Shooting a wedding with someone else

twitch · 02-17-2011, 09:46 PM

Originally posted by NicoleAu

Hi Twitch, I am buying a flash on Saturday. Yes I know I have a lot of gaps in my equipment, as has the other tog. When I find out what is happening I will see what can be done then. I don't plan on shooting it alone, it would be way too much for me to handle. Ideally I would like someone with experience to be the main, and me be the second.

I don't know if I have the right personality for it, but I seem to be going ok so far. I have done a shoot with a couple I didn't know at the time and I got some nice shots. Good for the stage I am at anyhow, I think. I am well aware that I have loads to learn and have offered to be a free assistant to some photographers so I can learn more. I have only come into photography over the last 8 months and I'm discovering a passion for it, like I've never felt for anything before. I hope to become the best photographer I can be

The more I use flash the more I realise I should use flash more. I've been mainly using it inside but recently I've been using it for fill and boy is it great, no more dark eye sockets

Yeah it makes you look a bit like a tosser having this honking great flash on top of your camera, but the results are so much better.

Hopefully the flash you are buying is p-TTL capable? p-TTL makes things so so much easier, and without pTTL there is no HSS which is a god send for fill flash so you can go above 1/180 outdoors which is essential IMHO.

Your portfolio is great, but you need to fire that photographer who took your photo

Good luck

elpolodiablo · 02-17-2011, 09:51 PM

bounce flash is fun too, but it takes a bit of practice to get it right.

NicoleAu · 02-17-2011, 09:59 PM

lol Twitch, now you're making me all self conscious of my photo

Ok you just spoke a bunch of gibberish to me then. It's the Sigma ef-530 DG ST, which is in my price range at the moment, at $99. I can save for another couple of weeks for the super version, but time is my enemy at the moment. As it is I'm spending $450 this weekend.

I am worried about how I'm going to do this and I know and the couple knows they will not get pro quality photos, but they are glad that someone is able to do the best they can do.

elpolodiablo · 02-17-2011, 10:15 PM

Don't think Sigma 530 ST can do HSS.

NicoleAu · 02-17-2011, 10:21 PM

High Speed Sync? No I don't think it does either.

twitch · 02-17-2011, 10:24 PM

Nicole, before you plonk done $99 have a good hard think about whether you can do without high speed sync as that Sigma flash doesn't have it (the Sigma "super" flashes do).

Without HSS you get get into trouble very quickly using it for fill flash, and by trouble I mean unrecoverable over exposure unless you really know what you are doing (eg you will have to use a 2 or 4 stop ND filter and watch your shutter speed like a hawk).

I'd save and get the "super" which I believe does have more features including HSS. In the mean time read read read (eg google "planet neil" who is the master of on camera flash)

NicoleAu · 02-17-2011, 10:59 PM

Argh don't say that

I had a look at prices for the Super version and I won't be able to save up enough in time for the wedding.

TOUGEFC · 02-17-2011, 11:50 PM

A flash is a must have for the main photog,
you will have a very hard time with that sigma flash since it does not support pttl and you being new to the flash game.

The wedding is in april, heres what you can do,
a) save and save for the next month and you may have enough to buy a used or new metz or pentax pttl flash.

or
b) buy the sigma and try to master it with the month of time you have

NicoleAu · 02-18-2011, 12:24 AM

Yeah I know, looks like I have some more thinking to do. Actually yeah. I think I will just save more for the better one and have less stress later.

elpolodiablo · 02-18-2011, 01:22 AM

There was a used Metz 48 in the marketplace for US$165, guess you missed it

NicoleAu · 02-18-2011, 01:58 AM

Must've! It's $65 over budget at the moment anyway. Looks like I'll have to save to around $300 for a Super.

twitch · 02-18-2011, 02:20 AM

Metz 48 is $249 new delivered. If you can find one second hand it might be <$180 ish?

TOUGEFC · 02-18-2011, 02:23 AM

Metz 48 will probably be the best bang for $$$ for your budget too

NicoleAu · 02-18-2011, 02:50 AM

Yeah? I'll have to do some searches on it then

Oh and the other tog quit on me after a bit of a heated exchange. Bah, I can't shoot this on my own.

Gashog · 02-18-2011, 04:38 AM

I think you can. It seems fairly small, laid back and in formal. I thought you had more time? Wasn't there a wedding In front of this one? I thought you were going to get one shoot in between now and then.
I'm not a wedding photographer but my brother in law was. I have a friend that does it and I know a husband and wife team that have been shooting weddings for years.
I've seen it done. They all have a formula. You could plan 10 must have photos and do your best to get those. My BIL used to bang off a thousand frames but there was only maybe a hundred that were planned and discussed before hand. The other nine hundred were candids or snapshots. I don't know what his wedding packages included but I'd be surprised if they were more then 250 immages.

Edit: when I say a hundred planned shots, that's because my BIL shoots brackets. there might have been only 10 or 20 photo ops.

02-18-2011, 12:24 AM	#39
NicoleAu Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Central Coast, NSW, Australia Photos: Gallery Posts: 539 Original Poster	Yeah I know, looks like I have some more thinking to do. Actually yeah. I think I will just save more for the better one and have less stress later. Last edited by NicoleAu; 02-18-2011 at 12:42 AM.

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02-17-2011, 09:46 PM	#31
twitch Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 4,571	Originally posted by NicoleAu Hi Twitch, I am buying a flash on Saturday. Yes I know I have a lot of gaps in my equipment, as has the other tog. When I find out what is happening I will see what can be done then. I don't plan on shooting it alone, it would be way too much for me to handle. Ideally I would like someone with experience to be the main, and me be the second. I don't know if I have the right personality for it, but I seem to be going ok so far. I have done a shoot with a couple I didn't know at the time and I got some nice shots. Good for the stage I am at anyhow, I think. I am well aware that I have loads to learn and have offered to be a free assistant to some photographers so I can learn more. I have only come into photography over the last 8 months and I'm discovering a passion for it, like I've never felt for anything before. I hope to become the best photographer I can be The more I use flash the more I realise I should use flash more. I've been mainly using it inside but recently I've been using it for fill and boy is it great, no more dark eye sockets Yeah it makes you look a bit like a tosser having this honking great flash on top of your camera, but the results are so much better. Hopefully the flash you are buying is p-TTL capable? p-TTL makes things so so much easier, and without pTTL there is no HSS which is a god send for fill flash so you can go above 1/180 outdoors which is essential IMHO. Your portfolio is great, but you need to fire that photographer who took your photo Good luck

02-17-2011, 09:51 PM	#32
elpolodiablo Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Sydney, Australia Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,637	bounce flash is fun too, but it takes a bit of practice to get it right.

02-17-2011, 09:59 PM	#33
NicoleAu Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Central Coast, NSW, Australia Photos: Gallery Posts: 539 Original Poster	lol Twitch, now you're making me all self conscious of my photo Ok you just spoke a bunch of gibberish to me then. It's the Sigma ef-530 DG ST, which is in my price range at the moment, at $99. I can save for another couple of weeks for the super version, but time is my enemy at the moment. As it is I'm spending $450 this weekend. I am worried about how I'm going to do this and I know and the couple knows they will not get pro quality photos, but they are glad that someone is able to do the best they can do.

02-17-2011, 10:15 PM	#34
elpolodiablo Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Sydney, Australia Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,637	Don't think Sigma 530 ST can do HSS.

02-17-2011, 10:21 PM	#35
NicoleAu Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Central Coast, NSW, Australia Photos: Gallery Posts: 539 Original Poster	High Speed Sync? No I don't think it does either.

02-17-2011, 10:24 PM	#36
twitch Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 4,571	Nicole, before you plonk done $99 have a good hard think about whether you can do without high speed sync as that Sigma flash doesn't have it (the Sigma "super" flashes do). Without HSS you get get into trouble very quickly using it for fill flash, and by trouble I mean unrecoverable over exposure unless you really know what you are doing (eg you will have to use a 2 or 4 stop ND filter and watch your shutter speed like a hawk). I'd save and get the "super" which I believe does have more features including HSS. In the mean time read read read (eg google "planet neil" who is the master of on camera flash)

02-17-2011, 10:59 PM	#37
NicoleAu Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Central Coast, NSW, Australia Photos: Gallery Posts: 539 Original Poster	Argh don't say that I had a look at prices for the Super version and I won't be able to save up enough in time for the wedding.

02-17-2011, 11:50 PM	#38
TOUGEFC Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Brisbane Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,561	A flash is a must have for the main photog, you will have a very hard time with that sigma flash since it does not support pttl and you being new to the flash game. The wedding is in april, heres what you can do, a) save and save for the next month and you may have enough to buy a used or new metz or pentax pttl flash. or b) buy the sigma and try to master it with the month of time you have

02-18-2011, 01:22 AM	#40
elpolodiablo Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Sydney, Australia Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,637	There was a used Metz 48 in the marketplace for US$165, guess you missed it

02-18-2011, 01:58 AM	#41
NicoleAu Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Central Coast, NSW, Australia Photos: Gallery Posts: 539 Original Poster	Must've! It's $65 over budget at the moment anyway. Looks like I'll have to save to around $300 for a Super.

02-18-2011, 02:20 AM	#42
twitch Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 4,571	Metz 48 is $249 new delivered. If you can find one second hand it might be <$180 ish?

02-18-2011, 02:23 AM	#43
TOUGEFC Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Brisbane Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,561	Metz 48 will probably be the best bang for $$$ for your budget too

02-18-2011, 02:50 AM	#44
NicoleAu Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Central Coast, NSW, Australia Photos: Gallery Posts: 539 Original Poster	Yeah? I'll have to do some searches on it then Oh and the other tog quit on me after a bit of a heated exchange. Bah, I can't shoot this on my own.

02-18-2011, 04:38 AM	#45
Gashog Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: NY Photos: Albums Posts: 523	I think you can. It seems fairly small, laid back and in formal. I thought you had more time? Wasn't there a wedding In front of this one? I thought you were going to get one shoot in between now and then. I'm not a wedding photographer but my brother in law was. I have a friend that does it and I know a husband and wife team that have been shooting weddings for years. I've seen it done. They all have a formula. You could plan 10 must have photos and do your best to get those. My BIL used to bang off a thousand frames but there was only maybe a hundred that were planned and discussed before hand. The other nine hundred were candids or snapshots. I don't know what his wedding packages included but I'd be surprised if they were more then 250 immages. Edit: when I say a hundred planned shots, that's because my BIL shoots brackets. there might have been only 10 or 20 photo ops.