Here is what I have to use:
Canon Rebel xti dSLR, Nikon D40 dSLR, Canon EOS 300 SLR, short range lenses and one longer range lens. Tripod. I am considering purchasing a speedlight flash. I have photoshop and am very experienced using it. I just don't have a lot of experience with professional photography. I'd appreciate any advice or suggestions!! Thanks!
The wedding is outdoors, but the reception is indoors. What might I need to buy to make this go over well?? I have plenty of time to buy what I need.
Also, I hate to ask, but what should an amateur charge?? Interesting that you have a Nikon system and a Canon system(s)
You will need a wide angle for one of the dSLRs. I would carry both bodies if you won't find that too confusing in the heat of battle, one with a WA and on the other the longer lens. You definitely need a flash unit. hopefully one for each camera. If you don't know how to bounce and/or diffuse, now is the time to learn. You will have two completely different lighting scenarios. Practice your fill flash and exposure outdoors. I would load B&W film into the EOS.
I don't think you should charge anything. You have no experience shooting weddings. Most photographers who start on their own without working as an assistant or second shooter for a while shoot the first few for the learning experience. You may be very talented (I hope so) but shooting weddings isn't like doing landscapes or macros, or even like family portraiture. Things move at a pretty fast pace. You have to be ready for things to happen quickly. Often there is only time to get one shot and it has to be right. (The processional and the kiss come to mind) Photoshop is great, but much better and easier to get the capture right in the camera. And it takes time to tweak several hundred images if they need more than routine levels and sharpening adjustment. Try to shadow a professional wedding pro to get a better idea of how the flow is. Look at www.photo.net and read their wedding and event photography forum. Visit pro websites to see what is being done. Practice posing and lighting as much as you can between now and then. Certainly try to get a speedlight or two. Good luck. Hope you have a happy experience and the B&G are pleased with the outcome. You really need to hang out with a pro that has shot dozens of weddings. You can have all the equipment in the world, but it's not going to make you a great photographer. You need experience experience experience!
You need to make good and sure if you charge this couple, they know this is your first wedding, and your results can't be guaranteed!
Here's some wedding photography tips,
http://www.christophermaxwell.com/weddin... A professional indemnity and public liability insurance policy - before you do any wedding!
The most useful lenses will be moderate wide through to moderate telephoto so you can do everything from indoor candids and groups in confined spaces through to flattering headshots.
I'd go for a carbon fibre tripod with a fast to use trigger grip head. I'd also add a reflector to your list and either a powerful speedlight or a Metz flashgun.
A combined flash and incident light meter will also be useful, as will spare batteries (camera and flash), an umbrella (in case of rain), and fast media disks (format them beforehand using your camera software - NOT your computer software!)
If possible profile your cameras and your monitor beforehand too.
I'd also consider joining a specialist wedding photography organisation, such as the Guild of Photographers, and asking their advice about training videos and books - if you can get anything by Nigel Harper I'd strongly recommend it, he can make 300+ images at a wedding that will blow anything you see in Hello magazine out of the water.
As for charging, I'd simply say decide what you think you can definitely deliver and charge whatever you feel comfortable with.
- EDIT -
Who is thumbing? It was a fair question...
All photographers start off as amateurs and none of us has even seen this mans photography. He asked us for specific advice, not for judgments or prejudices based on no knowledge of his work... all pros had to do a first wedding, so give him some support and positive advice - not negativity based on... assumptions! You are not prepared to do this. If you need to ask what equipment you need and what to charge, you should contact the bride and groom and tell them to get a professional. Save you and them the frustration and aggravation.
Photoshop will not help or save you. You MUST get the images 99% right in-camera.
You need more time to gain proper knowledge of the basics, and work as a second shooter or apprentice for an established photographer. gryphon 1 is 100% right on this one, you got more balls than brains, stop and think, if the photos don't turn out perfectly the bride will bar-b-q your @$$. and the groom will no longer talk to you.
i was asked to shoot a wedding several years ago by a friend of mine and i told him that i was strictly amateur and that he ought to use a pro, because i want to stay friends with him and his wife. i do alot of shooting and i do alot of editing of my shots, but i don't think i'd tackle a wedding solo at this time, i don't have the experience or the balls. If you can see if you can assist someone wile they are shooting a wedding.
Depending which area you live you can rent equipment for a day. Check that out first before buying a lot of stuff. You might also want to look into getting an assistant to give you a hand with the equipment and position people for the picture. There are some great wedding photography books you might want to check out.
If you are planing to shoot wedding check out the PPA. You will need insurance and you can get that through PPA.
Take tons of pictures and back them up wile you are shooting. That is one of the jobs the assistant can do.
http://www.ppa.com/i4a/pages/index.cfm?p... I would not charge anything and tell the people getting married that you have never done this before. If they still want you to do it at least they know in advanced.
It's like someone putting a custom exhaust on your car and they don't know how to weld then charging 500 dollars for it.
Don't get me wrong if you want to do wedding photography that's great but get some experience with a pro first. I take it you're going to be the principal photographer -- is the happy couple aware that you have no experience shooting weddings?
If not, you are setting yourself up for some serious drama.
Do the right thing and advise the couple to hire a pro.
HTH. | 