PNagy Loc: Missouri City, Texas

I would have worried about the speed of the lenses if the wedding were inside, because even a lens whose largest aperture is F3.5, let alone F4 will struggle with some indoor challenges.

Your camera/lens combination will be able to gather enough light to shoot the wedding properly, if all of it is outside. Outdoor light, even under cloud cover short of a world class storm, is far brighter than indoor light. You might fit a circular polarizer onto the lens, however.

If it is a sunny day you will have to deal avoid blown out highlights, harsh shadows, and deal with people squinting. That is a whole other story, because you asked only about the camera/lens combination.

melphoto60

first I find the 24-105 on a 50D is not wide enough something in the 10-24 range would do rather nicely.

tokina makes a 11-16 f2.8. Refence f4 if inside just bump your iso up a bit..

second check out creative live.com Zack and Jody Gray are doing a wedding photography weekend today and sunday.
it is free and you can purchase the download for $99. which ends on sunday after sunday it $149....
They are a husband and wife team. suggest anyone who wants or does weddings to check it out. Starts 9am PDT in my time zone its 11am CDT.

:thumbup:

dpullum Loc: Tampa Florida

Polorization filter MWAC that may be a good choice for that off the water and sand reflection.... also keeps the sand away from the lense,,, and do not change lenses in the sandy area!!! My old camera and I landed lense and face down in the sand at Killdevil Hill NC launch a hang glider,,, we were all launched over the back crest by a up hill sudden gust. Sand was in those M-42 (Pentax Screw) threads for a long time!

Scubie Loc: Brunswick Georgia

Go for it...and convince yourself you will have a great time. Do lots of unusual shots, two of them lissing, interacting and doing silly things. No so much the traditional shots other than the normal minister and them...Cake cutting etc.

dpullum Loc: Tampa Florida

Hay Scube, This is a family forum and kissing photos would be ok,,, But!! lissing,,, well, that would be er well a off limits....

Yep, it is fun and intense work photographing weddings.

Scubie Loc: Brunswick Georgia

Meant kissing silly thing....can't type

dpullum Loc: Tampa Florida

Yep Scubie, :lol:

edwinj Loc: winchester,ky

As for the squinting, I read somewhere if you tell everyone to close their eyes while you count to three and open them on the count of two you not only have everyone with eyes wide open,but no one will be blinking,and everyone will be looking at the camera. When they first open their eyes it takes a second or so before they start to squint.

jaroberts Loc: Tampa, FL

You will do fine. Good advice from people here. Practice at the same time of day. I live not too far from you and did two weddings for friends at the Bilmar on Treasure Island. The first came out great and the second one.... eh! But they all love having someone capture the moments. And since we live close by each other, do you know of any photography clubs for beginners in our area?

Meives Loc: FORT LAUDERDALE

I don't know if they do the same things as inside, but if you google wedding protocal you may make a list of what to take. Bride & Groom, B & G with Bride parents, B & G with Groom parents, ect. Throwing the garter. Throwing the flowers. Extra batteries. Do a mock first. Hold off on the drinking. Charge for the next one. Ha Ha

sirlensalot Loc: Arizona

I agree mostly with dpullam. Your camera and lens are perfect for a mostly daytime beach wedding. You may want to consider a circular polarizer and a 5-in-1reflector for different angles on the sand. A decent point and shoot as a back up is fine for what you are doing.

Wheezie

if they have a rehearsal the day before you could get some practice shots. what would be great if it close to the same time as the actual wedding. Plus you'll get details regarding the ceremony that you won't have to be second guessing! Good Luck! "May the Bogen clouds be with you!"

normsImages Loc: Alabama for now

just done a beach wedding about 4 months ago using a 50d and a second shooter using my older XTi. No problem all turned out good. you do need to consider using a polorization filter to help with the sand glare and to bring out the water in the back ground. You will have to compensate for the extra brightness of the sand. Meter for the people not overall or the faces will be dark. Go out the day before with someone to check how much you have to compansate I was using -1/3 but you will need to check for the lighting you will have

dpullum Loc: Tampa Florida

NormsImages comments... agree but will suggest... the KISS rule Keep It Simple Shooter. You will be taking a lot of shots and speed and simplicity is important.

1) Forget the rule of 1/3 for two reasons, one is focus, the other is spot metering of one of the persons. Do not shoot a couple aiming at both or you will focus on the beach house in the background. While the photo-club judges love the 1/3, aunt Anny wonders why you took an odd picture with her at one side!
2)Forget the vertical shots. Always standard horizontal. Why? Editing is quicker and also because when making that slide show you will end up with black chunks at the edges of their 52 inch TV. (except for Ashampoo slide-show HD2 that picks up a blend color from the shot to fill the void space)

In olden days! we would set exposure holding our hands a foot in front of the lens and adjust that wonderful light meter needle in the viewer accordingly. Perhaps with our new equipment, set exposure compensation on a face and for the direction you will be shooting from most of the time. Also, that backup P&S with face recognition will be great for the pre-ceremony shots of the people who are attending the wedding. Auto compensate and focus... P&S are great!!!