wedding photography

[LENS]

ok, thanks for everyone suggestions!

I think any camera can produce good pictures!! and a good photographer makes magic with what they have.

But we have to say that most people will just take clear photos = good photos, so if the photos are for them, then get what they want. =)

anyway, I don't have those recommended lense haa.. actually, maybe my friend just need someone to hold a P&S to shot around haa. Why i am wasting all your time..lol.

Well, if a photo have cropped, and it can be achieve same perspective as wide angle and telephoto lense..right? but just a lower resolution, if this statement true?

 

[Snowcrash]

ok, thanks for everyone suggestions!

I think any camera can produce good pictures!! and a good photographer makes magic with what they have.

But we have to say that most people will just take clear photos = good photos, so if the photos are for them, then get what they want. =)

anyway, I don't have those recommended lense haa.. actually, maybe my friend just need someone to hold a P&S to shot around haa. Why i am wasting all your time..lol.

Well, if a photo have cropped, and it can be achieve same perspective as wide angle and telephoto lense..right? but just a lower resolution, if this statement true?

Hey I had shot a wedding with mainly 50mm/f1.4 (a few wide angle shots...by 28-135IS)with my film camera back then.
IMHO, get to know the lens you want to use for the wedding, be it paid or free job as that's 'no take2' for the couple.

Pictures are here:-

​

http://stevenng.clubsnap.org/gallery/album02

 

[catchlights]

For normal wedding event coverage, base on 35mm film camera, 28~70 is good enough, anything wider or longer also good, but try to keep it simple first, powerful flash unit is a must.

If try to shoot wedding with a style like: using only with a few prime lens, ultra wide or long tele lens, all available lights, Holga camera, B/w only, infrared film, can also, but make sure you wedding couple know what will they be getting.

For starter, try to keep it simple, don’t try something new and not familiar on wedding day. This is not a test session, and the couple is not guinea pigs, wedding day is once a lifetime event, no redo, no re-shoot, cannot screw up.

 

[dawgbyte77]

ok, thanks for everyone suggestions!

I think any camera can produce good pictures!! and a good photographer makes magic with what they have.

But we have to say that most people will just take clear photos = good photos, so if the photos are for them, then get what they want. =)

anyway, I don't have those recommended lense haa.. actually, maybe my friend just need someone to hold a P&S to shot around haa. Why i am wasting all your time..lol.

Well, if a photo have cropped, and it can be achieve same perspective as wide angle and telephoto lense..right? but just a lower resolution, if this statement true?

Just remember that wedding photos are primarily for the couples so if you want to experiment using holga or lomo, make sure the couples know and accept what you're trying to do. Not because its artistically good means the couple will like them.

I think group shots are a default rather than an exception so always assume there is a group shot unless the couples say otherwise. In some cases, weddings are one of the few occasions where relatives from far away will have a reunion. So this group shots may be as important as the tea ceremony or signing or change of rings.

So I strongly suggest you have at least 24something-mm (or 18mm in my D70 with 1.5 crop factor). The reason is (1) to capture a table / family shot with 50mm, you may need to move back but if there are no space to move back, you got a problem (you can take 2 photos and glue them together but ... you will be famous for the wrong reason and future couples may pay you to leave them alone). (2) Cropping.. wide to normal means big to small so cropping is not possible... duh.. from normal to tele... you are correct that the resolution will be less. But always assume that your photo is so magnificent (even if every CS members and all their relatives violently disagree with you) that the couple want to enlarge it to 16 x 20 so you will need every pixel and therefore, try to frame properly instead of cropping a big photo. Worst come to worst, bring a P&S backup for group shots and with the right attitude, they will think you're one of those eccentric experts.

 

[espn]

Who say LCA (film camera ) cannot produce good photo ?
Sometimes you take pic, sharpen and color is not really that important lor ....

What important is : you able to bring out the MOOD, the FEELING, their JOYs ..... :heart:
I din say those pro using 1DsMll and D2x cannot produce good photo lor .... :bheart:

Btw ..... please open your eyes and see clearly, .... i wrote "i also use a 35mm prime lens (SLR ) " there lor ... :lovegrin:

If you know your camera and know you skill well ... what tools in your hand, will become a most powerful tool lor ... you hear this before " WHITE CAT or BLACK CAT .... AS LONG AS CAN CATCH MOUSE, WILL BE GOOD CAT LOR " haha

I dun know are you belong to those shot 1500 raw photo during the actual wedding day, go back and select 300 photo, edit and crop ... give to the couples 1 month later lor .... but i quite sure pro out there using 1DsMll and D2x dun do this lor ... So i believe that, you are NOT a professional photographer lor .... :kiss:

Let's just say, it's about using the right tool for the right job for the client. Sure, you can use pinhole, you can use drawing block+crayons, you can use LCA, you can use leica/bronica/xpans etc etc.

Ultimately, which one is friendlier for you, you use. His remark was targetting at capturing the moment he wanted, not what camera he using. He already mentioned he had a 50 f/1.4 you had to go OT and step on him thus his strong reply.

agreed. it's not the camera, its the photographer. Even award winning photo journalist David Burnett uses a Holga which shot an award winning pic of Al Gore. FYI: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/photo/essays/vanRiper/010706.htm

Yep. That's right. So why talk about pinholes, LCA etc? All LENS wanted was to know what other glasses he should make available for the shoot. :dunno:

 

[clicknick]

Well, i have some dilemma, since i am not professional, i asked my friend that can i take photo for his wedding..i think my friend didn't plan to get any photographer, so he said indeed he intend to ask me to take photos for him. As you probably know my friend doesn't ask much, just want some photos to cover that event. Hello guys, have you encountered this kind of situation? it is likely to be a free task, but actually, i have been thinking what if my 2nd, 3rd friend then ask for the same free task? mm....

what? you have similar experience? then tell me what u do..ha.. of course, i am happy if he think the photos nice and will offer $ to buy..ha.

Then just hint for them to give u nice big ang pao for doing them this favour. If they r your friends, Ang Pao they give u shouldn't be too bad I guess, at least enough to cover cost.

 

[Cactus jACK]

i remember once when i was doing an event shoot. during the event, my WA zoom "went down in flames", so i had to switched to my trusty 50f1.8!! it was okay for candid shots, but at the end of the event, for the group shot, i had to move to the other corner of the room just to fit everyone in!! :sweat:

some learning points from using a 50mm in an event -
- you might find yourself shuffling and leaning to try to improve the composition... composition might suffer a little.
- sometimes when using the 50mm, you want a wider perspective in a shot, but by moving further back to gain the correct perspective, you get lots of "pedestrian traffic".
- 50mm wasn't condusive for a group shot... sure can take, but you would have to compremise by standing further away... too far away (all the other uncle / auntie / friend photographers would be infront of you).
- need a good flash, and need to know how to use it (but this is true for any lense-cam combo).

like what some of the others have advised, make sure the couple knows what they are getting. i would like to address the other side as well, if you do not think that you able to meet their expectations (by the day of the wedding), you might be better off taking a pass on this.

in the meantime... shot more, fail more, learn more, and get better sooner!!! :thumbsup:

 

[Virgo]

I think this issue has been discussed many times over this forum. You may like to do a search on wedding photography / lenses to use during wedding / something like that. I'm sure you can get a lot of info regarding this.

If you ask me what kind of lens to use, I would say any lens can be used, as long as you're comfortable in delivering good pics for the couple. I've seen photographers using 100mm macro for weddings, for e.g.

For me, I'm comfortable with the 17-40, 50mm and 85mm. Anything longer would be considered too tele for me.

As for the shoot for your friend, as long as you communicated with him/her that you're not pro and may not deliver good photos, and he/she has agreed, then I think it's fine. If he wanted results, just ask him/her to go for someone who can take good wedding photos. Need not be a pro, but must have a good portfolio. Then you can lay back and learn to take good photos during the event. Less pressure = higher chances of good photos!

Have fun!

 

[Virgo]

Then just hint for them to give u nice big ang pao for doing them this favour. If they r your friends, Ang Pao they give u shouldn't be too bad I guess, at least enough to cover cost.

I would beg to differ. For me, if I don't have the ability to produce good wedding photos, then I don't think it's nice to accept ang baos, even if I don't know the couple, let alone my friend.

That's my personal opinion. Lens may think otherwise lah...

 

[Ah_Seng]

Huh?? Are you professional photographer anot?? If not, don't talk irrelevant stuff here lar. Stop acting like a child. Try doing it if you are a professional and needs to make a living out of photography. Don't think you are very smart lar.

Hey! those pro out there! throw away your 1DsMll and D2x because someone here can shoot the whole wedding on a Lomo Ah!

Wake up and make constructive comments!!!

Sorry i have to comment here. I don't normally do..

In my personal opinion, while i agreed on the right tool for the right job (not that one must use 1DsMkII or D2X), if the photographer is well versed in his/her equipment, he/she will be able to produce good images even when using LCA.

No need for such strong comments until you've seen wedding photos taken with LCA.

Sorry Lens, abit OT here.....my apologies.

 

[judeseah]

Just remember that wedding photos are primarily for the couples so if you want to experiment using holga or lomo, make sure the couples know and accept what you're trying to do. Not because its artistically good means the couple will like them.

I think group shots are a default rather than an exception so always assume there is a group shot unless the couples say otherwise. In some cases, weddings are one of the few occasions where relatives from far away will have a reunion. So this group shots may be as important as the tea ceremony or signing or change of rings.

So I strongly suggest you have at least 24something-mm (or 18mm in my D70 with 1.5 crop factor). The reason is (1) to capture a table / family shot with 50mm, you may need to move back but if there are no space to move back, you got a problem (you can take 2 photos and glue them together but ... you will be famous for the wrong reason and future couples may pay you to leave them alone). (2) Cropping.. wide to normal means big to small so cropping is not possible... duh.. from normal to tele... you are correct that the resolution will be less. But always assume that your photo is so magnificent (even if every CS members and all their relatives violently disagree with you) that the couple want to enlarge it to 16 x 20 so you will need every pixel and therefore, try to frame properly instead of cropping a big photo. Worst come to worst, bring a P&S backup for group shots and with the right attitude, they will think you're one of those eccentric experts.

very interesting read,
yet so very humourous.

love the part about 'pay to leave them alone',
should i consider as my new strategy???

thanks for ur input.

 

[LENS]

I would beg to differ. For me, if I don't have the ability to produce good wedding photos, then I don't think it's nice to accept ang baos, even if I don't know the couple, let alone my friend.

That's my personal opinion. Lens may think otherwise lah...

ha, i agree with you. Anyway, since i didn't have good porfolio to show and i didn't take wedding photography before, i may just take this time as a learning experience. I will sure tell them what they will get, they will decide to get another P&S guy or get professionals.

Don't flame other opinions.. ha, people can say what they think, it is always up to the listener's own wisdom to know what is more appropriate. Anyway, ya right! just don't take other wedding as my experiment. ha.

By the way, i may even have to give them ang pau in their wedding lunch..since i am a volunteer.

 

[catchlights]

I would beg to differ. For me, if I don't have the ability to produce good wedding photos, then I don't think it's nice to accept ang baos, even if I don't know the couple, let alone my friend.

That's my personal opinion. Lens may think otherwise lah...

Ang Pau from the wedding couple and their parents are a token of good luck, is for those attending and helping in the ceremony, so you can gladly accept it.

 

[LENS]

ok, i will do some conclusions, no matter what you use, pin-hole, LCA, compact, SLR.. just keep in mind that they know what they will get haa..

Personally, i would prefer to have a 20-35mm range lense for a wedding.

For money issue, well, since it is a favour from friends, i will do a good job first before talk about $$, if the photo sucks.. ok, i still got other unmarried friends haa.

Thank for all your comments.

 

[catchlights]

ok, i will do some conclusions, no matter what you use, pin-hole, LCA, compact, SLR.. just keep in mind that they know what they will get haa..

Personally, i would prefer to have a 20-35mm range lense for a wedding.

For money issue, well, since it is a favour from friends, i will do a good job first before talk about $$, if the photo sucks.. ok, i still got other unmarried friends haa.

Thank for all your comments.

I guess you miss my post…..

For normal wedding event coverage, base on 35mm film camera, 28~70 is good enough, anything wider or longer also good, but try to keep it simple first, powerful flash unit is a must.

If try to shoot wedding with a style like: using only with a few prime lens, ultra wide or long tele lens, all available lights, Holga camera, B/w only, infrared film, can also, but make sure you wedding couple know what will they be getting.

For starter, try to keep it simple, don’t try something new and not familiar on wedding day. This is not a test session, and the couple is not guinea pigs, wedding day is once a lifetime event, no redo, no re-shoot, cannot screw up.

 

[LENS]

Got it!

 

[clicknick]

I would beg to differ. For me, if I don't have the ability to produce good wedding photos, then I don't think it's nice to accept ang baos, even if I don't know the couple, let alone my friend.

That's my personal opinion. Lens may think otherwise lah...

I don't know if Virgo or LENS are chinese or other races (not a racist statement), but whenever I am asked by any wedding couple to help them in some form, it seems almost traditional to be given Ang Pao from couple or parents (without needing to ask for one), so don't accept Ang Pao, hmm, can we actually turn down Ang Pao when offered one? Seems rather offensive, like dun give face or look down on the couple like that.

Anyway, to clarify on my above statement of hinting for a big ang pao, I was only suggesting to LENS how to receive alternative payment through Ang Pao, if u WANT payment for your work but feel paiseh to ask directly for payment because they are your friends. I am not asking u to ask for $ if u feel u not up to standard, ha ha, that's like pian jiak already. So if u afraid can't deliver, pls don't ask for $ or BIG ang pao.

 

[espn]

I don't know if Virgo or LENS are chinese or other races (not a racist statement), but whenever I am asked by any wedding couple to help them in some form, it seems almost traditional to be given Ang Pao from couple or parents (without needing to ask for one), so don't accept Ang Pao, hmm, can we actually turn down Ang Pao when offered one? Seems rather offensive, like dun give face or look down on the couple like that.

The ang pao, for the family that gives it, has a lot of meanings behind, like good luck, well-wishes, thanks, happiness etc. I normally just take and say thank you. Rejecting it isn't a very nice thing to do anyway it won't be by the hundreds, it's a token sum.

Anyway, to clarify on my above statement of hinting for a big ang pao, I was only teaching LENS how to receive alternative payment through Ang Pao, if u WANT payment for your work but feel paiseh to ask directly for payment because they are your friends. I am not askng u to ask for $ if u feel u not up to standard, ha ha, that's like pian jiak already. So if u afraid can't deliver, pls don't ask for $ or BIG ang pao.

I think you're referring to an ang pao by the couple, that one must see how 'zi dong' they are already lor. If they give you $50 ang pao, it's an insult, friends also hard to be. So it's a double edged sword thingie.

 

[ckuang]

Hi Lens, this is my opinion on wedding photography for what it's worth

1. No matter how many lenses and cameras you have, you'll never have the right one for the wedding you're shooting. You'll always wishing for something else. The best camera and lens combo is the one you're holding. So you don't have a zoom, that's ok, you just have to walk more. I shoot many of my weddings with just a 35mm lens. It's more than fine for me.

2. If your friends are not paying you, I wouldn't run out and buy gear. a 50mm lens is more than enough.

3. I really have to highlight that wedding photography, at a fine art level, should really be an expression of yourself as a photographer. If you can't or don't want to shoot group shots, just let the couple know. They're not paying you, so you should have the freedom to shoot in anyway you want. Even for my paying clients, i don't shoot group shots because it's not my style. If you feel obligated, then shoot it, but if you don't feel like doing it, don't.

Hope this helps.

 

[catchlights]

I don't know if Virgo or LENS are chinese or other races (not a racist statement), but whenever I am asked by any wedding couple to help them in some form, it seems almost traditional to be given Ang Pao from couple or parents (without needing to ask for one), so don't accept Ang Pao, hmm, can we actually turn down Ang Pao when offered one? Seems rather offensive, like dun give face or look down on the couple like that.

Anyway, to clarify on my above statement of hinting for a big ang pao, I was only teaching LENS how to receive alternative payment through Ang Pao, if u WANT payment for your work but feel paiseh to ask directly for payment because they are your friends. I am not askng u to ask for $ if u feel u not up to standard, ha ha, that's like pian jiak already. So if u afraid can't deliver, pls don't ask for $ or BIG ang pao.

If anyone was asked to shoot wedding for their friends and don’t feel comfortable to ask for compensation, what you can do is tell them this way....


I’m not professional and I can’t delivery very high standard pictures, but for sure the pictures will be sharp and clear.

It’s my honor to shoot your wedding, I can offer my service as a wedding gift to you, and I can recommend some quality lab to you if you need to print it out.

This is only apply to people who already done a few weddings before.