Wedding Photo Question

h4b

h4b

h4b

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Joined
18 Nov 2002
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I have a question to the forum -
Can you help - I am going to a wedding in the next couple of weeks of my best friends daughter although I am not the photographer of this great event - I have been ask still to take a camera with me and take photos. The question is what is the best around lens for weddings these days - 17-85mm, or 50mm, or 85mm or 70-200mm L - I am aware that my 70-200 F4 L is a big beast and maybe too big for weddings - I have a choice of my 40D, and my 600D as bodies, although I don't no what the answer is - I could do with lots of answers to this please -

Thanks you for your time

h4b
 
Presumably you only want to take one because you don't really want to be taking photos at a friends wedding, where there is presumably also a professional Photographer?
 
Paul11 said:
take them all ?
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This (maybe)...

If they want you to take some photos then ask them if the venue has a secure (easy to reach) location where you can keep a bag with your lenses in then just see what feels right.

If you only want to take one lens then it all depends on what photos you want to take. Candids would be better suited to the 70-200 mm f4 as that'll give you a lot of distance and a bit of secrecy. On the other hand though if you want to take lots of group photos then the 17-85 mm would be best (especially if it is a small room with lots of people).
 
If it was me id just take the 50mm, although its a little long on those bodies so maybe the 17-85 would be more versatile. I couldn't think of anything worse than having to carry and worry about 3 or 4 lenses at an event I'm supposed to be enjoying.
 
Thanks for the replies - I will proll take the 50mm for sure along with the 85mm - I'll leave the 70-200F4 at home
again - many thanks
 
What are you intending to shoot, the bride/groom ceremony or friends/guests. If its both I'd be inclined to take both the 70-200 so you can shoot the couple without getting in the way of the pro tog, plus event candids from afar. Then swap to the 50mm for friends/guests portraits, with the 50 being ideal in the evening with lack of light.
 
Seriously, a guest taking a big white 70-200 to a wedding?

Well I guess it would be pretty good if you don't mind all your friends and family asking "that's a big lens" or "how far does it zoom" or "how heavy is it" or "are you the wedding photographer".

And the there's the practicality of it, "oops, excuse me... sorry... that was just my lens"

I'd stick with just a couple of primes if I was the Op.
 
^^^
Seen plenty of DSLR users with kit lenses and the like, but never seen a guest wielding a big white 70-200, and doubt I will for a very long time.

I usually don't have an issue bucking trends or standing out, but I would feel like a douche walking around talking to friends and family hold a giant lens/camera when your supposed be enjoying the wedding.
A DSLR and a few primes in the GF's handbag is about my limit, besides a 70-200 is too tight on a crop for most of the day anyway...
 
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Indeed it defeats the whole point of being a guest if you are going to run about trying to take photos with proper gear all day.

OP never answered my question as to if there is a Protog hired and why they need you to take photos?

Presumably they have done, and depending on the Photographers style, perhaps they want a guest with a decent camera to take a few shots with friends and silly ones which perhaps the Pro won't get?
 
I've done a load of casual wedding shoots like this,

The only lenses I now take are a 28-75 f/2.8 which pretty much does everything, but also have a 50mm f/1.4 just in case..

For APS-C DSLR's, I'd say a 16-50 range f/2.8 and a 35mm f/1.4-8 would be the two prerequisites and really the 35mm would only be for if the indoor lighting is terrible..

I've taken 70-300 superzooms and 18-250's etc, but quite frankly they are a waste of time, I pretty much can do the whole wedding using the 28-75 f/2.8 (16-50 f/2.8 in new money)..
 
GSXRMovistar said:
Why not, long gone are the days where anyone holding a camera at a family party would get referred to as 'David Bailey'.

Cameras are so common these days including SLRs I'd be surprised if people would still be dumb enough to find it amusing.
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Because it's bloody annoying for the married couple when they get their professional photos from the wedding photographer and they have to bin some of the ones they really like cos there's a guest in the background looking through a camera or a video camera (especially one with a huge white lens on it!). Having more than one photographer can also lead to some bad photos as guests will be looking at different cameras - not a problem if the professional photographer takes charge of the situation and is the only photographer when he's taking the group shots.

I'd suggest taking 17-85 as it can do pretty much anything and possibly the 50mm for some bokeh or blurry shots.
 
But you see with a long lens you can capture candid images or the actual atmosphere without getting in people’s faces or distracting them (obviously dependant on location/venue, I’m thinking manor houses etc). I would have also thought that anyone who has invested the cash/time into their hobby to own an expensive leans like a 70-200mm L would also have the common sense not to interfere or get in the way of shots taken by the pro tog.
 
GSXRMovistar said:
But you see with a long lens you can capture candid images or the actual atmosphere without getting in people’s faces or distracting them (obviously dependant on location/venue, I’m thinking manor houses etc). I would have also thought that anyone who has invested the cash/time into their hobby to own an expensive leans like a 70-200mm L would also have the common sense not to interfere or get in the way of shots taken by the pro tog.
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Hmm, long distances away from the other guests doesn't sound very sociable tbh, and again defeats the purpose of actually being a guest at a wedding, if he's going to take pictures, it should be when he's amongst the thick of it, not lurking from the outskirts like he's not part of the wedding celebrations.

"If Your Pictures Aren’t Good Enough, You’re Not Close Enough"

http://rising.blackstar.com/if-your-pictures-arent-good-enough-youre-not-close-enough.html
 
An Exception said:
Hmm, long distances away from the other guests doesn't sound very sociable tbh, and again defeats the purpose of actually being a guest at a wedding, if he's going to take pictures, it should be when he's amongst the thick of it, not lurking from the outskirts like he's not part of the wedding celebrations.

"If Your Pictures Aren’t Good Enough, You’re Not Close Enough"

http://rising.blackstar.com/if-your-pictures-arent-good-enough-youre-not-close-enough.html
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I know I'm on a losing arguemen here. :p

My point was I've been to a fair few weddings over the past couple of years (only as guest) and when there's a large amount of guests spread out over a large venue you can catch some great candids of people not aware you have a camera pointing at them. This doesn't mean you have to be away from everyone else hid up a tree somewhere.
 
GSXRMovistar said:
I know I'm on a losing arguemen here. :p

My point was I've been to a fair few weddings over the past couple of years (only as guest) and when there's a large amount of guests spread out over a large venue you can catch some great candids of people not aware you have a camera pointing at them. This doesn't mean you have to be away from everyone else hid up a tree somewhere.
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I'm on your side! Some of the best wedding photos I have seen have always been candids. It rather depends what the official photographer is doing. If the official photos will just be formal group shots etc then some candids would be a good change of pace. Photos of people just after they have had their photo taken by the official photographer and they relax can be good.

See here:

http://www.digital-photography-school.com/11-tips-for-better-candid-photography

If you are really worried about having too much gear I would just go the other way and take a decent compact.
 
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