First wedding shoot - need equipment suggestions

[cshgeorge]

I have been asked to photograph a wedding in September. This is my first "professional" photo shoot and I want to do my best. So - what type of equipment do you think I will need? Right now I have a Nikon D40X with the basic lens - 18-55; 55-200; and a prime lens. Plus I have SB600 flash. I have no idea what type of lighting to use or anything. It is an outside wedding - I know that much. I have not talked to the bride yet to get all the information in writing. Anything you have to say will be greatly appreciated. I am willing to upgrade my equipment to get this done to the best of my ability.

[OsmosisStudios]

FX body: D700 or D3 series. At least one, but two would be best. If this isn't possible, the D300s would be doable, but not preferred.
70-200 f/2.8 VR
24-70 f/2.8 VR (or 17-55 f/2.8, if second body is DX)
50mm f/1.4 G

SB-600 (900 preferably). 2 or three would be best, along with a way to trigger them off-camera, just in case.

A good eye
Experience
Calm nerves
A case of RedBull.

[Brian Mullins]

Agree with the above list but, above all, you need experience. No offense, but I'd rather have a good photographer with a P&S then someone who has never shot a wedding with top end gear. See if there is a professional wedding photographer in the area who needs a 2nd to get some experience before shooting yours in September.

Since you've already booked it I won't attempt to talk you off the cliff, but what you really need, assuming you are being paid:

Liability insurance
Backup gear (this is not negotiable - cameras, lenses, batteries, memory cards, pants and flashes all fail - you can't stop the wedding because of a problem with your kit)
Sales tax ID
Business license

Also be prepared to shoot indoors in case of rain.

[scootermcq]

+1 on getting experience. I have started working as a 2nd shooter for an experienced wedding photographer, and there is a huge learning curve to doing that gig. As far as the equipment goes, fast glass is really needed. The average church is DARK, half of them don't allow flash, and as an example at the last wedding, I was shooting f2.8, ISO 1600 just to get shutter speeds of 1/125.

[Brian Mullins]

Originally Posted by scootermcq

f2.8, ISO 1600 just to get shutter speeds of 1/125.

LOL.. hate to say it.. that's bright.

Average church for me is 1600, 2.8 @ 1/40th or below.

[OsmosisStudios]

Originally Posted by Brian Mullins

LOL.. hate to say it.. that's bright.

Average church for me is 1600, 2.8 @ 1/40th or below.

Aww, that's only 1 2/3 stops... that's not that much

[kirbinster]

Good equipments is a plus, but you can still take good shots with what you have. You might be able to just rent one fast lens for those inside shots. Knowing what you are doing is the most important thing.

[dphoto]

Originally Posted by cshgeorge

I have been asked to photograph a wedding in September. This is my first "professional" photo shoot and I want to do my best. So - what type of equipment do you think I will need? Right now I have a Nikon D40X with the basic lens - 18-55; 55-200; and a prime lens. Plus I have SB600 flash. I have no idea what type of lighting to use or anything. It is an outside wedding - I know that much. I have not talked to the bride yet to get all the information in writing. Anything you have to say will be greatly appreciated. I am willing to upgrade my equipment to get this done to the best of my ability.

Most people will say you need to upgrade to different equipment. I've done a wedding and known others to shoot with an entry level Nikon D40 and the results were amazing! I just wanted to leave this advice to others who may not be as experience than some. When I first started I was told that, you shouldn't ever go on a shoot without atleast 6,000 worth of equipment. It discouraged me for a while. Remember it is all in the lens. If you are using natural lighting your lighting equipment is solved. However, if you are shooting until dark that is a different subject all in itself. Good luck. I look forward to seeing some of the images from the wedding.

[Paul Francis Photography]

Originally Posted by dphoto

Most people will say you need to upgrade to different equipment. I've done a wedding and known others to shoot with an entry level Nikon D40 and the results were amazing! I just wanted to leave this advice to others who may not be as experience than some. When I first started I was told that, you shouldn't ever go on a shoot without atleast 6,000 worth of equipment. It discouraged me for a while. Remember it is all in the lens. If you are using natural lighting your lighting equipment is solved. However, if you are shooting until dark that is a different subject all in itself. Good luck. I look forward to seeing some of the images from the wedding.

It is possible to get great shots with a D40, but most weddings will put you in some situation that makes it difficult to shoot without being able to use a clean, higher ISO. At the very least having a walk around lens with a 2.8 max aperture is almost necessary. Of course you could shoot with direct flash to compensate for the lack of quality glass, but that almost always looks bad.