Some advice please.

phlodge

phlodge

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Hi

Just wanted a bit of help if possible.

A friend of mine has asked me to photograph his daughter’s wedding, it’s one of those “my mates got a camera jobs” .
Its low key, nothing fancy and only 10 guests and the couple don’t want to spend much so I said I would help them out.

I have a Nikon D7100 and D300 (which I shall be selling in the next month or so) and a recently purchased Olympus OMD EM10 used for travel.
I have access to several lenses for both systems so I think I am covered as regards that.

The room is not very large and as it’s in early January so the opportunity to go outside may be limited due to the British weather.

Nikon D7100/D300 .. 85mm f1:4, 24-70mm f2:8, 50mm f1:8. 12-28mm f4, 70-200 f2.8
Olympus OMD 10 .. 17mm, 45mm, 60mm.

My question relates to what would you take, my thoughts are drifting towards the D7100 and the Olympus as this gives me 2 cameras and the convenience of one being light and small. Or would the D300 be a smarter move

Wisdom and thoughts would be appreciated.
Many thanks
Phil.
 
The majority of your Nikon lenses are fast enough for indoor work but I'd maybe be inclined to buy/borrow a flashgun as well to help you out with some bounce. In your shoes I'd use and switch between the 24-70 & 70-200. Maybe take the 12-24 too for any interior shots of the room etc.

Above all of that though just make sure you're managing expectations appropriately. Even though you say it's low key with a few guests if you balls it up you'll still be in the bad books.
 
Thanks for the input Danny-bhoy

I agree expectations are what it's all about
I have talked to the couple and got some ideas of what they like informal/documentary style seems to be their preference and I have visited the venue. Not sure there will be much space to use the 70-200

Guess the question remains though .. Olympus or D300 as a back-up

Cheers
 
Phil, with only 10 people at the wedding your opportunities for creating a wide range of documentary style images might be quite limited. I would advise you to include individual portraits of each attendee as well as controlled but relaxed groups. At the venue you can seek out good locations and backgrounds that these - on the steps, in doorways etc are quite good, as are balconies, courtyards or gardens if it's not too cold. Because you have far fewer photo opportunities than you would have an average sized wedding, I would also advise that you capture all the important little details, such as flowers, buttonholes, invitations, table settings and so forth.

You could put a fast tele zoom on your DSLR and fast wide prime on your OMD (such as the Oly 17 f1.8). I do advise having a flashgun with you, so you can bounce where possible and get it off-camera if you fancy doing some creative portraits.

What parts of the wedding are you photographing? Are you also an invited guest?
 
The only caveat I can add to the advice above is to check with the venue about the use of flash there. Some don't allow it at all, some don't during the ceremony but some allow it at any time!
 
I'd take both nikon bodies and the nikon lenses - theres nothing wrong with the OMD for weddings and portraits etc (as Lindsay regularly demonstrates) but I don't like the idea of having two different systems for a wedding as it limits back up options - plus theres the issue of trying to fit an incompatible lens whilst changing under stress

Like danny I'd put the 24-70 on one body and the 70-200 on the other (with the 85 and 50mm in you bag for back up)

I agree that a bounce head flash gun (or two) would be a good purchase/hire/borrow
 
Nod said:
The only caveat I can add to the advice above is to check with the venue about the use of flash there. Some don't allow it at all, some don't during the ceremony but some allow it at any time!
Click to expand...

And when working in unfamiliar territory like register office and hotels, beware flash bounceback off wall-hung pictures as well as mirrors and glass doors ...
 
Serendipitous Sid said:
And when working in unfamiliar territory like register office and hotels, beware flash bounceback off wall-hung pictures as well as mirrors and glass doors ...
Click to expand...

:agree: and those florecent exit signs which look insignificant to the naked eye but flourecse a bright yellow under flash light in the background of pictures (fortunately they are reasonably easy to clone out in PS)
 
Thanks for the much appreciated input, I do have a flash forgot to mention that.

I realise the limitations due to the small number of guests, the fact that there is no wedding car, its in a city centre hotel with no gardens or natural surroundings nearby and the weather will probably be naff. I have seen some interesting urban landscape nearby but its weather dependant.
The reception is in an open restaurant and there won't really be any photographic opportunities there, and anyway I am not invited.

So I like the idea of using the small details and props as a subject, thanks for that Lindsay (Love your work).

I have just arranged to go to the bride and grooms house to do some pre ceremony shots, i.e. getting ready as well as some of the neighbours are popping round for drinks and wishes. As suggested I may use the OMD at this stage with the 17mm as it will be indoors.

Fortunately they realise the possible lack of creative opportunities and that I am not an experienced wedding photographer, but they want me to do it.
Its my best mates daughter and they are a young couple living on one wage provided by the army so I am happy to help and do the best I can.

Note to self .. spend more time on this website as the people who visit it are clearly very helpful and happy to share their knowledge.

Phil.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Just yo add to the already excellent advice...

phlodge said:
... in a city centre hotel with no gardens or natural surroundings nearby and the weather will probably be naff. I have seen some interesting urban landscape nearby but its weather dependant.
The reception is in an open restaurant and there won't really be any photographic opportunities there, and anyway I am not invited.
.
Click to expand...
This really pressed my buttons, city centre, rain soaked pavements, massive windows with reflections, backlit rain, couples framed with umbrellas, large slabs of buildings for the creation of negative space, zebra crossings, traffic.

Forget the 'no wedding car' the nicest pictures you'll see of brides with cars, you wouldn't know what the car was, it's about using the body/windows as a frame. Rain on the glass? Trickier but better.

And not having an invite to the restaurant? Get in there and shoot right up to them eating, then go home for dinner and to download, see if you can get them to do the speeches and cake cutting before the meal.

Don't think about the cosy conservative parkland pictures you're missing, and start to think about the interesting city centre pictures you could be getting.
 
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Well that's food for thought, if I can get them out of the hotel there are some good urban locations nearby that would add some drama and provide a creative contrast to the normal romantic style of wedding pictures, which they don't want
Thanks
 
Well after a lot of advice and a restless night I did it.
Its was a blustery and chilly day in Manchester (nothing new there then) but managed to get everyone outside for 15 mins albeit they couldn't wait to go back due to thin dresses and bare shoulders. I did however manage to get everyone doing something silly and random which I like.
Everything went well, no drama's and I got complimented on my professionalism. I even enjoyed myself.
The fact that I knew most people there helped enormously and with only 10 people it wasn't like herding cats.

I used the D7100 most of the time with the 24-70 f2:8 and the D300 had a wide angle lens attached although it didn't come out much. The Olympus OMD EM 10 came into its own during the pre-wedding shots at the house, lack of intrusion due to small lenses gave me space to move around.
I certainly wouldn't want to do a large wedding and I won't be advertising my services, but I was happy to help a mate and I got paid for it and they were delighted with the results .. and thats what matters.
Not that I didn't before, but it makes one appreciate the work done by professional wedding photographers not just before and during the wedding but the amount of effort and time required afterwards.
Thanks for the help from everyone .. its was great.

Here are some images of the day, just to give you an idea of what I was up to.

View attachment 28364 View attachment 28366 View attachment 28367 View attachment 28368 View attachment 28369
 
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