What equipment do you essentially necessitate to photography a matrimony?

I've been asked to photograph a wedding for a friend. I've done portraits and flowers. But never a wedding ceremony. I currently have a Nikon D80 (b/c everyone I knew have huge probs with their D90) and the 18-55, 55-200, 1.8 50mm. If I do it - I know I'll purchase an extra flash. Maybe the SB-400? Any assistance would be greatly appreciated. I'm well aware of the lighting issues, posing, etc. Not purely sure my equipment is enough. Thank you.
Answers:
If you can swing it at all, find the SB600 or 900, or a used SB800 rather than the SB400. They are more powerful, and swivel and tilt which you will need, and they will work sour camera with the D80's command mode. Also check into the various types of diffusers available. Stofen, Demb Flip-it, Better Bounce Card, Lightscoop and the Gary Fong Lightsphere are a few.

Your lenses are fine, use the 50 f/1.8 for portraits and low table lamp, and the WA kit lens for the most part. You do involve a backup Nikon body. If possible, check into renting a D300 or D700.

Here is my favorite link for first time wedding shooters:

http://www.rokkorfiles.com/Wedding101-pa…

Make sure to control expectations. Shooting a marriage is different from flowers or even portraits (although if you are good at portraiture, you have a big benefit when shooting the formals and the "romantic" B&G portraits.) Get a list and go over near the B&G detailing what shots are "must-haves" for them. Spare batteries. Lots of memory. I prefer several smaller cards of 2-4GB rather than one huge card.

Good luck and best wishes.
If you're a good friend, you should tell your friend to please hire an experienced nuptial photographer. People seem to assume that good portrait or standard photographers can do great weddings, and that's seldom true. It's a totally different - more stressful - more technically demanding ballgame.

That's not to say you can't take some shots and in recent times get some practice in, but a nuptial is a once in a lifetime event, and you REALLY don't want to be the person that mucks it up.

Your equipment shouldn't be an issue. The issue is experience and experience in the wedding photo business. I've agreed way too many those, and seen way too heaps on here, who've done what your friend is asking you to do only to majorly regret it in the expiration.

Remember, there's a reason wedding pros variety the money they do - it's a VERY hard thing to do.
I have only just started my own wedding photography business after being an assistant for 3 years.

Your tools sounds very ample indeed. You have a wide open range of lenses good plenty to get what you need, the most considerable is a wide angle for group shots but your 18-55 Kit will do that and your 55-200mm is good for informal shots and close ups from the posterior of the church. The 50mm prime will be good for close portraits but you know what your doing there and the 18-55mm will be correct again for macro (Cake and Rings).

You would benefit from a Speed-light and the SB-400 will do the job but the internal flash would do just fine, i recommend turning it down a couple of notch in the in-camera menu as it can be harsh or trademark a diffuser at home to stick over it so it's a touch softer.

I strongly recommend a 2nd battery as you'll be snapping loads and you don't want it to die on you, a tripod for formal shots as you want them crisp and a second memory card to back everything up freshly in case.

You may want to invest contained by a Cokin P-Series filter kit to use so you can add some effect to the arty shots or you can do that contained by post-production if money is tight (You may find them handy with your flower shots in adjectives though?).

Have a chat with the vicar/priest or registrar before appendage to see what you can photograph and what you can't and i recommend casing the location of the wedding and the reception venue at the time the wedding/reception will be beforehand to see the best place to bear photos this is also handy as you'll know where you can take snaps if it rain!!

Dress smart, be punctual and polite and you will glide through the day, don't be startled to ask the groomsmen to help you where possible, that's their position!

Good Luck!
From photo.web:
http://photo.net/learn/wedding/equipment

Do you "need" all of that equipment, maybe not. I'm sure population shoot weddings with a single D80 and a few kit lenses adjectives the time. The wife of a friend of mine decided to go cheap and found someone beside a digital rebel to shoot their wedding -- let just say the results be less than acceptable. He regretted not hiring another friend of ours who shot the marriage ceremony casually, with his canon 5D and 24-70 2.8L. You can't argue near results, though. Just looking at wedding and event shooters like Ryan Brenizer, you probably won't acheive like peas in a pod results with a D80 and its companion kit lenses. But, and I hope, if you're not accepting any money for the employment - I suppose your gear will do the job. If however you do expect compensation, do try to study technique -- perhaps that will riddle the gap in your equipment.

Ryan's website:
http://www.ryanbrenizer.com/
Equipment is the most minuscule of the worries.

Absolute knowledge on how to use your equipment, light, poses and an opinion on the wedding 'must-have' shots are all #1. You'll want a spare *everything*. If a body dies, you must be back up and running within second. Same with strobe units. Think Murphy's canon!

Then, for every hour you shoot, you'll be spending post processing the images.

Certainly let your friend know that you've never photographed a marriage before and that you'll do your best to capture this once-in-a-lifetime sunshine. It's a big responsibility but if you plan, plan, plan, practice and make sure you've got fail-safes available - you'll do fine.
The question scares me. I suggest you become a celebratory crasher just to scope out the photographers. Become an apprentice. I would detest to have that burden without the experience to be in motion with it.
Sorry, no equipment concept, however:
One hint - take at least possible one roll of black & white. Our photographer (a friend who we paid) did that, and his wedding present to us was one of the black&white photos of my husband and I done surrounded by sepia tones. It is such a classy looking photograph.
We gave our photographer a check list of the photos we required - all my family, adjectives his family, etc. It helped a great deal.


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