Re: Preperation for wedding photography
every part of the world will have a different "to get" shot list. that looks like a US list. we dont have an exact list but there import things we must capture. ask the BG of shots you MUST get. important people you need to focus on. maybe people who come from abroad or out of state.
in terms of gear. tripod? I never used one. with film, yes. not with digital and being able to shoot to iso 6400. I never take one and havent used one in a looong time and I think with sensors like the D3s/D4, its not needed anymore. even the d600/d800 can be shot at 3200 and you can get what you need without a problem. u have good glass for that. u can shoot to 6400 if your exposure is perfect and has "meat" in it. thats what we would say when I was working as a lab tech photo printer. shooting shadows will exaggerate the grain. but shooting with flash, its not an issue. leave it at home.
softbox? what did you plan on doing with it? if you plan on shooting the BG for "the BG shots" then you dont need it. youll be outdoors with tons of lights. get 1 or two lightstands and use a flash on it and do some nice backlit silouettes if u want but more than doing the couples session portraiture, a softbox will hold you back for getting multiple shots. I will get 100-150 good shots of them in workflow of shots. the softbox will hold you back. run the flash in hss for backlit shots. many are done without flash at all. keep shooting. dont setup one pose, then shoot once and setup for another.with one pose, I will shoot them in different angles and have them hug, kiss, hold hands so the same place has different variations. different pics like focus selection. focus on her, focus on him. but not one shot, then a different pose. I maximize every pose. and always I will shoot the same shot 3-4 times so I have the same shot with small variations and a lot to offer the BG to choose from. focusing, recomposing, then changing FL, focusing, recomposing, moving, focusing, recomposing. talking to them to vary their stance, focusing, recomposing, shooting 2-3 shots, and I move and again. and change lenses and cameras. after I get a bunch of different shots then I move them to some other corner and do the same. its fast. different angles, chnaging my lenses, changing my distance from them. getting in close, from far, up, down. looking around for where I can shoot. moving her in front, her in the back. I keep thinking, I keep changing. they have tons of different images. some fun, some romantic, some basics. but its a variety of pictures.
softbox for family formals...1 is not enough. I use umbrellas when it gets dark fast in the winter. I find a lit part of the venue. nice grass/flowers thats a nice backdrop and use a simple "light stand/speedlight/umbrella/slave" setup x2. I aim them at 45º. perfect simple lighting setup. no need to go fancy. I shoot with the 105VR. face/hlaf body, full body and even for everyone together. the 105VR is fabulous. use your 85. get umbrellas. cheaper and they get the job done. easy to setup and breakdown. the light is much softer when bouncing in an umbrella than shooting through. I use 40 something inch photoflex umbrellas. yongnuo 622n slaves. I shoot at iso 2000 on FF and its grainless, and perfect. but this is when its dark already. if there's light. either regular ittl/bl or HSS at -1 FEC. but I play with it and see how it is. sftbox is too cumbersome. coonsider getting an umbrella style softbox where you can break it down and connect it quickly.
I use this on a light stand
Swivel Stand Mount Bracket Shoe Flash Light Umbrella Holder Type B | eBay
then use my slave and flash on it. slip the umbrellas through the hole. angle it how I want and raise the setup to the height I need. bam! done! perfect location lighting. difference between softbox and bounced in umbrella is nothing. they both give fantastic pleasing soft lighting.
if you insist on softbox. you need speed. get something like this
Umbrella Softbox Brolly Reflector Speedlite Studio 5070 | eBay
its quick and will give you soft quality light. IMO. nothing beats umbrella for quality, convenience and speed for connect and break down. very little photogs even use a softbox/umbrella and thats the honest truth. most just use the on camera flash and are done with it. and I shot tons of weddings Scott. in my F5 days, I was shooting 100 a year. maybe 10% use a light softening material. but an umbrella will let you close it while its on the stand so it doesnt bother anyone till you need it. invest in good 13' light stands. you will use them later on at the dance floor.
I gave my advice regarding slaves and light stands. do as you want. get advice on other forums.
Oh something else minute but worthwhile to mention. I would recommend you change all your cards at a certain time of the wedding. meaning, half way through the whole wedding, for safety's sake, remove all 4 of the old cards, and replace them with new. even that you have 2 slots in each camera. it will take all but 2 minutes at most but its better safe than sorry. and at this time, you can replace your flash batteries as well. I use NIMH energizers and they will last a long time. I usually only chnage my batteries twice in a weddings. 3 times at most. once after the BG couple and family shoot. once for the welcoming of the guests and ceremony, and once before the dancing and im done. I would not get a battery pack. especially not a nikon one. I will get one specifically for the dance floor because at times im shooting 1-3 shots in rapid succession and need the recycle speed. but I will probably get a godox or yongnuo instead. but IMO, like grips, and flashes, theres no need to invest so much for something that simply holds batteries. its just a huge waste of money. A HUGE WASTE. and I know tons of photogs who use 3rd party products without issues. I personally have used 3 grips for 3 different cameras and they work amazingly and the quality is top notch. I could not tell the difference between my previous 3rd party grip for my D300 and an original nikon grip. seriously. but if you feel you need to buy nikon. please do. with their current 24% stock price drop, im guessing theirs a reason to that. people feel they arent getting their moneys worth and many are buying 3rd party after market. like lenses, like grips, like flashes, like battery packs. lenses I dont skimp (even though I feel they are overpriced and always buy used) and cameras I dont skimp (and buy new with mack diamond warranty), but all the rest...overpriced and buy 3rd party.
I would not do a beach wedding but if you want to build a nice portfolio theyre nice to have. the damage to gear is greater than the few nice pics. getting sand in the camera when changing lenses will happen. the salt only thats in the air is so corrosive, you have no idea.
