Lens help?

Beetle

im going to a wedding in Nov in San Fran and i want to take some photos i have a Canon20d and i wan t rent a lens WHAT???? maybe,50mm, 24-70mmF2.8L. ??? what wolud be a nice all around lens for the day. shoot maybe even a couple lens??? :dunno

ChatKat

Ask first

Beetle wrote:

im going to a wedding in Nov in San Fran and i want to take some photos i have a Canon20d and i wan t rent a lens WHAT???? maybe,50mm, 24-70mmF2.8L. ??? what wolud be a nice all around lens for the day. shoot maybe even a couple lens???

Please ask the couple and their photographer too if it's okay. A 20d has an automatic flash and you could actually interfere with the professional doing their work. If you have to bring your camera and you are not in the role of the paid professional, then it is probably best to use one lens.

If you are not used to shooting a wedding, you can take your normal lenses. A matter of what focal length is dependent on the style you shoot as well as the venue.

sherijohnson

If you are just a guest, I am wondering why you would want to rent a lens? I don't see why you would need to ask if it is okay to take pictures, it is pretty much normal for guests to take some pictures at a wedding, or at least at the reception.

Please do remember that guests normally don't take pictures during the ceremony.

I would have assumed that you know how to use your camera and that you know how to turn your flash off when it would be a distraction. It would also be a good idea to disable your beeps, etc. if you plan to take pictures during any "quiet" moments.

Whatever you do, remember not to interfere with the hired photographer. I would think that wedding guests are considerate about this issue, but I continue to read about photographers who find guests interfere regularly at weddings & receptions.

jeffreaux2

Beetle wrote:

im going to a wedding in Nov in San Fran and i want to take some photos i have a Canon20d and i wan t rent a lens WHAT???? maybe,50mm, 24-70mmF2.8L. ??? what wolud be a nice all around lens for the day. shoot maybe even a couple lens???

Canon 17-55 F2.8IS.......thats your lens of choice.

Scott_Quier

with all the above. Shoot only when you KNOW that you won't interfer with the professional. Talk to him/her - who knows, he/she may even offer advice. One very bad thing I've encountered many times as the paid photog - guests who stand about 5 - 10 feet from me when I'm attempting to get the group shots after the ceremony. Can you guess where all the eyes are? It really slows things down, delays the time when the B&G can go and be with their guests, etc.

Shooting during the ceremony is probably not a good idea. Depending on who the officiant might be it could be a real problem. I've shot weddings where the officiant announced that she would stop the proceeding if ANYONE popped a shot - very bad karma!

Shooting during the reception should not be an issue - especially as you will be using only an on-camera flash or the on-board flash. Not much there to interfer with a professional photog. The 17-55 f/2.8 is the money maker - it is a sweet lens in this kind of environment - versital and fast enough to handle the low light conditions found at most evening/night receptions.

Beetle

NO my goal is not to be a second photography at all, im going to stay way out of there way, but not to far i want to learn from them. the reason to rent a lens is besause my lens are not up to par. and theres place near by there with really good prices on rentals. im just trying to get an idea of what lens are good to have.:D

Beetle

jeffreaux2 wrote:

Canon 17-55 F2.8IS.......thats your lens of choice.

thanks i will look for one to rent.

Beetle

Scott_Quier wrote:

with all the above. Shoot only when you KNOW that you won't interfer with the professional. Talk to him/her - who knows, he/she may even offer advice. One very bad thing I've encountered many times as the paid photog - guests who stand about 5 - 10 feet from me when I'm attempting to get the group shots after the ceremony. Can you guess where all the eyes are? It really slows things down, delays the time when the B&G can go and be with their guests, etc.

Shooting during the ceremony is probably not a good idea. Depending on who the officiant might be it could be a real problem. I've shot weddings where the officiant announced that she would stop the proceeding if ANYONE popped a shot - very bad karma!

Shooting during the reception should not be an issue - especially as you will be using only an on-camera flash or the on-board flash. Not much there to interfer with a professional photog. The 17-55 f/2.8 is the money maker - it is a sweet lens in this kind of environment - versital and fast enough to handle the low light conditions found at most evening/night receptions.

im in the wedding, so there will be no shooting for me then it mostly for us while we get ready and the private part of the wedding party,and the reception. thanks for all the tips, the more the better im still learning

Blurmore

I don't mean to step on anyones toes here, but from some comments I understand why SO many guests at weddings tell me I am the "most laid back" photographer they've ever worked with.

1. Any photographer that is using reactive flash at a wedding in any capacity is an amatuer. I use radio slaves, no one is going to trip my slaves with their flash. While it is possible to "catch a flash" during the first kiss. Any photographer worth his/her salt is going to have the camera in motordrive at that point, and at worse a caught flash might ruin (might help) one shot.

2. It IS customary for guests to take photos during the ceremony, guests at my weddings do it ALL the time (and with flash, which I don't use even if the officiant says its ok). 2 years ago I was shooting a Hindu ceremony where 25% of the guests were up where I was and crowding around me. The best man came up to me DURING the ceremony and told me "Look if these people are getting in your way you can tell them to sit down" I told him. "If anyone gets in my way I'm going to ask them to move or push them out of the way, but I'm not going to stand up here in the middle of the ceremony and tell all these guests to take their seats, thats your job...if you want to do it" I expect and prepare for the worst from any guest. When I set group formals...I step back and LET people with cameras shoot first. Why? Because I want the group's undivided attention when I start to shoot, and I am confident that my shot (with multiple flashes) is going to look better than some guy with a kitlens a speedlight and a lighsphere.

Go to the wedding....rent a 70-200 f2.8 or an 85 f1.2 and aside from getting in the professional's way or being a totaly idiot, don't worry what he is doing or what he thinks, just let him do his job, and if he is an asshat he might have something nasty to say to you.

davidjay

Hey Beetle

Just an idea....maybe instead of getting an all-around lens grab a lens that will allow you to get the coolest shots from outside the action. Like the 70-200 f/2.8 - I shoot most of a wedding day with that lens or the 16-35 and rarely use other lenses.

I'm excited to see some of your shots so post'em up afterwards.

Rock on,
DJ