Want to hear your opinions

[dr_zero]

Saw this in relation to shooting a wedding:

DONT DO WEDDINGS until you have all new gear!

What is your take on what is being said?

I think the person is off base saying you have to have all new gear there are some great shots still being taken out there with gear that is years older than me!
Its not all ways the latest and greatest you need, its the practice and skills that you develop over time of working with your gear.

 

[thomas998]

Saw this in relation to shooting a wedding:

DONT DO WEDDINGS until you have all new gear!

What is your take on what is being said?

I think the person is off base saying you have to have all new gear there are some great shots still being taken out there with gear that is years older than me!
Its not all ways the latest and greatest you need, its the practice and skills that you develop over time of working with your gear.

I have an old Lieca from the 1960s that will take excellent pictures... frankly some of the lenses for it are better than my current Nikon lenses...

I would suggest it should be restated as "Don't do weddings until you have all the gear."

You don't have to have the newest and latest, but you should have the gear that you need.... I've been to weddings where someones cousin was doing the pictures and using equipment that wasn't up to the task... my favorite was the one using the built in flash for distant group shots (didn't have a wide enough lens I guess)... I kinda wish I could see how those pictures turned out.

 

[Anewman]

It is difficult to come to a conclusion without seeing the statement in its exact context.

If someone has a 110 camera maybe the statement has lots of merit.
If someone has an older DSLR with noise levels higher than current models along with slower lenses and no external flash unit, it still might have some merit.


Sure older gear can still yield great photos, but that does not make that older gear ideal for the intended job. If newer gear(body, lens, lighting) can improve photo quality and insure a higher rate of keepers... of course the pictures do not take themselves, you still need a competent photographer.

 

[dr_zero]

It is difficult to come to a conclusion without seeing the statement in its exact context.

If someone has a 110 camera maybe the statement has lots of merit.
If someone has an older DSLR with noise levels higher than current models along with slower lenses and no external flash unit, it still might have some merit.


Sure older gear can still yield great photos, but that does not make that older gear ideal for the intended job. If newer gear(body, lens, lighting) can improve photo quality and insure a higher rate of keepers... of course the pictures do not take themselves, you still need a competent photographer.

I agree with you there!

You can read it on MPIX the guy has a Canon rebel xti and the fellow was saying he needed to save up and get a new Canon 40d.

There is too much of you need the latest a greatest to take a good picture take Nikon 8008s or Nikon 2020 even and they are going to take great photos if used correctly.

With Digital I can see it some but not to where I need to jump to 10-12mp just to get a good picture there are digital bodies that still take great pics also and are not the newest model.

 

[MarkBarbieri]

New is not as important as adequate. Adequate to me (for shooting weddings professionally) would be as much about redundancy as gear quality. I'd rather see a pro show up with two Rebel XTis than 1 40D. Cameras fail. Have backups. Have backup bodies, multiple lenses, multiple batteries, multiple memory cards, and have a plan for getting a wedding shot if you end up sick or hurt.

[RANT]
Personally, I hate the idea of shooting a wedding. People are psycho about them these days. It's becoming routine to see a wedding cost as much as 6 months of the couples income. They expect a lot for their special day. I would hate to deal with the stress of being the person responsible for capturing it. Show me a couple that want a nice simple wedding and I'll shoot them for free. Show me the now ubiquitous bridezillas with psycho mom's in tow wanting to put on an $80,000 extravaganza in their early 20's and I'll turn down the job regardless of the pay.

This rant brought to you by someone who's wedding (almost 15 years ago) was delightful and cost a few thousand dollars all in (including jewelry, flowers, photography, catering, and reception).
[/RANT]

 

[Groucho]

Improving one's skills are a lot more important than improving one's equipment.

I feel pretty sad for anyone who's convinced that you need the absolute latest equipment in order to produce decent photographs.

 

[jann1033]

New is not as important as adequate. Adequate to me (for shooting weddings professionally) would be as much about redundancy as gear quality. [RANT]
Personally, I hate the idea of shooting a wedding. People are psycho about them these days. It's becoming routine to see a wedding cost as much as 6 months of the couples income. They expect a lot for their special day. I would hate to deal with the stress of being the person responsible for capturing it. Show me a couple that want a nice simple wedding and I'll shoot them for free. Show me the now ubiquitous bridezillas with psycho mom's in tow wanting to put on an $80,000 extravaganza in their early 20's and I'll turn down the job regardless of the pay.
[/RANT]

ita and i have to say i cringe every time i see a post about someone who just is not ready or equipped to shoot a wedding saying they are shooting a wedding...have they no concept that the normally rational friend becomes a nut case about their wedding? that alone would stop me from ever shooting a wedding even if i have a trailer full of all the latest and greatest equipment, my patience and anxiety levels could not handle it.
but to the op, i don't think you need new everything, just nerves of steel, all the perfectly working necessary equipment and the knowlege of how to use all the equipment,.

 

[brack]

[RANT]
Personally, I hate the idea of shooting a wedding. People are psycho about them these days.
[/RANT]

I do not do weddings anymore unless I just can not get out of it because it is so nerve wracking There is no amount of money that makes it worthwhile so I do not charge when I do give in. (my last one was three weekends ago) Still even for friends and family it can be a nightmare.

 

[dr_zero]

Well funny thing about shooting weddings the last one I shot was my own

I took all the pictures myself and those that needed me to be in it I prepositioned the cameras on tripods and then let my best man make any small adjustments as needed to angle.

Now I would not recommend this for everyone but like they say if you want it done right do it yourself.

I have a great family and they took care of most everything for us and made our day pretty easy so I was able to pull this off. Without a good support system it would have never been possible.

 

[Gdad]

What do you do when the lastest new camera comes out and yours is no longer 'new'- stop shooting weddings?