boberic Loc: Quiet Corner, Connecticut. Ex long Islander

If money is not a consideration go for the 5R a better camera in every aspect. Just an aside--For boudoir shoots you must protect yourself from phoney harassment lawsuits. Use a Go Pro and record the entire shoot.

TriX Loc: Raleigh, NC

Yep, I’d be careful with Boudoir shoots. Either record the entire session (with time stamp), or better, have a female helper present as a witness. Sounds complicated, but cheaper than defending yourself against charges/lawsuits. I’m sure there are pros here online that can provide more detailed advice and experience on this subject.

amfoto1 Loc: San Jose, Calif. USA

You are all set for lenses...

If you will be shooting weddings, you REALLY need a 2nd camera! If anything happens to your one camera, you'll fail to deliver on a once-in-a-lifetime event where there are no do-overs. Word will get out, the bad reputation will haunt you and probably ruin your business!

Everything else you shoot can be redone or rescheduled should it be necessary due to an equipment problem. Weddings can't. So if you're going to continue shooting them, by all means get a 2nd camera. That's top priority.

Normally I'd recommend an identical camera to what you already use, so you can switch between them seamlessly and share the work between them to have a longer useful life. You also can have them both set up with different lenses for quick switches, if needed. I've done that for years with my primary cameras. But I also have another in a different format because, as you say, that can be useful.

You MIGHT want to back up one or two lenses that are your "most used"... the ones you just don't think you can do without. But from your list it seems to me you are pretty well covered for lenses, for what you're shooting.

You mention lighting and that's another place you really need backups. I have a total of six portable flash and five portable studio strobes in my kit. There are occasions when I've had to use them all in a shoot, but that's rare.

Most often I would use three or four of the studio strobes. Mine also can be powered by battery, though I've never found that necessary (haven't even bought the batteries). This type of portable strobe is typically fairly low powered and mine are no exception. For that reason, I gang two of them in my main light. A third light serves for fill and I sometimes use a fourth for background lighting or on a boom for hair lighting. Sometimes I'll use all five that way, but the fifth light is basically a back-up, just in case. I also have spare flash tubes, an extra stand, as sell as spare power cords, several sync cords (if needed, should radio triggers not work) and an extra flash meter. It all fits into a large roller case that weighs about 80 lb. I use umbrellas as my light modifiers, which are a type that's both reflective and - with cover removed - can be used as diffusers for direct lighting. They are more portable and faster to set up than soft boxes, though I don't think umbrellas give quite the same quality of light.

I use the portable flash on flash brackets for walk-around shooting (such as wedding receptions). Two of my flash brackets are relatively compact type (generic, off eBay if I recall correctly). The third bracket is a larger Manfrotto model, which can be adjusted higher as can be necessary with longer telephoto lenses. (I also have a dual flash bracket for macro, though it doesn't apply for these purposes and isn't intended for use with the larger portable flash I use.)

Shooting weddings, you basically need a backup for anything you absolutely couldn't do the shoot without. You are in the best position to say what that is, but right at the center of that for any wedding photographer is the camera itself. If your 24-105mm lens failed, you could probably finish shooting a wedding with your 50mm and 85mm lenses. But if your 6DII fails, you'll be up that proverbial creek without a paddle... and a good chance out of business if word of your failure to deliver "gets around".

Something else you should be doing is getting signed model releases. There are special, more stringent releases especially for boudoir photography, and you should also get a copy of the subject's drivers license as proof of age (take a photo of the ID with your phone or camera, if you don't have access to a copier or scanner). There is an article about and examples of the different types of releases here: https://www.asmp.org/property-model-releases/ I'm not quite as rigid, but I know photographers who won't take a single shot until a release has been signed! (Obviously, at weddings and other large groups it can be impossible to get signed releases from everyone.... In some cases that might limit any further use of the images you take. But if the un-released people are "in the background" and you have releases signed by the primary subjects, it's usually not a problem.)

If not already doing so, also get in the habit of a signed contract and a non-refundable deposit for weddings. You set aside your time and commit to being there, so should be compensated if anything goes wrong. Many wedding photogs get 1/3 up front as deposit, 1/3 the day of the wedding and the final 1/3 of payment upon delivery of the agreed photos. The contract protects both you and the subjects.... and it's a professional approach.

I don't do many weddings, but when I do I like to use a "shot list" that I prepared years ago. It lists about 100 different types of shots that are typical at weddings, plus room to write in more. Way in advance I review this with the B&G and anyone else involved in the decisions (such as mom or dad). I check off the type of shots they want and write in additional info as needed (such as be sure to get a shot of grandma w/B&G). B&G often are reminded of shots that hadn't occurred to them and usually appreciate the planning. The list we develop serves as my check list at the event. I don't breathe a sigh of relief until every requested shot has at least one check mark beside it!

Another thing I like to do in advance is contact the venue(s) and, if it's somewhere unfamiliar, visit in person to see what I'll be dealing with.

If you're good with just $500 for a wedding, well, okay. I would encourage you to do a thorough cost-of-doing-business analysis. Typically a wedding is a full day shoot and I figure about $200 an hour is marginally profitable after all the expenses. 8 hours time $200 = $1600. I think that's on the low side for weddings in my area (I see quotes around $2500 all the time, but they may have some other add-ons like photo albums, videos, etc.) If you don't charge enough for your services, you will not be in business very long. At the same time, because you're new at it you may need to do some discounting to jump start your business. The thing is, I'd quote a "regular price" and then offer a discount, so I'm not locked into charging low prices for the rest of my career! It's always more difficult to raise your prices than it is to quote a higher price, then offer a discount. For example, base the discount on them signing model releases so that you can use the great images you're going to take to market yourself to other people. I'm not surprised to hear you got a referral from the 1st wedding... I bet the 2nd wedding couple heard what you were charging and that was their main consideration.

Do you have a web site where people can come to view their images? You say you share them the day of the event on an iPad, but that may not be the most convenient time for them to look over what you shot. Also, what about mom, dad, other relatives and BFFs? How do they get a look? Posting images online for viewing is possible at numerous places, including some that allow online ordering and will provide printing and other services. I use Zenfolio.com, which costs about $250 a year and charges a percentage of sale. By the way, the fact that the images will be posted online is yet another "excuse" for requiring signed model releases. Yes, you can set up password access to the online galleries for a certain level of security, but no online display is 100% secure. So rather than dispute that, if they want the option to review their images online at their convenience, require a signed model release.

Finally, I recommend DO NOT advertise your services on Craigslist. People looking there for photographers usually want the cheapest possible... And those folks will usually end up costing you, rather than paying you!

Whoops... you were just asking whether you need a camera or a lens... I got a bit carried away, didn't I?

PAR4DCR Loc: A Sunny Place

Second camera body is a must for commercial photographers.

Don

Hip Coyote

As some Spec Ops people say, "two is one and one is none." Meaning, you have to have a back up if you are in the business of photography. 'Twer me, I'd probably consider two cameras as my operating equipment and and additional one would be my backup.

As far as pricing, I would not do a wedding for less than a few thousand dollars. As far as boudoir, I don't know about price, but I would have a standard operating procedure to never meet with a client or shoot a client alone...such things can save you in litigation. I'd demand proof that people were age of majority, etc.

TriX Loc: Raleigh, NC

👍👍 My son, who teaches photography and graphic arts, has been doing family and portrait shoots and a few weddings as a second job for several years for $. He is very proficient with lighting and a PS/LR whiz since he teaches it. His work is quite accomplished, he has a comprehensive portfolio, a good website, has all the appropriate equipment (2 FF bodies + a Fuji spare), and is close friends with and has been the second shooter for several pros. Last weekend he shot a wedding and reception for $1600. Took all day, and he was beat when it was done. His comment was the next wedding will be $2,000+.

mundy-F2 Loc: Chicago suburban area

A re-shoot for a wedding may be a tough one, as you know already. I suggest a 2nd body.
Mundy

out4life2016 Loc: Bellingham, Washington

I want to think all for your reply. I have now purchased a second 6D MarkII used for 700 dollars. It’s in good shap and everything’s works great. No battery pack like my other but I can live without it.

bdk Loc: Sanibel Fl.

1: My camera decided to not work in the middle of a wedding. I was positive I had changed a setting somehow.
The wedding went on, they didnt stop because my camera wasn't working. The bride filed a $25,000. law suit because she had no pictures.

2: My camera decided to not work in the middle of a wedding. I was positive I had changed a setting somehow.
The wedding went on, they didnt stop because my camera wasn't working. I pulled out my back up camera, put on a lens and continued to shoot.

which one do you want to be?

I always took a backup camera. NEVER had to use it. ( thank god)