Events and weddings, essential focal lengths?

Seriously, you don't sound like you are ready to do this.

I've been a second photographer at weddings for the last 2 years now. I'm going to become the main photographer at the end of this year and only now do I feel like I'm ready for it.

You need a second body, I won't go to any shoot at all without a backup. Even then I'll have them both with lenses on so I can just flick from one camera to the other.

I've turned down 3 weddings this year who wanted me to do them on my own - just a cheap £300-£400 job with images on a CD. I would never want my work to go out if it wasn't perfect. One bad experience can totally ruin your reputation.
 
mr tommo said:
Seriously, you don't sound like you are ready to do this.

I've been a second photographer at weddings for the last 2 years now. I'm going to become the main photographer at the end of this year and only now do I feel like I'm ready for it.

You need a second body, I won't go to any shoot at all without a backup. Even then I'll have them both with lenses on so I can just flick from one camera to the other.

I've turned down 3 weddings this year who wanted me to do them on my own - just a cheap £300-£400 job with images on a CD. I would never want my work to go out if it wasn't perfect. One bad experience can totally ruin your reputation.
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Are you looking at doing this professionally? if so Mr Tommo speaks a lot of truth! Have you got your insurance in place, can you make reasonable effort to locate another photographer in short notice if you break a leg or something the weekend before. Have you prepared by going to the venue finding spots for photos, do you have an idea of what photos you want to get? Do you know the house restrictions, where you can stand, place lights. Do you have any way of backing up yourt data whilst you are there, do you know when the best time would be to do so?

I am into my 2nd year of professionally shooting weddings. I work with a good friend, between us we have several bodies, bag full of lenses, lighting equipment, laptop etc.. you will be making a few trips back to the car, whose gonig to be capturing the shots whilst you set up for another part of the wedding? I have 2 flashes for me and i broke one at a wedding last year (they dont bounce very well), i survived, just by having to swap the flash over. It was a nightmare and honestly i would have a 3rd now when using two bodies. It test you in situations like that, i am happy knowing i handled it with only a mutter of sear word and the couple were non the wiser till i told them when they got the album.

I have a lot of respect for those that do it solo, I have done it was once and it was a hell of a long day and there wasnt even a change in venues! Still had to have all my equipment with me.
 
mr tommo said:
You need a second body
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This has to be wedding rule number one, and a decent enough selection of lenses that you can cover if one fails.

I'd be utterly terrified with only a single body. What do you do if it fails at the start of the day - just tell the bride & groom that you're sorry but all their pics will be taken on a mobile phone!?
 
To everyone saying don't jump into weddings, for most people that may be true, but it really comes down to the individual.

I was a guest at a friends wedding, then another friend asked me to tag along with their tog and take photos which I did. I then had a work colleague ask me to shoot their wedding solo.

Which I did. However, I spent £6k on a D700 + 2 pro lenses and 2 sb-900's etc then spent as much time as possible reading and learning everything I could. It was a crap wedding, lots went wrong but my photos turned out well and the couple loved them. I've shot 8 weddings last year, got a couple booked for this year and even enquiries for 2013.

It can work, yes my work now is better than it was but people can do it. You just need big shoulders in case something does go **** up and you can't sort it.

To the OP, you need a back up, you need to be prepared. Wedding photography is 40% photography and 60% people management.
 
So....back to the original topic, Ray, when you are shooting most of the time do you have the 85mm on one of your bodies and the 35mm on your other body so you can just flick between the two?
 
Johnny|lucidcomposure said:
Any people laughed at me when I said I wouldn't use the 24-70 much. Still as some have said. Wouldn't like to be without it. Its all about just 2 primes mainly and a ultra wide for when needed.
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From what I've seen, I think the ability to rely mainly on primes comes with experience. At first you need the flexibility of zooms but, once you know what you're doing a bit more - what shots you want and where to be at the right times, it's much easier to get those shots using primes.

Basically, whilst I can see why good wedding togs use primes and they obviously give the best quality and widest apertures, I'd never recommend that someone starting out use them, as I fear they'd find themselves in the wrong place at the wrong time for the focal length and would miss shots as a result.
 
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