How to be a wedding photographer??

[joey91]

any senior can help to give some comments or details...? thx!!
i'm very interested to be a full time photograher,but now still poor with my shooting!!:embrass: n thinking want to be a secondnqry photographer. but noe money for study also poor spoken english...
a female only 160cm tall... is it need to bring ladder for shooting??
now only have D50 ,sigma 10-20 n 80-200 2.8 with SB600.n thinking buy 24-70 2.8 :think:
is it help me for my shooting?? any other equitment i need to buy??


i very agree all wedding n event shooting are most important, cos just a moment...won't thinking riun other the best moment in their life.. so now thinking learn 1st... if i try my family at home... is it help me for the shooting?? cos the enviroment almost same like low light n space are narrow...

i need to learn till very confident now can start my own business...

pls comment to me if u are interest...

 

[joey91]

izzit need Photography Certificate now can be a photographer??

 

[obewan]

Reading what u are writing here, I found out a big problem.
U lack of "confidence", but can see your determination.

English can be improved, just need to read more and speak more with others in English.
Ladder is not a must in shooting, in crowded events or fashion it helps. :bsmilie:
The equipment u own is definitely more than what I have... :embrass:
Buying more equipment will never help u to improve, shooting more and learn from mistakes will.

A certificate definitely will help.
U also need a portfolio.

Btw, I'm also a newbie... These are just some encouraging words... :sweatsm:

 

[fotoudavid]

any senior can help to give some comments or details...? thx!!
i'm very interested to be a full time photograher,but now still poor with my shooting!!:embrass: n thinking want to be a secondnqry photographer. but noe money for study also poor spoken english...
a female only 160cm tall... is it need to bring ladder for shooting??
now only have D50 ,sigma 10-20 n 80-200 2.8 with SB600.n thinking buy 24-70 2.8 :think:
is it help me for my shooting?? any other equitment i need to buy??


i very agree all wedding n event shooting are most important, cos just a moment...won't thinking riun other the best moment in their life.. so now thinking learn 1st... if i try my family at home... is it help me for the shooting?? cos the enviroment almost same like low light n space are narrow...

i need to learn till very confident now can start my own business...

pls comment to me if u are interest...

you need a 17-55 f2.8, really need.
as for wedding tag along and learn is the best option for u.
forget about ladder please.

u need backup body and flash.

 

[catchlights]

Best to learn is to tap along, find a mentor.
english no good is not really a isuss, unless you want to serve ang mo only,
who want to see you certificate first before to let you shoot?
but sure want to see your portfolio first.

you need a lens focal length range like the 18~70mm, the 17~55 is good, so you can shoot thru out the wedding don't need to change lens, the 10~20 and 80~200 is less important, infact you hardly shoot with this you lens, maybe a few shots only.

and best you have a sb800, sb600 is not powerful enough, for additional backup camera and flash, can wait later untill you shoot on you own.

 

[espn]

you need a lens focal length range like the 18~70mm, the 17~55 is good, so you can shoot thru out the wedding don't need to change lens, the 10~20 and 80~200 is less important, infact you hardly shoot with this you lens, maybe a few shots only.

While it's used less, it does provide an alternative perspective to the usual 17-55 type of shots

and best you have a sb800, sb600 is not powerful enough, for additional backup camera and flash, can wait later untill you shoot on you own.

This I'll have to agree, SB-800 + SD-8A :thumbsup:

 

[catchlights]

While it's used less, it does provide an alternative perspective to the usual 17-55 type of shots

learn to walk properly first, before start learn to run, she only have one camera body now, don't let her use a wrong lens at the wrong moment.

 

[maxonline]

any senior can help to give some comments or details...? thx!!
i'm very interested to be a full time photograher,but now still poor with my shooting!!:embrass: n thinking want to be a secondnqry photographer. but noe money for study also poor spoken english...
a female only 160cm tall... is it need to bring ladder for shooting??
now only have D50 ,sigma 10-20 n 80-200 2.8 with SB600.n thinking buy 24-70 2.8 :think:
is it help me for my shooting?? any other equitment i need to buy??


i very agree all wedding n event shooting are most important, cos just a moment...won't thinking riun other the best moment in their life.. so now thinking learn 1st... if i try my family at home... is it help me for the shooting?? cos the enviroment almost same like low light n space are narrow...

i need to learn till very confident now can start my own business...

pls comment to me if u are interest...

I know pro wedding photographer who dont really speak english, he let his works do the talking.

 

[Sion]

1. Get the appropriate equipments required for the type of photography you want to specialise.

2. Find a good photographer to learn from. Even work for free.

3. Find the market which uses the languages and dialects you are at home with.

4. Ask yourself beside weddings what can you shoot on non-wedding days to diversify market and make more $.

5. Learn Photoshop well to enhance your products.

6. Remember to thank those who have taught you.

 

[catchlights]

I add a few points from what Sion said, hope Sion don't mind.

1. Get the appropriate equipments required for the type of photography you want to specialise.
For begining, one lens, one body, one flash (during your tap along time), build up your gears as you go (must have all the back up when you are shooting on your own).

2. Find a good photographer to learn from. Even work for free.
This is turth, you learn faster this way, and make less mistakes.

3. Find the market which uses the languages and dialects you are at home with.
Most couples and thier relatives able to speak mandarin or dialects, if you speak english only, that will become a problem, some old folks don't understand you.

4. Ask yourself beside weddings what can you shoot on non-wedding days to diversify market and make more $.
Weddings are events, you can shoot other type of events, like company D&D, family day, grassroot events etc.

5. Learn Photoshop well to enhance your products.
It depand how far you want to go, it also means make more $$$.

6. Remember to thank those who have taught you.
Not only that, thank the couple give you business, and ask them to recommand other people to you.

 

[Sion]

I add a few points from what Sion said, hope Sion don't mind.

1. Get the appropriate equipments required for the type of photography you want to specialise.
For begining, one lens, one body, one flash (during your tap along time), build up your gears as you go (must have all the back up when you are shooting on your own).

2. Find a good photographer to learn from. Even work for free.
This is turth, you learn faster this way, and make less mistakes.

3. Find the market which uses the languages and dialects you are at home with.
Most couples and thier relatives able to speak mandarin or dialects, if you speak english only, that will become a problem, some old folks don't understand you.

4. Ask yourself beside weddings what can you shoot on non-wedding days to diversify market and make more $.
Weddings are events, you can shoot other type of events, like company D&D, family day, grassroot events etc.

5. Learn Photoshop well to enhance your products.
It depand how far you want to go, it also means make more $$$.

6. Remember to thank those who have taught you.
Not only that, thank the couple give you business, and ask them to recommand other people to you.

Thanks catchlights for the further tips.

 

[Witness]

yup...if u are unsure juz tag along for once or twice.....

 

[joey91]

wah... so many seniors help to give me comments , suggestions... thank a lots... urs opinion to me are very very helpful... so at here want THANKS AGAIN to urs...cos urs teach me how i start my 1st step... will remember ur opinion in my heart.
now just thinking learn Photoshop, n find the a willing master for teach me... cos thinking if direct goto some club n learn will spend $$ more than i tag along from a master... just my thinking..
actually i got thinking to be a assistant 1st... but if be a 2ndnary photographer thinking got chance to shoot n take experience...

 

[thoa_rs]

Honestly, the only thing you need is passion. It's not about jumping onto the wedding photojournalism bandwagon because 'everybody starts out doing weddings', but truly loving what you shoot. Just like the best football photographers love the game, the best wedding photographers love weddings.

 

[catchlights]

my advice to you is to tap along first,
what is tap along? means that you see how the photographer work, how he shoots, how he talks, how the wedding customaries go.

I can tell you that tap along once or twice is not enough, after a few tap along, you are allow to shoot some shoots, than you will shoot as secondary photographer, until a day you mentor ask to shoot under supervision through out the whole wedding, after proven you can shoot on your own by your mentor, than you can 艺成下山.

If you just try to shoot weddings on your own, nobody will say you can not, but I can tell you, after shoot 10 weddings, you still blur blur. besides, if you green green, where to find so many weddings for you to shoot? if you want short cut, end up will take longer way.

 

[simon80]

OT : you not schling at 16?

I feel you need alot of confidence. Though I had my camera for a yr. I still lack the confidence to shoot a wedding

But however I did my first ROM cum buffet dinner at chalet sometime back. The guy was my sec sch buddy and he trusted me to shoot for him. Really a good chance for me to 'control' the whole procedure.
We communicate alot cos hes my buddy. As he know is my first time.
But when ur out for business ~ u must show the kind of knowledge and confident and procedure of wedding.

It was really nervous for me. I had 2 of each equipment just incase. Read all the wedding thread in CS, also try to copy some shots I see in here.

I shot with D70+kit+sb800 for the whole event. however my flashed did screw up on me
A SD8A / 2*2 will be great ..

The boss who develop my prints say not too bad for a first try. A relief for me
I remember when I told him .. Is my first ROM as main .. he :sweat: a little :bsmilie:

Will be good to have a mentor .. but my times don permits

 

[joey91]

thx bros again... but now i think more important is find a master who are willing teach me ,n wish will follow him/ her more than ten time, i won't mind, cos i still new... just thinking how much i need to pay each time?? n every time the wedding or event are difference ... n wish to learn more n more ...

yup, i agree now i only a newbie n only need the 1st set is only bring 18-55 /2.8 or 24-70 /2.8 ,my sb-600 , D50 for the shooting. easy setup will not confuse for shooting.

Honestly, the only thing you need is passion. It's not about jumping onto the wedding photojournalism bandwagon because 'everybody starts out doing weddings', but truly loving what you shoot. Just like the best football photographers love the game, the best wedding photographers love weddings.

also agree ur opinion. thx ...

:thumbsup:

OT : you not schling at 16?

hihi, fren !! pls look at my signature...:embrass:

 

[serene_e]

The language of photography is 'Perspectives', not 'English'. So why worry about how polish a speaker you are I've also heard before that an effective photographer is judged on his field skills, not so much on merely paper qualification. So again, why worry about getting 'certified' first? Just me two cents worth

A question for my learning too: Would a 17-55mm serve me better than a 12-24mm for the morning wedding procession?

 

[espn]

A question for my learning too: Would a 17-55mm serve me better than a 12-24mm for the morning wedding procession?

Only you will know as you're the photographer, not us.

 

[thoa_rs]

The language of photography is 'Perspectives', not 'English'. So why worry about how polish a speaker you are I've also heard before that an effective photographer is judged on his field skills, not so much on merely paper qualification. So again, why worry about getting 'certified' first? Just me two cents worth

A question for my learning too: Would a 17-55mm serve me better than a 12-24mm for the morning wedding procession?

It really depends on your shooting style, but using a 12-24 for an entire can be rather intrusive during certain parts of ceremonies so you would want to complement it with a longer lens. For me, the 17-55 is a great do-it-all lens.