Some tips on engagement shoot (moved from Wedding Porfolios gallery)

[trlnlty]

my friend and his fiance asked me to help them out to get some shots of them together

i have no experience in shooting couples or people actually come tot hink about it..
i like shootting sports and photojournalist stuff.

anyway .. was wondering if you guys can give me some tips or hint so i would totally ruin the photoshoot.

some stuff i've taken down through reading the forums..

1) sunrise/sunset are the best times to take photos of people
2) will get them to wear natural toned clothes/ no brands visible
3) since i'm in hawaii... will probably get them to go to a beach or seomthing


do you guys use circular polarizer when shooting?

i'll be using a 5D with 50 1.4 / 85 1.8 / 70-200 2.8 is .... maybe a 16-35 .. but im not sure about that ...

dont think i'll be bringing my 1D cuz it wouldnt be that useful ?

anybody have anything to add?

what about reflectors?

[The Oracle]

All lenses are useful here. Most of the photographer use zoom lenses as it is more versatile. 16-35 and 70-200 is a good range. In between you can change to primes lense like taking portrait with lenses like 85mm which can give you good bokeh. It also depend what you are taking. If you are taking group or landscape, you will probably use 16-35 but be careful of distoration if you taking group photo, distance object or people 70-200 is good. You can use cir polariser and i think it is 1 or 2 stop down. If you are working alone dont bother to bring a reflector as you hardly have time to use it.

[jOhO]

if u're using a (canon) 5D then the 16-35 might be too wide for normal shots. consider bringing a mid range zoom like a 24-70 if u have one. the 16 would be lovely for wide angle portraits but it takes skill to compose it properly.

[Cactus jACK]

dude, from the sound of things, they have asked you to do a photo shoot session for them... it's hard to do a whole day of just candid shoots, you would need some planning of where to go and what to do. not sure how the pros do it, but i would suggest trying to pin down some ideas and locations...

e.g. do you want a shot with them walking in along the beach in the distance with their footprints in the foreground? or shots of them kissing, silhouetted by the sunset on top of a hill? or crossing under waterfalls? etc...

i think that choosing the right lense should be the least of your problems, as you already have a good assortment of bodies and lenses. once you have a better sense of what type of shots you are looking for, the choice of lenses should be easier.

just my $0.02 worth...

[jOhO]

Originally Posted by Cactus jACK e.g. do you want a shot with them walking in along the beach in the distance with their footprints in the foreground? or shots of them kissing, silhouetted by the sunset on top of a hill? or crossing under waterfalls? etc...

pro!!!

[Love_sky]

I'm also like to seek for advice since someone actually started this topic. Thks trlnlty.

I'm called to be the backup taking photography for my friend wedding in the Church and don't know which lens to use since i don't have much experience and currently own a 350D.

Thanks

[jOhO]

actually i wonder why there are so many questions on what lenses to use.

i guess it's due to photographers being inexperience and trying to get a "formula" for certain types of shots, in this case, wedding photos, or church wedding photos, or tea ceremony photos, etc.

basically it's not about knowing what lens to use, but about knowing the day and more specifically where you will be standing relative to what you will be shooting (for focal length issues), the style of image you want to take (for inexperienced photogs, they have NO style, or have not defined one of their own), and the conditions they'll be shooting in (low light, low/high ceiling, dark/lgiht skin types, open/enclosed space, areas with strong colour casts like green walls in a small room, or that church with the TOTALLY RED ceiling etc etc etc).

generally, an easy answer would be "bring all the lenses you own", since you wouldn't really know what you are going to, or want to shoot. ideally, have all the "pro" lenses, but not everyone can afford them in terms of cost or weight, and lastly, it's neither the lens or the camera that takes the images, it's the photographer (and nowadays, to a great extent, believe it or not, the photoSHOPer!).

i would like to remind everyone that the choice of lenses that you choose to shoot a wedding isn't as important as WHY you are doing it, and how important the task is. it's fine getting tips here and there to guide you along, but i feel that many pple forget, or don't even know, the onerous nature of wedding photography, and there aren't as many questions about why a wedding photographer chooses what he does, compared to the amt of questions regarding "tips and tricks" to wedding photography. of course i'm not "blaming" anyone in particular for this phenomenon, just an observation.

my bottom line:

if you don't know what lens to use (or how to shoot, or which iso to use, or whether u need flash, blah blah) then don't shoot the wedding at all (especially as main photog). if you are a back up or extra photographer, then don't ask, go and shoot, and learn for yourself first hand, and believe me, one wedding isn't enuff to learn, u gotta shoot quite a lot, then u gotta define a style of your own, then u can FINALLY answer the question, which lens should I (not anyone else, not jOhO) use. anyway these questions have been answered countless times in the forum, so it's also me telling u to do a search!

[Hobbesyeo]

Originally Posted by Love_sky I'm also like to seek for advice since someone actually started this topic. Thks trlnlty. I'm called to be the backup taking photography for my friend wedding in the Church and don't know which lens to use since i don't have much experience and currently own a 350D. Thanks

Just like to share my own newbie experience as a backup fotog.

Two impt things I learnt: Try not to get into the way of the main fotog and watch your flashes.

Otherwise, it can be quite an enjoyable experience. My own thinking is that since the main fotog is already concentrating on the couple, the pressure is not on me to deliver the "standard shots". So I tend to capture other things - like the guests smiling/laughing, the couple's parents interacting with guests, the odd baby/toddler giggling, the decorations etc. I think some pros will call these the "filler" shots.

As for lens range, I've pretty much used a 17-55 (nikon) 95% of the time, and switch over to a 50mm when I have the time.

Wedding activities tend to be very fast moving and you won't have a lot of time to fiddle and chose your lens. The more lenses you carry, the heavier your load and the harder it becomes for you to move around.

Like what joho has said, don't think too much abt what lens to use. As a backup, you have a great opportunity to just be creative, shoot and have a good time.

Just a newbie's 2cents.

[Cactus jACK]

Originally Posted by jOhO pro!!!

hahaha!!! everything i have learnt about wedding photography, i learnt from you one!!!

Originally Posted by Love_sky I'm also like to seek for advice since someone actually started this topic. Thks trlnlty. I'm called to be the backup taking photography for my friend wedding in the Church and don't know which lens to use since i don't have much experience and currently own a 350D.

actually, i see trlnlty's question to be quite different from yours (thus not sure if appropriate to ride on his thread)... trlnlty's is asking more about preparing / planning a couple photoshoot, whereas Love_sky is asking which lense to bring for AD backup photography. although both wedding related, i see the questions to be quite different.

[Love_sky]

Ya .. a bit mix up ..sorry about that

Thanks for the advice. Time to gain more experience

[trlnlty]

Originally Posted by Cactus jACK hahaha!!! everything i have learnt about wedding photography, i learnt from you one!!! actually, i see trlnlty's question to be quite different from yours (thus not sure if appropriate to ride on his thread)... trlnlty's is asking more about preparing / planning a couple photoshoot, whereas Love_sky is asking which lense to bring for AD backup photography. although both wedding related, i see the questions to be quite different.

yea.. was wondering why everyone concentrated on the last part of my post when i asked which lens to bring

[Fumio]

Originally Posted by Hobbesyeo Just like to share my own newbie experience as a backup fotog. Two impt things I learnt: Try not to get into the way of the main fotog and watch your flashes. Otherwise, it can be quite an enjoyable experience. My own thinking is that since the main fotog is already concentrating on the couple, the pressure is not on me to deliver the "standard shots". So I tend to capture other things - like the guests smiling/laughing, the couple's parents interacting with guests, the odd baby/toddler giggling, the decorations etc. I think some pros will call these the "filler" shots. As for lens range, I've pretty much used a 17-55 (nikon) 95% of the time, and switch over to a 50mm when I have the time. Wedding activities tend to be very fast moving and you won't have a lot of time to fiddle and chose your lens. The more lenses you carry, the heavier your load and the harder it becomes for you to move around. Like what joho has said, don't think too much abt what lens to use. As a backup, you have a great opportunity to just be creative, shoot and have a good time. Just a newbie's 2cents.

hi Hobbesyeo,

May i ask what is the reason for you to switch over to 50mm prime when u already have a 17-55mm ? Is it because of the F no. or for bokeh etc.... Shouldn't the 17-55 already cover well for R.O.M or engagements. This is because i have a 50mm, 18-70mm, 70-300mm, 18-200mm and 2 camera body (D50 and D70s) to use during a ROM. Please advice

Best regards,
Fumio

[sljm]

Hmm a good reference for doing engagement portraits is to look at books and photos to get ideas (haha motherhood statement). But seriously if u have never done it best to do some reseach.

If u are shooting alone dont bother with the reflector (unless u have some one to hold it for u).

Ask your friend whether he has any place in mind (Like where they first dated, favourite places .. u get the idea) so that can scout around and look for spots to shoot.

For portraits i think the most impt is to make the couple feel relax, pose them naturally.

just my humble opinion.

[catchlights]

Originally Posted by Fumio hi Hobbesyeo, May i ask what is the reason for you to switch over to 50mm prime when u already have a 17-55mm ? Is it because of the F no. or for bokeh etc.... Shouldn't the 17-55 already cover well for R.O.M or engagements. This is because i have a 50mm, 18-70mm, 70-300mm, 18-200mm and 2 camera body (D50 and D70s) to use during a ROM. Please advice Best regards, Fumio

A ROM, you only need one camera with 18~70 (plus hotshoe flash) will do the job fine, the ceremony is only last 5~7mins, every seconds counts, where got time for you to switch camera and lens?


When the ceremony over, than use whatever things you want.

[Fumio]

Originally Posted by catchlights A ROM, you only need one camera with 18~70 (plus hotshoe flash) will do the job fine, the ceremony is only last 5~7mins, every seconds counts, where got time for you to switch camera and lens? When the ceremony over, than use whatever things you want.

Thanks bro for the advice.

Btw, can advice some good positions to shoot during ROM solemnization

[DT_]

Originally Posted by trlnlty my friend and his fiance asked me to help them out to get some shots of them together i have no experience in shooting couples or people actually come tot hink about it.. i like shootting sports and photojournalist stuff. anyway .. was wondering if you guys can give me some tips or hint so i would totally ruin the photoshoot. some stuff i've taken down through reading the forums.. 1) sunrise/sunset are the best times to take photos of people 2) will get them to wear natural toned clothes/ no brands visible 3) since i'm in hawaii... will probably get them to go to a beach or seomthing do you guys use circular polarizer when shooting? i'll be using a 5D with 50 1.4 / 85 1.8 / 70-200 2.8 is .... maybe a 16-35 .. but im not sure about that ... dont think i'll be bringing my 1D cuz it wouldnt be that useful ? anybody have anything to add? what about reflectors?

if it's for wedding album, the more less have to be creative in posing as well...

if it's for wedding event, should hav no problem for you, just like your stuffs, sometimes has to be as fast as a sport shooter, as creative as a photojournalist...

1) considerably yes, most importantly is to watch the lights and shadows
2) arent they in bridal suits?
3) wow nice place... be sure to post a few pic of there..

circular polarizer, some do think it's necessary, some dun.. some hav a CP attach all the way even from studio to outdoor..

equipments, nice ones.. bring them all.. all can create something different thought i think the 70-200 and probably also 16-35 will be use more..

good to bring reflectors too... ermm and get someone to hold it for ya.. ermm and i m actually available for this, bring me along leh..

[Hobbesyeo]

Originally Posted by Fumio hi Hobbesyeo, May i ask what is the reason for you to switch over to 50mm prime when u already have a 17-55mm ? Is it because of the F no. or for bokeh etc.... Shouldn't the 17-55 already cover well for R.O.M or engagements. This is because i have a 50mm, 18-70mm, 70-300mm, 18-200mm and 2 camera body (D50 and D70s) to use during a ROM. Please advice Best regards, Fumio

The 50 1.8 allows me to shoot indoors without flash, and I also like the bokeh of the 50.

As catchlights mentioned, if you are shooting the ceremony, you will not have time to swap lenses. If I had 2 bodies like yours, I would use the 50 and 18-70.

[hueyyy]

something useful i came across recently http://www.sportsshooter.com/message...html?tid=22015
really informative! it's supposed to b some sports photog webbie but there was this tread on weddings..so yeah..check it out!

[YoungCool]

Hi all,

I too was asked by a friend (whom met online, haven't met offline yet) to shoot her wedding.

I have
- 20D & 300D
- 16-35, 70-200mm, 100mm
- 580 flash

I will be bringing my equipments to the wedding, but lack the experience of where to stand, what type of photos to take, iso setting, apertures, creative ideas. Anybody can help with some tips?

Btw, how useful is tripod for wedding photos?

-Henry

[DT_]

Originally Posted by YoungCool Hi all, I too was asked by a friend (whom met online, haven't met offline yet) to shoot her wedding.

i suppose it's their wedding day shoot.. in australia?

Originally Posted by YoungCool I have - 20D & 300D - 16-35, 70-200mm, 100mm - 580 flash

not bad, if i'm handling these, primary will be the 20D+16-35+580 setup, althought can also sling the 300D+70-200 around to score some candids..

Originally Posted by YoungCool I will be bringing my equipments to the wedding, but lack the experience of where to stand, what type of photos to take, iso setting, apertures, creative ideas. Anybody can help with some tips?

pardon me, sorry if i misunderstood, but it really sounds like your first wedding shoot.. presuming if that's the case, hmmm it's going to be too much tips on "where to stand, what type of photos to take, iso setting, apertures, creative ideas" .. i do suggest you do a search on 'wedding tips' for some previously posted references.. if it's in australia, pls note that the wedding customary is very different (from here), it'll be good (or probably a must) to get a better understanding first..

Originally Posted by YoungCool Btw, how useful is tripod for wedding photos? -Henry

unfortunately, it's almost useless.. or at least for me...

thx.. just my thoughts..