What kind of set up for a wedding day?

[yennekon]

Hello, I'm still an amateur at photography. I would like to know what kind of set up I should be getting?
P.s I'm just helping my friend who asked me to help take photos of his wedding day..

Should I be getting like 2 cameras? If yes.. What lens should I be getting?
If not, what kind of lens should I be using? ( I only have canon's 18-200 kit lens)

Or does anyone have a better recommendation??

So far the only advice I got is to use a 50mm 1.4/1.8 to take the shots..

Any help given would be greatly appreciated

 

[papajanggo33]

hi,

you may want to read this
http://www.clubsnap.com/forums/threads/959127-Need-advised-on-wedding-shoot.?highlight=wedding+set+up

http://www.clubsnap.com/forums/threads/979680-Lens-used-for-wedding-shoots?highlight=wedding+set+up

you can use the 'search' function on top for more related topics. hope it helps

 

[daredevil123]

Depends greatly on what you and how you want to shoot.

The easiest way for you is to use your 18-200 on your cam with an external flash gun. Set to bounce.

 

[Octarine]

If you are 'just helping' and there is a main photographer then why do you want to have 2 bodies? Use whatever you have, focus on those areas, persons, part of the ceremony and party that are not covered by the main photographer. You don't need to double his pictures. Have fun and be relaxed. Don't run around for pictures, don't be obsessed with equipment.

 

[kentwong81]

Your lens should be sufficient as you are not the main photographer.
When the main photographer is going to shoot something, please don't go to fight with him for the favourite spot and shoot the same thing.
You should cover the area and the angle which the main photographer is unable to when he focus shooting something. That's why your friend seeks your help to shoot his wedding, otherwise you may destroy the quality of the photos that the main photographer going to deliver to your friend for his once-in-a-life-time event.

 

[isaiahcheng]

Try using telephoto lens (70-200) or maybe 85mm or 135mm so as not to disturb the main photographer.

 

[Astroben]

I think main photographer goes mainly for the limelight. U can augment his album collection by following the rest of crowds.

 

[jasonyjw]

hello there, normally for a 2nd photographer, you will be shooting more of highlights of the events. by the word 'highlights', it doesn't mean the most important part of the wedding. that will be covered by the main photographer.

what i'm referring to is actually things such as, facial expressions of people, the guests. close up shots of say the teapots, tea cups of the tea ceremony.

you have to take photos of what the main photographer wouldn't be able to take. as he will be busy focusing himself on the bride and groom, you have the luxury of looking around the surroundings to capture moments. smiles, laughter of parents, siblings, relatives and friends are something you can consider.

18-200 is fine, you can cover lots of range there. but as what the others have advised you, flash is necessary. if you use a prime, say a 35 or 50 1.4, you will be able to capture shots that will have nice bokeh.

have a talk with the main photographer if you can, discuss with him if these are the photos that you should take. if not, ask him for advise.

one thing to remember is, never ever hinder the main photographer's movement.

 

[ZerocoolAstra]

So far TS didn't mention whether he is the main photographer or just the 'extra'


TS, a lot of factors come into play when deciding what lens to use for a particular shoot.
Just for starters:
1) Kind of shots you are after (influence your choice of focal length, or even max aperture of lens)
2) Amount of ambient light (use flash? no flash?) --> height of ceiling?
3) space available
4) type of camera (crop factor, full frame, etc)
and the list goes on....

Maybe you wanna search around the many other "what camera/lens should I bring for wedding...? " kind of threads

 

[shaoken]

Depends greatly on what you and how you want to shoot.

The easiest way for you is to use your 18-200 on your cam with an external flash gun. Set to bounce.

18-200mm will be good. An all-in-one lens.

 

[Ceetee]

I will feel pressurized if I were to shot my friends wedding. Good for you to be brave enough to take that step... Well done.

 

[Replica]

I had the honour to shoot my one and only AD for a fren this year. Had a cropped cam, rented a 35L, 24-105 and a 10-22. 35mm is used for photos for it's bokeh, 24-105mm for it versatility and 10-22mm for table shoots. one thing I learnt is that UWA lens is important for table shoots, cos some tables got old folks who cannot move ard, so I cannot have the freedom of choosing where I wanted to shoot from. Just be sufficiently and safely covered in the focal length, dun wanna get caught in a situation where my lens is inadequate to cover the guests.

 

[junliang78]

For table shots .
Unless its a unusually large group , usually 24mm on a FX will be more than sufficient . Hence , a 24-70mm on FX would do the trick actually

 

[Gikens]

Hello, I'm still an amateur at photography. I would like to know what kind of set up I should be getting?
P.s I'm just helping my friend who asked me to help take photos of his wedding day..

Should I be getting like 2 cameras? If yes.. What lens should I be getting?
If not, what kind of lens should I be using? ( I only have canon's 18-200 kit lens)

Or does anyone have a better recommendation??

So far the only advice I got is to use a 50mm 1.4/1.8 to take the shots..

Any help given would be greatly appreciated

If u r 2nd photographer, ur kit Len should be enough unless u r the main photographer.
A external flash will be great if u have. Most important as a 2nd photographer, never get in the way of the main photographer. During tablet shoot, try not to stand beside main photographer to shoot unless the guest knows which camera they should be looking at. But most important of all u need to know r u the main or 2nd photographer.

 

[yennekon]

Hi everyone, sorry so late than reply I've been busy these days..
Thanks for giving me those advices..
As I last heard from my friend he's not having any hired help so I guess it would be a brother help brother take photos kind of stuff..
Which kind of means I might be the main photographer.. :s

And I Do have a external flash
Thanks again

 

[Gikens]

Hi everyone, sorry so late than reply I've been busy these days..
Thanks for giving me those advices..
As I last heard from my friend he's not having any hired help so I guess it would be a brother help brother take photos kind of stuff..
Which kind of means I might be the main photographer.. :s

And I Do have a external flash
Thanks again

Ok.. Looks like u might need extra Len. Get more advised frm those experience bros here on gear. But most important if u r new to wedding shoot, dun set ur friend expectation too high. Alway good to be over deliver than to be under deliver.

 

[ZerocoolAstra]

Yeah agree with Gikens.

TS, if you're gonna be the main photog, and you don't feel absolutely confident that you can deliver to a standard your friend will be wowed with, best to let him know ASAP.
The worst thing you can do is to over-promise and under-deliver. No better way to ruin a friendship.

 

[Reportage]

How much hongbao you planning to give?

depending on how much you want to splurge, can hire a general events photographer for a decent price or if a group of friends can pool together to hire a wedding photographer. Thats the best move in my opinion other then being the only photographer albeit a beginner at that.

 

[catchlights]

another wedding couple have a mentality of anyone using DSLR will deliver pro results.

ok, if that is the case, don't use the best camera and you can find, so you can blame the camera in case you need an excuse.

 

[coolthought]

Ok.. Looks like u might need extra Len. Get more advised frm those experience bros here on gear. But most important if u r new to wedding shoot, dun set ur friend expectation too high. Alway good to be over deliver than to be under deliver.

Yeah agree with Gikens.

TS, if you're gonna be the main photog, and you don't feel absolutely confident that you can deliver to a standard your friend will be wowed with, best to let him know ASAP.
The worst thing you can do is to over-promise and under-deliver. No better way to ruin a friendship.

agree. agree.
it happen only once, you better know clearly what you are doing before the actual shoot and not try to figure out the settings during the shoot.

Better set the expectation right and know what he and his wife and both his and his wife immediate family wants.

Hi everyone, sorry so late than reply I've been busy these days..
Thanks for giving me those advices..
As I last heard from my friend he's not having any hired help so I guess it would be a brother help brother take photos kind of stuff..
Which kind of means I might be the main photographer.. :s

And I Do have a external flash
Thanks again

I am trying to make a guess here. Basic criteria you have to fulfill is to get photos sharp, correctly exposed, can see all the important people faces, no anyhow body cut off (especially the face), know how to organise the people and get them stand in the "right way" and do not miss any important moment.

using just the 50f1.4/1.8 is an extremely bad idea unless you can shoot through walls...