Wedding with an M3 ... Journalist style

[FrankS]

For me.. the wedding "kit" includes the following:
Rolleiflex T
2x M7
21mm, 35mm, 50mm and 90mm

I tried to use the 135mm f4 but it just didn't take... oh ya.. and a vivitar 283.

Cheers,
Dave

Hi Dave,

Are you doing weddings only on film these days?

 

[cjbecker]

Ive shot entire weddings with a 500cm with the 80 f2.8.

 

[dave lackey]

Hi Dave,

Are you doing weddings only on film these days?

Hi, Frank!🙂

There are a lot of photographic gigs I just don't do anymore such as sports and weddings.

Personally, I hate weddings, everything about them...and I have done film weddings in the past, but mostly with Nikon DSLRs (D2h/D2x).

I normally turn down weddings, baby pictures, etc. because I prefer documentary photography. However, it may be fun to shoot at wedding entirely with the M3 and IIIf. OTOH, everything I do takes a toll on me. Sure, it is a physical activity, but the mental and emotional parts take more out of me as any artistic or documentary work that I do and I just don't have enough gas in the tank to cover everything these days.

So, I would not mind being a second shooter whilst the primary photographer shot digital. I think another film wedding would be fun as long as I reduce the stress levels.

Just gearing up with the appropriate lenses may be too difficult, so who knows?

 

[dave lackey]

If it were me I'd shoot it with a 50 and a 90. M3 style all the way!

I like that...🙂

 

[FrankS]

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.

 

[kshapero]

If memory serves me right .... RFF member riccis did some outstanding wedding work using a M3, 50mm lens (Noctilux in his case) and a 21mm (Super-Angulon-M), all on BW film. 🙂

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.

 

[k__43]

I shot at two weddings with a Leica (not professionally, just for fun)
For the first I had a CV15/4.5, Summicron 50 DR and a Elmarit 90.
The shots with the 15mm were 90% useless rubbish because they were just too wide. The 50mm worked well and the 90mm too, but 50mm was closer to what I wanted cos I wanted to leave more context in the frame.
For the second wedding I had a CV 35/2.5 on and shot only b/w with the leica. For color I had a EP1 with the Panasonic 14mm and I was happy what I got with that combo. So 28mm is not a bad advice.
For the next time I'd take my Sonnar-C 50/1.5 and the CV25/4 (I've no 28) ooooor only a 35mm (less trouble changing lenses).

 

[bobbyrab]

Personally I find the 90 a tad long on a Leica for a wedding as when it's useful speeches/ceremony, your inside and often shooting wide open, it doesn't leave you much room for error. Also a 21 is nice to have for interiors and scene setting shots, not always the kindest for people.
So I'd be happy with a 35 and 50, although a 28 instead of the 35 might be a better bet, this is assuming a two lens kit, if it was three lenses, 24,35,50.

 

[Roger Hicks]

Dear Dave,

35-75. Or 21-35-50-75.

Cheers,

R.

 

[thegman]

The only thing I'd say is basically bring every camera you own, when you most need a backup will be when you don't have one. Even if they just stay in the car all day, better to have it than not.

 

[kshapero]

M3 and a 21 and a 50, you will be fine.

 

[maddoc]

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.

You shot a wedding together with Riccis !? Very cool !! 😎

 

[Dave Jenkins]

I've shot many weddings with nothing but a TLR with 75 or 80mm lenses. What lenses do you have for the Leica, Dave? I would not stress over the lenses. You can certainly shoot everything with a 50 if that's what you have, especially if you will be the 2nd shooter.

 

[Roger Hicks]

From http://www.rogerandfrances.com/subscription/ps weddings.html (where you'll find pics to support the thesis):

Because we don't like flash, we normally use only fast prime lenses. This involves certain compromises where fill-flash might be easier -- the aisle shot above, for example -- but equally, it's part of the look that people know they are going to get if they want us to photograph their wedding. Mostly we use 35mm (f/1.4 and f/1.7) and 50mm (f/1.5 or faster) lenses on 35mm, but we sometimes use 75mm and 90mm as well (both f/2 for preference).

Anything wider than 28mm on full-frame 35mm is likely to prove too wide, with 'drunk' verticals and wide-angle distortion at the edge of the frame. The latter is not just about the sort of oval heads you get in the corners with extreme wide angles. More subtly, people near the edge of the frame will look fatter, and as wedding photography is all about people, this is not a good idea.

Cheers,

R.

 

[Bingley]

If memory serves me right .... RFF member riccis did some outstanding wedding work using a M3, 50mm lens (Noctilux in his case) and a 21mm (Super-Angulon-M), all on BW film. 🙂

+1. His work is outstanding. I looked a lot at his website before doing my first wedding.

I shot that wedding almost entirely with a 40 and an 85. I avoided wides b/c of the distortion effects on faces (elongated noses), although I used a 28 for a few group portraits. The 40 was perfect for candid photos before the ceremony and at the reception.

 

[dcsang]

Hi Dave,

Are you doing weddings only on film these days?

Hi Frank,

Two "Daves" in the thread so I'll answer as well.

I have shot full weddings over the past two years on film. I am not doing solely film because, well, for most clients, they don't really care about what media it's shot on nor do they understand the differences between film and digital (other than what they've been told by marketers etc. - you know, that film is inferior, grain is ugly, and "high ISO" is the penultimate goal when shooting in low/subdued lighting).

I still do offer film weddings but I try to pick out/feel out the clients first to see if 1) they would appreciate it and 2) if they understand it .

I would, ultimately, just like to shoot film again 100% of the time for weddings but I don't think that can happen right now - maybe in the near future though.

Cheers,
Dave

 

[dave lackey]

Okay, now I have a better idea of which way to go with this event. I really do not like weddings but I can happily accompany a digital shooter (my friend has offered to shoot with a Canon 5D), as the second shooter doing film only.

Whilst the primary shooter will be doing the expected posed shots, I will be more candid with alternative points of view from different angles. It appears this will be the gear I will take:

1. The X1 (35mm eff.) as both a digital record and a light meter for the M3.

2. The M3 with the 50mm Summarit (character lens).
3. The R4 with a 90 Cron if I can borrow, beg or whatever, an R lens.

(I like carrying two film bodies with different lenses to avoid having to swith from the 50 cron to the 90 cron on the R4.)

Simple and idiot-proof.

I reckon I will visit the mansion tomorrow for a pre-shoot review.

http://www.magnoliahouseofpowdersprings.com/

 

[FrankS]

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.

 

[Bingley]

Okay, now I have a better idea of which way to go with this event. I really do not like weddings but I can happily accompany a digital shooter (my friend has offered to shoot with a Canon 5D), as the second shooter doing film only.

Whilst the primary shooter will be doing the expected posed shots, I will be more candid with alternative points of view from different angles. It appears this will be the gear I will take:

1. The X1 (35mm eff.) as both a digital record and a light meter for the M3.

2. The M3 with the 50mm Summarit (character lens).
3. The R4 with a 90 Cron if I can borrow, beg or whatever, an R lens.


(I like carrying two film bodies with different lenses to avoid having to swith from the 50 cron to the 90 cron on the R4.)

Simple and idiot-proof.

I reckon I will visit the mansion tomorrow for a pre-shoot review.

http://www.magnoliahouseofpowdersprings.com/

That sounds like a good kit to me, Dave. The 90 will be good for close-ups and if you have to shoot from a distance. The Summarit will be fun - I predict you will use it the most.

 

[Dave Jenkins]

Different people see things differently, Frank. There are wide-angle people and there are telephoto people. Although I of necessity use many different focal lengths, my natural way of seeing corresponds to the field of view of an 85mm lens on a full-frame camera.