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Finally getting up and Running... Wedding Equip?
kmclain
Registered Users Posts: 5 Beginner grinner
Hey Everyone,
What is your favorite equipment for shooting weddings? I am finally getting my business going and I want to get the right stuff. I am looking at the 5D so if we had any Canon lovers, it will be all the better? Lenses, batteries, flashes and etc????
Thanks
What is your favorite equipment for shooting weddings? I am finally getting my business going and I want to get the right stuff. I am looking at the 5D so if we had any Canon lovers, it will be all the better? Lenses, batteries, flashes and etc????
Thanks
0
Comments
What type of equipment do you have experience with?
"Tis better keep your mouth shut and be thought of as an idiot than to open your mouth and remove all doubt"
The results were -fantastic- and the bride and groom loved my work.
Did I type that loud enough?
A vivitar lens for christ sake. The whole thing is made of plastic and it rattles like it'll fall apart when you use auto focus over a long focusing span. Vivitar! With fantastic results!
Don't start a business looking to spend money. Spend -wisely-. I have no intention of retiring that $65 ebay find until I've generated enough profit to justify it and/or its fallen apart.
Honestly it amused me so much to shoot formal portraits with a vivitar lens that I think I'll keep doing it... just to be able to make these kind of posts
Tell us a little more about where you are at. For example have you shot 5 weddings with xyz and it went pretty well, but you were limited by abc. Tell us what you have used, any specific things you want to be able to accomplish, etc.
There is no cookie cutter answer. Without knowing your situation more fully you are expecting us to assume alot and thus the advice will tend to vary greatly and could be perfect or totally wrong for you.
Maybe start with a link to your work, what you have shot, how many weddings you have done alone or as an assistant, etc. What are you currently using now, what kind of budget are you looking to spend, etc.
I started with a Sony f717 digital camera, a sunpak 383 hotshoe flash, and a wide angle lens (humble beginnings). As the weddings became successful and profit was available, I upgraded to a Canon 10D because I needed better low light capability, faster burst performance, and better lens options. These problems began causing me more work and grief. But they taught me many valuable lessons and skills. Once those were learned, I was ready for something better, and knew exactly what I needed.
At this point I am now using Canon 20D's for the same reasons mentioned above as well as the 16-35mm f/2.8, 50mm f/1.4, 70-200 f/2.8 IS for most of my work. I am thinking about adding a 24mm f/1.4 lens to my list for some low light work when I can't use flash. I'll probably start using that next season.
All my equipment is purchased with profit, and nothing has been purchased on credit. And I only buy what I need based on need. It is so easy to think that with the best equipment you can start going gang busters in the buisness. But things start slow, and bills come fast. And being bogged down by too much equipment too fast can be a waste for the owner. Features and capabilities go unused because the user doesn't know they need those things yet.
Ideally your equipment will grow as your skill and style grows because it is based on experience and need. And only you can answer what equipment is best for you, your experience, and your style. No one else can do this with any accuracy.
So bottom line is, start simple, and grow as your needs grow.
A joke:
How do you make a small fortune in wedding photography? Start with a large fortune!
"Failure is feedback. And feedback is the breakfast of champions." - fortune cookie
The bride and groom will not understand about equipment problems should they occur. Always think about redundancy and backup. Too much memory is never enough. Too many batteries are likewise never enough. Anything can, and probably will, happen. Be prepared and be flexible.
I would not personally approach any type of event venue without a backup camera and some overlap in lenses, just in case. Even one of the better digicams can be used in a pinch, with the right lighting.
The event itself is never a good time to experiment. Know your equipment and know yourself.
Good luck,
ziggy53
Moderator of the Cameras and Accessories forums
1. Eyes in the back of your head
2. Strong upper thighs (you may need to sqaut a few times)
3. Good personality (people aren't so annoyed by person with camera if they like you)
4. Good memory (you may need to remember a few names)
5. Umbrella
6. Change of clothes (sometimes the best snaps means getting dirty)
7. Two cans of Starbucks Double Shots when your energy level gets low
Oops. My bad. You asked about camera equipment. Well...
1. Use 1 or 2 gig flash cards. Don't use 4 or 8 gig. If say... you lose a card or it goes bonkers you don't want to have all your snaps on one or two cards. Keep them in your pocket or somewhere they can be accessed quickly.
2. Extra Filters (you may need to quickly replace one that gets nailed by flying alcholic beverages, food, or pieces of cake.
3. Comfy stretchy camera shoulder straps. All that stuff you throw around your neck only seems light the first few hours.
You could easily get by with a good short zoom, medium zoom, and one fast prime. A flash or two is also good.
"The camera is an instrument that teaches people how to see without a camera." - Dorothea Lange