what do the pros use?

I am moving into weddings and Its new to me.

Not worried about camera and lenses, just mainly lighting and other stuff they may use?


I normally shoot natural lighting so I'd like to keep it that way but?


Do some set up strobes for certain pictures?
Flashes?

Looking for books/ websites that may have helpful tips?

"Pros" is a very vague term. Different people use different things. The same lighting equipment, in the hands of two different pros, will likely produce vastly different results.

Strong people skills and sales skills are at the top of the list, above just about any equipment.

Some use Speedlights on location, some drag out the big strobes like Alienbees or Bowens or Elinchroms, some just shoot natural/ambient light. Some use modifiers, some don't.

nathancarter wrote in post #16324423
"Pros" is a very vague term. Different people use different things. The same lighting equipment, in the hands of two different pros, will likely produce vastly different results.

Strong people skills and sales skills are at the top of the list, above just about any equipment.

Some use Speedlights on location, some drag out the big strobes like Alienbees or Bowens or Elinchroms, some just shoot natural/ambient light. Some use modifiers, some don't.

Professionals isn't really a vague term but thanks for your information.

I am mainly looking for actual pro wedding photographers input about what they use most times at weddings/
certain lighting for group pictures etc


Just new to it and didn't really know what I'd need.

It depends on your style. There are some photographer that don't use flash at all, and there are some that use flash on every single shot.

Most of us lie in the middle. I fall more to the flash side on the scale, and sometimes use a little fill flash during the day outdoors, typically use flash while they are getting ready, strobe for formals typically, and flash (with off camera flash) for reception.

I use a mixture of 580exII, YN560II, and Einstein strobe

I shot my first wedding about a month ago. Im working on a blog entry with my experiences ( I will let you know when Im done with it). Lighting for me was very harsh.... As in high noon/sunny day harsh. I used a 430 ex II and would say it was barely enough. Nothing can overpower the sun but some products can come close. In hind sight if I had the money I would have used some AB1600 or something of that nature. Indoor shots were fine with the 430 ex II. So it all depends on the time and location.

I use flash. A lot. Both on and off camera.

Nick Aufiero wrote in post #16324656
Professionals isn't really a vague term but thanks for your information.

I once met a "Professional" who who uses a T2i (in auto mode) with a kit lens who takes the card out of the camera at the end of the shoot and 'delivers' it to the bride and groom.

A few weeks ago I ran into a wedding photographer who shoots mostly 12 inch tin-types, and has a few medium format cameras for the rest of his work.

So yes, it really is rather vague.

Define your market, refine your product to meet that market's demand, and get your name out there.

It all depends on the conditions. I use everything from an Einstien to a reflector.
Receptions I may use OCF or a mix of OCF with OFC. It all depends.

NeverFollow wrote in post #16324763
I shot my first wedding about a month ago. Im working on a blog entry with my experiences ( I will let you know when Im done with it). Lighting for me was very harsh.... As in high noon/sunny day harsh. I used a 430 ex II and would say it was barely enough. Nothing can overpower the sun but some products can come close. In hind sight if I had the money I would have used some AB1600 or something of that nature. Indoor shots were fine with the 430 ex II. So it all depends on the time and location.

This will be my first and its indoors in a huge building (300 people in attendance)
I figured natural would be enough but I figured for the formal party stuff they used some lighting set up in another room to fire off a few and get them out of the way.
Also, with the bride before hand and maybe the bride and groom.

Luckless wrote in post #16324782
I once met a "Professional" who who uses a T2i (in auto mode) with a kit lens who takes the card out of the camera at the end of the shoot and 'delivers' it to the bride and groom.

A few weeks ago I ran into a wedding photographer who shoots mostly 12 inch tin-types, and has a few medium format cameras for the rest of his work.

So yes, it really is rather vague.

Define your market, refine your product to meet that market's demand, and get your name out there.

Well, I did say professionals, and not people who acted like professionals. If you give it a second, I believe we can all figure out what someone actually means when they say it, once again thanks for your input tho.

Nick Aufiero wrote in post #16324825
Well, I did say professionals, and not people who acted like professionals. If you give it a second, I believe we can all figure out what someone actually means when they say it, once again thanks for your input tho.

Well if you are merely looking to copy the gear of serious professionals who produce great work and command a fair price for their services, then I take it you are now on the hunt for a hand made ultra large format field camera and a few medium format film cameras?

The guy was as professional as they come, produced stunning work of a quality and content rarely seen, and achieved with five images what many struggle to do in five hundred. I have only seen a handful of people who can produce work like he does. (And now I'm kicking myself because I can't find his business card.)

I'm an available light shooter.


I decide what light I need to make a frame and make it available.

Nick Aufiero wrote in post #16324825
Well, I did say professionals, and not people who acted like professionals. If you give it a second, I believe we can all figure out what someone actually means when they say it, once again thanks for your input tho.

There have been countless threads on this forum about what constitutes a "professional" photographer. Everyone has an opinion, and there's very little consensus.

Getting back on track, since you want to know individually what we use:
I'm a professional photographer and videographer, but I don't actively pursue weddings. However, I have shot weddings in the past for free and for pay. Maybe that makes me a professional wedding photographer, who can possibly say? I don't have any future weddings booked right now, so maybe I used to be a professional wedding photographer.

When I'm shooting on location - a wedding or anything else - I generally bring my set of Speedlights and related grip gear (stands, modifiers, clamps) and adapt as needed.

For group shots, I nearly always use one or more lights, but only as fill light to supplement the ambient. I may or may not use am umbrella or brolly box, depending on conditions.

For individuals & couples, I almost always use a main light in a brolly box and a second (and maybe third) for fill, kicker, rim, or hair light, depending on conditions and the "feel" I'm going for. Sometimes I will use the lights to supplement ambient, sometimes I will use ambient to supplement my lights, and sometimes I will kill ambient altogether and use only my lights.

I'll sometimes bring my Elinchroms on location, but only if I have a feeling that I'll benefit from them over the Speedlights: extra power, and/or modeling lights. Usually I don't bring them on location because they're heavier, more delicate, more expensive, and slower to set up.

As for the rest of the gear, again it depends on the client and the venue. Not counting my main cameras/lenses bag, my "go everywhere" gear bag holds: Speedlights and triggers, a couple of Super Clamps, umbrella adapters, tons of batteries, a Gorillapod, a couple of rainsleeves, colored gel set, remote shutter release, some spring clamps, Gaffer's tape, electrical tape, double-sided tape, a huge assortment of nylon zip ties, a multitool, a flashlight. Probably a few more gadgets that I'm forgetting.
My main lightstands and brolly boxes almost invariably accompany this bag.
I'll also often bring an additional set of lightstands and my backdrop kit.

[edit] I have a separate paperwork case that contains my contracts and releases that are relevant to that job. I also keep an extra few copies of a model release in my go-everywhere gear bag.

nathancarter wrote in post #16324879
There have been countless threads on this forum about what constitutes a "professional" photographer. Everyone has an opinion, and there's very little consensus.

Getting back on track, since you want to know individually what we use:
I'm a professional photographer and videographer, but I don't actively pursue weddings. However, I have shot weddings in the past for free and for pay. Maybe that makes me a professional wedding photographer, who can possibly say? I don't have any future weddings booked right now, so maybe I used to be a professional wedding photographer.

When I'm shooting on location - a wedding or anything else - I generally bring my set of Speedlights and related grip gear (stands, modifiers, clamps) and adapt as needed.

For group shots, I nearly always use one or more lights, but only as fill light to supplement the ambient. I may or may not use am umbrella or brolly box, depending on conditions.

For individuals & couples, I almost always use a main light in a brolly box and a second (and maybe third) for fill, kicker, rim, or hair light, depending on conditions and the "feel" I'm going for. Sometimes I will use the lights to supplement ambient, sometimes I will use ambient to supplement my lights, and sometimes I will kill ambient altogether and use only my lights.

I'll sometimes bring my Elinchroms on location, but only if I have a feeling that I'll benefit from them over the Speedlights: extra power, and/or modeling lights. Usually I don't bring them on location because they're heavier, more delicate, more expensive, and slower to set up.

As for the rest of the gear, again it depends on the client and the venue. Not counting my main cameras/lenses bag, my "go everywhere" gear bag holds: Speedlights and triggers, a couple of Super Clamps, umbrella adapters, tons of batteries, a Gorillapod, a couple of rainsleeves, colored gel set, remote shutter release, some spring clamps, Gaffer's tape, electrical tape, double-sided tape, a huge assortment of nylon zip ties, a multitool, a flashlight. Probably a few more gadgets that I'm forgetting.
My main lightstands and brolly boxes almost invariably accompany this bag.
I'll also often bring an additional set of lightstands and my backdrop kit.

[edit] I have a separate paperwork case that contains my contracts and releases that are relevant to that job. I also keep an extra few copies of a model release in my go-everywhere gear bag.

I saw these alienbees with wireless triggers that stay stationary most of the time.
I liked the idea of that.

I anticipate this being mostly natural, I'm just wondering since I see a lot of people who will always use at least one form of artificial light, even if the natural is abundant.

I have a 430exII right now, but I feel like that wouldn't be enough, I suppose using it wireless'ly May help with overall light to clean out some shadows with group pictures.

I was also thinking about just bring my reflectors and having someone help me with the single bridal shots of when we do them alone, that is assuming their are enough lights/windows available.


Thanks for your input so far. I will continue reading books and articles online and see what I can figure out.

Hope for more useful input like yours!

Thomas Campbell wrote in post #16324866
I'm an available light shooter.


I decide what light I need to make a frame and make it available.

Beautiful

Nick Aufiero wrote in post #16324920
I anticipate this being mostly natural, I'm just wondering since I see a lot of people who will always use at least one form of artificial light, even if the natural is abundant.

I have a 430exII right now, but I feel like that wouldn't be enough, I suppose using it wireless'ly May help with overall light to clean out some shadows with group pictures.

The usual problems with "natural" light are:
1) It's unpredictable and unreliable. If the wedding is scheduled for December 14th, who knows whether it will be sunny or cloudy on that day? Maybe it will be partially cloudy with a nice breeze ... so your lighting is rapidly fluctuating between hard/warm/direct sunlight, and diffuse/cooler/cloudy light. Ouch.

Also remember that MORE light isn't the same as BETTER light.

2) Natural light generally comes from directly overhead. This often leads to dark eye sockets, dull eyes, no catchlights in the eyes. This applies to daytime sun, overcast cloudy sky, or indoors overhead lighting.

In late afternoon and early evening, as the sun is nearly setting, the natural light is great for portraits. But that perfect light doesn't happen every day, and when it does it's only for a very short duration.

By supplementing the ambient with your own light (on-camera or off), you can somewhat mitigate the problems with #1 and nearly eliminate the problems with #2.

One on-camera 430EXII is good for individuals or couples' head and bust shots. Once you get to full-length shots, or bigger groups, it's not really going to be adequate on its own.

Nick Aufiero wrote in post #16324920
I was also thinking about just bring my reflectors and having someone help me with the single bridal shots of when we do them alone, that is assuming their are enough lights/windows available.

A photographer and assistant who are skilled with natural light can do wonders without bringing any lights of their own. I'm not good enough with natural light to do this consistently, which is why I bring my own.