Wedding in Florida

[mbg0333]

So I have an oppurtunity to take picture on the beach in Florida and would love some advice, suggestions, do's and dont's.

My gear:

Canon 40d w/ vertical grip
Canon 430ex flash with Fong Lightsphere
Sigma 50-500mm
Canon 28-125 -f4 (40D kit lens)
Just purchased Canon 50mm 1.8
2 Alien Bee Strobes with stands

I also have a Canon 20D!

The wedding is at 6pm in the afternoon!

I would love some good advice!!

I am the main photographer!

The wedding is August 8th so it shoulde be good HOT weather.

I will be down there the day before and all morning leading up to the wedding.



Thanks in advance!

[j5uh]

hey,
I've shot a few weddings myself so I'll try and give you a few tips from what I've learned so far.

1. Carry some snacks in your bag and some water. You'll get pretty tired. So pack something that's easy to eat while on the move.

2. make a shot list so you make sure you don't miss any shots. Carry this in your pocket.

3. you got a pretty nice setup there so you should be fine. I would make sure if your going to do many more weddings, invest in faster glasses. (f2.8 or lower). This way it'll make things easier in low light shooting. Many wedding photographers shoot with a Canon 70-200mm f/2.8 L lens.

4. carry plenty of batteries. Thats the last thing you want to run out of.

5. have plenty of memory. I have 13gigs of CF cards and I still need to empty a couple out for a 10 hour wedding.

6. Have your camera on rapid shooting. I always study any situation and train myself when I should start shooting BEFORE something happens. so that I hope to have a great shot.

7. have a second shooter. this can help a lot. you get a 2nd eye and extra photos at the end of the night.

8. have a contract. it's protecting you and your client.

9. good luck!

[Angelo]

Maxx, where in Florida will you be shooting?

[mbg0333]

August 7th thru 9th!

Edited: Where not when!! Its like an hour between Destin and Pensicola....towards the top I believe

[mbg0333]

Main reason I took this was because it was outside and I know I dont have a great indoor lens.

I probably will end up getting the Sigma 70-200 2.8. I have shot with this before and liked it alot.

I may have a second shooter, Im not sure yet! I will have two cameras and I am thinking about leaving the 50-500 on the 20D for close ups in a flash.

Any suggestions about flash use? Necessary?

Any suggestions on an inexpensive light meter?

[j5uh]

I see that you have some strobes. Will you be using them? I do have some strobes, but I never use them for a wedding. It's to much to carry around and too much of a liability to setup and leave around. That's just my opinion. But I have seen some photographers who use them and have some amazing shots.

I just realized it's an outdoor wedding. Good luck! you'll be sweating your ass off. I did a 10 hour wedding in Austin, Tx once, during the summer and I thought I was going to die. =)

Light meters are nice but you just don't have time during a wedding unless your doing portraits and you have an assistant who can meter for you everytime. I just use Auto white balance and correct later or if I have an extra min, I shoot a grey card and adjust later too.