Shooting Weddings with the Sony Alpha system

[KevinBarrett]

Our forum needs a topic discussing the solutions currently available to the Alpha mount photographer at a wedding. I wish to enrich our forum with such a discussion, but I cannot do it alone. So please, no speculation, no logic, only questions, experience, and solutions here.

I'll start it off with a seed question:

First, let's say you're desperate for experience and have a friend in need. You have an APS-C camera, 18-55 or 18-70 kit lens, and you can convince your wife that $1000 more in the system will some day pay for itself. How could a "volunteer" wedding photographer best spend $1000 to whip his kit into shape?

[pakodominguez]

First, let's say you're desperate for experience and have a friend in need. You have an APS-C camera, 18-55 or 18-70 kit lens, and you can convince your wife that $1000 more in the system will some day pay for itself. How could a "volunteer" wedding photographer best spend $1000 to whip his kit into shape?

Which APS-C camera? If is not an A700, go for one. You'll still have money for a 50f 1.7 or the new 50 f1.8
If you already have the A700, get a couple of flashes (the 42 or the 58 or similar Metz) and, if you still have money, a longer lens -like the 55-200.

Other solution, having already the A700, is getting the 17-35 f2.8-4 and the 28-75 f2.8 and a Flash (a 42 or a 36 or a 58)

If you are one of those guys that think that your kit lens is gorgeous, get the Tamrom or Sigma 70-200 f2.8 and a Flash.

I think the best you can do with those 1000 is keeping it on your safe, get a unpaid job as a wedding photographer assistant and learn that equipment is not the main key...

Regards

[kingfisher]

hi kevin

i have shoot three weddings , i was very nervous , normal i shoot kingfishers and other birds

but i must say , i was happy with the result

for me important , A700 or A550
FLASHGUN 56 or 58
lenses most of the time i use my 28-75 tamron DI 2,8
also my minolta 17-35 and sometime`s the 70-200
but almost everyting with the 28-75

greetings
gustav

[KevinBarrett]

Lol, the question isn't for me, guys. I can't easily count how many weddings I've shot at this point, I'm just looking to make this site a resource for anyone in that situation. Let's modify that original question and make it more applicable in the post a700 Alpha world. The APS-C camera mentioned above is one of the five currently available from the a2xx-a5xx series.

[pakodominguez]

Lol
...
The APS-C camera mentioned above is one of the five currently available from the a2xx-a5xx series.

No good. No pro (serious) at all.
Rent a camera, the A900 + 24-70 and a flash for the job and use your A2xx-A5xx as a back up camera. Then, if you want to do weddings, invest in a better camera. Clients deserve some respect. An serious photographers, pros or not, too.

[David Kilpatrick]

Hardly any aspect of modern wedding photography has to do with the camera. You could shoot an excellent wedding album on a pocket digicam if you knew what you were doing - the necessary shots, the way to handle the guests, groups, bride and groom, solo, couple, candid, formal etc. Most of the skill in wedding photography is 'interpersonal' skill, the rest (other than marketing and sales skill, if you want it to be profitable) is a little knowledge of products and styles of presentation.

If I had only an A200 and the kit zooms, I could still shoot a wedding, just I used to be able to do with a Leica and 50mm lens plus a Bronica with a 40mm for groups - or the last wedding I did (I don't do them normally) for money, where I shot using a Minolta CLE with 20, 28, 40, and 90mm lenses plus a Mamiya 645 for groups, and my daughter using an Olympus E-20 for digital.

Guess who got some excellent pix - Ailsa with the E-20. Zoom consumer/semipro electronic viewfinder camera. They were, I think, as good as any of the other shots I took.

David

[pakodominguez]

Hardly any aspect of modern wedding photography has to do with the camera. You could shoot an excellent wedding album on a pocket digicam if you knew what you were doing - the necessary shots, the way to handle the guests, groups, bride and groom, solo, couple, candid, formal etc. Most of the skill in wedding photography is 'interpersonal' skill, the rest (other than marketing and sales skill, if you want it to be profitable) is a little knowledge of products and styles of presentation.

If I had only an A200 and the kit zooms, I could still shoot a wedding, just I used to be able to do with a Leica and 50mm lens plus a Bronica with a 40mm for groups - or the last wedding I did (I don't do them normally) for money, where I shot using a Minolta CLE with 20, 28, 40, and 90mm lenses plus a Mamiya 645 for groups, and my daughter using an Olympus E-20 for digital.

Guess who got some excellent pix - Ailsa with the E-20. Zoom consumer/semipro electronic viewfinder camera. They were, I think, as good as any of the other shots I took.

David

The case of the OP was:
"First, let's say you're desperate for experience and have a friend in need. You have an APS-C camera, 18-55 or 18-70 kit lens, and you can convince your wife that $1000 more in the system will some day pay for itself. How could a "volunteer" wedding photographer best spend $1000 to whip his kit into shape?"

It was not your case, David. It is definitively not about the equipment but experience, confidence and how the photographer transmit that to the Bride and Groom. I think it is a lake of respect taking them, the clients, as guinea pigs. My only answer is "get a position as an assistant and learn" before you take your first assignment.

[bfitzgerald]

I agree with DK on this one, a LOT of the job is down to people skills, and that takes a bit of confidence building. Group shots, not so easy..and you can be sure someone is looking at the sky or making a dumb face
You'll quickly find yourself out of place if you are not prepared, nobody to help you..you call the shots and arrange things! I learnt that one ist shoot I ever did (and if I am honest, some parts I felt I did not do a good job on), other areas I was fairly happy.
Saying that, a flash (not just for indoor, but fill in) is very useful..something like a 50mm fast prime would allow you to do low light shots inside (many churches etc don't want you using flash during the ceremony)
Nothing like just throwing yourself into a job, and giving it your best, only real way to learn, is to do it...and I learnt an awful lot more on my ist one, that I would have by working as an assistant or reading up on it. Things can move fast, you have to be ready and prepared, hands on experience is something you only get doing the actual job!

My only real advice is to make sure you control events (shots of people/bride/groom/groups etc), and that they don't control you. If you arrange a group, go up and physically move them (not shove about obviously!! lol), no point standing there talking to 50 people asking one to move in a bit, they won't know who you mean. I think the ceremony itself and reception are the easier parts, the events play out..and you just need to be ready.

[KevinBarrett]

Thanks guys, this is EXACTLY what a new DSLR user needs to hear. You made me proud! Still, while there is plenty to be said for preparation, respect for the client, and gaining experience without risk, all that we can discuss that is specific to the Alpha system is the equipment.

[Dusty]

I did my very first wedding as a favor to a guy in a desperate situation. I was selling paint for an auto parts chain and one of the body shop owners was getting married. The week before the nuptials the photographer canceled. I walked into his shop an hour later. We genuinely like each other, not just as customer and salesman, so I offered to step in.

He accepted and I bought a book on shooting weddings to make sure I didn't miss any 'required' shots. That was my BEST wedding shoot purchase.

As to what else to purchase: A tripod. You need to set up the shots and be looking not thru the viewfinder, but directly at the people when taking group shots. A second tripod and flash to do ratio lighting would be next on my list. After that, a backup camera and long, fast prime for those churches that don't allow flash during the ceremony so that you can capture shots from the balcony. Add next a Cokin star filter to add great effects to the lighting of the Unity Candle, although that can probably be added in PP these days.

I've shot a lot of weddings over the years, and I liked the freedom of Medium Format square negs. That way you never had to decide whether or not you want a shot vertical or horizontal before you click. If you have enough MPs, you can 'waste' a lot of area and shoot with lots of spare room around your couple or group, but if you would have done that on 35mm film, your 8x10s would be doggie-doo.

David had it right in that it's not the equipment, it's the shooter that makes a wedding look good.

Dusty

[InTheSky]

some wedding with Maxxum 7D, Sony A700 and Sony A900. All done with prime lenses. (always there with only one body camera).

http://www.pbase.com/nadeauf/wedding

There is noise ... but the goal for me was to get the moment ... .

regards,


Frank

[pabloisme]

Yo

If you want to make money at it 2 tips, no 3

1 wear a revolting coloured shirt or coat, why? this helps with 2

2 make sure you are in front of the picture area until YOU are ready, you can then spoil it for the amateur snappers <who wont be paying you "non profiteers"> thats wot a pro does, and think of all those easy to use autodigitalthingamybobs eating into your profit margins!

(and for a pix taker you get into a pix, may only be your back! cant win them all! at least you get a pix!!!)


which leaves

3 try NOt to do it! it's hard work, long hours & pay is not always what it should be...................

Happy new year to all that read my comments & look at my stuff.

[Dusty]

Pablo, you've got it all wrong! The amateur's snaps make my shots look so much better; better composition, better lighting, better quality!

I also had no problem getting them to stop. Tell the Bride and Groom that if they don't want to be there all day, only I can shoot with flash. That kills all the other guys instantly! Since my secondary flash was off to the side with an optical slave on it, anyone's flash going off set it off. One or 2 times of having to wait for the recycle after someone else popped a flash would generally get an angry Groom to clear everyone out.

I also enjoy a good wedding, and it;s even better with a good reception that has plenty of food! (I'm sure it was even better in my bachelor days). As to the pay, I'm sure it varies a lot by locale and what the customer wants. I'll do a "Shoot and Scoot" wedding - all digital, one day only, no prints and minimal PP - for $650. At that price I'm getting $75/hr after I factor in batteries and fuel to the church. Not bad for a day's work. If I had that pay on my regular job, I'd be the owner of an a900 and some CZ and G glass by now.

If the couple want prints, I can make more money, but I also spend a lot more time on it. Still, it's good money that goes right back into my camera gear!

Dusty

[jonathanh]

Wedding photography is all about knowing your system and confidence in getting what the bride wants, this includes dealing with her stress and that of her family, knowing went to take and not take photos, managing the various venues, dealing with the guests and the problems that they can create, ensuring that you stick to the agreed time, ( its their wedding not yours) Knowing how to talk to people and how to direct them. HAVE A PLAN it becomes much easier.

In the days of brides becoming upset over missed shots etc a few words on equipment etc

Always have spare kit - if you have not got it beg steal or borrow it. I assisted at a wedding some 15 years ago and three cameras broke during the day- the bride did not know and we got all the pictures but we needed to go to the pub afterwards!!
Know how your camera works do not just rely on P or A settings know how to work in low light
Use a monopod quicker than a tripod and will give you at least 2 stops in a dark church may be more.
Buy the best lens you can, remember you have the best zoom know to man your legs so primes can be used.

Always keep you used cards in a bum bag or pocket on your person so they cannot be removed or stolen with the camera bag

Create a camera check list so that beforw the wedding you clean all the cameras and lens, check the batteries and recharge. Sync the camera times and dates, format all your cards. check all equipment into your car then check the car, oil water etc. have all the addresses of where you are going then put into sat Nav, perferably one with traffic updates on. Bring the agreed lsit of photos thatnthe bride wants to the wedding give acopuy to an usher to help organise groups.

I am sure there is more but hope this helps

[darrencf]

Having lenses with wide apertures are very useful for weddings. However, since you only have a budget of $1000, I suggest you get a prime lens (probably a 50 F1.4) and a Sony HVL-F58AM Flash.

The Flash will come in useful for group shots with your kit lens while the prime lens will be great for candids and detail shots.

My setup for weddings is an Alpha 900 and 850. Lenses: 85 Cz, 35 G, 24-70 Cz, 16-35 Cz, 16mm FE.
Most of the time, my Alpha 900 is with the 16-35 Cz for group and wide angled shots while the 85 Cz is used for the Candids.

Heres are some samples for actual day weddings:
http://www.darrenf.com/blog/deepak-and- ... i-thailand
http://www.darrenf.com/blog/reinhold-an ... osa-island

Pre-wedding glamour photography:
http://www.darrenf.com/blog/pre-wedding ... -singapore
http://www.darrenf.com/blog/pre-wedding ... -singapore