

[jpphotography]

Find a pro you can learn from. If you can't learn from a pro, then you need to read up on a lot and practice as much as you can.

You need to know that camera like the back of your hand. You need to be able to change settings without looking.

What are the focal lengths of the wide angle and the telephoto? Unless this is gonna be in a very well lit room (most of them aren't) you need lenses that are at least f/2.8

Read THIS (http://www.mrwild.co.nz/WeddingFAQ/Wedding-FAQ-Pt1-beta.htm)

Also, you need backup equipment. Rent it if you have to. If your main camera takes a dump, you can't just get up and leave.

A good place to rent from is LensRentals.com (http://www.lensrentals.com)
You are going to need a flash. A 430EX or 580EX would be great. Check out Planet Neil (http://planetneil.com/tangents/flash-photography-techniques/)

You've got a LOT of groundwork to cover before now and next October. Good Luck. Nothing can prepare you for doing your first wedding like.......doing your first wedding.

Also, check out some of the more well know wedding photographer's websites for some inspiration. If you need some names....

AltF (John Michael Cooper) - http://www.altf.com/
Amy Deputy - http://www.amydeputyphotography.com/
Amy Squires - http://amysquires.com/
Bebb Studios - http://www.tyingtheknot.net/
Becker - http://www.thebecker.com/
Black Dog Photography - http://www.bkdog.com/
Blue Olive Photography - http://www.blueolivephotography.com/
Boutwell Studio - http://boutwellstudio.com/
Brittany Hanson - http://www.blrphoto.com/ NEW
Cameron Ingalls - http://www.ingallsphotography.com/
Cantrell Portrait Design - http://www.cantrellportrait.com/
Chris & Lynn Jaksa - http://www.chrispluslynn.com/
Christel Eldrim - http://www.estethia.com/
Climie + Co - http://www.climie.com/
Dane Sanders - http://danesanders.com/
Dave & Quin Cheung - http://www.dqstudios.com/
David Beckstead - http://www.davidbeckstead.com/ and http://admiredbybeckstead.com/ (not his own photography)
David Jay - http://www.davidjay.com/
Dino Lara - http://www.dinolara.com/
Elizabeth Messina - http://www.elizabethmessina.com/
Emin Kuliyev - http://www.em34.com/
f8studio - http://www.f8studio.com/
Gary Walters - http://www.gawalters.com/
Glen Johnson - http://www.aperturephotographics.com/ NEW
Helen Karlsson - http://www.lenek.se/brollop/
Isaac Alongi - http://www.iastudios.com/
Jacquelyn Marie - http://www.jacquelynmarie.com/
Jason Cole - http://www.jasoncolephotography.com.au/ NEW
Jeff Ascough - http://www.jeffascough.net/
Jeff Hawkins - http://www.jeffhawkins.com/
Jeff Newsom - http://www.jeffnewsom.com/
Jeff Youngren - http://www.jeffyoungren.com/
Jen Hillenga - http://www.momentoimages.com/
Jennifer Hughes - http://www.jenniferhughes.com/
Jerry Ghionis (XSiGHT) - http://www.jerryghionis.com/ and http://www.xsight.com.au/
Jesh de Rox - http://www.jeshderox.com/
Jessica Claire - http://www.jcsphoto.com/
Jessica Strickland - http://www.jessicarstrickland.com/
Joe Buissink - http://www.joebuissink.com/
Johannes Van Kan & Jo Grams - http://www.jvk.co.nz/
Joseph Milton - http://www.josephmilton.com/
Jules Bianchi - http://www.julesbianchi.com/
JVS Weddings (Joseph & Anne Stefanchik) - http://www.jvsweddings.com/
Katie DiSimone - http://www.katiedisimone.com/
Kelly Moore - http://www.kellymoorephotography.com/
Kevin Jairaj - http://www.kjimages.com/
Kim Anne - http://www.kimanne.com/
Mike Larson - http://www.mikelarson.com/ NEW
Milton Gil - http://www.miltongil.com/
Magique Studios - http://magiquestudios.com/
Maneuele Photography - http://www.manuelephotography.com/
Marisa Holmes - http://www.marisaweddings.com/
Mark Ridout - http://www.ridoutphotography.com/
Mike Colon - http://www.mikecolon.com/
Murray Wedding Photography - http://www.murrayphotography.com/
New Image Photography - http://www.newimagephotography.com/
Night And Day Photography (picturecrazy) - http://www.nightanddayphoto.ca/
Patken - http://www.patkenphotographer.com/
Paulina Westerlind - http://www.pwfoto.com/
Photos For Life - http://weddings.photosforlife.ca/
Powers Photography - http://powersphotography.com/
Ray Persinger - http://www.persingerphotography.com/
Rob Driessen - http://www.rdphotography.co.nz/
Roland Omoresemi - http://www.banfii.com/
Signature Studio - http://www.signaturestudio.com/
Still-Motion.ca - http://www.still-motion.ca/
Story By Photo - http://www.storybyphoto.com/
Storybook Weddings - http://storybookweddings.com/
Susan Stripling - http://www.susanstripling.com/ and http://www.susanstriplingblog.com/
The Image Is Found - http://www.theimageisfound.com/wedding/
Three Blones And A Camera - http://www.threeblondesandacamera.com/
Tiffany Aicklen - http://www.taphotodesign.com/
Tim Wild - http://www.wildphotography.co.nz/ NEW
Todd Johnson - http://www.tjweddings.com/
Tommy Colbert - http://www.tommycolbert.com/
TriCoast Photography - http://www.tricoastphotography.com/
Visio Photography - http://www.visiophotography.com/
Wedding Photographers Network (Singapore collective) - http://www.wpn.sg/
Wildberry - http://www.wildberry.com.au/
Yervant - http://www.yervant.com/
Thank you

[jpphotography]

If that's one of those ebay kits that seems like "a great deal," don't buy it.
Are you referring to the extra accessories or the camera itself?

[angryhampster]

Are you referring to the extra accessories or the camera itself?


Well, for an indoor wedding, pretty much everything that you mentioned earlier is useless but the camera body itself. The 18-55 is too slow, the 2x teleconverter (I assume that's what you're talking about) will be junk, the filters will be low-quality, and the tripod will fall apart within a month.

There are only very rare instances in which a preassembled kit is a worthwhile deal.

Just buy a 40D body only and then get a Sigma 18-50 Macro and a Sigma EF 530 Super flash unit.

[jpphotography]

Well, for an indoor wedding, pretty much everything that you mentioned earlier is useless but the camera body itself. The 18-55 is too slow, the 2x teleconverter (I assume that's what you're talking about) will be junk, the filters will be low-quality, and the tripod will fall apart within a month.

There are only very rare instances in which a preassembled kit is a worthwhile deal.

Just buy a 40D body only and then get a Sigma 18-50 Macro and a Sigma EF 530 Super flash unit.
I'm not buying these things JUST for this wedding, but I understand what you're saying.