Tips for wedding photography and SL2-S

[JMPerona]

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The situations is this one:

Im a hobby photographer doing mostly portrait and street photography. I have a Leica Q2 and a Leica M10. I have also a Lumix S5IIX that I use for my YouTube channel in my studio (talking head, studio filming and product photography). I pair the S5IIX with a Sigma 24-70 v2.

I friend of mine wanted me to be his wedding photographer. He knows that Im not a proffs but that I can take relatively good photos with my cameras. I said of course yes to that proposition because I have always wanted an opportunity to learn, and this is a wonderful one (that can cost my friends wedding memory)

The thing is Im in the middle of changing systems to Leica. I have the. opportunity to change the Lumix for a Leica SL2-S and pay a few buck more (not so many). If I wait too much then I will be paying more afterwards. 

My questions:

1) Should I get the SL2-S now or wait until the weedings done?

2) Will it be difficult to use the SL2-S on the wedding? I hav never taked pictures on a wedding and I heard that it doesn't have a reliable autofocus and that is bad for weddings).

3) Any tips to make this experience easier for me? I will be using the sigma 24-70 as my main lenses. 

 

thanks in advance for all the help.

[Luke_Miller]

I've shot weddings with both the SL and SL2.  They worked beautifully and I had no issues with autofocus.  If the wedding is soon my concern would be whether you have time enough to master the SL2-S.  If not, you might consider shooting the wedding with the S5II.  In any event I suggest shooting the rehearsal.  It is great practice for the ceremony and provides an opportunity to verify your settings.  Good luck.

[Olaf_ZG]

Not sure how good you are with your M and longer lenses, cause you will need a backup combo. With if the Panasonic dies on you? Chances are very little, but as a wedding tog you need to eliminate such chances.

Buy the 2s, but don’t sell the Panasonic yet.

[JMPerona]

7 minutes ago, Olaf_ZG said:

Not sure how good you are with your M and longer lenses, cause you will need a backup combo. With if the Panasonic dies on you? Chances are very little, but as a wedding tog you need to eliminate such chances.

Buy the 2s, but don’t sell the Panasonic yet.

Im ok with the M camera, but I won't be using it because the shutter sound (under the ceremony). I will use my Q2 as a B-cam.

11 minutes ago, Luke_Miller said:

I've shot weddings with both the SL and SL2.  They worked beautifully and I had no issues with autofocus.  If the wedding is soon my concern would be whether you have time enough to master the SL2-S.  If not, you might consider shooting the wedding with the S5II.  In any event I suggest shooting the rehearsal.  It is great practice for the ceremony and provides an opportunity to verify your settings.  Good luck.

Any tips? what focus mode do you use? The wedding is in one month, I will need to learn the S5IIX because I have never use it in that way. 

[Luke_Miller]

3 hours ago, JMPerona said:

Im ok with the M camera, but I won't be using it because the shutter sound (under the ceremony). I will use my Q2 as a B-cam.

Any tips? what focus mode do you use? The wedding is in one month, I will need to learn the S5IIX because I have never use it in that way. 

What I use on my SL bodies is AF-C and Tracking Mode.  I use the joystick to initiate autofocus but my settings work fine using the shutter button (which I have to do with the Q2).  So I hold down the joystick (or initiate autofocus with the shutter button) and maintain continuous track on the subject.  This allows me to recompose and if the focus box remains on the subject, I know I have achieved focus. It also has the advantage of not requiring me to change autofocus settings while the wedding party is moving down the aisle.  Once I went to this setup I rarely have a shot out of focus.  I use the same settings on my Z8, with the same results.

Edited November 3, 2024 by Luke_Miller

[LocalHero1953]

I have been in the same position as you: an amateur asked by a friend to photograph her wedding. I used the SL2-S  with 24-90 and 90-280 with no problems. It’s my one and only wedding, but the couple were very happy with the results. 

I would echo Luke’s concern about whether you have time to get familiar with the new camera. When I did it, I was already very comfortable with the Leica. 

I didn’t find a wedding challenging for AF: I used my normal iAF and Face/Eye. There wasn’t much movement or crossing, so Leica’s usual problem of switching between people unexpectedly didn’t happen. 

[Jean-Michel]

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To JMPerona:

My advice: do not do this. At least, not without first meeting with both future spouses and making absolutely sure that they'd you are clear art to what is expected from the photography. 

You do not indicate if this is to be a very small gathering or a large gala type of wedding. If it is an intimate wedding, you may get away with simply using your small Q2 and just make some nice images for everyone to be happy with.

It is very difficult being both the guest — the friend— and the photographer. It can be done, and I have done so on a number of occasions, but with the full understanding that I was there to do a job and not to be part of the guests. 

Wth only one month before the wedding, it is probably difficult for your friends to arrange a proper wedding photographer, so you all may have do as best as you can.

As to equipment, the noise from the camera should be the least of your concerns, you will be visible, and heard, no matter what. And this is not the time to be experimenting with new stuff, use what you know to use without looking at it.

Good luck!

Edited November 4, 2024 by Jean-Michel
typo

[BernardC]

14 hours ago, Jean-Michel said:

It is very difficult being both the guest — the friend— and the photographer. It can be done, and I have done so on a number of occasions, but with the full understanding that I was there to do a job and not to be part of the guests. 

That would be my main concern. You are either shooting or enjoying. It's hard to do both.

As far as equipment is concerned, it sounds like you have enough. It might not be a good idea to introduce new equipment if you won't have enough time to get comfortable.

Some advice from someone who has shot hundreds of weddings (always as an assistant, never for friends): get lots of coverage. The ceremony itself is usually straightforward, but what people will want to see is the location, the weather, the food, the mood, the clothes, and especially the guests interacting. Your M and Q might be best for this, especially after the lighting gets dim in the evening.

Groups and portraits are also important. Pay close attention to your backgrounds and your lighting. Be sure to have good separation between your subjects and background. It often helps to grab a couple of guests to do a test at your chosen location, so you don't keep the main wedding party waiting while you figure things out.

[PeterBoyadjian]

SL2S AF is good enough for someone that is used to Leica contrast detect AF. 

S5II has much better AF and basically the same image quality. I do find the white balance to be different but in post you can adjust everything anyways. 

Study the venue to figure out your lighting, that is more important. 

[Jean-Michel]

Wedding photography has sure changed a lot over the decades. In early days, a studio portrait of the couple and a group shot on the church front steps were all that was done an needed. later, such in my early days, one was sent out with 12 to 24 sheets of film for the entire wedding. Now there are two or three photographers, a videographer, and even a drone operator. The production, and cost, can rival that of a Netflix series. And while i do not want to rain on anyone's parade, all of it is for nought! All the images may be seen once or twice and quickly forgotten (there are alternatives for this of course). For the few weddings I did or do, I provide a full captions identifying al the people and various text with the images  and produce hard cover books — I earned much of my income in book design, so that is my gig. Those books will rarely be looked over by the couple, but a few years later their children do enjoy paging through the books. I have been told and seen that repeatedly. 

I also did quite a few restorations of wedding images for 25th of other anniversaries, most people just wanted one or two image restored, and not their entire album. So even if they had a large album, only two or three images still mattered to them.

Wedding photographer: let the couple feel the joys of their nuptials, it is their promise to each other, and they are not just models for your shoot.

Edited November 5, 2024 by Jean-Michel
typos

[JMPerona]

On 11/4/2024 at 12:00 AM, LocalHero1953 said:

I have been in the same position as you: an amateur asked by a friend to photograph her wedding. I used the SL2-S  with 24-90 and 90-280 with no problems. It’s my one and only wedding, but the couple were very happy with the results. 

I would echo Luke’s concern about whether you have time to get familiar with the new camera. When I did it, I was already very comfortable with the Leica. 

I didn’t find a wedding challenging for AF: I used my normal iAF and Face/Eye. There wasn’t much movement or crossing, so Leica’s usual problem of switching between people unexpectedly didn’t happen. 

I wont have any problem getting familiar with the system as I have been using Leicas as my main cameras and had a few manual focus camera before. 

 

On 11/4/2024 at 2:22 AM, Jean-Michel said:

To JMPerona:

My advice: do not do this. At least, not without first meeting with both future spouses and making absolutely sure that they'd you are clear art to what is expected from the photography. 

You do not indicate if this is to be a very small gathering or a large gala type of wedding. If it is an intimate wedding, you may get away with simply using your small Q2 and just make some nice images for everyone to be happy with.

It is very difficult being both the guest — the friend— and the photographer. It can be done, and I have done so on a number of occasions, but with the full understanding that I was there to do a job and not to be part of the guests. 

Wth only one month before the wedding, it is probably difficult for your friends to arrange a proper wedding photographer, so you all may have do as best as you can.

As to equipment, the noise from the camera should be the least of your concerns, you will be visible, and heard, no matter what. And this is not the time to be experimenting with new stuff, use what you know to use without looking at it.

Good luck!

It's a very very very little familiar wedding. not even friends are invited so it wont be a problem for me taking photos. They know that Im not a profs and they know also the consequences of it

4 hours ago, Jean-Michel said:

Wedding photography has sure changed a lot over the decades. In early days, a studio portrait of the couple and a group shot on the church front steps were all that was done an needed. later, such in my early days, one was sent out with 12 to 24 sheets of film for the entire wedding. Now there are two or three photographers, a videographer, and even a drone operator. The production, and cost, can rival that of a Netflix series. And while i do not want to rain on anyone's parade, all of it is for nought! All the images may be seen once or twice and quickly forgotten (there are alternatives for this of course). For the few weddings I did or do, I provide a full captions identifying al the people and various text with the images  and produce hard cover books — I earned much of my income in book design, so that is my gig. Those books will rarely be looked over by the couple, but a few years later their children do enjoy paging through the books. I have been told and seen that repeatedly. 

I also did quite a few restorations of wedding images for 25th of other anniversaries, most people just wanted one or two image restored, and not their entire album. So even if they had a large album, only two or three images still mattered to them.

Wedding photographer: let the couple feel the joys of their nuptials, it is their promise to each other, and they are not just models for your shoot.

In my case, all these things are not applicable. It's going to be a very small and very familiar wedding. 

[BernardC]

11 hours ago, Jean-Michel said:

In early days, a studio portrait of the couple and a group shot on the church front steps were all that was done an needed. later, such in my early days, one was sent out with 12 to 24 sheets of film for the entire wedding.

One of my mentors' mentors shot weddings with a Speed Graphic and six holders (some of which were spares). This would have been in the 1950s. The standard package consisted of a group portrait on the church steps, a shot of the couple next to the "just married" car, and maybe a smaller group shot of the couple with their parents and grandparents. The whole job was over in a few minutes.

Most of those shots are still in the package (couple shots don't feature a car anymore), but they get filed away for a few decades. What couples want now are sharable images to show to relatives and friends all over the world, venue images if it's a "status venue," and guest/documentary images. Multi-generational events are more and more rare, so photographs of groups and individuals getting together, happy, dressed well, etc., tend to be the most appreciated. I've been told a few times that I took a favourite picture of a grandparent, child, cousins, at a previous wedding. You could argue that the wedding package has become a replacement for traditional posed family photos.

 

[Jean-Michel]

3 hours ago, BernardC said:

One of my mentors' mentors shot weddings with a Speed Graphic and six holders (some of which were spares). This would have been in the 1950s. The standard package consisted of a group portrait on the church steps, a shot of the couple next to the "just married" car, and maybe a smaller group shot of the couple with their parents and grandparents. The whole job was over in a few minutes.

Most of those shots are still in the package (couple shots don't feature a car anymore), but they get filed away for a few decades. What couples want now are sharable images to show to relatives and friends all over the world, venue images if it's a "status venue," and guest/documentary images. Multi-generational events are more and more rare, so photographs of groups and individuals getting together, happy, dressed well, etc., tend to be the most appreciated. I've been told a few times that I took a favourite picture of a grandparent, child, cousins, at a previous wedding. You could argue that the wedding package has become a replacement for traditional posed family photos.

 

Hi,

Somewhat similar for me. In the mid 1960s I worked for a small wedding studio outfit, and was sent out with my Speed Graphic (well, really a Crown Graphic as the focal plane shutter did not function). I had maybe twelve holders until I purchased a Grafmatic which held 6 sheets! B&W only, the work was: bride's home (bride in mirror with mom, maybe one or two more), get to the church (at the altar, leaving in aisle, couple on steps, group, a couple more); get to reception hall (fake first dance,…); back to the studio, process film, while still wet make 8 by 10 prints, slip those, still wet prints into cardboard frames; back to the reception and try to get order for prints from the guests. The studio owner went over at the end of the reception to do a colour going away shot! I would hate to see how bad my stuff was in those days! 

Over the years, when asked to do weddings I usually referred the clients to a couple of well respected portrait/wedding studios. Good wedding photography is a tough job and I admire those who do well in that field. In some cases I get asked to produce a wedding book and I do like to photograph those, it is different from what others do and it is quite successful.

Back to the OP: sounds like he has all he needs to nicely record his friends' wedding.

[LocalHero1953]

Our own wedding, 1975 (😲), generated I believe a dozen images from a Hasselblad - perhaps he only used one roll. The minister wouldn't let him take photos in the body of the church - just one from the gallery! But they're good competent photos.

[Einst_Stein]

I have done, as amature or assistant, in many event photography, including conference, tech meeting, church gathering, baptise, and wedding. Among them wedding is the most stressful and least enjoyful. Good luck!

I found what camera is less important than what lens. For this reason, AF + Zoom is my main choice.  SL + 24-90mm is my main choice, It covers 90% of my job. Recently it is replaced by S3 + 30-90mm. I always have 90-280mm ready, but I rarely rarely use it. But I find M + 90mm is useful.  Leica XV is good enough too,  though it has only 16MP. I have enlarged 24x30 and seems people are happy about it. Yes, of course, if people know you have SL or M, you don't want to use XV. It looks cheap, in conmparison.  

My most critical problem is focusing the eye balls, mainly when shooting half length or the shoulder and above. If I can have enough time to focus, I would use focus peaking to confirm that eye spark is perfectly focused.

I don't use flash. It is very intrusive in almost all occations.  

[Olaf_ZG]

I have shot many many weddings but don’t do that anymore. However, if I now had to do a wedding, I would take the 24-90, a lux 50 and a Q 43. And a bunch of flashes to lighten up what needs to be lightened up…

[jaapv]

If you have a Summilux 50, what function would the Q43 have?

[FlashGordonPhotography]

34 minutes ago, jaapv said:

If you have a Summilux 50, what function would the Q43 have?

Wildly different tools for a wedding photographer. Q43 slung over the shoulder for *grab* shots and being *invisible*. SL50 Summilux for formals and thin DoF stuff. Plus it renders completely differently. 24-90 for general shooting and groups/family. Personally I might take a Q3 28 instead. Or both. But I see the differences.

Also you never, ever show up with a single body. Ever.

Gordon

Edited November 5, 2024 by FlashGordonPhotography

[Olaf_ZG]

44 minutes ago, jaapv said:

If you have a Summilux 50, what function would the Q43 have?

What @FlashGordonPhotography said.

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[FlashGordonPhotography]

On 11/4/2024 at 5:08 AM, JMPerona said:

The situations is this one:

Im a hobby photographer doing mostly portrait and street photography. I have a Leica Q2 and a Leica M10. I have also a Lumix S5IIX that I use for my YouTube channel in my studio (talking head, studio filming and product photography). I pair the S5IIX with a Sigma 24-70 v2.

I friend of mine wanted me to be his wedding photographer. He knows that Im not a proffs but that I can take relatively good photos with my cameras. I said of course yes to that proposition because I have always wanted an opportunity to learn, and this is a wonderful one (that can cost my friends wedding memory)

The thing is Im in the middle of changing systems to Leica. I have the. opportunity to change the Lumix for a Leica SL2-S and pay a few buck more (not so many). If I wait too much then I will be paying more afterwards. 

My questions:

1) Should I get the SL2-S now or wait until the weedings done?

2) Will it be difficult to use the SL2-S on the wedding? I hav never taked pictures on a wedding and I heard that it doesn't have a reliable autofocus and that is bad for weddings).

3) Any tips to make this experience easier for me? I will be using the sigma 24-70 as my main lenses. 

 

thanks in advance for all the help.

1. Take the Panasonic. Absolutely. 

2. No. I shot hundreds of weddings on the SL and SL2. Loved them. But take the Panasonic.

3. It’s a micro wedding. So shoot how it feels not how it looks. Watch where your light is coming from. Watch your backgrounds. Less is more. There are no guests so you don’t need a lot. Rings, signing the paperwork, the first kiss. Laughter and tears.

4. Take your Q2 and M10. If you have a ‘lux for you M (35 or 50) pick one and alternate that with the zoom on the S5IIx. Use the Q2 for some wide and close up stuff like rings, etc.

5. Wear quiet shoes and clothes that allow you to move freely. No tie. It gets in the way without a tie clip. Extra batteries and cards. Paracetamol. Weddings can be stressful and lead to headaches for you and the couple.

6. Bride is most important but don’t forget to pay attention to other guests who have been invited, especially for micro weddings.

Good luck. Wedding shooting isn’t for everybody.

Gordon