devolution Loc: Dubuque. IA

Hey fellow hoggers! Thinking about getting into doing weddings. I know, I know, I can feel the cringes from here! I did one for a friend years ago during the film era. Came out pretty good. They were happy. I have a Nikon D700. Nikkor 50mm f1/8G and a 28mm to 300 zoom. I know I need a flash and a 70 or 80 to 200 f2/8. What else do I have to have to do the job right. Thanks.

bkyser Loc: Fly over country in Indiana

Hey, welcome aboard. We have a new "wedding photography" section here on the Hog. If you would like, subscribe to that section (go to the home screen, and scroll all the way down to the bottom) Only a few weeks old, so we're still getting off and running. We have about 50 like minded (pros and non pros alike, that are all positive about wedding photography)_

There are already some posts about where to get business, etc. Check it out, sign up, and invite friends :-) We're trying to grow it into a nice community.
bk

dsmeltz Loc: Philadelphia

One of the reasons I don't do weddings is the need for backup equipment. You need a second camera body at a minimum. The wedding is a once in lifetime thing. Your camera crapping out is not an option.

GoofyNewfie Loc: Kansas City

:thumbup: Absolutely!
Murphy (as in Murphy's law) comes to all paid gigs.
He brings friends to weddings.

Dennis,
I've been a professional for about 40 years now doing newspaper work- college sports, my own business: events, editorial, advertising, never shot the POTUS but I did photograph the first lady, and now have a sweet gig at a university.
(yes, a jack of all trades, master of none)
The thing that gets me the most stressed is weddings.

You don't have a flash yet?
You will need some and, more importantly, know when and how to use them well- instinctively.
Weddings can be a fast-paced event and if you're chimping the LCD you are missing shots.
It's one thing to know what to do when events are going smoothly, but you will need to know how to salvage a situation when the Murphy clan shows up. I've had the power go out, a tornado, shutters jam and been sick. You need a plan B, C....
Don't do this solo: find someone who is willing to take you on as an assistant or apprentice.

bkyser Loc: Fly over country in Indiana

when starting out, build the cost in of renting back up gear. Just rent an identical camera body to what you have, so you aren't there trying to figure out settings.

Eventually, you'll end up with 2 bodies, and 2 of "most" lenses. I generally take 3 flashes with me. Between off camera flash, and just the convenience of grabbing a new flash, and letting someone else swap batteries is nice.

buckwheat Loc: Clarkdale, AZ and Belen NM

I DID shoot the POTUS, and Ladybird, but I still don't want to shoot weddings! Although I have, and they can be quite lucrative! BUT, as Goofy says: Your need backup of EVERYTHING, including flash!

GoofyNewfie Loc: Kansas City

Cool! How many secret service members did you see?
I think "Finding Waldo" was easier.

buckwheat Loc: Clarkdale, AZ and Belen NM

I have no idea, but I know that when I stepped on Johnson's toe, they were all over me. I'm 6' and at the time about 185# and I was picked up and "moved"! but not "removed" (it was an accident)

bkyser Loc: Fly over country in Indiana

devolition, no offense to other posters, but the "this is why I don't shoot weddings" posts are why we started our own section.

As for being lucrative, if you figure out how many hours you spend on a wedding, vs. a portrait shoot, I make more money/hour shooting portraits. The reason I still focus mainly on weddings is that I absolutely love doing weddings. In 30+years, I only have a very few (probably count on one had) really bad experiences. In my day job, or just day to day life, I can't say that my average of loving it, to sucky times ratio is any where as close.

If you have the right personality, you can pretty much make any situation work.

devolution Loc: Dubuque. IA

Thanks for all the good advice. I will check out the wedding forum.

Phantom53 Loc: Australia

I think a 24-70 2.8 is a must and I would highly recommend you look at a Gary Fong collapsable diffuser for your flash when you get them. They do a fantastic job particularly on people.

Bobbee

This thread can stop right here. This sums it up!! Man oh man does it sum it up.



:thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup:

DavidPine Loc: Fredericksburg, TX

Get paid in advance.

Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)

A business and marketing plan. Contracts. Portfolio. Exceptional sense of customer service for when things go south with Bridezilla or anyone connected to her (and the psychodrama is a given), a tolerance for Uncle Bob and Aunt Jenny with their point and shoots and/or cell phone cameras. Patience for those asking you about your camera and whether it takes great shots, or telling you they have a pro DSLR, a Nikon D3200, and it takes great shots. An understanding that the worst place to put a flash is on top of the camera, and the second worst place is on a flip bracket because, even if you use a tupperware (Gary Fong) flash modifier the light will be harsh and flat. To get stunning wedding images your light has to be way off camera, which means an assistant, and radio triggers for the flash, etc etc etc - shall I go on? Duplicate gear, and you can't have too many speedlites - are a foregone conclusion. The last thing you want is for something to go wrong and you get blamed. Oh, which brings up another important tool - camera insurance and indemnity insurance, in case you get sued for screwing up.

Make sure you don't piss off the local photographers by offering shoot and burn weddings for $500, or they will drive you out of business. In the NYC area, a typical wedding, excluding albums and prints, will go for around $2500 to as much as $10K or higher - depending on what they want. Based on the gear that is needed, you can understand why pros get what the get.

Look at this guy's site - he nails the lighting and posing - you will either be encouraged by his high standard of quality, or you may decide to work with another established wedding shooter as a second shooter until you learn completely what is involved.

http://neilvn.com/tangents/

Nothing worse than an amateur who does not have a clue how to run a business undercutting legitimate pros and doing a complete disservice to the clientele due to the lack of experience in business and as a photographer.

sirlensalot Loc: Arizona

Minimum requirements:
2 bodies
1-medium zoom /2.8
1-telephoto zoom /2.8
1-wide or UWA lens
1-Macro lens - 105MM
1-Low-light prime normal (35-50 mm)
2-4 flashes (depending on style)
4-6 memory cards (depending on size)
2-4 extra camera batteries
12 extra AA batteries and/or 8 rechargeable AA with charger(s) Recommend Sanyo Eneloops for rechargables (depending on length of gig)
1-2 light stands
2- shoot-thru /reflective umbrellas
1-Light/Flash meter
1-4' step ladder
1-Vehicle large enough to haul gear
Decent laptop or desktop computer with PP program(s)
1-2 external HD for back ups
A shot list for B&G w/ copy for you and second shooter
Contracts
Black or dark gray suit or at least shirt/tie/vest/pants same color
Snacks
Business cards
Decent color lab if you plan on providing prints along with personalized photo book
Water - save the good stuff for afterwards, you'll need it.
Website to display some low-res shots for family to purchase and for marketing your services.
Patience of saint
A good therapist
Time machine to re-visit site where you missed the shot(s) you needed
Teleporter -to instantly take you from get ready site to ceremony to reception or have a second shooter.
A diary or journal for all of the wonderful, awful,wild and whacky things you will encounter, and for things that worked and those that did not and to write "I will never do weddings again" 10,000 times.

I really enjoyed the stress, hustle and bustle of most of them. Overall, the good experiences outweighed the not-so- good by a bunch. Spend some money, have some fun.