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Wedding lens choice?


hockey44

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Greetings,

Would welcome thoughts on 'best' lenses for wedding of my of my children.  Yes, as "Dad" I should be 'in the moment' and there will be a photographer, but given my Leica tendencies, I can't 'miss this' opportunity as well.  I am thinking 35 Lux FLE and .95 Nocti.  I also have a 50Lux and 90 Elmarit but thought 35 for group type shots and since I love the Nocti rendering, and low light this was best combo.  But welcome any advice.  I have EVF just in case for Nocti and do have a Sekonic light meter but not sure about lugging that around. Wedding in Portugal so will be light and probably need to use ND filters during day I assume.  Any links appreciated-- want to try to capture this moment (first of 5 children) as best I can without shooting too much....already getting warned by other children....bet you have heard that before!  Many thanks

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LOL

My daughter is getting married soon too..... so I'm thinking the same thing.....I want to enjoy the wedding and I like Champagne.

Today I'm thinking a 35mm stop down a couple stops and snap away. Letting the hired photographer take care of the photos.

 

Amusingly I did a lot of shooting at my own wedding with a Nikon 28 to 70mm 2.8

Honestly I did like my photos best ....they covered the feeling of my event in a unique way and I had fun too.

I look forward to this thread ....

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Last month I had a music festival to cover with small podia, kind of intimate, so sort of comparable to a wedding. I brought along a big bag with 28cron, 35FLE, 75LUX and APO Elmarit 180 R. I mainly used my 75lux and did some close-ups with the 180. Like on a wedding I find it interesting to be able to focus on the individual in the unfocused group

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Well.. first all congratulations for this wonderful moment. Now , having covered the wedding of my son and last may, the wedding of a nephew (without being the official photographer).. I must warn you about a few things :

1- get ready to be missing yourself on some important shots (where is dad ?.. oh no he is on the other side)

2- get ready to miss some important shots (like if you need to walk your daughter into the church, or if you need to follow the new weds out of the church ...)

3- get ready to be tired and not enjoy the wedding as much

4- get ready to not take care of the family guests (hand shakes , social how are you since last time etc...)

5- get ready to get critics from the family as you are focused on your gear rather than on your children (and your wife)

 

Now, if you want to take all the risks above , or you believe in your supernatural skills to manage them, here are my photographic suggestions :

- think about the sequence of events and where  and which time of the day they will take place (usually this goes like dressing of the bride and/or groom, departure to church, arrival to church, maybe a private family photo session before, entrance inside the church, ceremony, exchange of rings, exit of the church , departure from church, coctail, dinner, evening events , etc..)

- each of these situations being different and your role in each of them being different , pick the important moments you want to not miss in photography

- likewise, each of these situations may require a different lens.

- I would rather limit myself to 2 or max three lenses. You may just want to pick 35FLE and 90 elmarit , or in three lens combo add the 50 summilux . I would not suggest the noctilux to be carried all day  and also unless you really top exercised in using it full open, it will be just dead weight with a lot of wrong focused pictures.

- Use 35 full open in group pictures , with hyperfocal in crowd or ambience pictures

- use the 90 mm elmarit for isolating the people on blurred nice background , especially the bride and her veil or details, or during the church ceremony. Mothers are also a very good subject as they are full of feeling with expressions that day (reward later if your lens is not too clinical sharp... ! shoot full open)

- make sure you use your status of being The Father to take the best picture taking position next to the official photographer

- if possible , use an assistant such that you give him/her your camera and YOU can be also in the pictures

- Decide when you stop taking pictures and foresee a safe place to leave your camera after the picture taking session at the dinner or dancing party place (car trunk may not be the best ?) such that you can enjoy the rest of the wedding (you also have to live it instead of taking pictures which are for memory)

Hope this helps

Edited by newnew
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Well.. first all congratulations for this wonderful moment. Now , having covered the wedding of my son and last may, the wedding of a nephew (without being the official photographer).. I must warn you about a few things :

1- get ready to be missing yourself on some important shots (where is dad ?.. oh no he is on the other side)

2- get ready to miss some important shots (like if you need to walk your daughter into the church, or if you need to follow the new weds out of the church ...)

3- get ready to be tired and not enjoy the wedding as much

4- get ready to not take care of the family guests (hand shakes , social how are you since last time etc...)

5- get ready to get critics from the family as you are focused on your gear rather than on your children (and your wife)

 

Now, if you want to take all the risks above , or you believe in your supernatural skills to manage them, here are my photographic suggestions :

- think about the sequence of events and where  and which time of the day they will take place (usually this goes like dressing of the bride and/or groom, departure to church, arrival to church, maybe a private family photo session before, entrance inside the church, ceremony, exchange of rings, exit of the church , departure from church, coctail, dinner, evening events , etc..)

- each of these situations being different and your role in each of them being different , pick the important moments you want to not miss in photography

- likewise, each of these situations may require a different lens.

- I would rather limit myself to 2 or max three lenses. You may just want to pick 35FLE and 90 elmarit , or in three lens combo add the 50 summilux . I would not suggest the noctilux to be carried all day  and also unless you really top exercised in using it full open, it will be just dead weight with a lot of wrong focused pictures.

- Use 35 full open in group pictures , with hyperfocal in crowd or ambience pictures

- use the 90 mm elmarit for isolating the people on blurred nice background , especially the bride and her veil or details, or during the church ceremony. Mothers are also a very good subject as they are full of feeling with expressions that day (reward later if your lens is not too clinical sharp... ! shoot full open)

- make sure you use your status of being The Father to take the best picture taking position next to the official photographer

- if possible , use an assistant such that you give him/her your camera and YOU can be also in the pictures

- Decide when you stop taking pictures and foresee a safe place to leave your camera after the picture taking session at the dinner or dancing party place (car trunk may not be the best ?) such that you can enjoy the rest of the wedding (you also have to live it instead of taking pictures which are for memory)

Hope this helps

The OP says there will be a pro photographer there, so some of your concerns may be misplaced. With the pro covering the groups and main events/moments, it leaves him (when not on formal duty) free to take all those informal shots that often lack the personal and familiar touch.

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The OP says there will be a pro photographer there, so some of your concerns may be misplaced. With the pro covering the groups and main events/moments, it leaves him (when not on formal duty) free to take all those informal shots that often lack the personal and familiar touch.

I hope you know how a passionate photographer with a Leica and emotionally involved with the event can easily get carried away... :D

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Thank you so much for your thoughtful comments....hmmmmm....brain says don't do it (schlep around a Nocti-- aka Nupti), but soul says "do it". After doing a course with Overgaard I got hooked on the Nocti despite its girth.

 

The key point is "being there" or "being there" and that is the conflict. Well since this is the first of 5 children getting married I guess i might learn how to balance this inner Leica conflict. I want to capture some emotion and not trying to document anything, let the photographer brides parents sorting do that with no doubt a dslr . Am I mad to consider lugging Sekonic lightmeter or just work against my instincts and change to C and hold the shutter down far more than my film instincts tell me? At least that way with Nocti someone will hopefully be "right".

 

Wedding in Portugal in August so will be bright and hence NDs...I know my wife will fume by me taking photos but I hope the long term benefit will outweigh short term issues. I find the 90 ELm more difficult to focus than the Nocti so was planning to leave it home. I do have the 50 Lux which would be fine, but something about the Nocti for these kind of close personal facial images that just works better I felel. Any more advice welcome?

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I have married off three daughters. Each of them had a pro for the event (none of them asked me to be THE photographer, though one asked me to be the wedding singer :o ). I thoroughly enjoyed documenting all those little details that never get properly covered, while fulfilling my duties as FOTB knowing that they were being well photographed by the pro.

Just do it!

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"inner Leica conflict"  :)

 

Defiantly do it ....but be in the moment too.......let some shots go

I have more fun doing almost everything when I shooting.

 

 

but you'll need to be in photos too....... so what if you have a camera on your shoulder .....that's you

 

Use the 50 .95 .......leave the meter home

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Thank you so much for your thoughtful comments....hmmmmm....brain says don't do it (schlep around a Nocti-- aka Nupti), but soul says "do it". After doing a course with Overgaard I got hooked on the Nocti despite its girth.

The key point is "being there" or "being there" and that is the conflict. Well since this is the first of 5 children getting married I guess i might learn how to balance this inner Leica conflict. I want to capture some emotion and not trying to document anything, let the photographer brides parents sorting do that with no doubt a dslr . Am I mad to consider lugging Sekonic lightmeter or just work against my instincts and change to C and hold the shutter down far more than my film instincts tell me? At least that way with Nocti someone will hopefully be "right".

Wedding in Portugal in August so will be bright and hence NDs...I know my wife will fume by me taking photos but I hope the long term benefit will outweigh short term issues. I find the 90 ELm more difficult to focus than the Nocti so was planning to leave it home. I do have the 50 Lux which would be fine, but something about the Nocti for these kind of close personal facial images that just works better I felel. Any more advice welcome?

You've worked hard for this moment, why not treat yourself to a Leica Q. It's the perfect camera for a destination wedding.

I won't bore you with the specs or the reasons why- I'm sure you know it as well as I do.

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If you truly can't resist taking photos, get the Q and leave the M at home. You might then have some chance of being a little more present and discreet, rather than juggling lenses and light meters.

 

The wrath of your family on the seminal occasion of your first child's wedding is not worth the disruption to your time and attention. The memories of the occasion are far more important than images of it if you are the cause of disquiet.

 

Believe me.

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Funny I have a Digilux 2 but somehow I can't think about that one for this event. Sure it has a zoom and makes great shots and is actually lighter that an M even without the Nocti.

 

I think as the Nike ad goes: just do it". I will try to do my best to avoid the wrath of my wife hoping that I will capture some special moments that only the father might see....or at least my rationale (and excuse).

 

But I will once in my life put the shutter to C and take many more bursts than I am accustomed to.

 

Thanks again for ideas and support. Imagine if there was a shoulder holster where you could hide the camera under your jacket and just pull out to "shoot" (sorry for the pun)....

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As a wedding photographer by trade I would suggest 35mm and 90mm. I don't use my Leica M4-2 for weddings, I shoot Sony A7rII and Canon 5DmkIII, I have a wide range of lenses from......well wide to long tele.

16-35, 28-70, 70-200 but I prefer to shoot primes so 35mm, 50mm and 85mm These are fast razor sharp primes and I love them.

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I was a guest at one not long ago.  Watching the 'pro' I was horrified - barely got off his butt, was clueless.  Luckily I had a Sony RX100iii in my pocket as usual - ended up shooting tons in jpg including with fill flash when necessary.  Did family groups, tables, dancing, the band, cake cutting, close in, from a chair, some 'artsy' shots etc etc. 

 

The 'pro' was a friend of a friend with little experience. I felt bad for his being in way over his head, hope it was a lesson.

 

I gave them the chip at the end of the evening

 

A week later they said I saved the day - ended up using my shots 90%, mailed the chip back.

 

They didn't care what camera or lens 1 jot.  For me, other than leaving my understanding (and perhaps a bit proud) wife with others, an enjoyable time.  You can't reshoot a wedding!

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With the M240 and indoors what would you say is a "safe" shutter speed min ? I haven't done much with ISO past 1000 and try to shoot wide open again, subject to light of course.

 

Any suggestions for F stop on group photos so back row is in focus type things probably with 35FLE?

 

Lots of men will be in suits so ties help with quick focus.

 

I will also "force" myself to take off any filters except ND for outdoors....hah

 

I did Overgaard's ventilated hoods-- worth taking ?

 

Many thanks

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With the M240 and indoors what would you say is a "safe" shutter speed min ? I haven't done much with ISO past 1000 and try to shoot wide open again, subject to light of course.

Any suggestions for F stop on group photos so back row is in focus type things probably with 35FLE?

Lots of men will be in suits so ties help with quick focus.

I will also "force" myself to take off any filters except ND for outdoors....hah

I did Overgaard's ventilated hoods-- worth taking ?

Many thanks

Outside of general " smaller f stop is better" type of advice which I'm sure you already know, my suggestion is to practice and review your images on screen. In the meantime here is a link for inspiration during the actual event.

 

http://www.overgaard.dk/the-story-behind-that-picture-0173_gb.html

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