Wedding as a guest

[bossel]

We'll be guests on a wedding on Saturday and it's actually the first time I'll go with a DSLR. I will just make some shots for myself but share with the hosts if they're good. If not, I just dump them silently

Now am I right there will be not much time for changing lenses? Am I also right to think I shouldn't just rely on my 18-250?

I think for the evening, indoors I'll use my KM28-75/2.8 and maybe the 50/1.7 if things get too dark. Also have the 128/2.8 but I guess this is just too specialized.

Not sure for the afternoon. 28-75 + beercan? Or 28-135/4-4.5? Or since it will be sunny, the 18-250 at F9 might just do it? No money to buy another lens Just paid the A700 and ordered an 8G card, plan to shoot craw+jpeg. With my 4G card, this should total in around 650pics.

Of course I could take also my KM5D with me and thus always have 2 lenses mounted, but since I am just a guest I think that would be overdoing it.

[Dr. Harout]

Here we have lots of food and drink during weddings, if it's the same where you are going then I suggest don't take anything and enjoy the "show".
If people see someone shooting they will always ask to take "a shot, please" and you'll be so much annoyed you'll wish not having taken your camera with you.

[bossel]

Here we have lots of food and drink during weddings, if it's the same where you are going ...

Hope to get some good french cuisine I guess weddings are the same everywhere to that regard - eat and drink and be happy (well, unfortunately I am the designated driver )

[David Kilpatrick]

I'll almost bet that an Armenian wedding lasts more than one 45-minute service, an hour messing around with photography, three hours reception and meal, and then a deteriorating evening dancing to a very bad disco band! I can imagine at least a serious full day plus an overnighter. Greek weddings can be three days without anyone thinking they need to go home.

My first business partner's wife was Armenian and incredibly beautiful - she claimed to be aristocracy of some kind, or a 'princess', but she made a very good business administrator and receptionist. Anyone who remembers dPreview from a while ago may recall Viken, who is involved in an Armenian dance group in New England, and posted loads of images of their tour back to Armenia - I got the distinct impression that Armenians don't tire of dancing, or partying, too easily - maybe Dr Harout can confirm?

David

[Dr. Harout]

David, you are absolutely right, that's the way it is.
As I recall Viken was a Minoltist, now jumped ship to Nikon, he has good photos and tests on his site.
By the way, Bossel, French cuisine is excellent too

[bossel]

Somehow I feel my thread is being hijacked This means this is becoming a real discussion board

[KevinBarrett]

Is that just about everything that's in your kit?

[Dr. Harout]

Somehow I feel my thread is being hijacked This means this is becoming a real discussion board

Not at all, we're just persuading you to have fun at the wedding.

Since this topic is in "Lens lore" look at the site of Viken http://www.vikenk.com/ and go to the "Resources" section where you'll find different lens comparisons.

[bossel]

Is that just about everything that's in your kit?

Kevin, thats more or less what I considered. I also have the Sigma 10-20, 70-300 and the kit-lens, a 35-70 and two Tamron teleconcerters.

[mikeriach]

At the weddings I've guested at I used a Tamron 28-200 (film) and a Sigma 18-125 (digital).
Not much good for indoors (without a powerful flash) but fine outside giving the chance to do wide groups and also zoom in for candids etc. The last thing you want to be doing is juggling lenses, pick one and make do.
Watch out for blown highlights on whites when shooting outdoors in bright sunshine.

Mike

[David Kilpatrick]

Yes, you can do weddings with surprisingly little kit if you are not forced to do groups. I used to do weddings in the 1970s with - one Bronica C and 75mm lens (about equal to a 35mm on full frame 35) and one Leica with a 50mm f2.8. Bronica for colour and groups, Leica for b/w and candids. I could not afford a wide angle for the Bronica or the Leica so there were no wide angle shots, but I never had problems. I just picked a big wide area to pose large groups in.

David

[Vidgamer]

I don't know why you'd need any more lenses than what you have. Chances are you'll have time to swap, so I'd take more than one, for sure.

Having said that, I've not had the opportunity to bring my DSLR to a wedding, and I'm not sure what would be optimal. When I had P&S cameras, it was about impossible to get anything good -- too dim.

Even with photos where many were marred from too much camera shake, those involved with the wedding itself are usually too busy to take photos, and are happy to take whatever they can get. So, I say, with a DSLR and f2.8 lenses, you should be able to get things much better than that. I'm sure people will be happy to get additional memories of the event.

With a DSLR, I would use higher ISO settings without worrying that it would be too noisy. (ISO 400 or 800 with an old P&S digital camera was a mess!)

What I'm curious to know is whether wider angles are more important, or perhaps something closer to the 100mm range for portraits? My 28-105 is a tad soft -- maybe that'd be good for portraits.

I also wonder if people have a strategy.. do you try to mimic the typical wedding photography with group photos and staged portraits? I have tended to assume that the pro photographer can handle that, and try to get something more candid. Although, you cannot guarantee that the pro photos will actually come through OK, so a backup is not a bad idea.

[David Kilpatrick]

Pro photos not coming through is a rare thing - we get a few cases every year in the UK, sometimes the wedding is re-staged at the insurance company's expense.

Do not try to stage groups, and don't hang round the pros shoulder. The couple may have paid thousands for their wedding photography, and the professional should be allowed to do the job unhindered and without the feeling that someone is shooting behind them.

Do shoot candids. There may not be many taken unless the pro has a second shooter (which many of our better UK pros do - they even make deals to tag along at each other's weddings when they have a spare Saturday, sounds unlikely, but that's how photographers are here above a certain level - the ones who make the real money co-operate, cover for each other if illness strikes etc). Candids will be the most valued shots you can take.

David

[bossel]

Thanks for all th feedback. No worries about interfering, as I said I am there as a guest trying to get some nice shots, but not as a photographer!

[bossel]

A short feedback to those who followed this discussion: I decided to go light, just took the 18-250, no camera bag, but the 28-75 and 50/1.7 in a small shoulder bag. I used the 18-250 in the sunny afternoon. Put on the 28-75 when we went into church. But we were asked to switch of cameras during the ceremony, this is what I did (unfortunately some didn't respect this). Used the 28-75 for the night, though.

Since my PC is to be exhchanged soon, I loaded some pics on my wifes laptop. I discovered, that many of them, including outside shots, have badly wrong white balance, which surprised me (used to that rather from inside shots). Luckily I shot cRaw+JPG so I will be able to correct this (I tried with one pic in ACR).

The pro used an (older I guess) Canon with a Tamron 28-75 and a 430 flash. Never changed lenses during the 8 hours (or more) I saw her. So she had some trouble with group shots, having to go back more than possible. Also the flash was permanently on, even when she was shooting from 15 meters away. It surprised me, but I hope for my friends her pics will be great...