Shooting Wedding with new 20D

[Overexposed]

OK … I got my 20D with the EF-S17-85mm a few weeks ago. Yesterday my sister ask me if I would take my nieces wedding pictures. Well, I couldn’t say no, but then I haven’t shot a wedding since the late ‘70’s.

In addition to the camera and lens, I have the 580EX flash, Stroboframe Press-T flash bracket, two BP-511A batteries, a 512MB and 1GB memory cards. The wedding is about 6 or 7 weeks away and I intend on picking up another 1GB memory card, but I’m looking for suggestions on what else I might need. This is a freebie and I don’t intend on pursuing a career in wedding photography.

One more thing, my sister ask me that I take pictures that don’t show the bride too pregnant........

Does anyone know if photoshop has any magic potions that will reduce swelling? I'll have to post that question in another forum.:lol:

[amazingimages@bellsouth.n]

yes photoshop has a place to do that, go to filter at the top and choose liquify. the tool you need will be on the left side. you will have a blast with it. its to funny.

[liza]

You'll need a fast prime lens for available light pictures in the church. Most churches don't allow flash during the ceremony. I'd also suggest a backup camera just in case something goes wrong with the 20D (God forbid!). I'm shooting a wedding this summer and am taking my 20D with the 70-200 f/4L, the 100 mm f/2, and the 50 mm f/1.8. I may pick up the 85 f/1.8 or the Tamron 28-75 f/2.8 between now and then. My assistant (a high school student who shows great promise) will be shooting with either my Minolta A2 or the Canon GII film camera.

Like you, I don't plan to pursue a career in wedding photography. I prefer sports!

[robertwgross]

I would suggest to use a tripod for any formal poses, with the bracket, camera, and flash.

Then leave the tripod and use the bracket, camera, and flash for more candid shots at the reception.

---Bob Gross---

[TSEE]

I'm in the same situation as you, photographing a wedding in 2 weeks actually with basically the same equiptment as you. I'd bring a tripod for posed pictures and ensure I have enough memory cards. What I've done is researched poses for the posed pictures and found several that would work nicely and that the B&G liked.
And of course bring a backup camera just in case.
Oh about the "swelling", I think I read a post from someone who had taken wedding pictures and taken them in such manner that the belly wasn't to obvious, a simple search should help ya there.
Good luck!

[Phil V]

Firstly 'good luck'

secondly a tripod for the formals and a fast lens for inside.

thirdly shoot the bride 'head on' when shooting full body, this disguises the 'bump' a lot.

Have a look around some pro photographers websites, wedding photography has moved a long way since the seventies.

Try to get more memory cards, if you're shooting RAW (it's good insurance) 2 gig isn't really enough.

[R1 Kid]

Try to get more memory cards, if you're shooting RAW (it's good insurance) 2 gig isn't really enough.

You can easily burn through over 500 pictures shooting a wedding and a reception. I wouldn't go in with less than 5GB of memory. Especially if you are going to shoot RAW (which I would). Meaning even more memory would be required. Personally I would have 3 GB of memory with a Portable Storage Device (PSD). Rotating between the three can result in thousands of pics if needed. Even on a 1Ds MkII RAW mode.

[Tomsk]

I would suggest to use a tripod for any formal poses, with the bracket, camera, and flash.

Then leave the tripod and use the bracket, camera, and flash for more candid shots at the reception.

---Bob Gross---

I too have to shoot my first wedding. My equipment is a 300D with kit lens, 50 F1.8, 550EX with Stofen, tripod and a newly purchased 20D with Sigma 18-50 F2.8. I also have a Sigma 70-200 F2.8 but I'm not sure I want to carry that as well.

Why the tripod/bracket/camera/flash combo? (I don't have a bracket :( ) I can understand the use of the bracket for candids to reduce redeye, but is a bracket necessary for posed shots as well? The wedding isn't for another two weeks so I still have time to buy more goodies and gadgets!

[rbuttrum]

You might want to consider this list of Must have shots - go over it with the bride and her mother perhaps.
http://tms.ecol.net/wedding/ph_optio.htm

Ralph

[robertwgross]

Why the tripod/bracket/camera/flash combo? (I don't have a bracket :( ) I can understand the use of the bracket for candids to reduce redeye, but is a bracket necessary for posed shots as well? The wedding isn't for another two weeks so I still have time to buy more goodies and gadgets!

Why that combination? In order to reduce redeye, if for no other reason.

I think you will find that it is possible to do without the bracket, but that is not the point. It will get you slightly more consistent results with shadows, or lack thereof. If you use your camera handheld, with the flash on the hotshoe, and if you take a portrait-orientation posed shot, you will have the flash making shadows on one side or the other. A much more normal illumination is to have the flash directly above the lens (regardless of orientation), and that makes for sun-like shadows in normal places, if any at all. The bracket must have flip-over capability so that the flash will be directly above the lens.

---Bob Gross---

[Mark_48]

I've got two weddings to do this year. When I accepted them I had a 300D Rebel and 420EX flash. Years ago when I was shooting weddings with film I always had a loaded backup body and spare flash, just in case. And it was handy to have a different lens mounted for use as well. There's just to much to lose if you're the only one shooting a one time event like this. Anyhow the two weddings this year gave me a reasonable excuse (the wife bought into it at least) to pull the credit card out and order up a 20D and 580EX.
I would highly recommend that if you are shooting an important event such as a wedding to have at the very least, even if you have to borrow or rent, some sort of backup camera even if its film.

It is funny that one of the weddings I'm doing, the bride is also pregnant and will be pretty well along by the time of the wedding. :)

[phili1]

I did weddings along time ago but this is what you need.

20D is good decide how your goiong to shoot Raw with 2 1 gig and a 512 you get 270 shots, large Jpg 660 shots.

Flash the 580 is a good one. put your camrea not the flash on manual mode and set the F stop to F5.6 to 6.3. set your shutter speed to 1/90 and the flash will adjust to the conditions. Check your LCD to see if you have to make any adjustments to the EV. Large rooms suck up more light as do dark rooms. (you get allot of light fall off)

Bring a tripod that has the ability to go low, a good shot id from the floor up to the ceramony. Leave the Camera on daylight, you want a yellow cast to it. If you can't use flash you can try using the tripod but any head movement will be blurred. After the ceramony go back in for a reinactment of important parts.

Your flash bracket is a good thing, you want the shadow to fall behind the people, when it is on the Camera in vertical position the flash will put the shadow to the right or left.

If you can rent a second flash in case it fails. Bring allot of batteries , you want to recycle fast so you will change them about three times. Buy another battery for your Camera as a back up.

As far as your formals, you can tripod mount but it is not necessary.

Make up a plan of what you want and put it on 3 x 5 cards so you won 't forget.

The biggest problem you are going to have is other people taking pictures. Don't stop them but ask them to shoot after you and make sure they are on the same side of the room as you.

HOpe this helps, good luck.

[Bruford]

Got these tips off forum awile ago:

Wedding Photography
Just make sure that you keep people at least five feet away from walls in order to avoid that hard shadow that flashes produce.

Take charge of the situation.

Don't take more than 4-5 flash exposures during the ceremony. ?? :confused:

Be sure to get pictures of the B and FOB coming down the aisle,

Get a pic of the B&G kissing at the end of the ceremony

Get a pic of the B&G coming down the aisle after the ceremony.

[Overexposed]

Thanks everyone for the great advice.

I'll be seeing my niece (the bride) this weekend and we'll make a list of the MUST have shots. Phili1 - I like the idea of the 3x5 cards.

I've only had Photoshop CS for a couple of months and the raw plugin for a few weeks. At this stage I don't feel comfortable shooting the wedding raw and raw + jpg will use more memory that I want to purchase.

[phili1]

Thanks everyone for the great advice.

I'll be seeing my niece (the bride) this weekend and we'll make a list of the MUST have shots. Phili1 - I like the idea of the 3x5 cards.

I've only had Photoshop CS for a couple of months and the raw plugin for a few weeks. At this stage I don't feel comfortable shooting the wedding raw and raw + jpg will use more memory that I want to purchase.


You do not have to use raw, JPG will do fine. We shot Weddings with film, and you did not know the resultys for weeks. you have the ablity to see it as you go. If you goofesd take a new one.

good luck.

[Maureen Souza]

I am doing my weddings with the 50mm/1.4, and Tamron 28-75/2.8 primarily. I have a Pro1 back up camera and an assistant with another 20D. Between us we have 5GB in the cameras and a handful of cards in our bags. We both have 420EX with OmniBounce, tripods and monopods. Follow Tim Bruford's instructions plus any requests from the B&G and you will do fine.

[WestFalcon]

I do about 15-20 weddings/year. I shoot all jpegs and haven't had a problem. I think you get about 350 high quality jpgs on a 1 gig card. I don't use a tripod for formals since it may slow you up and anything crooked can be straightened on photoshop.. I use stuff that u aren't going to want to invest in for one wedding so a bracket and your flash should be adequate. I really look closely at the histogram, especially when changing poses. I find the Nimh(spelled right?)batteries great for fst recylce. I got mine at Walmart and they recharge in 15 minutes. Good luck

[DocFrankenstein]

If any of the relatives has a laptop, you can download during the process. This may just enable you to shoot raw.

Get a 50/1.8 ? Only 70 bucks.

[davidwegs]

FWIW,

Shoot RAW and use PS CS to convert. You can use the liquify tool in CS to 'reduce swelling'

Get a cheap backup body and flash (rent if need be)

Take extra falsh batteries. Two should be good for the 20d.

Take about 4gigs as a minimum (just MHO).

Chimp :) (a lot when nothing is happening) and make adjustments as needed.

Check your AF switch doesn't get turned off, and if you are using it, the IS switch.

Get at least a 50/1.8 for lower light.

Use 400-1600 ISO when needed. Use 100-200 iso for the formals.

Well thats mine for now. Good luck.

[arhuranna]

Is it common to shoot all of the formal wedding shots with an external flash or do a lot of you use more extensive lighting,strobes and umbrellas?

[Phil V]

Is it common to shoot all of the formal wedding shots with an external flash or do a lot of you use more extensive lighting,strobes and umbrellas?

There are lots of pro's that shoot weddings as if they're studio shoots, personally - this is just personally, I think that the less equipment you use the better. IMO the great photographer (not studio photographer) uses light. He/she doesn't just go round the world believing 'it doesn't matter how ugly the light is here, a blast of fill flash will make it look the same as all my other pictures'.

Find the light and use it, that way you don't need to worry about using fill flash and killing the atmosphere.
check out this link (http://www.jeffascough.com/)

I appreciate that we aren't all this talented, and we don't all have a bag full of f1.4 glass, but shouldn't we strive to capture the atmosphere, rather than creating an artificial one?