I will take it, please private me your PP info?
Looks like a key requirement is a bowl tripod, or add an additional bowl head adapter to a flat tripod mount. Might be worth a try. The bowl looks like a very fast way to level out.
If you can fill the frame with your subject, then the snow becomes less important. If the snow fills the frame then the question is when to shoot it. The quality and direction of the light determines the outcome of the image when teamed up with the proper exposure values. If you want to get a photo that you can almost feel the fluffy snow, or crunch it under your heel, you need proper exposure, with side lighting. Also you may need two photos, one for the snow, and one for the subject, both exposed for those two different properties, and combine them in PhotoShop or some other photo manipulating program. In the old B&W days we used zone system and captured both with an extremely long tonal scale.
As a couple Nikon users already mentioned: The "kit lens" is a pro user lens. That 24-120 F4 lens is a keeper, and a great walk around lens when exploring a new city. That range is plenty for most images unless you strictly do wildlife, then just add a longer zoom to compliment it? I have the older variable F stop version, and maybe am lucky to have a tack sharp one? It is a good lens for parties with family, or just going for a walk to take pictures. I hope to get the f4 version some day when I can get permission from my CFO. I was really surprised when I saw that lens offered as a kit lens for the D750. I never saw such a fine lens offered at a reduced two-fer price. I have a D750 as well, great camera, you will not regret getting it.
If you want the 70-200 and are not opposed to used, save some bucks and get the earlier VR, or VRII version. They are both of very good quality, and neither will disappoint. I have owned both, still have the VRII and have no need to get the E version. They focus fast, and yield excellent images. The only reason I switched from the VR to VRII was that I was offered more for the first lens than I paid for it a few years earlier! Then after going without for a few years, found a great deal on a barely used VRII. Paid under 1300 for it, USA version! Both lenses are tack sharp, and quick, silent focus. And the VR helps me get those handheld pics, even at my close to seventy age. I have owned many third party lenses, some were quite good, but many not so good. I would always choose a used Nikkor over a new third party if the price were any way near close. But the decisions are difficult as there is less junk offered out there with the new advances in lens and coating designs.
The best camera and lens combo to take with you is the one you are willing to carry around everywhere you go! Do not get ambitious beyond your ability to be a pack mule. If you do, the photo rig will sit in a motel room while you hike and take pics with your IPhone! Travel images are one thing, works of art for sale are quite another. And sometimes we get lucky and get the work of art with minimal equipment. But the pro plans his trip, has the right tool to do the job with him, and has help if there is too much to carry. He gets many keepers.
Remember a long lens needs a solid tripod. Some more to carry. Good luck!
If the wedding is casual, and his sister is willing to roll the dice, then just go for it. I am not knocking the pro, as I am a retired pro photographer and shot many weddings. The biggest advantage of the pro is experience. And from that experience: he will have at least one backup for every piece of equipment he uses! And always two cameras ( I had three) with him, usually identical bodies, similar range lenses, flash idling and ready to fire, when the bride walks down the aisle. I have had to set one camera down and pick up an identical twin rig, missing only a couple steps of the bride and her Dad. You have zero time to reason out why one's favorite camera, which worked fine while you shot the church, guests, and the bridesmaids coming down the aisle only to have no flash as the bride herself began her journey! It happened to me. The real pressure pot is the ceremony, the rest of the wedding can reshot, set up again and have those beautiful times recorded for posterity.
But you get one chance during the ceremony, and you must remain a fly on the wall, the reverend grudgingly accepts seeing the photographer, but never wants to be distracted by you and your craft. The ceremony to him is religious, and the photography not so important.
So go for it, just be willing to accept the results, which usually will be fine. At least for a casual wedding. Formal full blown weddings, are you crazy?? LOL !
It looks interesting, thanks for sharing!
Great picture set! Thanks for sharing.
Before buying a new tripod try hanging your camera bag with gear in it from the center post. See if it improves your pics! Even a heavy tripod benefits from this trick. And maybe some weight plates from a barbell can be added if you are close to home. It will stabilize many tripods doing that. The bag needs to be off the ground, hanging in the center of the three legs. Increased mass will help dampen vibrations. Sometimes it makes a huge difference.
Great images Corky! We have a pair in our neighborhood, and I always see them in the highest trees. Cannot mistake them, the sound of their pecking is amazing, like a deep drum! How far away were you when you shot them?
I use a Bogen #3036 tripod with an astronomical Alt/Az head for looking at stars when I am too much in a hurry to align my computer driven large telescope. The tripod is plenty solid, and adjustable for a wide range of user heights. Used they can often be had for $75 with a head installed on E-Bay. They are not for backpacking unless you are strong, but for trails close to a car or at home, it is an excellent choice. I have used up to a 1500mm lens with it! That is about the limit it can handle though. And you can get astro vibration pads to place under the feet of any tripod to cut vibrations and tremors in half! They run about $30 for a used set of three. They work well on a concrete driveway, most would never believe that a cement drive transmits tremors from footfalls, but it does at high magnifications.
A solid tripod and head for $100 is a tough order. Either of those two items can easily go over $100 used! If you are serious about wanting something solid then possibly look for a used Bogen/Manfrotto #3036 tripod with a #3047 head. I have seen that combination go for your price range in good used condition on E-Bay. Is that combo light? No, but it can handle what you want to do with ease. I have no idea of what kind of weight you can carry comfortably. I have used that exact combination to shoot with my 4X5 view cameras in the field, as well as my longer lens on a film or digi SLR, and get rock solid support. But I am maybe a bit beefier than most photographers? A lighter setup from the same company could be a #3041, 3021, etc for the tripod, and either the #3047 or a lighter head. Still adequate for your camera and lens. Again under $100. Those later tripods are more carry friendly. Carbon fiber tripods are great, light and strong,but usually cost 3X more. Ball heads are great, but solid ones are not cheap. I have owned all those things in the past. What I recommended are practical and I can attest they work well. Best of Luck!
A nice collection of photos, all were well done. The standing Snowy Egret is fabulous!