# First paid photo shoot - DATE: 23 March 2013



## blaydese (Mar 6, 2013)

_Note: American that lives on the island of Okinawa Japan_

and...


THANK YOU IN ADVANCE

I was asked / offered the job to shoot a 
co-worker's / friend's wedding on the 23rd.

I accepted, we talked, came up with a plan,
she's getting me a schedule, sent me the 
location (it's a restaurant / wedding reception 
place that specializes in small weddings of about 
100 people or less), I asked what she was looking for
I explained that I'm not a pro, and I can't guarantee 
anything, she still likes my work, so....

*If you don't mind, I'd like some positive 
support, advice, equipment recommendations
(based on what I have) and tips / examples.*

(Sorry living on Okinawa I can't buy 
anything, and get it here by the 23rd,
also with the Government furloughs
that are about to hit us I can't afford 
anything expensive like an L lens.) *sigh*

Equipment: 

Cameras:

1 - Canon 60D W/battery grip
1 - Canon Power Shot 20SX

Flash:

1 - Polaroid Power Zoom Shoe Mount Autofocus Flash (Don't remember the model #)
1 - Canon Speedlite 420EX Flash - Old Version - got for free, missing the red lens cover.

Tripods:

1 - Leupold Trek Pod II 
1 - OLD Tripod that used to hold the old VHS tape camcorder 

SD cards:

1 - 16GB Extreme class 10
1 - 8GB Class 10
2 - 8GB Class 4
2 - 4 GB Class ?

Lens:

Canon EF-S Zoom lens - 18 mm - 135 mm - F/3.5-5.6 - Canon EF-S
Canon EF-S Zoom Lens 18 mm - 55 mm - f/3.5-5.6 Is MK II


So here are some ideas / plans that I have:

A) Make an example book, so when I'm shooting
I can run over to the book, flip to any page and see
an example and say, AH-HA, let's try this !

B) I'm going to recon the place, talk to the staff
and see what 'props' they have, i.e. if it's raining,
we need plants, backgrounds and such for backdrops inside.
Oh yeah there is an attached garden to the restaurant.



C) I'm braining some 'items'... a 500W work light,
(To shoot silhouette shots, sort of like this:

(Google search)









Some other examples 

(Google search)

















Peace! 8)


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## Kristofgss (Mar 6, 2013)

*Re: ▀►◄▀ ▀►◄▀ ▀►◄▀ ▀►◄▀ First paid photo shoot - DATE: 23 March 2013*

I'm not a pro by far, but did some receptions, classic concerts and a wedding as favours So what I write here won't give perfect pictures, but hopefully increase the odds of getting good ones.

- take the charger with you, it's always convenient to be able to charge up a spare pack
- go manual mode and take a few shots there before the reception to see which combination aperture (set it high enough so you don't lose it when zooming)/iso (as low as possible)/timing (as fast as possbile) works best without flash. (this prevents lighting differences caused by white dress, black tuxedo)
- When shooting with flash, always bounce, but look which color the ceiling has and if it is not white, put a colored gel over the flash to compensate till it matches the natural light (I've mcgyvered it on occasions and used candy wrappers) (this prevents weird looking colors)
- Set white balance to manual and get it to give a pleasing color. (I;e. not too blue) you don't have this issue when shooting raw, but that depends on how much memory you have left on your cards)
- When shooting the bride with a white dress, go for the AEB function where you have an underexposed and overexposed picture as well. On the off chance that the setting you thought it would be does not come out good, odds are, one of the other two will make a better match.
- When doing the grou portrait, quickly tkae the same picture with F4, F8, F16 (you can do this in under three seconds and it increases the odds that at least one of them matches the foreground/background sharpness ratio you had envisioned. At least you have the material, you can pick out what's best later.
- if at all possible, get the nifty fifte for less than 100 dollar as it is really suited to indoor photography.


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## danski0224 (Mar 6, 2013)

The only suggestion I have is to rent or borrow a bigger flash. Something like the 580 or even 600. You will need plenty of flash while indoors with your lens choices. 

Find out which one of your zoom lenses provides a better image and stick with it. The 18-135 may have more design compromises in comparison to the 18-55. I haven't used either.

I can't imagine that you will have the time to put together an "example book" and have time to use it.

If your friend is happy with your work, just roll with it.

Good luck.


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## Dylan777 (Mar 6, 2013)

My 2 cents: Your current gear is not adequate for wedding. Rent 5D II(s) and some L primes for this task, unless your friend has lower expectation in IQ.


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## reactionart (Mar 6, 2013)

This is my first post in CR .
I'm not a pro photographer either but I do have couple of dozens weddings in my belt. 
I'll give you some *do's and don'ts. * Your 60D will be sufficient enough to cover the entire event. Make sure just carry the batteries and cards with you at all times. If the light permits, shoot without flash, natural light most times look more pleasing plus people tend to get annoyed with flash a lot. If 420ex is the only flash you can get then use it wisely and be careful of bouncing it. At times it'll bounce unwanted tints to your subject. 
If you can get the 50mm 1.8 II before the wedding. Do it. That will be your portrait lens, however since you only have 1 body be ready to switch lenses a lot, or just move a lot.
*Shoot at lot of frames* and shoot RAW, I don't care what everyone says. It's your first gig, it doesn't matter if you have to go through 1000s of pics, at least for now this way you have a lot of material to use and give to your client.
*Learn some posing techniques for couple*. This is a must. Your client is expecting you to know how to pose them and tell them if they're smiling correctly or have their eyes closed, check your shots thoroughly but quickly. 
*Meet all the family members*. Get a lot of facetime. They will be pleased that you took shots of a lot of their guest. Theyre gonna be looking back at the album, saying, oh I remember them, blah blah blah.
You can ditch the tripods and other heavy accessories, if you really wanna take em and use em, wouldn't hurt bringing another friend with you to help you carry gear.
*Back up your stuff.* If you have some downtime in between events, please back up your cards.
*Last but not least*, have a blast.


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## robbymack (Mar 6, 2013)

Ideally you'd be able to rent a back up body and a lens or two but since that doesn't seem to be in the cards just go with it. If you can go get a properly working flash. You may have trouble using the focus assist with the broken one you currently have. Focus assit will help you lock focus in dim lighting. A 430 exxii would be more than enough and definately bounce it rather than blasting folks directly in the face with it. You should be able to find a good one used in your area for not much cash. I'd also not venture outside your comfort zone. If you don't normally shoot full manual don't. Id say shoot av f5.6-f8 with flash and auto iso. Then fiddle with the flash ec until you get the look you want on the back of the lcd. Heck you may even just shoot full auto with a good flash. Probably better than fiddling with the settings just be prepared for the limitations. I like the idea of trying to get some shots you've seen online, however I would caution you that the set up for some of those shots may take a bit of time (which you may not have) so don't get too grandiose with your plans. sometimes the best advice is KISS (keep it simple stupid). Above all else have fun.


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## sanfranchristo (Mar 6, 2013)

Please refer to some of the excellent advice (and warnings) on this same topic, thoroughly covered here:

http://www.canonrumors.com/forum/index.php?topic=12589.0

(Without re-debating the issue, I will echo another commenter and say that your zoom lenses probably aren't up to the task and you should consider renting/borrowing/buying a proper portrait prime at the very least. It is also a somewhat reckless idea to shoot without a backup DSLR body of any sort.)


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## sandymandy (Mar 6, 2013)

Get a 50mm 1.8 II at least. I mean you own like two of the worst lensese canon has to offer  You miss a lot of possibilites a good lens gives you.


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## RLPhoto (Mar 6, 2013)

Please do this for yourself, and your client, and for your reputation. 

1. Add a 50mm 1.8 to your kit. You have no fast glass, and you'll need fast glass at some point at a wedding. Its cheap, fast, and quality(to a Point). Ditch the 18-55mm, You already have the 18-135mm and no need for it.

2. Scout all the locations ahead of time, and get a shot list from the couple. 

3. Practice basic on-camera flash technique, Fill, Bounce, AF-Assist, Etc... It will be Needed.

4. A second body would be highly recommended in case your 60D dies.

All in all, I would keep the couple's expectations low. If you turn out better work than expected, you'll impress them. If you raise they're expectations too high, you'll never meet them.


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## a-hopps (Mar 6, 2013)

If you do get a fast prime, practice with it. Learn how to use depth of field. I only say this because of your current lens setup. If you have experience with fast primes then disregard my advice. no harm done.


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## RMC33 (Mar 6, 2013)

RLPhoto said:


> Please do this for yourself, and your client, and for your reputation.
> 
> 1. Add a 50mm 1.8 to your kit. You have no fast glass, and you'll need fast glass at some point at a wedding. Its cheap, fast, and quality(to a Point). Ditch the 18-55mm, You already have the 18-135mm and no need for it.
> 
> ...



Huge +1

If you can get an ETTL cord as well and practice a little off camera flash by holding it off to the side. Works wonders.


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## Axilrod (Mar 6, 2013)

+1 for renting some better gear. But at the same time I wouldn't rent too much new stuff since you don't want to be working with a bunch of equipment you're not familiar with. 

I'll tell you this, if you can only rent one piece of equipment, get the 17-55 f/2.8 IS. It's an amazing lens and will really improve the overall quality of your images. I know you already have an 18-55, but come on it's the kit lens. Lensrentals.com has the 17-55 at $42 for 4 days, go for it. You'll see right away that there is a tremendous difference between that and the 18-55.


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## Mt Spokane Photography (Mar 6, 2013)

Since you cannot get any additional equipment, as you noted, you can make do with what you have, its just a matter of creatively using it. Its certainly not helpful to tell you to get more qquipment if you have already said that you can't.

Millions of weddings have been shot just fine with lesser equipment. I have photos that are well over 100 years old, and they look fine, and they used equipment with maybe 1% of the capability you have. People at the wedding will help you be holding very still if that actually turns out to be necessary..

For example, you will not be able to light up a large room or a crowd of 100 people with just the one flash, and I'm not aware of anyway to synchronize the Polaroid and Canon flashes unless you have a slave trigger. 

However, you may be able to setup the group outdoors, it depends on the lighting, so try to get them together when the light is best.

You sound to me like a pretty savvy person, I'd bet that you will do just fine.


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## distant.star (Mar 6, 2013)

.
Since you're obviously committed to this, only a couple of things come to mind for your situation. Go into it with a joyous and enthusiastic attitude and have fun while doing the best you can. Beyond that, think about this:

1. As others have said, get a 50mm f/1.8 II. I know you said you can't buy anything, but these lenses are everywhere. Someone there has one and will lend it to you or rent it to you for $20 or so. Get one, and play with it in advance. Other than that you have equipment capable of producing fine results. Don't get down by elitists who tell you good work can't be produced without $10,000 worth of equipment.

2. Don't do anything you haven't tried (hopefully perfected) first. That silhouette shot looks great, but creating it may not be as easy as you think.

3. Shoot RAW. That will give you greater latitude for error.

4. Finally, don't do business with friends. Beyond expenses, don't accept money for this job if these people are really friends. So, you should first decide if they are really friends or your first customers/clients.

Just some thoughts, for what they're worth. I promise I won't send an invoice! Have a great time -- no better feeling than seeing a bride tear up at pictures you've taken of her wedding!!!


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## cayenne (Mar 6, 2013)

I didn't see mention about how many battery packs you had...make sure you have more than enough.
Also, you likely need more memory cards....you will want to shoot RAW, and that eats up a bit more space on the memory cards.

I've not shot weddings, but I've been studying and readling a LOT about it, in hopes to branch out on my own doing this too.

You definitely might be well served by renting a 2nd camera, like a 5D3 and a couple of good L lenses. Maybe a 70-200L and a 50L....I know a lot of wedding photog like to have those, good for low light and can be tack sharp, and nice shallow DOF.

Good luck and please report back how it went and post some sample pics!!

If you get some special shots, look into getting them to buy a couple of wall hanging size prints (especially if the rent the higher end camera body)...you can order those, and add a bit of $$ on top for some profit to cover your expenses.

My $0.02,

cayenne


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## Don Haines (Mar 6, 2013)

I shoot with a 60D. It can do the job.... obviously other cameras are better.... but if you are renting one, will you have it in time to get enough practice to use it well..... My friend has a 5DII and it takes time to adapt from one camera to another, unless you have lots of experience with both.

I would say that #1 is to get a 32G memory card or two..... you can fill them up in a hurry shooting a wedding.

Shoot RAW (or RAW and jpg).... you can do so much more with a raw file.... like post correct white balance problems.... and there WILL be white balance problems....

If you do decide to shoot video clips, turn of image stabilization or you will clearly hear the camera motors on the video. Hint: a cell phone with a voice recording ap makes a free external mike....

Get a spare battery or see if you can borrow one. The LP-E6 is used in a number of Canon Cameras so it should be really easy to find on short notice...

You are going to need at least one fast lens for indoors.... with a crop camera I would say something around 30mm, but if on a budget there is the 40mm pancake and the 50mm f1.8. The 50 f1.8 has a cheap plastic built and feels like a toy, but it does take good pictures.

And YOU are the photographer... make sure the powers that be understand that this means that some of the time has to go to you to get those special pictures and when they are posing, don't let Aunt Bertha bump you out of the way...


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## robbymack (Mar 6, 2013)

Mt Spokane Photography said:


> Millions of weddings have been shot just fine with lesser equipment. I have photos that are well over 100 years old, and they look fine, and they used equipment with maybe 1% of the capability you have.



+ 1 true words


To the OP please do report back after the event and post some images. I am sure you will do just fine. It's always important to remember that if they turned to you they likely weren't going to be spending a bunch of money for a really experienced photographer (not that pricing in any way dictates quality), so they were going to probably get someone to do it on the cheap and not someone with considerably more experience than you. I can guarantee you that you will not only care more than this person, but produce finer images than who they may have hired.


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## Bruce Photography (Mar 6, 2013)

I'm not doing weddings anymore, but.....

Express mail at least three or four 32 San Disk Extreme Pro SD cards and shoot Raw. 

The suggestion that someone else made about a larger flash is a good one with a boatload of batteries and/or a quick charger (minimum of 8 batteries with quick charger). Can you get a diffuser at the same time (I mostly use Gary Fong Lightshpere) when you might get a flash?


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## DCM1024 (Mar 6, 2013)

If you're not able to get a bigger flash, ask for the lights to be turned up during important events at the reception. Must take more memory cards! Try to borrow a 2nd body and the 5m 1.8....


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## HappyDan4 (Mar 6, 2013)

Get a friend to help out. When you're busy setting up the shot (and the camera), you won't likely be paying attention to the small details like a crooked tie, or food on a child's face, or crazy background props, or even spacing between group shots. A second set of eyes is a lifesaver that could save an otherwise perfect shot.


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## wickidwombat (Mar 7, 2013)

heres some quick tips from me

1) DO NOT TRY HDR AT A WEDDING! 

2) your idea of having some sample ideas handy is very good, do you have an iphone? just stash them in that and you can get easy access to quickly scan them (easier and more on hand than a printed book)

3) everyone recomending the 50 f1.8 II is right it is cheap and good, dont use it wide open too much around f2 to f2.2 its quite nice and sharp but still gives nice shallow DOF

4) try borrow a second body changing lenses is hard when the pressure is on

5) consider renting s 17-55 f2.8 for the day for your main lens this will make a massive difference over the kit lens (if you rented this you could probably get away with not bothering with the 50 f1.8 and thus eliminating lens changes altogether) 1 less thing to worry about

6) dont shoot groups of people with wide apertures a easy rule of thumb is make sure your aperture is about equal to the number of people in the shot with f8 or f11 for really big groups

7) research and learn second curtain sync and dragging the shutter (I posted some detailed info about this in another thread a while ago i cant remember exactly which one) this technique will allow you to use not too high iso slow shutter speed flash and still get sharp shots in low light events. practice it alot before hand get your wife or girlfriend or both to dance around in a low lit room and practice until you are confident of this techinique
It is essential.

EDIT: found the thread http://www.canonrumors.com/forum/index.php?topic=12673.45


8) learn about balancing flash and ambient exposure this avoids the bunny in headlight look or the flash didnt have enough juice look

9) carry lots of spare batteries for cameras and flash and spare memory cards

10) bounce flash when you can but dont be afraid of using direct flash either

11) wear black clothes you dont want to show up in a bright hawian shirt as a catchlight in the brides eyes
also it will stop you casting any reflected colour cast from spilled flash light

12) make sure you get detail shots of decorations, brides jewelry, shoes table decorations etc you dont need a macro for this just get the shots

13) shoot different angles dont just take every shot from standing eye level otherwise they will all be snap shots so play with some creative angles.

there is plenty more stuff to think about, weddings are full on and high pressure but fun too
goodluck and post back with pics


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## FTb-n (Mar 7, 2013)

1.) Google wedding photo tips, there's a lot out there. You will get ideas that will come in handy. There are a lot of things to shoot at a wedding that seems obvious ... after it's over and too late. So look for ideas before the event, such as the rings alone, hand-in-hand with rings, the program (if any), the invitation, the table with name tags (if any), etc...

2.) Look for candid opportunity with the kids, especially if they try to hide from you.

3.) *SHOOT RAW*. Skip RAW+JPG, just RAW.

4.) Experiment. Bracket for exposure and for focus point, especially on the important shots. If shooting a group and you can't stop down for greater DOF, focus on first row, then second row, then third. When bracketing for exposure, don't limit yourself to shutter speed and fStop, bracket with ISO as well.

5.) For the important staged shots where you (hopefully) have some control over lighting, you will want to shoot at ISO 800 or below. But, don't be afraid to shoot at 3200 or even 6400. With candid reception photos, it's more about the moment than a clean image. Noise will be more acceptable as long as the image is sharp and free of subject blur.

6.) When shooting high ISO, it's better to over-expose than to under expose. You fix the exposure in post. An over exposed shot will have less noise than an under exposed shot. With the 60D, I often find the meter over-exposes 1/3 to 2/3 stops -- so trust it. If it looks a little bright on the LCD, good.

7.) Get Lightroom 4 and learn how to reduce noise with it. (Goggle for help) Lightroom 4 does wonders for ISO 3200-6400.

8.) Practice these techiques before hand, especially the high ISO and over-exposure tip so you know what works with your camera and what a good exposure looks like on the LCD.

9.) If planning any outdoor shots, bring some sort of white reflector. A 5-in-1 works great, but a 30" white foam core will work as well. Find an assistand to help with it to lighten any shadows on the Bride and Groom.

10.) Shoot center point focus.

11.) Look into back-button focussing. If you like the idea, practice it first. It will give you greater control over picking your subject of focus and locking your exposure (if shooting AV, TV, or P).

12.) Have fun with the shoot and report back to us.


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## blaydese (Mar 8, 2013)

WOW!  ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D 

*THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR 
ALL THE WONDERFUL ADVICE 
AND WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT !*

Sorry I didn't respond sooner, had an event and today 
(Friday in Japan) .. I hit the Azaleas festival / park up north...
(I'll post pics over in the HDR of that.)


.
.
.

I'll respond to EVERYONE'S posts when Canon Rumors STOPS CRASHING ! :-\   :  


Peace! 8)


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## blaydese (Mar 10, 2013)

Again, thanks and FYI ~ / asking for some light advice..

IF I were to buy one or two lenses, these are what I would buy...

#1. First Upgrade

#2 Second Upgrade


As for the previous advice, thanks, I will for sure:

SHOOT RAW
NO HDR
BOUNCE LIGHT
EXTRA BATTERY
EXTRA SD CARDS
BE IN CONTROL, BUT DON'T LET ANYONE GET IN MY WAY
EXAMPLES ON PHONE
SHOOT LOTS OF FRAMES
MEET THE FAMILY
BACK-UP
ASSISTANT = SON WILL HELP AND DOWNLOAD PICS TO MY LAPTOP AS NEEDED.
CREATIVITY
PRACTICE
CHECK THE AREA FIRST & SET-UP FIRST
DON'T TRY ANYTHING YOU HAVEN'T DONE BEFORE




.
.
.
.
---- THINGS I CAN'T DO NOW BUT WILL DO IN THE FUTURE ----


BUY THE ABOVE LENSES 


Peace! 8)


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## robbymack (Mar 10, 2013)

For the crop sensor seriously consider the Efs 17-55 before either of the two you listed.


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## blaydese (Mar 11, 2013)

robbymack said:


> For the crop sensor seriously consider the Efs 17-55 before either of the two you listed.



So an S lens is better than an L lens?

Peace! 8)


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## Kristofgss (Mar 11, 2013)

wickidwombat said:


> heres some quick tips from me
> 1) DO NOT TRY HDR AT A WEDDING!



I am curious about this one. Why not do the normal-under-over-exposed picture with three consecutive shots? Worst case, you end up losing less than a second of shooting time and throw away two of the three images. I would definitely not recommend this for a complete wedding, but one picture fo the bride and groom or the family done like this can't hurt?


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## emag (Mar 11, 2013)

blaydese said:


> robbymack said:
> 
> 
> > For the crop sensor seriously consider the Efs 17-55 before either of the two you listed.
> ...



'Better' is relative....'more useful for you' would be the appropriate phrase. Don't get the 24-105 by itself, get it as a kit lens when you go FF. I think you'll do an excellent job with this shoot and that the 60D will soon be a backup to a 6D.


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## Vossie (Mar 11, 2013)

You got some very good advice already and picked out the most important elements!

If you bring a laptop (with sufficient free disk space) and an assistant to back-up your cards, the cards you have now will suffice. Extra batteries (cam + flash) are always useful to have. Also put a lens cloth in your pocket (just in case) and make sure to have a card with suffient empty space and batteries with sufficient juice loaded before the "key events" of the wedding.



IF you plan to buy new lenses in the future: the 24-105L is a great lens, but on a crop body the 17-55 2.8 is probably a better match as it gives you the equivalent of a 27-88mm zoom, whereas the 24-105 gives you the equivalent of 38-168mm on a 1,6x crop body. 27-88 is a much more useable "all-round" focal lens range. In addition, the 17-55 gives you an extra stop of light, so half the shutterspeed at equivalent light + a shallower depth-of-field for nice out-of-focus backgrounds. 

The 100-400 is a great lens, I have owned one for over a decade now and still use it a lot (in the past on crop bodies, now on full frame). It is great for wildlife, but do not expect much use of it indoors or at weddings (it's too long and too dark for that).

Good luck, curious to see the outcome!


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## wickidwombat (Mar 13, 2013)

Kristofgss said:


> wickidwombat said:
> 
> 
> > heres some quick tips from me
> ...



kidding aren't you? have you seen what "HDR" makes people look like? essentially zombies, sure some bracketing of certain shots might work for later exposure blending of certain elements however 
the amount of time changing settings to bracketing in an already fast paced high stress environment on his
FIRST wedding shoot? gotta look at it all in context
refer to this thread for said context
http://www.canonrumors.com/forum/index.php?topic=8065.0


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## stipotle (Mar 13, 2013)

Lots of great advice here, so this is repeat mostly - WickidWombat was on point, and the things you pulled from the whole post are great. 
For weddings at least, I would disagree 100% (respectfully of course) that 27-88mm is more useful than 38-168mm at a wedding. The extra stop at f/2.8 is certainly a valid reason, but the extra length of the 24-105 is really going to help you take some meaningful candids without being conspicuous. And you have the 15mm on your other lens if you really need wide. 

I wouldn't be afraid of the time it takes to switch lenses (ie - other than as a backup, you don't need a 2nd body), as long as you think ahead a little you'll know when you need to switch lenses, and can plan for it. 

Other suggestions already made that I would +1:
- RAW, for sure
- More SD Cards, if at all possible. From experience, running out of space is THE. WORST. If your battery runs low, you can throw the spare in the charger in the background, but weddings move fast and you don't want to be uploading and deleting chips on the fly. You just don't. 
- Natural Light 1st, Bounce Flash 2nd, hope you don't need a 3rd option. 
- "BE IN CONTROL, BUT DON'T LET ANYONE GET IN MY WAY" - Adding to this, it's very important to know and be confident that they are paying for *your* pictures and not Aunt so-and-so's. So yes - assert yourself *if* it's an important shot. BUT - don't be the star of the show / center of attention. Let them have _their_ day. Although I don't think you should wear all black (unless you're a ninja too), it's very true that you don't want to be noticed all day.

Lastly, and I don't think I read this one yet:
The proverbial crap will probably hit the fan at least once during the day. It's the name of the game: schedules change, people get difficult, and if you are too prepared for what you think is supposed to happen, you might not be as flexible as you need to be when the plan changes. Any practice and and preparation you do in advance will help greatly - don't get me wrong - but when it's game time you just have to play ball. (Which is why it's great that they love your photos already)

*Move fast, and think slowly.* Don't rush shots - rush the time in between shots (if you need to). 
And I can't tell you how many brownie points you'll get for being an extra bridesmaid (so to speak). Be overly helpful and happy to be there, and your couple (and their guests) will carry the fond memories into your photos. 

Good LUCK!


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## Inspiron41 (Mar 13, 2013)

first thing, you can shoot any wedding with any gear...even with a smartphone. be confident! you don't need a Canon 1Dx to get stunning pictures or great memorable pictures that'll last a life time.

So far you've been doing a lot of the pre-wedding stuff correct with figuring out the schedule. make sure you talk to your client about the types of photos they want - family pictures, bridal, children, and cousins (all these things can add to a wedding experience or to a photobook). I don't know if you have a particular style (photo-journalistic, artistic, or both), but talk to your client to see which style they like. 

On the wedding day, make sure all your gear is all ready and show up early and NEVER NEVER ever be late!!

Wedding day will be hectic! There's tons of pictures you should defiantly get. Detail shots at bride home getting ready, bride alone, bridemaids, groom, groommen, bride+couple, couple+bridal party, family pictures with both sides, cousins, grandparents, etc.. If you have daylight, get that stuff done while you still have daylight. last thing you want to do is take them in dark with a dark background. 

if you have time, grab whatever tricks and poses you have in your bag with couple. find different locations to shoot, but not too many. you have limited time with the couple. 

Depending how the day goes, you might have 30 minutes or 2hrs to get that done. you never know what'll happen (long ceremonies, bride running late, grooms too drunk, lost limo, etc). 

when the reception starts, it's pretty much the same as much other wedding. make sure you're in the loop if anything out of the ordinary occurs. 


key photo tips - 
- understand your light
- understand your white balance (this will save you a ton time processing)
- learn to spot meter correctly
- make sure you have the right ISO, Shutter Speed and Aperture. 
- Do not be rapid firing your camera like crazy. Know what you want and frame it
- Learn to read your histogram, especially for novice. 


each wedding photographer takes their own certain number of pictures. i normally do around 800-1000. i can take 2k or 3k photos if i wanted to, but do i really want to process that many photos? each is their own. I shoot mainly in JPG, but since camera has dual memory slots, i can record JPG and RAW separately. but since i understand my white balance and lighting, i never had to touch my RAW for post processing. anyway, you'll be surprise how often photographers forget to check their camera settings when they change environments and just start shooting away. 

good luck! you certainly have your work cut out for you if you're a beginner! i've been there before, but i trained as a second photographer to learn the ropes before i transition to the next level.


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## blaydese (Mar 13, 2013)

emag said:


> 'Better' is relative....'more useful for you' would be the appropriate phrase. Don't get the 24-105 by itself, get it as a kit lens when you go FF. I think you'll do an excellent job with this shoot and that the 60D will soon be a backup to a 6D.



I'll never buy a "Kit" again.  :'(

It'll be a long long long time before I can afford another body. :-[ 

Got $2,600.00 I can have? ;D

Peace! 8)


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## ewg963 (Mar 13, 2013)

reactionart said:


> This is my first post in CR .
> I'm not a pro photographer either but I do have couple of dozens weddings in my belt.
> I'll give you some *do's and don'ts. * Your 60D will be sufficient enough to cover the entire event. Make sure just carry the batteries and cards with you at all times. If the light permits, shoot without flash, natural light most times look more pleasing plus people tend to get annoyed with flash a lot. If 420ex is the only flash you can get then use it wisely and be careful of bouncing it. At times it'll bounce unwanted tints to your subject.
> If you can get the 50mm 1.8 II before the wedding. Do it. That will be your portrait lens, however since you only have 1 body be ready to switch lenses a lot, or just move a lot.
> ...


+1


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## Orangutan (Mar 13, 2013)

Here's my advice from a previous thread, it's mostly applicable here. Good luck, and enjoy!



Orangutan said:


> * Talk to the bride, in person, and make sure she understands the expectations. The fact that your friend says it's OK is not good enough. Her needs/wants/expectations may be different from his.
> 
> * Weddings move fast, so simplify as much as you can. Don't expect to have lots of time to change gear.
> 
> ...


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## RLPhoto (Mar 13, 2013)

Inspiron41 said:


> first thing, you can shoot any wedding with any gear...even with a smartphone. be confident! you don't need a Canon 1Dx to get stunning pictures or great memorable pictures that'll last a life time.



I agree that the gear doesn't really matter to produce great photo's, but once you start to take on paid and serious work, you'll need the basic kit. Kinda reminds me of this....


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## wickidwombat (Mar 14, 2013)

regarding shooting weddings with any gear, I disagree and so does judge joe brown 
(i know i've posted this before but its just so funny) I like the nat geo cartoon too RL

Judge Joe Brown - Cheap wedding photographer


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## Forceflow (Mar 14, 2013)

Well, I've done a couple of wedding shoots as an unpaid amateur and so far I am still friends with all the couples. so it can be done, but never the less it WILL be stressful. 

I've written a small journal about doing wedding photography as a non-pro: 
http://christophmaier.deviantart.com/journal/Wedding-Photography-243847778
(If you are a deviantArt member comments are highly welcome) For all those not being part of deviantArt here is the journal:


*1) Expectations of the couple:*
Does the couple want professional pictures without paying the price? There is a reason why pro wedding photographers are expensive. You don't get any do-overs, no 'smile-agains' and certainly no 'lets-say-our-vows-agains'. If you miss a special event it's gone, period. Being a non-pro will most likely mean you'll miss on some things, or wont be able to capture some perfectly, that's why you do it for free (or at least much less than any pro would). If they know this and you feel that they truly understand this you are good to proceed. Now a lot of folks will tell you differently, but I have done 6 weddings now and all of them were satisfied with my work even though it was far from professional. They all knew what they were getting into when choosing me and I believed them when they said so. (Note, there are some weddings that I would not do because I know those folks just have different standards) Also, make sure you get a list from them of all the must-have events and people. Carry that list with you and cross things off as you go.
*2) Equipment:*
Make sure you have plenty of backup. Two bodies are an absolute must. You do not want to show up on a wedding and have your gear fail halfway through the show. Plus it's always good to have two bodies with different lenses available. The less you change lenses the more pictures you'll be able to take. (And the less danger of breaking something while juggling two lenses and a body without any place to put anything down) also, multiple memory cards are a must and it goes without saying that each body should have at least one spare battery. (And all of them should be charged the night before) You should also have at least one flash with plenty of batteries as well. I would also recommend to have a tripod ready and to make use of a second flash. Depending on the location and shooting you want to do you might want to consider a spare set of clothes as well. Sometimes you'll have to work in a field, kneel or lay down in order to get a good shot. Always good to have something else to change into then.
*3) Location:*
Check it out beforehand. Where is it exactly, where can you park your car and how far do you have to carry around your gear. Will there be lot's of indoor or more outdoor shooting. Where would be a good place for a group shot (make sure you know how many guests are expected) Where are some good spots for family photos (bride and groom plus parents, plus brides maids, only parents, only brides maids, etc) And where are some good locations to have some special photos taken of just the couple. (Made a lovely shot with a couple walking away from me through a wine-field and then running towards me for example) If possible try to find at least some time where you and the couple is alone. (Either before the ceremony or maybe between the ceremony and the reception)
*4) Guest list:*
Get a guest list beforehand and make sure you know who are the important people besides the couple. (Family, extended family, special guests) Try to get at least one shot of every guest. (See 'Guest book' for some advice on that) Have a long lens to make 'sneaky' pictures of people. The best portraits on events like that are done when people do not see you taking the picture.
*5) Special Events:*
Contact the best man and maid of honor to see if and what special events are planned. (Fireworks, surprise band, letting go balloons, etc) The couple will not necessarily know all the events that will need to be photographed and you might need to do some special preparations as well.
*6) Guest book:*
This is something I've done a couple of times and that has been very well received. It also helps immensely with keeping track of who has already been photographed as well. Get a small picture printer (Canon Selphy is my choice) and set it up somewhere on the main location. Get an empty picture frame and photograph everybody while they hold the frame. (Do try to do small groups like couples, work colleagues, families etc) Print out the photo and hand it to them together with the guest book. Idea is that they stick the photo into the book and write their wishes to the couple. Have the guest list ready and make sure people mark it when they've done it. Be aware though that you can't do this alone! You'll be busy photographing everything else, but since those pics don't need to be of the best quality it can be handed down to someone else. A good bet would be some close friends of the couple or maybe some relatives. (Cousins are a good choice as well) Do make sure that they know how to use a camera though. (Ask around in advance, but there's a good bet you'll find plenty of people glad to help and there's no need that only one person does it) This is a wonderful present to give the couple right after the wedding to take to the honeymoon.
*7) Work:*
Don't take the job lightly. Photographing a wedding is a lot of work. Not only is it stressful but it's also physically demanding. You will carry around a lot of gear throughout the day and you will do a lot or running around as well. Once I did a shoot outside for several hours in 38°C (100.4 ºF) Since I had to take pictures of all the folks standing in the shade I ended up standing in the sun a lot. (Luckily I had a hotel room there so I was able to change and shower during the day) So be prepared for that. Also make sure you get some food before everything start because chances are that you will not have a lot of time to eat during the event. And last but not least there will be the post-processing. Simply sifting through your images to see what is good and what is bad might take a while and then editing whatever picture you want to use will take an even longer time. Make sure you either have some free days right after the event or prepare the couple that they might need to wait a while until they see the final product. (Once I shot a wedding in both RAW and JPG and transferred all JPGs to the grooms laptop after the wedding to give them an idea of what to expect once I was done) If you regularly do a lot of pictures you might also look into something like Adobe Lightroom (or Aperture if you are a Mac user). It will let you mass edit and process photos very easily. I don't personally use it, but then I don't shoot weddings that often. It can be a real time saver though!
*8) Church wedding*
Should there be a religious ceremony involved make sure you know how much is allowed inside the church or wherever it is being performed. In one of my wedding shoots the priest forbid all photography during the actual ceremony. (The couple wasn't too happy about it but his house, his rules.) Also, not all couples want pictures of this moment because it can be distracting. (In order to get a good view you would have to either set up a remote camera or run around in plain view. Often also in areas that are 'off-limits' to regular folks) Talk to them about this a couple of days before the wedding so that they also have time to ask the priest what is acceptable and what is not. If you are allowed to take pictures but cannot use a flash make sure you have some fast glass available. Canon's 50mm 1.8 is a cheap but good lens to do that. Everything else will cost you a lot of money, so consider renting equipment for shoots like this. Canon's 50mm 1.4 or Sigma's 85mm 1.4 would come to mind. Else there's an amazing 50mm 1.2 from Canon, but be sure to rent them beforehand so you can actually work with them first. Shooting with such wide apertures will result in a very slim depth-of-field and it's not as easy to use! (Especially when all you normally use is an aperture of 2.8 or smaller)
*9) Be the photographer*
Should you be the main photographer you should have the couple announce this and set some ground rules. A lot of folks tend to be there doing photos themselves but everybody should know that you come first when it comes to the important shots. Also helps for group shots when everybody knows who to look at and who to listen to. (Had that problem recently where I was nearly drowned in other 'photographers' and everybody was looking at a different camera) The couple might also want to limit some events to be photographed just by you and ask everybody else to refrain from taking pictures. (Especially during any ceremonies things can get very distracting and noisy if a lot of people try to get some pictures) Also, especially when doing group shots do not be afraid to yell. Lot's of people make lot's of noise and the bigger the group the farther away you'll end up as well. Tell the people what you want. If some huge wrestler stands in front of the brides maids it's not going to be a good picture. Tell him to get behind the people where he can still be seen. Speaking of being seen, tell the people the simple rule, they can't see you? Then they wont be in the picture! (Amazing how many people appear to not grasp that concept)
*10) Don't take one, take two!*
... or more pictures. Things mess up, people look stupid and lighting might not be the best. Last wedding I did a lot of shooting with my flash, but I tried to do two shots of each photograph in quick succession so that the second shot was without the flash. (Sometimes had to do three for that) Some photos look better with flash, some without and I for once can never tell in advance what it will be. If I do portraits I very often do two shots in quick succession as well, a small change of expression sometimes makes all the difference between an average and wonderful shot. Does certainly add a whole lot of work to it though. (See point 7  ) And do check your work often, you don't want to realize the day after that you had a bad setting on your camera. (Once did a whole shoot with ISO 1600 without noticing, thankfully it was just some outdoor work I did for myself, pretty much threw all of those out...)
*11) Contract and model release form*
Now, while this is mostly geared towards the non-pro who does it for free this should still be mentioned. A contract is never a bad thing, and as soon as money starts changing hands it's an absolute must. As the laws differ from country to country (and then even from state to state) I wont go into detail here, but only state a few points. See if there is a photography club somewhere in your are and ask them for advice on contracts. What is needed by law, what should and should not be included. Either way be sure to have a very clear description of what is expected of you. Things like pre-wedding shoots, engagement shoots, additional portraits, etc should all be written into the contract if you are expected to do them. It should also be clear if you provide full-res digital pictures or if you will provide the prints for a fee. (Something that is very often done by wedding photographers) Also the question how much editing is expected from you and if there are any must-have moments that need to be photographed in order to be paid. (And I would certainly rule out any penalty payments should something not work out) If you wish to publish the photographs you did during the wedding be sure to also get a model release form from the couple. Again, laws differ extremely so be sure to ask someone who knows the rules and regulations when it comes to release forms. In Germany for example it would not be enough to simply get the couples agreement but you would absolutely need a model release form from everybody who's picture will be published. (Minus group shots, but the definition is somewhat unclear in Germany) As a rule of thumb I simply do not publish photographs from weddings.
*12) Assist in a wedding shoot* (Okay, obviously not happening in this case)
Now again, as a non-pro who plans to do only a single shoot this might not be suitable. But if you plan on doing this as a pro you should absolutely try and find a pro wedding photographer who will let you tag along on a few weddings. This will certainly be the best preparation possible and depending on the deal you make with the photographer might even make you some cash.


I hope that helps. *Be very, very sure about the expectations from the couple however!* There are some friends of mine where I would never be the photographer because I know they would expect the full pro package. (And I know I am nowhere near good enough for that) But if their expectations match up with your skill I see no reason not to do it. (Other than the fact that it will be a lot of work and you'll pretty much miss the wedding even though you are there all the time)


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## distant.star (Mar 14, 2013)

.
That's funny. Reminds me of the time I hired a young man as an editor. I based my decision largely on his having worked for National Geographic. How could I go wrong if he'd worked with them as an editorial employee? Turns out he was dreadful -- he couldn't find his own desk each morning without asking someone where he should sit. He didn't last long. I think he may have gone back to National Geo!!





RLPhoto said:


> I agree that the gear doesn't really matter to produce great photo's, but once you start to take on paid and serious work, you'll need the basic kit. Kinda reminds me of this....


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## blaydese (Mar 18, 2013)

Forceflow said:


> Well, I've done a couple of wedding shoots as an unpaid amateur and so far I am still friends with all the couples. so it can be done, but never the less it WILL be stressful.
> 
> I've written a small journal about doing wedding photography as a non-pro:
> http://christophmaier.deviantart.com/journal/Wedding-Photography-243847778
> (If you are a deviantArt member comments are highly welcome) For all those not being part of deviantArt here is the journal:



That does help and thanks for the info !

Peace! 8) ;D


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## Northstar (Mar 18, 2013)

wickidwombat said:


> regarding shooting weddings with any gear, I disagree and so does judge joe brown
> (i know i've posted this before but its just so funny) I like the nat geo cartoon too RL
> 
> Judge Joe Brown - Cheap wedding photographer




Judge Joe nailed it!


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## blaydese (Mar 23, 2013)

Shoot is over... now to process the pictures.. 

Until then, we'll see how it....GOES !!


Wedding Photography Fail

.
.
.
.
.
.
Peace! 8)


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## Northstar (Mar 24, 2013)

blaydese said:


> Shoot is over... now to process the pictures..
> 
> Until then, we'll see how it....GOES !!
> 
> ...



incredible video...wow.


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## danski0224 (Mar 24, 2013)

wickidwombat said:


> regarding shooting weddings with any gear, I disagree and so does judge joe brown
> (i know i've posted this before but its just so funny) I like the nat geo cartoon too RL



Damn, he ripped them a new one.


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## cayenne (Mar 24, 2013)

danski0224 said:


> wickidwombat said:
> 
> 
> > regarding shooting weddings with any gear, I disagree and so does judge joe brown
> ...



Yep...sounded like the Judge knew his way around a camera too....that didn't help the "professionals' a bit....


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## Forceflow (Mar 25, 2013)

blaydese said:


> Shoot is over... now to process the pictures..
> Wedding Photography Fail
> .
> .
> ...



Uh... that would be BAD! Especially since it looks like he had both his bodies getting drenched. Even if they survived that he most likely couldn't take any more pictures that day...


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## blaydese (Mar 31, 2013)

Okay, processing is done... ??? 

THESE ARE LOW QUALITY RESIZED COPIES 
IT WAS A BRIGHT SUNNY DAY, LITTLE SHADE AND HOT AS HELL, 
I DID MY BEST TO GET THEM DONE AND BACK IN THE A/C AS SOON AS 
POSSIBLE. I HAVE A CRAPPY CRAPPY KIT LENS EF 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS

.... AND THEY WANTED HDR LOOKING SHOTS, BLACK AND WHITE, ETC. 

I'M POSTING SOME RANDOM GOOD (NOT GREAT) AND SOME BAD ONES SO YOU 
CAN SEE MY RANGE,.... PLEASE BE KIND !

 8)  :-[ :-X :-\ :'(

It was a good day, so here are the results / outcome:

1) I took too much gear, flashes, tripods, etc.
2) I took a desk fan and extension cord SO WORTH IT ! It was freaking HOT!
3) Laptop worked great, while I ate, moved pics from SD card to laptop. 
4) My son helped out, that was good, two people is way better than one.
5) I took 1,547 pictures, about 350 came out okay, 10-15 were good, none were excellent. 
6) I made a CD of the pictures, a photo story DVD and two printed albums for them.
7) Getting $500.00 and investing in this: http://www.amazon.com/Canon-70-300mm-USM-Telephoto-Cameras/dp/B0040X4PQI/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_S_nC?ie=UTF8&colid=BXUXWWTANG66&coliid=I2JEP8WCBHXD6





























































PLEASE BE KIND ! MY FIRST (PROBABLY LAST *cry* ) WEDDING SHOOT !

Before you reply, watch this.... ;D w w w . y o u t u b e . c o m / w a t c h ? v = 3 i 6 T 8 Y t B X m A 


PEACE! 8)


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## Inspiron41 (Mar 31, 2013)

Oyy, I would not be happy with these photos at all. I'm going to be critical because you get nowhere if I told you were these were fantastic. 
1. Both couples look unhappy in all the photos. The bride only smiled once. The groom never once smile it seems. 
2. You really need to study some more basic poses and stances. They're just standing. (Eg. Holding each other, looking into either other eyes, kissing, smiling)
3. bride's arm. Yeah, they look big. Yes, there's stuff you can do to thin it out or hide it. 
4. You need to back them away from the background.
5. You needed to use flash in a couple of them to pop the shade. Dark shadows on faces just make people look old and unflattering. Or you can rotate them till you have favorable lighting in that shade. 
6. The guys hands/arms. Dont have it just dangling it. It's a prop too. Either put in his pocket. Put it around her waist. Cover and hide her big arms. Hold her wedding ring hand. Theres things you do with. Same goes with the bride. 

Well, I'm sure there's more things I can rip into, but I'm being nice. If you serious about doing more wedding photography and couple poses, you gotta study more poses, master your lighting, understand your white balance, and practice more with some live couples.


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## Northstar (Mar 31, 2013)

blaydese said:


> Okay, processing is done... ???
> 
> THESE ARE LOW QUALITY RESIZED COPIES
> IT WAS A BRIGHT SUNNY DAY, LITTLE SHADE AND HOT AS HELL,
> ...



More smiling would have been nice...but not bad for your first time.


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## RLPhoto (Mar 31, 2013)

The first one is nice except for the flowers cutting the frame corner. It's your strongest image here.


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## hgraf (Mar 31, 2013)

cayenne said:


> danski0224 said:
> 
> 
> > wickidwombat said:
> ...



We do have to remember that it's a TV show, so they are "playing things up" alot.

That said, I think the Judge made the right choice, but not necessarily for the right reasons. Yes, their gear was very low entry level (I don't know what year this was, but he does mention a 7D, which tells me the XTi they were using was QUITE old even back when this show was aired), but to base the decision just on that is not fair. A good photographer can take an XTi and an 18-55 kit lens and still get great shots.

I think the main problem is what they produced DID suck, and they didn't seem to know ANYTHING about their gear. He asked them the speed of the lens, they didn't know?? He asked a few times what aperture they were shooting, they didn't know. 

Even the newest newb type photographer who's into this stuff would know that. These "photographers" portrayed themselves as glorified point and shoot people, that's what did them in.

Oh, and they were also really annoying, they probably didn't help. Calling anyone old is usually not a good idea, they judge hearing your case? BAD idea.


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## robbymack (Mar 31, 2013)

first off congrats for putting yourself out there and actually doing this. For sure groom is one grumpy guy, gotta do more to get him to smile. I don't get the branches cutting the frame on one of them, flowers in the others, and the pictures of the hands and rings are a little creepy mostly because you really didn't have the equipment to reproduce that shot (generally shot wide open, rings with creamy background). That all being said considering the limitations of the gear and you not having done this before I think you did just fine. Sure they could have been better with some more posing, paying a little more attention to the groom smiling and picking a few better locations, but it is what it is at this point. I can assure you you probably did a better job than they expected, and certainly better than someone they would have hired for the paltry sum they were willing to pay.


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## cayenne (Mar 31, 2013)

I"d also like to echo the thoughts of some of the others by saying congratulations on getting in there and doing that first one!!!

That is the toughest part I think. I'm hoping in the near future, I can do my 'first' too....my problem is, I've dodged marriage all these years, I'd not even know what goes on at weddings for what you need to take. 

I"m going to try to get on as a 2nd or 3rd camera.....and learn that way.

As to the photos....yeah, they need to be smiling more, supposed to be a happy day.


Those kind of looks come the week after when they realize what they've actually done...hahaha.
I joke, I kid...

What are you using for post production? Did you shoot all RAW?

Glad you got your feet wet......keep at it!!

cayenne


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## distant.star (Mar 31, 2013)

.
What a treat!

I've seen so many people come here and ask about shooting a wedding. Pages and pages of advice are given, most of it good and worth reading -- all of it worth considering. Then, nothing. We never hear back. Don't know if the shoot was done, how it went, did anyone get killed!! So, thanks for being considerate of the folks who tried to be helpful.

Given your skill level I think you did as well as could be expected. The new family now has sufficient visual triggers to carry them back to their beginnings -- and flood the hearts with nostalgia. Can't ask for much more.

My self-critique is that I did not tell you the people in front of the camera in posed shots will reflect the person behind the camera. The best event shooters I've seen were always gregarious people persons -- or more likely had the ability to transform themselves into that at the event. They will smile if they know you're smiling!

If you're not burned out at this point, you may want to watch this video about shooting events:

How to Photograph Events and Make Money Doing It


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## Sporgon (Mar 31, 2013)

This thread has reminded me why I have never _ever_ photographed a wedding despite having been in photography for over 30 years. 

The OP's pictures are also a good example of how a successful photo has little to do with the equipment it's shot on, it's the person using it who must create the picture.

By far the best advice given in this thread is go and assist an experienced wedding 'tog' at a couple of weddings.

But the OP's brave for sharing his first attempt, and with the good advice given we can all look forward to the second one


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## blaydese (Apr 1, 2013)

Thank you everyone, and thanks for the tips.

I know I have a KIT LENS  : and I _did _ do my best. ;D


..and by the way, he did smile, not much, HE'S SHY and IT WAS REALLY HOT AND MISERABLE OUT... so ....

He did smile...I just did not post them... there are a lot more, but here is enough PROOF 

















PEACE! 8)​


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## rpt (Apr 1, 2013)

blaydese said:


> Thank you everyone, and thanks for the tips.
> 
> I know I have a KIT LENS  : and I _did _ do my best. ;D
> 
> ...



I love the B&W and the sepia. They look just great! Congratulations! Well done.


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## wickidwombat (Apr 2, 2013)

I have to agree with most others points
but good on you for having a go

one thing thats bugging me still is how soft these images are looking 
softer than the 60D and lens combo should be giving which leads me to think it could be 
something in you post processing workflow

if I PM you an email address would you email me a raw file of one of your best shots so i can have a look
and try help out a bit more?


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## blaydese (Apr 3, 2013)

I made them soft, I applied Orton or 
Lomo effect or both to the pictures in 
ACDSee 14. Well not all of them, but
most of them.

Peace! 8)


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## Kristofgss (Apr 3, 2013)

They are better than my first attempt of doing something like this anyway, ;D so congratulations on your work. 
In hindsight for the following images
1) removing the flowers in the top right as they draw attention would give it more balance.
2) having sunlight reflected (something like a foldable reflector) onto them to brighten the couple up compared to the background.
4) the green is a bit overpowering. maybe desaturate the colors a little more to give it a more subdued look?
6) same as others remarked, the branch is too attention-grabbing
7) someone snuck up on you and is visible in the frame, so maybe some recropping.

Having said all that, I'd have been perfectly happy with a picture like number one and three and the sepia ones. so I'd say very nice work.


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## tomscott (Apr 3, 2013)

Good job! Maybe slightly saturated but good first shoot


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## Dylan777 (Apr 3, 2013)

blaydese said:


> Okay, processing is done... ???
> 
> THESE ARE LOW QUALITY RESIZED COPIES
> IT WAS A BRIGHT SUNNY DAY, LITTLE SHADE AND HOT AS HELL,
> ...



I know you did your best with your current gear. IF this is your long term career, PLEASE start invest $$$ into FF body and some L lenses. The IQ on these pictures look like everyday photos(not wedding) - I'm sorry to say that. 

You seem to have passion and skills as wedding shooter. However, your current gear seems to limit you from being a great shooter.


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## wickidwombat (Apr 4, 2013)

ok after looking at the raw and giving it a quick run through adobe camera raw (same functions as lightroom, i didnt want to setup a whole catalogue  )

it's a good shot exposure is spot on it quite sharp focus is on the brides eyes 
it was good you stopped the lens down a bit f6.3
if you'd gone f8 it probably would have been a bit sharper

all i did was add a little clarity, punched up the vibrance added a little saturation
warmed it slightly and added a little magenta
pulled up the black point a bit

I added in 45 sharpening with a mask of around 30 and added a little noise reduction to clean up the aps-c sensor noise
also a slight curve adjustment boosting the shadows slightly

I really think the issue is using photomatix it's softening the images considerably and gives the skin tones a sickly look

I think the camera and lens is fine its the post processing that needs a bit of work
If you are going to get into more of this stuff i would recommend getting lightroom its quite cheap, fast and effective

this is also with camera faithfull, the adobe standard setting is a bit warmer, saturated and contrasty

below is 100% crop


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## blaydese (Apr 4, 2013)

wickidwombat,

Thank you very much and I agree my 
post processing skills need A LOT of 
work, I've only started doing "processing" 
in the last year'ish.

I've added to my list of "gear" to buy for this 
hobby of mine, Adobe Lightroom. Just not now, 
I'm strapped for cash and a new lens is at the top 
of the list.

I also agree photomatix ONLY works in JPEG and 
well I know I'm loosing LOTS of sharpness when I 
use DPP to convert from CR2 to JPEG. Does Adobe 
LR work in RAW? Can you process HDR in Adobe LR?


Thanks for taking the time to work on this, it's one 
thing to be a critic, it's another and more admirable 
to actually help a guy and check his actual product
and work with that product to help INVESTIGATE the
root cause.

+100 to wickidwombat ! 


Peace! 8)


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## wickidwombat (Apr 4, 2013)

Photomatix has a lightroom plugin which you can install so can run it within LR!

Lightroom works with all raw files I usually convert the files to DNG lightroom operates on all files in prophoto RGB and then you convert to SRGB or adobe rgb when you export the files.

if you really want a new lens and are strapped for cash 
the absolutely best bang for buck you will get is the 40mm f2.8 STM

but honestly to me it looks like there is nothing wrong with your 18-135 its producing fine images
work on your post processing while you save up for L glass and get the 40mm to satisfy your lens craving 
it really stands shoulder to shoulder with most L lenses in IQ

$150 ish when on sale its an absolute bargain and is as sharp across the frame as a good copy 24-70 f2.8 mk 1 is in the center and it kills the L lens in the corners bokeh on the 40mm is very very similar to the 70-200 f2.8 II

i would say get this lens, lightroom and maybe look at a flash and some of those new yongnuo 622 trigger by the sounds of it they deliver the goods for a bargain price

then save up for a longer lens

keep using the 18-135 but just remember to keep it stopped down and you will still produce good images
as i said there is nothing wrong with that image you sent me, you nailed the exposure and focus was good

another tip for the areas of heavy greenery is i like to desaturate the green channel to stop it overpowering the people
and the green foliage looks a bit more muted and cool


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## cayenne (Apr 4, 2013)

blaydese said:


> wickidwombat,
> 
> Thank you very much and I agree my
> post processing skills need A LOT of
> ...



If it helps, you can do what I'm about to do.

I'm going to sign up to "enroll" at a local community college locally. I'll pay $50 for the registration fee and they'll give me a EDU photo id.

With this, I can then buy the Adobe products with the HUGE educational discount. I'm going for the full blown CS6 Production Suite...I can get it for like $499 regular price like $1499 or so (I'll have to go look for exact #'s).

But even if you only want one or two programs, this is a good way to get a HUGE discount.

And yes, I've read the TOS, and even with educational version, you are perfectly free and legal to use it for money making commercial uses.


So, for a bit of time, a $50 investment, you'll be able to get a lot of all sorts of software for a substantial educational discount.

Just registering for school and getting the ID, you needing even sign up to take a course in most places to get the ID.

HTH,

cayenne


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## wickidwombat (Apr 5, 2013)

he's in Japan but in any case full version of Lightroom is only $180 student version is only about $80 I think
Photoshop well thats a whole other kettle of fish


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## blaydese (Apr 7, 2013)

Thanks for the tips, both of you. 


I bought LR... got a discount at checkout, so not too bad... BUT. :-[ :-\ not impressed.


ACDSee 15 http://www.acdsee.com/en/products/acdsee-15

...has more features IMO, yeah there are a few things (Only an hour of 
playing around with LR) that LR can do more than ACDSee, but it's about 
the same, I mean, it's manipulating an image, if the image is already crappy 
(in my case because I have a F&^%ing kit lens 18-135mm S) then there is ONLY 
so much ACDSee and LR are going to fix. 

*Le sigh* I think I need to focus more on my actions while taking pictures,
learning my camera more and ... LEARNING HOW TO SHOOT.

Manual mode is just so damn hard, either I overexpose, get noise, no depth, 
get blurry shots, etc. etc.

Peace! :-\ 8)


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## Hobby Shooter (Apr 7, 2013)

blaydese said:


> Thanks for the tips, both of you.
> 
> 
> I bought LR... got a discount at checkout, so not too bad... BUT. :-[ :-\ not impressed.
> ...


Hey, nice to see the results. You must be happy to havet the first one done. The other guys are better skilled to give advice. I have one comment though. The picture where he holds her from behind, they are in the centre of the frame. Try to change a little bit in the composition and it will pop out more. Google portrait tips, three are tons of great articles on the subject. Ive learned alot from it.

LR is great and again you can learn tons just from online material. I look forward to see more on your FB.


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## Dylan777 (Apr 7, 2013)

blaydese said:


> Thanks for the tips, both of you.
> 
> 
> I bought LR... got a discount at checkout, so not too bad... BUT. :-[ :-\ not impressed.
> ...



Good hardware(FF + L lenses) will capture good RAWs - then software


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## wickidwombat (Apr 7, 2013)

blaydese said:


> Thanks for the tips, both of you.
> 
> 
> I bought LR... got a discount at checkout, so not too bad... BUT. :-[ :-\ not impressed.
> ...



i highly recomend the scott kelby lightroom book its got lots of easy to follow tutorials


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## danski0224 (Apr 7, 2013)

blaydese said:


> I know I'm loosing LOTS of sharpness when I
> use DPP to convert from CR2 to JPEG.



This caught my eye.

Is there truth to this?


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## wickidwombat (Apr 8, 2013)

danski0224 said:


> blaydese said:
> 
> 
> > I know I'm loosing LOTS of sharpness when I
> ...



not really

its the processing of the jpg files that is causing the problem 
all processing should be done on the raw file then when editing is complete it should be converted to jpg


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## blaydese (Apr 15, 2013)

Again, thanks for the tips, and advice. 

As for the convert from RAW to JPEG, are you sure you don't lose sharpness? 
I could have sworn I saw some sharpness drop off, but then again, I'm making 
use of a large 46" Plasma monitor and maybe it's just my monitor and old eyes. ???

Lastly, thank you very much to all the Canon Rumor folks, 
such a great bunch of folks, I just came from another forums w
here they're rude, pre-madonna, and down right mean. 

Cut a novice some slack will ya? :-\


Peace! 8)


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## Grumbaki (Apr 25, 2013)

wickidwombat said:


> I really think the issue is using photomatix it's softening the images considerably and gives the skin tones a sickly look



Might interest you to know that most software are racists. (j/k)

I don't know if it's your case but using any kind of auto setting related to skin tones generally end up in big fails with asians. That particularly true when there is very present make up.

Just have to do everything manually.


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