Wedding Gear

Borderfox

I have a wedding on in Cabra Castle tomorrow and thought I would post up what sort of gear I am bringing up with me (wont use all of it but it comes out just in case) Lovely venue, shot there a few times but still plenty of variety to shoot. Some of the gear is backup and others is for if its raining (D-lite 4 lights) I will post up some pictures from the wedding on Monday and give some explanations as to the setup I used. Any questions just ask

First picture Clockwise from left is 70-200 f2.8IS L - 85 f1.2 L - 15 f2.8 Fisheye - 1dmk3. Bottom row same from left 17-40 f4 L - 50 f1.4 - 24 f3.5 TSE L (Usually use this for panoramics of the venue and the function room) - 24-70 f2.8 L - 5d mk1 - batteries - Memory Cards (16)



Second bag has flashgun batteries - white balance pop up yoke - Polaris ligthmeter - uv filters/polariser - 430ex - 580exII (x2) - pocketwizard flex tt5 (x3) - business cards



From top to bottom Lastolite umbrella kit (stand/flashgun holder/synch cords) Elinchrom D-lite 4 kit (stands/softboxes x2/flash heads/mains leads)
I also have a laptop and card reader in another bag and a large microfibre towel (never know when you need one) and a dogs nose in the bottom right

Cakes.

Why do you need two bodies to shoot a Wedding ?

Seen this said in another thread too.

Borderfox

Cakesofrice wrote: »

Why do you need two bodies to shoot a Wedding ?

Seen this said in another thread too.

1: Backup in case one fails

2: I can have different focal lengths on each body so say a wide angle on one and a telephoto on the other giving two different looks.

artyeva

love the dog's nose. essential kit.

jamescon

and a small tin of deodorant... lol
Which camera do you use as the main camera, I have the same 2 cameras and i would use the 5d all day over the 1dmk3.

hoganpoly

Would you use the pocket wizards just for off flash or any other uses thx

Borderfox

jamescon wrote: »

and a small tin of deodorant... lol
Which camera do you use as the main camera, I have the same 2 cameras and i would use the 5d all day over the 1dmk3.

No main camera but I do like the 5d too, I think they compliment each other really well.

Borderfox

hoganpoly wrote: »

Would you use the pocket wizards just for off flash or any other uses thx

Just off camera flash for the weddings, I use them for camera remotes for sports

colblimp

I'm going to ask the question that I'm sure is on everybody's lips - how are you going to best utilise the dogs nose...?

Cakes.

Who do you take away from the main event to get pictures of ? And for how long ?


thanks

Borderfox

Cakesofrice wrote: »

Who do you take away from the main event to get pictures of ? And for how long ?


thanks

Bridal group (Bride/Groom/Bridemaids/Groomsmen/Parents) start with the largest group and then whittle them down to just the Bride & Groom. Group shots wont take me any longer (providing everybody is there) than 30 minutes. I concentrate on more candid shots throughout the day but do a few set-up shots using off camera flash with the couple.

Dogs nose will be used to know when dinner is ready

K_user

Very nice. I'm looking forward to seeing the results of the day.

Great idea for a thread, always interesting to see what people use and how they use them...

smelltheglove

Borderfox wrote: »

Bridal group (Bride/Groom/Bridemaids/Groomsmen/Parents) start with the largest group and then whittle them down to just the Bride & Groom. Group shots wont take me any longer (providing everybody is there) than 30 minutes. I concentrate on more candid shots throughout the day but do a few set-up shots using off camera flash with the couple.

So much gear. I actualy do it the opposite, I do the couple first, then the bridal party and then the groups. I'd be interested to see why you do it this way, I just always thought the groups were the least enjoyable so get them done last.

Thecageyone

You have some cross over in focal length, do you find you use all lenses throughout the day? Or just choose the best minimal few for the location?

Re: the light stands, do you set these up in the church if allowed? Or are they strictly for the reception? And group shots?

Do you use an assistant?

colblimp

Thecageyone wrote: »

Do you use an assistant?

Surely the dog is the assistant?!

Seriously, if you do use an assistant, would that person be taking pics or just, er, assisting you, say with organising groups, gear etc?

Fionn

five different lenses!!! i thought i was bad bringing a EF 70-200 f2.8 IS L, EF 24 -70 f2.8 or EF 24-105mm f/4 L IS and a EF 35mm f/1.4 L, usually have three bodies tho! so a lens for each (two S series and a 50D which i'm thinking of upgrading maybe) and a speedlight for each too.

lights are a good idea too although the last wedding i did - iwouldn't have had time to set them up, sometimes events just move along

i also have two reflectors a 43" and a 32" great for filling in shadow oh! and a stand for the bigger one.
Lots of other stuff too like laptop, tripods and spares etc. certainly fills up the car!

having the largest group is better because you can dismiss them as you run through your shoot list and it's easier to get them all at the one time instead of trying to find someone who, maybe in the bar or having a quiet moment or just lost somewhere.

VisionaryP

My wedding kit is as follows:

2 x 5d MkII
2 x 580EXii
24-70 f2.8L
70-200 f2.8L IS
135 f2L
17-40 f4L
50 1.4
100 2.8L IS macro

1 set of twin Bowens 500 which I almost never, ever use at weddings. In the last hundred weddings, I've taken them out of the car twice. I bring a reflector dish which I use occasionally in strong sunshine.

In terms of lens use on the day, I keep the 24-70 on one body 100% of the time and the other body swaps between the 70-200 2.8 IS (when indoors) and the 135 f2 (when outdoors). I use a camera slinger (highly recommended), so I have both cameras on me at all times.

The 50 1.4 is purely for emergencies (i.e. they get married in a cave) and the 17-40 is only used when I need to do a group shot in a tight space. The 100mm 2.8 macro, again, rarely used, but I bring it if there's a need for a macro shot.

With all that gear, are you an intrusive photographer? You've lots of gear, but at the same time, you said you prefer to get more candid shots?

How do you actually carry yourself at a wedding? Do you ever give directions at all? Are you at the altar much? Do you tend to find a dark corner of the room and whip out the telephoto? Do you make your presence known, or would people forget you were even there?

Also, do you 'accidentally' drop business cards all over the place, or do they only leave you when someone specifically shows an interest in you?

Finally.. you're moving from venue to venue a lot (assuming not everyone gets married in the same church), where do you put your stuff? What do you actually bring into the church with you?

Cheers for the thread.

VisionaryP

With all that gear, are you an intrusive photographer? You've lots of gear, but at the same time, you said you prefer to get more candid shots?

Not at all. I wear the camera slinger under my suit jacket (I still chuckle when I remember the thread where you advocated wearing combat gear to a wedding) so all I have on me at any one time are 2 cameras, one at each hip. The rest of the gear stays in the bag, and the bag stays in the car or hidden under a seat at the location.

How do you actually carry yourself at a wedding? Do you ever give directions at all? Are you at the altar much? Do you tend to find a dark corner of the room and whip out the telephoto? Do you make your presence known, or would people forget you were even there?

I give directions for the formal shots (20 to 30 minutes max), but for the rest of it, none whatsoever. At the church, I try to get a 45 degree angle to the couple and stay as far from them as possible. For the exchange of rings, I may move a little closer, but never, ever would I get too close.

Also, do you 'accidentally' drop business cards all over the place, or do they only leave you when someone specifically shows an interest in you?

I only give cards if asked. Generally people will ask the bride and groom for my contact details if they're interested in booking me.

Finally.. you're moving from venue to venue a lot (assuming not everyone gets married in the same church), where do you put your stuff? What do you actually bring into the church with you?

Same answer as before. Just the two cameras on my person, spare batteries, memory cards and cloth in pockets.

Borderfox

First dance now so just finished all the images backed up on the laptop/portable hard drive/ still on memory cards so just the dance to shoot and then home

VisionaryP

Good stuff, say hello to Oscar for me!

Borderfox

Thecageyone wrote: »

You have some cross over in focal length, do you find you use all lenses throughout the day? Or just choose the best minimal few for the location?

Re: the light stands, do you set these up in the church if allowed? Or are they strictly for the reception? And group shots?

Do you use an assistant?

Each lens has its purpose, today I used most of them at different times during the day. Brides house 24-70 on the 5d, church 24-70/70-200/15 fisheye/formals 24-70/17-40/ reception 24-70/70-200/ First dance 24-70/85

Sometimes use the lightstands in the church but only for signing of register

My partner Sue gives me a hand

Borderfox

Deleted User wrote: »

With all that gear, are you an intrusive photographer? You've lots of gear, but at the same time, you said you prefer to get more candid shots?

How do you actually carry yourself at a wedding? Do you ever give directions at all? Are you at the altar much? Do you tend to find a dark corner of the room and whip out the telephoto? Do you make your presence known, or would people forget you were even there?

Also, do you 'accidentally' drop business cards all over the place, or do they only leave you when someone specifically shows an interest in you?

Finally.. you're moving from venue to venue a lot (assuming not everyone gets married in the same church), where do you put your stuff? What do you actually bring into the church with you?

Cheers for the thread.

I wouldnt say I was, each piece of gear has its place and for some thats backup on the day, I need to be able to complete the wedding if something dies on me. I try to let the day move at the couples pace and only give directions when it comes to formal shots. I shoot the 24-70 with a flash on teh body and the mark 3 has the 85L on for candids with no flash which I find very good for catching people unawares.I only give somebody a card if they request one.

For the last part when in the brides house I bring in two bodies and wide angle and prime and in the church I bring the peli case up to the top and leave it somehwere out of the way for the ceremony. After I have finished in the church I stick it in the car, at the reception it tends to get dragged around (peli) but its not too much of an obstacle on wheels

Thanks for the questions

Got home just before midnight and transferring backup onto hard drives and will burn onto dvd tomorrow. pictures to follow:)

colblimp

Borderfox wrote: »

Got home just before midnight and transferring backup onto hard drives and will burn onto dvd tomorrow. pictures to follow:)

Jeez, that's some long day! :eek: How many hours do you work on average per wedding? The more you post, the more I'm being put off lol!

Borderfox

colblimp wrote: »

Jeez, that's some long day! :eek: How many hours do you work on average per wedding? The more you post, the more I'm being put off lol!

Lots of stopping and starting but left the house at 11am and got home at 12 so long enough day.

Stats on the day
Shots taken 1897
Most used lens 24-70 : 787 shots
second 70-200: 501 shots

colblimp

Borderfox wrote: »

Lots of stopping and starting but left the house at 11am and got home at 12 so long enough day.

Stats on the day
Shots taken 1897
Most used lens 24-70 : 787 shots
second 70-200: 501 shots

Wow, that's insane lol! How many of those will make it onto the disc/into the album?

Fionn

hmmm i'll have to look into one of those slinger things!!

luckily i have a lady friend that assists me now so minding the gear isn't as much of a pain as it used to be. It's handy to have someone that can go off and get the tripod from a different location or for help with organising people etc.

Regarding the lens if needed i'd bring my EF 16-35mm f/2.8 L II, pretty good on a full frame but only if it was an awfully tight squeeze, i'd usually scout the venues first or know them already.

the 5D MkII is a great choice for the wedding shooter, would have done me good instead of the two 1 series i got (which i referred to as s series) :rolleyes:

yeah eight to ten hours would be about the norm long day ok, you'd be tired after it.

Thecageyone

What would you lads recommend as the minimum required to do a wedding comfortably? I have a couple upcoming and I know I have nowhere near enough, but I'll do the best I can with what I have/can borrow/rent. It's as a gift so I'm not getting paid.


I have a d90 with a 17-50 2.8, I'll be buying a prime beforehand and see if I can borrow or rent a 2.8 zoom. I have tripod/light stand/ brolly/flash (on order after the other one blew) and spare batteries.

Would I be better off with a couple of primes over the 17-50? Much as i love the lens, primes will always have that little bit of extra sharpness and of course, that extra stop [and a third?] or light. Looking at 35mm/60mm combo. Though, ideally, I'd prefer to keep the Tamron too as it's so versatile.

What else will I need.

Also, can you give is a run through of how you pace yourself. What shots are essential and do you make a list of them to tick off as you go?

Necronomicon

Borderfox wrote: »

First dance now so just finished all the images backed up on the laptop/portable hard drive/ still on memory cards so just the dance to shoot and then home

Do you ever get asked to do the afters as part of the package? If I was booking a wedding photographer it'd be something I'd be interested in (though every person in the room would have a compact, but still).

Borderfox

Necronomicon wrote: »

Do you ever get asked to do the afters as part of the package? If I was booking a wedding photographer it'd be something I'd be interested in (though every person in the room would have a compact, but still).

Its not part of the package but I can organise it

Borderfox

Thecageyone wrote: »

What would you lads recommend as the minimum required to do a wedding comfortably? I have a couple upcoming and I know I have nowhere near enough, but I'll do the best I can with what I have/can borrow/rent. It's as a gift so I'm not getting paid.


I have a d90 with a 17-50 2.8, I'll be buying a prime beforehand and see if I can borrow or rent a 2.8 zoom. I have tripod/light stand/ brolly/flash (on order after the other one blew) and spare batteries.

Would I be better off with a couple of primes over the 17-50? Much as i love the lens, primes will always have that little bit of extra sharpness and of course, that extra stop [and a third?] or light. Looking at 35mm/60mm combo. Though, ideally, I'd prefer to keep the Tamron too as it's so versatile.

What else will I need.

Also, can you give is a run through of how you pace yourself. What shots are essential and do you make a list of them to tick off as you go?

Essential gear would be two bodies/wide angle/prime/two flashguns and enough batteries to power cameras and flashguns. The 17-50 should be grand for the wedding with that lens something like a 50mm(I know you have the 50 on the Tamron but the f1.8 is really handy for lowlight stuff without flash) or 85mm would suit it.

I dont have a list of pictures, most of them are in my head now and for a lot of different venues I had ideas of shots based on what the couple want. I let the wedding go at its own pace and that dictates my day