One-off wedding shoot - sanity check please :)

pwhysall

pwhysall

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So, some friends of mine are getting married, and they've asked me to point the camera. It's all going to be paid for, so no worries about being asked to do it free or anything like that. I'm not setting up as a wedding tog.

I have a 6D with 50mm f/1.8 and 40mm f/2.8 primes, a 17-40mm f/4 UWA and a 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 stabilised zoom.

To do the job, I'm planning on renting another body just in case (5D3 prolly, or another 6d) and a fast longer prime - 85mm f/1.4 or thereabouts.

I think i'll be good with the 40mm, 85mm and 17-40mm. I've also got a 430EXii Speedlite; I will be getting a flashbender and a diffuser to go with it.

I'll be meeting with the couple to work up a shotlist and talk about prints and stuff. I don't know anything about the venue at the moment, so I'll have to ask some questions around that.

My plan is to shoot handheld as much as possible, to capture the relaxed and informal atmosphere that the couple are after.

I've no doubt that I've said at least one stupid thing in these words, so does anyone have any advice for me?
 
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Based on my very limited experience of wedding photos one thing is to very much see yourself as the photographer and not in any way as guest/friend.
 
You might find the need for a fast wider prime such as a 35 1.4 as well Peter. You've got the 17-40 but at f4, even with flash, you might struggle for wider group stuff.

I think you should be aiming to shoot it all handheld as well, if you were thinking of going down the tripod/monopod route I'd highly discourage it.
 
Chris: Good point. One part of my plan is to agree, ahead of time, when I'll put the camera down (sometime in the early evening, probably), at which point I'll pick my pint up :)

Danny: I've been hankering after a fast wide prime anyway. I very much like the idea of not having to take a tripod with me (the wedding is in Tuscany. Oh, woe is me, what an awful task lies ahead, etc).
 
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pwhysall said:
Danny: I've been hankering after a fast wide prime anyway. I very much like the idea of not having to take a tripod with me (the wedding is in Tuscany. Oh, woe is me, what an awful task lies ahead, etc).
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Even if you just rent one Lensesforhire do the Sigma 35 1.4 Art (amazing lens) for about 30-40 notes for about 5 days rental. Worth thinking about as it'll make your life so much easier. Last thing you want to be doing is carting a tripod around in the Tuscan heat!

Have a blast Peter! ;)
 
Definitely a good idea to rent a 2nd body, would be embarrassing if the first one failed! I would also agree with having something wide and fast, I don't know about the Canon ranges much but even a 1.8 wide prime is 2+ stops faster than the 17-40.
 
pwhysall said:
400 quid at lensesforhire gets me a 6D, a 35mm f/1.2 and an 85mm f/1.2 for 8 days.

To use a technical term, "bish bash bosh, job jobbed."
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Now THAT'S a cracking setup! You'll probably find you'll manage just fine with the 35 on one body and the 85 on the other - that's now I operate anyway.

Hardest part will be sending them back to LFH :)
 
Are you actually OK taking hired gear out of the UK?
 
Going back to your earlier point about when to put the camera down, make sure you have a well agreed time with the couple. I've done 2 friends/family weddings, where I made it clear I would do any pre-ceremony photos, ceremony, then groups. Then I would sit down for the breakfast with friends, have a drink etc, then pick it up again to do speeches & cake/first dance. After that the camera went away and stayed firmly away!

Seemed to work pretty well.

Are you taking a partner/+1? Warn them they won't see much of you all day, the last wedding I did was the first one I'd photographed with my GF there and she didn't see a great deal of me til about 4pm! :-)
 
Just a thought could you consider buying a 2nd hand 6d and those lenses and then selling them upon your return? At worst you should break even, or thereabouts. Could save you £400!
 
If I was going to Tuscany I'd only take the 35mm and 85mm. No way would I take a tripod. Maybe the zoom for back up.

Sounds awesome. Enjoy!
 
A new development! The bride and groom are apparently driving down there, so I may have the opportunity to just sling all my camera gear in the back of their car.

This means I can TAKE ALL THE THINGS!

:D
 
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