Wedding with an M3 ... Journalist style

[dave lackey]

Totally depends on your style Dave, but I'd be happier with a 50 and a wide angle rather than a 90. It would be more journalistic style.

Yeah, a 35 Lux or Cron would be great but borrowing one of those is difficult and buying one is impossible due to lack of funds. The X1 will have to cover the 35 angle for me and I can convert it to b/w.

I am a hard-core 50 and longer shooter so the 90 will work, especially in front of the mansion with the bride/groom on the balcony, etc. Hopefully it will keep the motifs from looking "fat" as someone mentioned. Years ago, I used the Nikkor f2.8 75-200 lens for superior portraits but that is long gone.

Just for backup, I will have the FE2 and the 28-105 zoom (with the SB24 flash) that has always done very well in the past.

 

[dcsang]

I can understand the need for a wide angle but, of course this depends on whether you'd have "free reign" during the ceremony, a telephoto of at least a 90mm is necessary. If you are free to go anywhere you please to get the photos then the telephoto may not be required however many officiants I've met greatly dislike the distraction of the photographer that is running all over the ceremony whilst it is taking place. Mind you, those same officiants feel no way about having the family/guests pile into the aisle or even up on the dais during the nuptials 😀

Just to be safe, a wide, a normal and a tele does the job 80% of the time.

Cheers,
Dave

 

[ironhorse]

I was extremely impressed to see Riccis's wedding kit.
http://instagram.com/p/U2XKxhxnmP/

 

[dave lackey]

Maybe this year we can make a trip down to South Beach and meet up with Akiva, Riccis, and others. Fellow M shooters (among many others)whom I would love to meet one day.:angel:

 

[dave lackey]

My standard kit for a long time was a Nikon F4 for colour neg film, and Hasselblad 500cm for B&W film.

I have substituted, using a Hexar RF for 35mm, and in MF there have also been Rollei 6006, Rollei TLR, and Bronica RF645.

In addition, I've used a Fujica gs645W for wide angle MF.

Curious...what typical TLR shots did you make? Single/group portraits? Other?

 

[FrankS]

While recording everything with the 35mm (candids and posed formats), anything that looked really good/interesting, I'd redo if possible, in black and white medium format.

 

[Riccis]

Maybe this year we can make a trip down to South Beach and meet up with Akiva, Riccis, and others. Fellow M shooters (among many others)whom I would love to meet one day.:angel:

Come on over! Just give me plenty of notice to ensure you coordinate your visit when I am not traveling.

Cheers!

 

[Riccis]

I was extremely impressed to see Riccis's wedding kit.
http://instagram.com/p/U2XKxhxnmP/

I had a blast with the simplified kit... I have shot complete weddings just with a 35 mm before and loved it but I have been using too much gear lately and at times made feel I was losing my focus.

The fancy wedding in Beverly Hills on Saturday was all done with 20 rolls of film (15 B&W, 5 color), MP, 35 lux, and flash... Nothing else needed... I will post some shots once the film comes back.

Cheers,

 

[Riccis]

Here Riccis and I shot a wedding together. This shoot is with my Leica M3 and 21mm lens. He was shooting in medium format. Riccis is a big time wedding photographer (my term not his). He shoots only film, either Leica or medium format.

Riccis is on the left. The other photographer was a friend of the wedding party.

OK, but I am better looking in real life 🙂

 

[Riccis]

Sorry if I derailed the thread... Let me know if I can help.

Cheers,

 

[Richard G]

I had a blast with the simplified kit... I have shot complete weddings just with a 35 mm before and loved it but I have been using too much gear lately and at times made feel I was losing my focus.

The fancy wedding in Beverly Hills on Saturday was all done with 20 rolls of film (15 B&W, 5 color), MP, 35 lux, and flash... Nothing else needed... I will post some shots once the film comes back.

Cheers,

The master has spoken and it makes sense. For thrills and to put my heart rate up I used to look often at the photo.net wedding forum. Scary. But Riccis's view is not unique and a number of good pros there reckoned they could shoot a whole wedding with just a 35 f1.4.

 

[leicapixie]

Carry as little as possible. The M3 50mm, maybe a 90mm for candids esp of Bride and Groom. Depending on light a good small compact flash. A backup digital camera, also used as light meter. I would shoot color negative film, making some into B/W.Developing and scanning should be well considered.
Some years ago i did a Wedding with only the M3 and 50mm. Small Vivitar flash. A few rolls of film. I had the best time ever!

 

[dave lackey]

I had a blast with the simplified kit... I have shot complete weddings just with a 35 mm before and loved it but I have been using too much gear lately and at times made feel I was losing my focus.

The fancy wedding in Beverly Hills on Saturday was all done with 20 rolls of film (15 B&W, 5 color), MP, 35 lux, and flash... Nothing else needed... I will post some shots once the film comes back.

Cheers,

Ah, so now I am back to the 35 on the M3....still time for me to consider the kit!🙂

 

[dave lackey]

Carry as little as possible. The M3 50mm, maybe a 90mm for candids esp of Bride and Groom. Depending on light a good small compact flash. A backup digital camera, also used as light meter. I would shoot color negative film, making some into B/W.Developing and scanning should be well considered.
Some years ago i did a Wedding with only the M3 and 50mm. Small Vivitar flash. A few rolls of film. I had the best time ever!

Just found out the wedding will be in the evening, after dark. So, which flash would you recommend for the M3 and where do I get the cord?:angel:

 

[gsgary]

This chap shoots with an M9 and Noctilux and is one of the Leica workshop trainers at Mayfair
http://www.facebook.com/bybrett