Shooting my first wedding

sumitkar1971 · 06-15-2017, 09:22 PM

This weekend I will be shooting my first wedding, that of my cousin.I have been an advanced enthusiast for about five years now and shot several weddings as the second shooter. I am really looking forward to it as it will be at the Perot Museum in Downtown Dallas. I have a nice backup photographer lined up as well. My gear is going to be the K-1 and the K-3 2 (backup), 2 Yongnuo Flashes, FA 50mm f/1.4, 100 mm f/2.8 Macro, Pentax 24-70 f/2.8 and the Tamron 70-200 f/2.8. My second shooter iuses Canon and will be shooting with the 5d SR and primarily the 16-35 f/2.8. Wish us luck....

Culture · 06-15-2017, 10:22 PM

If you have shot several weddings as the second shooter then I am sure you will do just fine. Enjoy!
I also shoot weddings. And I have learnt everything by myself. There is nothing like second shooters here.
I would have appreciated that though to see how others work.

j0n4hpk · 06-15-2017, 10:52 PM

I hope you success. As long as you both synchronize on matters of WB, work with a common post-production software or have a way to achieve consistent and harmonious results even using different post-production software, you'll be fine.

Claudiu · 06-16-2017, 03:54 AM

Good luck and, if you can, share with us the results !

CarlJF · 06-16-2017, 06:00 AM

Good luck! Although I'm sure you will not need a lot of luck since you're well prepared and obviously know what you're doing.

aikilink · 06-16-2017, 06:34 AM - **1 Like**

My advice - which you probably don't need, is to be aware of how fast the K-1 buffer fills up. Even using the fastest supported cards it seems to stop shooting too quick. If you've already done weddings with it, I'm sure you'll be fine though!

Best of luck, and have fun!

**Pentax Syntax** · 06-16-2017, 08:55 AM

My advice would be to listen very carefully to what the couple wants and expects from the wedding pictures. You and your Canon friend should share a portfolio with them and let the wedded couple comment on the photos. You will learn more from that than anything else. In my experience no two couples want the same thing :-). Best of luck.

Kaisas · 06-16-2017, 11:30 AM

Im wondering how is 24-70 will be perform, i have the same lens and online i couldn't see many examples of who shooting on wedding with pentax dfa 24-70..

larsbars · 06-19-2017, 04:26 PM

I second-shot a wedding with the k-1, the pentax 24-70, and the metz 52 flash. The images that came out were great, but keep in mind non-pentax flashes will not trigger the AF assist lamp and the K-1 has a really hard time finding focus on anything that's moving, especially when it's dimly lit. Dance photos will be very difficult. Anything in the church will be hard. I wouldn't even attempt AF-C while people are walking down the aisle. I had multiple times where I literally held the shutter down for 4 seconds while it was attempting to find focus.

I really do wish pentax would improve their AF speed. It does seems to be very on point whenever it locks on though which is good.

I wouldn't really recommend the k-1 as a wedding camera.

**clackers** · 06-19-2017, 06:56 PM

Originally posted by larsbars

the K-1 has a really hard time finding focus on anything that's moving, especially when it's dimly lit. .

I've not had any trouble focusing in the dark, Lars.

You can't just point at the groom's black suit.

PDAF system of any camera relies on seeing a distinct line on the target.

You should focus on, say, the edge of his collar.

larsbars · 06-19-2017, 07:16 PM

Originally posted by clackers

I've not had any trouble focusing in the dark, Lars.

You can't just point at the groom's black suit.

PDAF system of any camera relies on seeing a distinct line on the target.

You should focus on, say, the edge of his collar.

I'm generally comparing it to how my Nikon DF performed previously. Not much different in the way I shot this wedding. I do try and find high contrast areas to lock focus on and then recompose.

I found that the K-1 was slower than the DF by a large margin, though when it locked on it was more accurate than the DF was. What I've truly found to be difficult for the K-1 is subjects which are moving towards or away from the camera. It really seems to struggle. I'd love it if I was simply doing something wrong obviously but I don't think that's the case.

kooks · 06-20-2017, 02:41 PM

Originally posted by clackers

I've not had any trouble focusing in the dark, Lars.

You can't just point at the groom's black suit.

PDAF system of any camera relies on seeing a distinct line on the target.

You should focus on, say, the edge of his collar.

K1 focusing at dim light is very acurate.. BUT.. takes time to lock focus.. I wish that the camera could trigger the AF assit lamp faster to help focus faster, especially at weddings..

Besides that, the camera performs great, buffer fills fast as somebody else told you so be aware of that if you trigger to many frames. 24-70 is an awsome lens, sharp and versatile, Tamron 70 200 is also an awsome lens ( kind of loud ) but very fast for a screw drive lens, 100mm macro will do some nice details of the rings, etc...

Good luck with your wedding

larsbars · 06-20-2017, 02:55 PM

Originally posted by kooks

K1 focusing at dim light is very acurate.. BUT.. takes time to lock focus.. I wish that the camera could trigger the AF assit lamp faster to help focus faster, especially at weddings..

Besides that, the camera performs great, buffer fils fast so as somebody else told you so be aware of that if you trigger to many frames. 24-70 is an awsome lens, sharp and versatile, Tamron 70 200 is also an awsome lens ( kind of loud ) but very fast for a screw drive lens, 100mm macro will do some nice details of the rings, etc...

Good luck with your wedding

I'd also agree. It tends to be spot on once it locks. Since starting discussion in this thread i've looked a bit closer at the settings. I think release priority would be preferable at a wedding since it seems to get close to good focus and then fine adjust itself. Next time I shoot one I'm gonna play around with the focus settings a bit more.

kooks · 06-20-2017, 05:28 PM

Originally posted by larsbars

I'd also agree. I think release priority would be preferable at a wedding since it seems to get close to good focus and then fine adjust itself. Next time I shoot one I'm gonna play around with the focus settings a bit more.

hummmm.. that could work.. I'll try it too the next one..

**hjoseph7** · 06-21-2017, 03:54 PM

Originally posted by sumitkar1971

This weekend I will be shooting my first wedding, that of my cousin.I have been an advanced enthusiast for about five years now and shot several weddings as the second shooter. I am really looking forward to it as it will be at the Perot Museum in Downtown Dallas. I have a nice backup photographer lined up as well. My gear is going to be the K-1 and the K-3 2 (backup), 2 Yongnuo Flashes, FA 50mm f/1.4, 100 mm f/2.8 Macro, Pentax 24-70 f/2.8 and the Tamron 70-200 f/2.8. My second shooter iuses Canon and will be shooting with the 5d SR and primarily the 16-35 f/2.8. Wish us luck....

Make sure you know your camera and flash units like the back of your hand. Know all their limitations. Practice your autofocusing by taking pictures of people moving to and away from you. Maybe get yourself a monopod(and learn how to use it) for low-light pictures. Posing is another big factor. If you are not expert in posing you better become one and quick. I use to carry a little note pad with pencil like drawings of people poses in case I froze. Not sure what the Yongnuo(or whatever) flash can do, but don't get stuck trying to figure out Guide Numbers or flash-to-subject distances in the middle of the heat. keep it simple and have fun. Good luck !

06-15-2017, 09:22 PM	#1
sumitkar1971 Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2015 Posts: 100	Shooting my first wedding This weekend I will be shooting my first wedding, that of my cousin.I have been an advanced enthusiast for about five years now and shot several weddings as the second shooter. I am really looking forward to it as it will be at the Perot Museum in Downtown Dallas. I have a nice backup photographer lined up as well. My gear is going to be the K-1 and the K-3 2 (backup), 2 Yongnuo Flashes, FA 50mm f/1.4, 100 mm f/2.8 Macro, Pentax 24-70 f/2.8 and the Tamron 70-200 f/2.8. My second shooter iuses Canon and will be shooting with the 5d SR and primarily the 16-35 f/2.8. Wish us luck....

06-20-2017, 02:41 PM	#12
kooks Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: San José, Costa Rica Photos: Albums Posts: 794	Originally posted by clackers I've not had any trouble focusing in the dark, Lars. You can't just point at the groom's black suit. PDAF system of any camera relies on seeing a distinct line on the target. You should focus on, say, the edge of his collar. K1 focusing at dim light is very acurate.. BUT.. takes time to lock focus.. I wish that the camera could trigger the AF assit lamp faster to help focus faster, especially at weddings.. Besides that, the camera performs great, buffer fills fast as somebody else told you so be aware of that if you trigger to many frames. 24-70 is an awsome lens, sharp and versatile, Tamron 70 200 is also an awsome lens ( kind of loud ) but very fast for a screw drive lens, 100mm macro will do some nice details of the rings, etc... Good luck with your wedding Last edited by kooks; 06-20-2017 at 05:29 PM.

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06-15-2017, 10:22 PM	#2
Culture Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Vaasa Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 818	If you have shot several weddings as the second shooter then I am sure you will do just fine. Enjoy! I also shoot weddings. And I have learnt everything by myself. There is nothing like second shooters here. I would have appreciated that though to see how others work.

06-15-2017, 10:52 PM	#3
j0n4hpk Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Ohio Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 293	I hope you success. As long as you both synchronize on matters of WB, work with a common post-production software or have a way to achieve consistent and harmonious results even using different post-production software, you'll be fine.

06-16-2017, 03:54 AM	#4
Claudiu Forum Member Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: Normandy Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 59	Good luck and, if you can, share with us the results !

06-16-2017, 06:00 AM	#5
CarlJF Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Location: Quebec City Posts: 1,185	Good luck! Although I'm sure you will not need a lot of luck since you're well prepared and obviously know what you're doing.

06-16-2017, 06:34 AM - 1 Like	#6
aikilink Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2014 Posts: 124	My advice - which you probably don't need, is to be aware of how fast the K-1 buffer fills up. Even using the fastest supported cards it seems to stop shooting too quick. If you've already done weddings with it, I'm sure you'll be fine though! Best of luck, and have fun!

06-16-2017, 08:55 AM	#7
Pentax Syntax Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Maryland Posts: 595	My advice would be to listen very carefully to what the couple wants and expects from the wedding pictures. You and your Canon friend should share a portfolio with them and let the wedded couple comment on the photos. You will learn more from that than anything else. In my experience no two couples want the same thing :-). Best of luck.

06-16-2017, 11:30 AM	#8
Kaisas Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2016 Posts: 121	Im wondering how is 24-70 will be perform, i have the same lens and online i couldn't see many examples of who shooting on wedding with pentax dfa 24-70..

06-19-2017, 04:26 PM	#9
larsbars Junior Member Join Date: Sep 2016 Posts: 31	I second-shot a wedding with the k-1, the pentax 24-70, and the metz 52 flash. The images that came out were great, but keep in mind non-pentax flashes will not trigger the AF assist lamp and the K-1 has a really hard time finding focus on anything that's moving, especially when it's dimly lit. Dance photos will be very difficult. Anything in the church will be hard. I wouldn't even attempt AF-C while people are walking down the aisle. I had multiple times where I literally held the shutter down for 4 seconds while it was attempting to find focus. I really do wish pentax would improve their AF speed. It does seems to be very on point whenever it locks on though which is good. I wouldn't really recommend the k-1 as a wedding camera.

06-19-2017, 06:56 PM	#10
clackers Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Melbourne Photos: Albums Posts: 16,397	Originally posted by larsbars the K-1 has a really hard time finding focus on anything that's moving, especially when it's dimly lit. . I've not had any trouble focusing in the dark, Lars. You can't just point at the groom's black suit. PDAF system of any camera relies on seeing a distinct line on the target. You should focus on, say, the edge of his collar.

06-19-2017, 07:16 PM	#11
larsbars Junior Member Join Date: Sep 2016 Posts: 31	Originally posted by clackers I've not had any trouble focusing in the dark, Lars. You can't just point at the groom's black suit. PDAF system of any camera relies on seeing a distinct line on the target. You should focus on, say, the edge of his collar. I'm generally comparing it to how my Nikon DF performed previously. Not much different in the way I shot this wedding. I do try and find high contrast areas to lock focus on and then recompose. I found that the K-1 was slower than the DF by a large margin, though when it locked on it was more accurate than the DF was. What I've truly found to be difficult for the K-1 is subjects which are moving towards or away from the camera. It really seems to struggle. I'd love it if I was simply doing something wrong obviously but I don't think that's the case.

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06-20-2017, 02:55 PM	#13
larsbars Junior Member Join Date: Sep 2016 Posts: 31	Originally posted by kooks K1 focusing at dim light is very acurate.. BUT.. takes time to lock focus.. I wish that the camera could trigger the AF assit lamp faster to help focus faster, especially at weddings.. Besides that, the camera performs great, buffer fils fast so as somebody else told you so be aware of that if you trigger to many frames. 24-70 is an awsome lens, sharp and versatile, Tamron 70 200 is also an awsome lens ( kind of loud ) but very fast for a screw drive lens, 100mm macro will do some nice details of the rings, etc... Good luck with your wedding I'd also agree. It tends to be spot on once it locks. Since starting discussion in this thread i've looked a bit closer at the settings. I think release priority would be preferable at a wedding since it seems to get close to good focus and then fine adjust itself. Next time I shoot one I'm gonna play around with the focus settings a bit more.

06-20-2017, 05:28 PM	#14
kooks Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: San José, Costa Rica Photos: Albums Posts: 794	Originally posted by larsbars I'd also agree. I think release priority would be preferable at a wedding since it seems to get close to good focus and then fine adjust itself. Next time I shoot one I'm gonna play around with the focus settings a bit more. hummmm.. that could work.. I'll try it too the next one..

06-21-2017, 03:54 PM	#15
hjoseph7 Site Supporter Join Date: May 2014 Location: Minnesota Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,046	Originally posted by sumitkar1971 This weekend I will be shooting my first wedding, that of my cousin.I have been an advanced enthusiast for about five years now and shot several weddings as the second shooter. I am really looking forward to it as it will be at the Perot Museum in Downtown Dallas. I have a nice backup photographer lined up as well. My gear is going to be the K-1 and the K-3 2 (backup), 2 Yongnuo Flashes, FA 50mm f/1.4, 100 mm f/2.8 Macro, Pentax 24-70 f/2.8 and the Tamron 70-200 f/2.8. My second shooter iuses Canon and will be shooting with the 5d SR and primarily the 16-35 f/2.8. Wish us luck.... Make sure you know your camera and flash units like the back of your hand. Know all their limitations. Practice your autofocusing by taking pictures of people moving to and away from you. Maybe get yourself a monopod(and learn how to use it) for low-light pictures. Posing is another big factor. If you are not expert in posing you better become one and quick. I use to carry a little note pad with pencil like drawings of people poses in case I froze. Not sure what the Yongnuo(or whatever) flash can do, but don't get stuck trying to figure out Guide Numbers or flash-to-subject distances in the middle of the heat. keep it simple and have fun. Good luck !