Wedding Worries

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TragicDante

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Jonathan
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Hi, I shoot my first wedding in July and I am stressing over equipment. My primary is a D3 - secondary D60 - Lens 50m 1.8 and 24 - 70m 2.8 plus sb900 speed light. My equipment is quite good but how will I combine them. I use the D3 so much it’s like an extension of my arm but as for the d60 I find it quite sluggish and awkward to use. I cant use the 50m lens as it has no motor and won’t focus with the d60 so I was thinking of using the 24 - 70 on the D60 as its quite a bright lens and using the 50m on the D3 for the portrait shots. As for the speed light shall I use it mounted on the D3 and defuse with a bounce or just crank up that ISO - please help

Thanks in advance

www.jonathanmclaughlinphotography.co.uk
www.tragicdante.deviantart.com
 
That's a massive step between the D3 and the D60. Personally I'd either use the D3 for anything where there is less than perfet light and only use the D60 where you are outside in nice natural light. I know that won't be easy because you'll want to use them both together with different lenses on each.

If I were you I'd look at either upgrading the D60 to a D90 or a D300 and get your hands on a second flash. The SB900 is a great flash but you will want one on each camera and defiantely want a back up in case the 900 goes wrong for any reason.

If you are lucky (and nothing goes wrong with any of your equipment) then you could easily get away with doing an entire wedding with just a D3, 24-70mm and SB900. I don't think I'd want to do a wedding based on luck though.

Good luck :thumbs:
 
Personally I would just shoot with the D3 and the 24-70, switching lenses if you need to.

As for the speed light shall I use it mounted on the D3 and defuse with a bounce or just crank up that ISO - please help
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At the risk of sounding incredibly harsh, should you not know the answer to that before you book a wedding? Especially as it will depend on your style and what you like to shoot and your skills with using natural light or flash?
 
My advice is to have the equipment and your skills sorted before taking the job on. :)
 
I'd leave the D60 in my bag and swap the lenses around depending on your creative needs and the light levels.

In terms of flash - do you want to use it or do you prefer natural light? It's a whole debate in itself wether to go natural light or flash. Personally I use flash at times and mostly off camera - even if that means camera in one hand, flash in the other. If you're using the flash for fill outdoors in bright July sun you'll want the flash undiffused straight at the subjects (again off camera ideally).

Can't help thinking this could turn nasty........................:(
 
I do know the answer, the answer is two D3’s and 24 -70 on one and 70 -200 on the other, as not everyone can afford that!!!! My problem is with the d60 as my back up, I will happily shoot with the d3 buy if something went wrong my worry is with the d60. I may just rent another D3 and speed light.
 
I'd be using the D3 and just leave the D60 in the bag as a back-up.
You are going to need the flash at least for fill-in IMO, preferably off camera.
I also think you'll need a longer lens for some shots (a 70-200?).
 
I don't see any problem with you shooting the wedding with your 24-70 on the D3. Leave the D60 and the 50mm in the bag for backup.

How fast is your 24-70? I hear you when you say you prefer natural light but some wedding interiors can be very challenging for natural light, even with a fast lens. Be prepared to use flash if you have to and you really should have a spare flashgun - in your situatiuon I'd make that a priority. If your only gun goes tits up on the day you'll be snookered well and truly.

Do youself a big favour and go and check out the venue well in advance - take some light readings and youi'll know what you have to contend with, which will do a lot for your stress levels between now and then.;)
 
I would just use the D3 and keep the D60 as a get out of jail back up. I find there is much more time at weddings than you anticipate in advance when you are starting out. I would definitely have a clear and agreed list of "must take" photos and also look at plenty of other peoples work and make notes on ideas of what you would like to do. That way if the nerves to get to you then the notes will be there to help you out.
 
CT said:
...Do youself a big favour and go and check out the venue well in advance - take some light readings and youi'll know what you have to contend with, which will do a lot for your stress levels between now and then.;)
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:agree:

I always make at least two visits to the ceremony venue in different weather conditions to see what the light is likely to do to my shots. There are no guarantees but it's better to go in there with some kind of plan in case of difficulties.

There's an old military saying that I swear by for weddings (and most other stuff). It's called the "Seven 'P's"...

"Prior Planning and Preparation Prevents P**s Poor Performance"

Bin the D60 and find something else... Even a D80 is a better option!

Si
 
Spiritflier said:
:agree:

I always make at least two visits to the ceremony venue in different weather conditions to see what the light is likely to do to my shots. There are no guarantees but it's better to go in there with some kind of plan in case of difficulties.

There's an old military saying that I swear by for weddings (and most other stuff). It's called the "Seven 'P's"...

"Prior Planning and Preparation Prevents P**s Poor Performance"

Bin the D60 and find something else... Even a D80 is a better option!

Si
Click to expand...

Is that military....!?! I know it as P**s Poor Planning Produces P**s Poor Performance.
 
Gordon Scott said:
Is that military....!?! I know it as P**s Poor Planning Produces P**s Poor Performance.
Click to expand...

I dunno for sure but that's where I heard it first! :D

My version's better 'cos it's only got one swear word in it! :lol:
 
Thanks everyone for the comments but I really do not know what to do. I'm so used to the D3 and sb900 I need another as back up. I can not afford another D3 and sb900 and rental in northern Ireland is virtually non existent.
 
Hi Jonathan,

Do you not have any friends locally who are also Nikon owners who'd be happy to lend you the equipment you need for the day?

Si
 
Spiritflier said:
I dunno for sure but that's where I heard it first! :D

My version's better 'cos it's only got one swear word in it! :lol:
Click to expand...
I've always known it as Prior Planning Prevents P*ss Poor Performance :lol:

Anyway I agree with some others D3 with the zoom and flash on and D60 left in bag with 50mm but could prove useful inside a church using good old fashioned manual focus

If you're that stuck you could always hire an extra lens.
 
The 50mm and the D60 are not good enough to do a wedding properly, especially in a dark church where that combination hasn't a hope of focussing properly for you. You already have that focal length covered with the 24-70 anyway.

Are you being paid for the wedding? If so why not buy some gear now with your own money and use the wedding money when you get it to fill the hole!

At the very least you need another flash for the D60 as you have no idea how dark the church will be or what happens if your primary flash fails? And what are you going to do if there is 150+ people and they want a group shot? The 24-70 won't be wide enough unless you stand in the next parish!

Like you said, you really need another flash and a 70-200 to be able to do a wedding sufficiently. The body isn't quite as important but a D700 or D300 would do the job for you also if you can't stretch to a D3.

I don't care what other people tell you, it cannot be done 100% correctly with inferior equipment. I've had both and the difference is night and day. I'm sure you are well aware of the difference between the D3/24-70 combo and the D60/50mm combo.
You can get away with lower grade cameras (you will miss a lot of shots, mainly indoors due to poor AF) but cheapo lenses are pure muck when it comes to something like this. There is a reason why the 50mm is approx £150 and the 24-70mm is >£1K.

It's not on really if someone is paying you to do a job for them and you are turning up with £300 equipment to do it.

Whereabouts in the North are you? You can rent Nikon gear from a couple of shops in Dublin if you need it.
 
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