Wedding Photography Startup

[ragu0012]

My girlfriend and I are starting a wedding photography business. I was wondering if you kind helpful folks could offer suggestions for startup equipment, and give me an idea how much I should be paying for new or used equipment.

For example, i don't want to buy a $200 tripod when i could buy a gently used $50 one on craigslist.

Also, please let me know what equipment I SHOULD buy new... i don't know the life of flashes and other things like that.

What is everything i need to get started, and what should my total equipment budget be?

Thanks!

*slaps forehead*

I mean this in all due respect. I really do.

Please don't start shooting weddings if you don't have a clue what your doing. Think about the people who will hire you, think about their day, think about NEVER being able to go back and get those photos back.

If you don't know what you'll need and how much to pay for it, chances are you don't know how to use your equipment for a wedding.

Sorry to be blunt, this was meant to show you that this isn't about YOU, it's about THEM, the client, the person whom these pictures will be their ONLY reminder of their wedding.

~Eric

[ragu0012]

Originally Posted by maxharvard

*slaps forehead*

I mean this in all due respect. I really do.

Please don't start shooting weddings if you don't have a clue what your doing. Think about the people who will hire you, think about their day, think about NEVER being able to go back and get those photos back.

If you don't know what you'll need and how much to pay for it, chances are you don't know how to use your equipment for a wedding.

Sorry to be blunt, this was meant to show you that this isn't about YOU, it's about THEM, the client, the person whom these pictures will be their ONLY reminder of their wedding.

~Eric

Thanks for the helpful response. Keep them coming!

Whoops, did i forget to mention we are taking photography classes starting in January, as well as attending ImagingUSA in Phoenix, as well as shadowing a professional (and mentor) for a few gigs to learn the ropes?

And did I forget to mention that despite my current lack of knowledge with said equipment, I have a natural eye and had several friends happier with my point and shoot photography at their weddings than the prints they received from the "pro" they hired?

Oh, and did I mention that to help build our portfolio, we have two weddings with family just out of school who cannot afford a professional photographer and asked if we'd be willing to do it for free?

No, I did not mention these things because I am posting a simple question on a forum on a website called Digital Photography "School." I simply want to learn, and that is what I'm doing here.

Maybe, Eric... with your attitude, you'd be better off posting on a website called "digital photography snobs who think they're holier than thou"

Perhaps i would be better off doing that.

Good luck.

~Eric

[oldwolf]

*sends max and ragu back to their corners*

ragu,

max might have sounded a bit harsh in his reply but you have to look at it from his standpoint as well as the customer's. if you had given us a bit of background he probably would not have given such a harsh response.

the people here are really helpful but we also want to help any future customers out (your customers as well as anyone else's) by not giveing them a sub-par product.

here are my suggestions:

two camera bodies per shooter
each camera body should have a different lens (personal preference is a
zoom on one and a prime on the other)

a few strobes (3 should do. one for each shooter and an extra)

5 in 1 reflector/diffuser thingy

lots of batteries

lots of memory cards in small sizes (i'd go with 4GB max each)

a tripod if not two depending on how the two shooters are deployed

image editing software (learn how to use it before you shoot anything
official. you don't have to be a pro at it but basic knowledge like curves,
levels and simple image manipulation is good)

This is just my personal opinion as good starting gear. You can go crazy if you'd like by getting wireless transmitters and receivers for your strobes. Huge lighting setups like the White Lightning or beauty dishes.

Like any business, to be successful you have to deliver a product the customer wants and be able to deliver that product consistently. A good rapport with the customer is a must or bad word of mouth will ruin your business. Above all else you need patience....with yourself, colleagues and customers.

Not everyone is going to like the product you deliver, look at Coke and Pepsi. I don't like either hehe. Take care of the customer and they'll take care of you but you have to know when to draw the line. (i.e. "I'm sorry I can't shoot your 8 hour wedding in an exotic location for $300 where I have to pay for transportation, lodging and meals.")

Oh, one last thing. Your job doesn't end after the wedding is over. You have tons of things to do after the wedding such as post processing and making sure the customer gets the best out of you.

Good luck.

[pperez1981]

A lot can be said for a natural eye and the "artistic bone" that some seem to just have. It also sounds like you have planned to learn as much as you can before your start actually doing weddings. Plus, the way you learn is to actually take some photos. . . right? With that said, when you do begin your new business I think that the mind set that Eric mentioned is important. You are there for the bride and groom and if they pay you it is expected that you are the expert in photography. If they are happy, you will be happy, because happy customers is good for your business. I suggest being open to all criticism. Good luck.

Oh, and I suggest starting with researching both canon and nikon. You can't go wrong either. Which model depends on your budget. Of course you can just go with top of the line if budget is of no concern. But, you might want to take a look at the Nikon D90 or D300. Or, the Canon 40D or 50D. If you are on more of a budget, like me, you may want to look at the Nikon D60 but I would not go down to the D40 for professional use. I have the D40 and sure you can take some great shots with it, but its limited also; especially with 6.1 megapixes. If your bride just loved a shot you took and wanted a 24x36 print or larger, you'd be out of luck. The canon xsi is a great camera also. You'd also need a flash. For Nikon I'd recomend the SB600 or SB800. Can't help you with canon flashes though, sorry. . .I'd also get a good zoom lens and a wide angle lens. Lenses are expensive, but I'd get as fast of a lens as you can afford, wide aperture; weddings in churches often have low light and this will help in those conditions, plus your subject will really pop with shallow depth of field. Researching these things is a start. If I'm missing something foundational, please somene please say something.

[ragu0012]

Thanks, that's helpful.

Originally Posted by oldwolf

*sends max and ragu back to their corners*

ragu,

max might have sounded a bit harsh in his reply but you have to look at it from his standpoint as well as the customer's. if you had given us a bit of background he probably would not have given such a harsh response.

the people here are really helpful but we also want to help any future customers out (your customers as well as anyone else's) by not giveing them a sub-par product.

here are my suggestions:

two camera bodies per shooter
each camera body should have a different lens (personal preference is a
zoom on one and a prime on the other)

a few strobes (3 should do. one for each shooter and an extra)

5 in 1 reflector/diffuser thingy

lots of batteries

lots of memory cards in small sizes (i'd go with 4GB max each)

a tripod if not two depending on how the two shooters are deployed

image editing software (learn how to use it before you shoot anything
official. you don't have to be a pro at it but basic knowledge like curves,
levels and simple image manipulation is good)

This is just my personal opinion as good starting gear. You can go crazy if you'd like by getting wireless transmitters and receivers for your strobes. Huge lighting setups like the White Lightning or beauty dishes.

Like any business, to be successful you have to deliver a product the customer wants and be able to deliver that product consistently. A good rapport with the customer is a must or bad word of mouth will ruin your business. Above all else you need patience....with yourself, colleagues and customers.

Not everyone is going to like the product you deliver, look at Coke and Pepsi. I don't like either hehe. Take care of the customer and they'll take care of you but you have to know when to draw the line. (i.e. "I'm sorry I can't shoot your 8 hour wedding in an exotic location for $300 where I have to pay for transportation, lodging and meals.")

Oh, one last thing. Your job doesn't end after the wedding is over. You have tons of things to do after the wedding such as post processing and making sure the customer gets the best out of you.

Good luck.

[ragu0012]

Thank you, that is helpful as well.

I guess it might be helpful background knowledge to know I am a very business-minded person. I happen to enjoy taking pictures and am decent at it. I'm not pretending to be nearly as talented as some of the people who post on this board. But I'm willing to bet that once my ducks are in a row, I'd be able to run a more successful photography business than some more talented photographers because of my business mindset. And obviously a large part of that is satisfying the customer, which I wouldn't take for granted, especially in a wedding situation.

I am very open for criticism as well (i work in the news business, constantly up for public dissemination.) That initial reply just rubbed me the wrong way because I just asked a question. I was to the point so that more people would likely read it and respond... without getting bored with the background.

I'm leaning toward Nikon right now. That way i can buy the second body used on craigslist (there are many more used nikons and lenses in my city)

What is the Nikon equivilent to the canon xsi? I was wondering about the d40, because of all the positive reviews (kenrockwell) and many of them saying they prefer it to the d90 or d80 or d60.

I am on a budget in a sense... but haven't decided what the budget is exactly, because I'm still researching all the products i'll need and the high and low price range.

Originally Posted by pperez1981

A lot can be said for a natural eye and the "artistic bone" that some seem to just have. It also sounds like you have planned to learn as much as you can before your start actually doing weddings. Plus, the way you learn is to actually take some photos. . . right? With that said, when you do begin your new business I think that the mind set that Eric mentioned is important. You are there for the bride and groom and if they pay you it is expected that you are the expert in photography. If they are happy, you will be happy, because happy customers is good for your business. I suggest being open to all criticism. Good luck.

Oh, and I suggest starting with researching both canon and nikon. You can't go wrong either. Which model depends on your budget. Of course you can just go with top of the line if budget is of no concern. But, you might want to take a look at the Nikon D90 or D300. Or, the Canon 40D or 50D. If you are on more of a budget, like me, you may want to look at the Nikon D60 but I would not go down to the D40 for professional use. I have the D40 and sure you can take some great shots with it, but its limited also; especially with 6.1 megapixes. If your bride just loved a shot you took and wanted a 24x36 print or larger, you'd be out of luck. The canon xsi is a great camera also. You'd also need a flash. For Nikon I'd recomend the SB600 or SB800. Can't help you with canon flashes though, sorry. . .I'd also get a good zoom lens and a wide angle lens. Lenses are expensive, but I'd get as fast of a lens as you can afford, wide aperture; weddings in churches often have low light and this will help in those conditions, plus your subject will really pop with shallow depth of field. Researching these things is a start. If I'm missing something foundational, please somene please say something.

[oldwolf]

[QUOTE=ragu0012;349740]
I'm leaning toward Nikon right now. That way i can buy the second body used on craigslist (there are many more used nikons and lenses in my city)

Alright, that's it. Get off these boards now. I can't help you anymore because you're going Nikon!!


That was a joke so don't get your feathers ruffled over nothing. No idea what the Nikon equivalent of the XSi is. I'm a Canon fanboy and it would be heresy if anyone other fanboys caught me thinking about Nikon.

[aramil]

You will find a lot of people here who shoot with the D40/60, but they are NOT professional grade cameras.
D90 or D300 would be fantastic, but if you wanted a backup body a D80 would do in a pinch as well.
SB800's for Nikon are cheaper right now because the line was discontinued to make way for the SB900.