Has anyone ever tried shooting a complete wedding with only one prime lens?

[yhpargotohp]

Such as the Canon 50mm 1.2L?

using only this lens and no other primes or zooms?

It's my favorite lens.
Just wondering if anyone else shares my intense obsession with it and would also be crazy enough to use only this one lens to shoot a wedding.

[Daniel Bates]

I'm sure it has been done, but I wouldn't feel happy with only one focal length available. I like my wides and telephotos too much.

[Tom]

I know someone who shot a whole wedding with an iPhone 4.

I wouldn't ever do that unless a client specifically asked for it. A single lens would just be too limiting for my style. To tell the story completely, I need a telephoto, wide and macro at a minimum.

Yesterday, I shot the entire wedding with 5 lenses. About 5 shots with a 14mm. About 5 shots with a 150mm macro. Pre-Wedding getting ready with the 85mm 1.2 and everything else with the 24mm 1.4 and 135mm 2.0. That's pretty typical for me.

[guillermo]

Why? It can be done but why limit yourself.

[yhpargotohp]

I was just thinking, couldn't limiting oneself in a way like that, also help you to become even better? I was thinking isn't it possible to spoil yourself with so many numerous lenses to where you have the perfect lens for every situation, couldn't that possibly make you lazy and preventing you from being the best that you can become???

I was also thinking couldn't working exclusively with one lens like that lead you to think outside of the box? maybe develop different techniques of getting the same types of shots you could more easier get with another lens?

I guess a analogy would be sort of like the movie Rocky 4...
You have the Russian, Dolp Lundren who has all the most expensive fanciest equipment money can by, he trains in the best high tech facility...
Then you have Rocky, Sylvester Stallone, training the old school way with basic stuff, jump ropes, running, lifting anything heavy that's already in the environment, punching dead carcasses, chasing chickens, etc
And in the end it was Rocky that won.

I'm not saying either method would be better or worse. Was just wondering if anyone else thought it could be possible that if a person worked so long with just one lens that they really become a master with that lens, and even develop a whole unique way of shooting based around that lens. You know like sometimes if you limit yourself, you are then forced to find or develop new ways to use the equipment you have to get the images you need to get, no?

Just something I was pondering.

[yhpargotohp]

Another reason I like the 50mm is for the natural & uncontrived look as mentioned in this article:

The Forgotten Lens

[Tom]

I was also thinking couldn't working exclusively with one lens like that lead you to think outside of the box? maybe develop different techniques of getting the same types of shots you could more easier get with another lens?

No technique will make a 50mm give you the perspective of a 14mm. No technique will make a 50mm compress like a 85 or 135mm.

I was thinking isn't it possible to spoil yourself with so many numerous lenses to where you have the perfect lens for every situation, couldn't that possibly make you lazy and preventing you from being the best that you can become???

I think zoom lenses tend to make people lazy rather than specific use prime lenses.

[yhpargotohp]

I agree with you Tom on the zooms, I hate zoom lens.

[kronos2818]

I understand what you are trying to say, about forcing yourself to think out the box and be more creative. I try and test new crearive ideas when I second shoot or third shoot for somebody else that is why I still second from time to time.

I would not experiment a new shooting style or technique. Unless I had a second shooter covering the wedding with me getting the shoots needed in my style. it is just to risky, the chances of messing up a wedding and getting sued is just to great.

[Daniel Bates]

Originally Posted by yhpargotohp

I was just thinking, couldn't limiting oneself in a way like that, also help you to become even better? I was thinking isn't it possible to spoil yourself with so many numerous lenses to where you have the perfect lens for every situation, couldn't that possibly make you lazy and preventing you from being the best that you can become???

I was also thinking couldn't working exclusively with one lens like that lead you to think outside of the box? maybe develop different techniques of getting the same types of shots you could more easier get with another lens?

<snip>

That's a great idea to implement in your own shooting. However, I don't think many clients would want images from a photographer who was in the process of learning how to think outside the box by only using one focal length; rather, they want the one who has "so many numerous lenses to where [he/she has] the perfect lens for every situation", as you said.

[Redneck]

And a wedding might not be the best occasion for experiments.

[mmuhlenkamp]

I don't shoot weddings, but my 50 prime would be heavily used if I went into that area of photography. However, I would bring other lenses (wide for group shots, telephoto for in the hall). I'm sure there are photographers that use the 50 as their primary lens, but not their only lens.

[David Whatley]

Back 35 years ago, all the weddings that I shot were with one lens. As was the Master photographer I was working for.
That said, I think the "expections" of certain shots in "todays" market dictate that you have several different len's to use.

[p27rpy]

at the moment, i shoot my weddings with a 50mm 1.8, 85mm 1.8, 105mm f2 and 80-200 f2.8. it's nice that the primes keep your feet moving so that you can look for interesting compositions and new shots. i would love a 24-70 though...

[LadyShutterBug]

no.

i shoot many weddings with only prime lenses, but no way in heck would you find me shooting a whole wedding with ONE prime lens.


i don't find that i need to be "limited" in order to be creative.