Another first wedding thread

[pprice]

I told my co-worker that I would shoot his wedding for him. I never wanted to do weddings, but he is a good friend.

Anyway,
I am in the process of changing my gear, so I have room to buy new stuff and thought I would get some advise from the pros.

My body will be a 5D MKII
The lenses will be 16-35 MKII and the 70-200 2.8 IS
What else should I buy (money is not an issue).

For lighting I have AB 800's and 400's, and I have a couple 580EXII flashes. I have SB's, beauty dish, umbrella's, and other modifiers.

I have a light meter, and wireless triggers (have Skyports, and just ordered the Cyber Commander with receivers). I also have the
Vagabond II.

I also called in my Sister (who is a photographer), who has a few bodies (so I will be good there).

Out off all this stuff, what do you think I should bring, or need that I don't have?

Thanks!!!

[tim]

Wedding FAQ (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=255604). You need a second body as backup (you have) and almost certainly a standard zoom - you're missing 35-70. A 24-70 type focal length is what you'll take 90% of your photos with.

You have more equipment that you'll need. Try to avoid fussing with equipment on the day, pay attention to the people, the emotions, the relationships.

[pprice]

Wedding FAQ (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=255604). You need a second body as backup (you have) and almost certainly a standard zoom - you're missing 35-70. A 24-70 type focal length is what you'll take 90% of your photos with.

You have more equipment that you'll need. Try to avoid fussing with equipment on the day, pay attention to the people, the emotions, the relationships.

Yes Tim, I have been reading through all of your posts (very helpful)!!

From what I have been reading (mixed), I felt like the 24-70 would be a good choice also (now confirmed by you). I did not know that it would be that important though! I am glad I asked now!! I will order one today!!

I do know what I have listed is way more than I will use, just figured I would give an idea of what I have. I am thinking I could get by with (aside from bodies, lenses, cards, batteries), my 580exII flash for any indoor shots (not the actual wedding), and maybe my BD with an 800 (boom arm if needed), and a 800 with my umbrella (I think the softbox will be to hard to deal with), for the outdoor shots. And of course the triggers I am thinking the Skyports (unless the Cybers turn out to work good outdoors), and the Vagabonds for power.

I am not so much worried about the indoor shots as I am the outdoor ones (due to changing of light). Do you normally go outside and set your lights up at whatever location you find, take a few test shots with your helper, then call the B&G out? Then when you are finished with that location, let them go and do your setup somewhere else, then get them again?

My Sister has shoot weddings many times and I am sure will know how to do all of this, I would just kind of like to know how everything should happen without her having to tell me step by step :-) .

This should be a no pressure thing for me with my Sis there, and I still have 5 months until the wedding (tons of time to work on things), but I like to be 100% when I do something (even if I end up more of a second shooter).

[Peacefield]

Out off all this stuff, what do you think I should bring, or need that I don't have?

How about a plan? Experience bouncing flash or fill flash? I don't mean to sound sardonic, but every new wedding thread starts by asking about equipment. When I shot my first wedding, I had sh!t for equipment, but did a great job for the couple because I knew where I needed to be when with what gear and settings, I had good technical skills, and had already developed a good creative eye. Are you not asking about those things because you already have them all or did you think good wedding photography is just a matter of gear?

From an equipment perspective, other than a second body, I'd tell you to get the 24-70. On my 5D2, I take 50%+ of all the images from a wedding through that lens. That said, you don't talk about whether the ceremony is going to be indoors or out, whether it will be very dark, the beauty (or not) of the setting, etc., so it's not entirely clear whether that would be the right choice over something like a fast prime (more about that plan over equipment stuff). And don't think about bothering with AB's; just use a pair of 580's, preferably in ETTL using infared to control the balance, but then, only if you're indoors.

I apologize for the terse tone and don't mean anything by it, but this just felt like the right answer to the question.

[tim]

I am not so much worried about the indoor shots as I am the outdoor ones (due to changing of light). Do you normally go outside and set your lights up at whatever location you find, take a few test shots with your helper, then call the B&G out? Then when you are finished with that location, let them go and do your setup somewhere else, then get them again?

My Sister has shoot weddings many times and I am sure will know how to do all of this, I would just kind of like to know how everything should happen without her having to tell me step by step :-) .

You won't have time for your rather leisurely sounding plan, weddings are busy, and if you don't have experience helping them plan their wedding then you'll probably not have a lot of time for photos. Setting up lights, doing test shots, and calling the subjects is fine for a studio with no time pressures, but with weddings, nope. You may have been 5 minutes and 2 hours for photos with the wedding party, depending how you plan. Even with a plan it can all be discarded on the day. That's just how weddings are.

I have an assistant who holds an off camera soft box with a Speedlite, triggered by skyports. Generally I just set my ambient exposure, take a guess at flash power, tweak, then start taking photos, the process takes about 10-15 seconds.

You can pretty much forget about ABs and Vagabonds outside. You should probably forget about off camera lighting too, unless you're experienced and quick at it. At your first wedding things will be hectic and you'll have other things to worry about, like what's going on, where you need to be, etc.

[RT McAllister]

I also called in my Sister (who is a photographer), who has a few bodies (so I will be good there).

Out off all this stuff, what do you think I should bring, or need that I don't have?Bring your sister. :D

Seriously, with all the money you're spending on this wedding for gear why don't you just "gift" it to the couple so they can hire somebody who knows what they're doing? You have more and better crap than I do. :D

I'm guessing you're leaving something out because this doesn't make sense. Are you charging for this? Do you want to do more weddings?

[pprice]

Thanks for all the advise!! I have thick skin and can take the "wake up and smell the S**T you are getting yourself into" comments :-) .

The wedding is going to be indoors, but they want some shots taken outdoors (of course).

Piecefield- You are right, I do need a plan, and will be working on that plan in the next few months. I actually found a pro wedding photographer that is going to let me be a "helper", so I hope to gain some experiance with her. So, I guess I am working on a plan as I go. As for the setting, and location, I am not sure yet. I will meet him when we get back in the country to take a look at what they have planned. No need to apologize, that is what I am looking for with this thread!!

Tim- Great advise as always!! The AB's will stay at home!

RT- You hit the nail on the head....My Sister will be there for sure :-). I knew I was in over my head from the time I said ok, so I called her right away.
I don't think I am leaving anything out. I am not charging them anything to do this, and my Sister is coming all the way from Flordia (I live in Ms.), to make sure there are good professional shots of their special day (incase I screw up). If she sees I am not doing things well, she will quickly take over and I will be a "helper" again. She is doing this because I am her big brother and she loves me :-)

As for the comment of all the money I am spending on gear 'for this wedding', I don't really think that was very helpful, and maybe a little rude (I am taking it more as a joke from you), but I will respond to it anyway...I am not buying all this gear "for this wedding", I am buying all this gear for me. I will have someone there that knows what she is doing. As everyone on this forum knows, a photographer is not measured by the amount or quality of equipment they have, but more by the moments they can capture.

Thanks for the tips y'all!!!

[Peacefield]

I actually found a pro wedding photographer that is going to let me be a "helper", so I hope to gain some experiance with her. So, I guess I am working on a plan as I go.

This really is where it's at. Understand the flow of the day, how the pro-tog controls some situations, stays back during others, where he's standing during the ceremony with what gear (and at what settings if he'll share), etc. Then visit the site you'll be shooting at; how does what the pro did translate to here? It is darker/brighter, more friendly to bouncing flashes, etc.? Are there insteresting elements in the architecture or the grounds that could be used? And on and on. Spend some more time with the couple and understand their plans for the flow of the day as they see/wish it. Have they left time for portraits (typically 45 minutes including family and the wedding party shots)? With all those questions answered, go over where you're going to be with what lens and what setting and how you're going to address lighting over and over again in your head.

Equipment is nice, but nothing beats a good plan, and that goes more than double if you're new to it. Good luck.

[pprice]

Thanks! I will do my best!
I will try to find this thread in June and post some pictures for you all! Until then, I will be shooting, shooting, shooting!!!