taking wedding pic, help

Run like hell. Unless you're willing to buy a backup camera that you'll
likely never use, spend money expirementing with film and processors, and
risk losing friends, it's best to back out. If you simply cannot back out,
take the N80, the 28-80, the flash, and a ton of Portra 160NC. Get the film
processed by a pro lab, not a mini-lab. And hope for the best. I hope the
flash is plenty powerful for large group shots!

"Marisa" <risleigh.TakeThisOut@enter.net> wrote in message
news:4081525c.0408181041.56574c6a@posting.google.com...
 > Hello,
 >
 > I'm going to take wedding pictures in a few months and I've only done
 > two other really small weddings. I'm lookin for any advice as to how
 > to best use my equipment, what type of film, filters, etc..and any
 > techniques/advice you can give me for taking wedding pictures- indoor
 > and outdoor. I will be using a Nikon N80 SLR camera and have a Nikon
 > lens 28-80mm as well as a Quantaray lens 100-300mm. I also have a
 > promaster FTD 7000M flash, which I'm not too familiar with. Any
 > suggestions for the best results would be greatly appreciated...
 > Thanks,
 >
 > Marisa<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: taking wedding pic, help 

I do not agree that weddings are mainly done 6X6 today. 35mm and 6 megapx
cameras are the norm. What is given up in "quality" is gained in candidness
and variety.

Most clients could not tell a 6X6 from a 35mm. A good photographer can make
35 mm look very good.

Errol


"Francis A. Miniter" <miniter.RemoveThis@attglobalZZ.net> wrote in message
news:41250c85_2@news3.prserv.net...
 > Marisa wrote:
 >
  > >Randall Ainsworth <rag.RemoveThis@nospam.techline.com> wrote in message
news:<180820041858505835%rag@nospam.techline.com>...
  > >
  > >
   > >>In article <4081525c.0408181041.56574c6a.RemoveThis@posting.google.com>, Marisa
   > >><risleigh.RemoveThis@enter.net> wrote:
   > >>
   > >>
   > >>
   > >>>I'm going to take wedding pictures in a few months and I've only done
   > >>>two other really small weddings. I'm lookin for any advice as to how
   > >>>to best use my equipment, what type of film, filters, etc..and any
   > >>>techniques/advice you can give me for taking wedding pictures- indoor
   > >>>and outdoor. I will be using a Nikon N80 SLR camera and have a Nikon
   > >>>lens 28-80mm as well as a Quantaray lens 100-300mm. I also have a
   > >>>promaster FTD 7000M flash, which I'm not too familiar with. Any
   > >>>suggestions for the best results would be greatly appreciated...
   > >>>
   > >>>
   > >>You're asking questions that you shouldn't be asking for this type of
   > >>job.
   > >>
   > >>
  > >
  > >So anyone else have any suggestions that are helpful?
  > >
 >
 > Hi Marisa,
 >
 > The two previous responses a gently saying that weddings are so
 > important to the participants that botched pictures are not an
 > acceptable risk. Weddings really need someone who does not have to ask
 > these questions, someone who has worked previously as an assistant to a
 > professional wedding photographer.
 >
 > If you are not familiar with lighting, then you probably should not be
 > shooting the wedding. Lighting is one of the most important issues. A
 > wedding deserves off-camera lighting attended by an assistant. Given
 > the need to move around, wireless communication between the camera and
 > lights would be preferable. Go to a photo supply store, rent some
 > lighting, and go to the church a couple weeks in advance and take some
 > pictures to learn what you need to do at the wedding.
 >
 > Really good lighting allows you to use slower film, get greater depth of
 > field (as you can stop down the aperture) and higher quality images.
 > Never underestimate the importance of the lighting. Example:
 > Photographer A shoots a scene with powerful off the camera lights. The
 > background is lit, there is no red eye and the subjects are not
 > overly-contrasty. Photographer B shoots the same scene with an
 > on-camera light only. The background is black or just a grissly brown,
 > there is red eye everywhere, and the faces of the subjects are glaringly
 > lacking in color. Your Proflash will not do the job.
 >
 > I have repeatedly declared in this newsgroup that I do not consider 35
 > mm the format of choice for weddings. Weddings photographers I know all
 > prefer 6x6 medium format - and the Mamiya C30 in particular. You get 3x
 > the surface area on the film, and that can make up for a lot of errors
 > itself.
 >
 > Whatever the format, you need at least two camera bodies, so that your
 > assistant can be taking out exposed film and loading fresh film while
 > you continue to shoot. All this while the assistant is adjusting the
 > lighting., Note, your assistant should expect to work hard that day.
 >
 > Whatever the camera, don't use a program to determine the aperture and
 > shutter speed. Your brain has to decide if the depth of field is going
 > to be narrow or wide, whether elimination of movement is more important
 > than depth of field. If you leave it to the computer you will probably
 > have fast shutter speeds and narrow depths of field.
 >
 > Optics are critical. I doubt either of your lenses open up wide enough
 > to accommodate a dark church. What do they open up to? f/3.5? Prime
 > lenses are better than zoom lenses at accommodating weak lighting
 > conditions. For instance, f/2.0 or f/1.4. The Nikon will have good
 > optics, but the Quantaray? The Japanese were the first to use the term
 > "bokeh" - it means the quality of the out of focus image. This
 > determines the acceptability of an image. If the out of focus part goes
 > into a doubte or blurred image, that is bad. If it gently softens that
 > is good. You need to study the images you have made with the Quantaray
 > to see if it is useable for this critical situation.
 >
 > Then there is the choice of film. .......
 >
 > Read a book of wedding photography.
 >
 >
 > Francis A. Miniter
 ><!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: taking wedding pic, help 

In article <9BM5d.768$tT2.264698@news20.bellglobal.com>, Sympatico
<erroly RemoveThis @sympatico.ca> wrote:

 > I do not agree that weddings are mainly done 6X6 today. 35mm and 6 megapx
 > cameras are the norm. What is given up in "quality" is gained in candidness
 > and variety.
 >
 > Most clients could not tell a 6X6 from a 35mm. A good photographer can make
 > 35 mm look very good.

But I can tell the difference...and if I can tell, then 35mm ain't good
enough.<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: taking wedding pic, help 

 >
 > Most clients could not tell a 6X6 from a 35mm. A good photographer can
make
 > 35 mm look very good.
 >

I'd say the average consumer don't care that much, but they can tell the
difference. Even when not aware there is a difference, many folks would
look at my prints and remark at how "clear" they were. Just like many
folks can tell the difference between a chevy and a mercedes, they still
sell more chevys.<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: taking wedding pic, help 

In article <9BM5d.768$tT2.264698@news20.bellglobal.com>,
"Sympatico" <erroly.RemoveThis@sympatico.ca> wrote:

 > I do not agree that weddings are mainly done 6X6 today. 35mm and 6 megapx
 > cameras are the norm. What is given up in "quality" is gained in candidness
 > and variety.
 >
 > Most clients could not tell a 6X6 from a 35mm. A good photographer can make
 > 35 mm look very good.
 >
 > Errol

True but an equally good photographer can make 6x6 look fabulous
compared to either of those.

--
LF Website @ <a style='text-decoration: underline;' href="http://members.verizon.net/~gregoryblank" target="_blank">http://members.verizon.net/~gregoryblank</a>

"To announce that there must be no criticism of the President,
or that we are to stand by the President, right or wrong,
is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable
to the American public."--Theodore Roosevelt, May 7, 1918<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: taking wedding pic, help 

In article <CDQ5d.124854$D%.73003@attbi_s51>,
"zeitgeist" <blkhatwhtdog RemoveThis @yahoo.com> wrote:

 > I'd say the average consumer don't care that much, but they can tell the
 > difference. Even when not aware there is a difference, many folks would
 > look at my prints and remark at how "clear" they were. Just like many
 > folks can tell the difference between a chevy and a mercedes, they still
 > sell more chevys.

Depends on how low your willing to sell the Mercedes and the type
of clients you want to attract.

--
LF Website @ <a style='text-decoration: underline;' href="http://members.verizon.net/~gregoryblank" target="_blank">http://members.verizon.net/~gregoryblank</a>

"To announce that there must be no criticism of the President,
or that we are to stand by the President, right or wrong,
is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable
to the American public."--Theodore Roosevelt, May 7, 1918<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: taking wedding pic, help