Wedding Photography

[BonDeFiant]

Few weeks ago I bought Pentax K-X with 18-55mm and 50-200mm.

I would like to try out the lenses that I have for wedding event. Is it good enough to snap good pictures?

Seek advice from you guys.

Thanks in advance.

 

[ishou80]

Are u the main photographer? Outdoor or indoor?

 

[BonDeFiant]

Nope. Most likely to be indoor. Any advice for me.

 

[ishou80]

Do you have a external flash? I would strongly recommend that or you gotta use high iso which I wouldn't recommend as it's a wedding.

 

[BonDeFiant]

Nope. I intend to buy one but not really sure which one to buy.

 

[woefulwabbit]

You should get either a fast lens like the FA 50mm f/1.4 (maybe a shorter one like the FA31 if you can afford that), or get an external flash.
You'll want one that can swivel, probably a Sigma 530 DG, Pentax AF540, or Metz 48/58.
IMO the FA50mm is good for a secondary photographer, you can walk around and shoot candids (possibly even flash free) and not disturb the main photographer. It's also probably not your responsibility to take group shots too so you don't need the wide angle. You just hope you don't get a large group of people grab hold of you and ask you to take a group photo of them...
An external flash plus a Tamron 17-50mm (or DA* 16-50mm if you got more money) would make a good combo too. You get lots more flexibility this way.

 

[Gengh]

If you're not the main photographer, it's probably better not to use flash at all. External flash units will probably have a focus assist beam which will cast a red pattern onto the subject, and will turn up on the main photog's pics if he happen to catch it. There's also the very small chance that you might flash into the main photog's shot and spoil it, though this is much less likely.

With the K-x, I'd happily crank up to ISO1600 and shoot at f2.8-f4 using available light. You capture the mood a lot better without flash anyway. If you really have to use a flash, see if you can switch the focus assist off.

 

[banana0ne]

If you're not the main photographer, it's probably better not to use flash at all. External flash units will probably have a focus assist beam which will cast a red pattern onto the subject, and will turn up on the main photog's pics if he happen to catch it. There's also the very small chance that you might flash into the main photog's shot and spoil it, though this is much less likely.

With the K-x, I'd happily crank up to ISO1600 and shoot at f2.8-f4 using available light. You capture the mood a lot better without flash anyway. If you really have to use a flash, see if you can switch the focus assist off.

k-x dun have focus assist lamp... but but can crank up iso1600 without any problem.

 

[woefulwabbit]

Gengh is talking about the focus assist beam on external flashes. The K-x can use the pop-up flash for focus assist too.
However, compared between my K10D and K-x, I've found that the K-x needs less focus assist than the K10D. In several cases where my K10D would trigger the focus beam on my flash, the K-x doesn't need it. There's a definite improvement in low light AF in the K-x

 

[ishou80]

If you are the 2nd photographer then you might consider using a longer zoom to capture candid moments as if you are using a 50mm...most people are already aware so it's hardly a candid anymore.

 

[BonDeFiant]

You should get either a fast lens like the FA 50mm f/1.4 (maybe a shorter one like the FA31 if you can afford that), or get an external flash.
You'll want one that can swivel, probably a Sigma 530 DG, Pentax AF540, or Metz 48/58.
IMO the FA50mm is good for a secondary photographer, you can walk around and shoot candids (possibly even flash free) and not disturb the main photographer. It's also probably not your responsibility to take group shots too so you don't need the wide angle. You just hope you don't get a large group of people grab hold of you and ask you to take a group photo of them...
An external flash plus a Tamron 17-50mm (or DA* 16-50mm if you got more money) would make a good combo too. You get lots more flexibility this way.

Which one would you recommend to buy? Pentax FA 50MM F1.4 or Tamron AF17-50mm F/2.8?

 

[darrrrrrrrrr]

Which one would you recommend to buy? Pentax FA 50MM F1.4 or Tamron AF17-50mm F/2.8?

Personally, having owned both at the same time, I'd recommend the 17-50 since I hardly used the FA50.

 

[woefulwabbit]

The 17-50mm may make more sense if you're planning to get an external flash too.

 

[BonDeFiant]

Sooner or later I'll get myself a Tamron AF17-50mm F/2.8 and an external flash, AF540FGZ.

Thanks for your help guys.

Is there any other advice for me to watch out for during the wedding event?

 

[darrrrrrrrrr]

Sooner or later I'll get myself a Tamron AF17-50mm F/2.8 and an external flash, AF540FGZ.

Thanks for your help guys.

Is there any other advice for me to watch out for during the wedding event?

I hope you won't be the main photog, and if you aren't it's best to speak to the photog before things start to let him know you'll be shooting and have some form of mutual understanding not to block his path, be in the background of his shots, etc. After all, he is getting paid big bucks to deliver the goods to the bride and groom, while you are not. Personally I'd stay away from the main photog as far as possible and shoot candids of my friends/relatives, since they will feel more comfortable around me than the main photog.

Technically, it's not so much different from usual event shooting, except that there are many more emotions so try to catch them, rather than documenting the event proceedings itself!

 

[pinholecam]

Sorry to be a wet blanket bud, but I sure hope you are not the main photographer if you are unsure of your gear and technique.
You may even lose your friendship if you screw up.

Ok. If you are willing to use your friendship as the gambling stake here is the crash course :

1. Get a flash (period).
The kit lens will not cut it indoors where lighting is dim. You are asking for shaky or motion blurred shots w/o a flash.

2. If the ceiling of the wedding venue is not too high (ie. not those hotel ballrooms 2-3story high ceilings) use bounce flash (ie. flash head pointed vertically up the ceiling or near vertical).

3. For #2, get some practice at home to make sure it works.

4. Instantly review your initial shots using #2 on the day itself. If its not going to plan, go to #5

5. If the ceiling is too high, or somehow your bounce flash is still too dim, just point the flash direct and shoot. This will not be the best results, but many wedding dinner photographers do it as well, so its the safest way.

6. Always try to pop at least 2 shots per table when the bride & groom make their rounds.


Good Luck!

 

[BonDeFiant]

I hope you won't be the main photog, and if you aren't it's best to speak to the photog before things start to let him know you'll be shooting and have some form of mutual understanding not to block his path, be in the background of his shots, etc. After all, he is getting paid big bucks to deliver the goods to the bride and groom, while you are not. Personally I'd stay away from the main photog as far as possible and shoot candids of my friends/relatives, since they will feel more comfortable around me than the main photog.

Technically, it's not so much different from usual event shooting, except that there are many more emotions so try to catch them, rather than documenting the event proceedings itself!

I'm not the main photographer on that day.

My intention is to learn and test out my lenses as I'm still noob in photography.

Hopefully that you guys able to guide me.

 

[ishou80]

Don't worry. I would suggest u to use higher ISO and just use your 50-200mm. Try to capture more of natural shots (candid) guests that are not aware of u snapping their photos.

 

[glms88]

Truth be told, in the very initial post that he had made, he was never intending to be the main photographer.

In fact, I am sure, he is not doing this for the financial and monetary rewards, but rather as a favour to his or her friend. Perhaps, he could have even be doing it just to practice his photography skills.

Everyone started out somewhere and learning is but a long but winding journey. Rather than criticizing his efforts, let's take stride in the fact that someone out there is keen on taking up photography as a career or a hobby; only then.

In any case, I do not know the post starter, but I feel that your valuable advice and experience that you have, so kindly given, would be beneficial to him/her.

Sorry to be a wet blanket bud, but I sure hope you are not the main photographer if you are unsure of your gear and technique.
You may even lose your friendship if you screw up.

Ok. If you are willing to use your friendship as the gambling stake here is the crash course :

1. Get a flash (period).
The kit lens will not cut it indoors where lighting is dim. You are asking for shaky or motion blurred shots w/o a flash.

2. If the ceiling of the wedding venue is not too high (ie. not those hotel ballrooms 2-3story high ceilings) use bounce flash (ie. flash head pointed vertically up the ceiling or near vertical).

3. For #2, get some practice at home to make sure it works.

4. Instantly review your initial shots using #2 on the day itself. If its not going to plan, go to #5

5. If the ceiling is too high, or somehow your bounce flash is still too dim, just point the flash direct and shoot. This will not be the best results, but many wedding dinner photographers do it as well, so its the safest way.

6. Always try to pop at least 2 shots per table when the bride & groom make their rounds.


Good Luck!

 

[Gengh]

I second ishou80's suggestion. The K-x's high ISO performance is really quite good, and though this may be a bit of a personal preference, I think available light events/wedding pics almost always have a much nicer feel to them.

If you do not want to have to think through your exposure too much for each shot, you could consider using auto ISO (put a cap at, say 3200, or whatever max value you're comfortable with), use Tv mode, and set your shutter speed to 1/60 and just fire away. The shutter speed should allow you to already freeze people in motion (not fast motion though) and also avoid handshake blur (assuming that you max out at 200mm and SR is on, and you apply proper shooting techniques). This should work pretty well for all the things on stage where lighting is good and when the general lighting in the ballroom is turned up. For things off-stage and when the lights are dimmed, you may have to use a slower shutter speed, and use the wide end of your lens, and hope your subject doesn't move much.

I don't know how good the auto white balance of the K-x is, but WB is another thing to take note of. If processing raw files doesn't scare you, definitely shoot in raw for such cases, so that all the changing lighting condition doesn't affect your white balance.