Primes during the ceremony?

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PhilDrinkwater
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p.1 #1 · Primes during the ceremony?

Interested in thoughts on this one.

My lineup of kit is:
16-35, 24-70,70-200
35L,50L,135L

Now, usually in a ceremony I'll switch to zooms but where I have more chance to stop and change lenses if needed etc.. I'll use primes.

Just wondering which of you shoot with primes in the ceremony and why? For noise reasons? For focus reasons? Because you love to shoot low DOF? I've used my 135L in the ceremony at times, but not the 35L or 50L.

(Bear in mind in the UK I'm often told where I'm allowed to stand in the church... and that makes things more difficult)

Jun 28, 2012 at 11:50 AM

ricardovaste
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p.1 #2 · Primes during the ceremony?

Are they having a rehearsal? If you speak to them then they'll usually be more relaxed and open to discussion on the subject (of where to stand).

When it's VERY dark I use 35 and 85. But they're my go-to fast primes anyway, I don't really use anything else as I find them versatile together, allowing me to focus on moments and content rather than which lens to use.

Hope that helps.

Jun 28, 2012 at 11:53 AM

tonyhart
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p.1 #3 · Primes during the ceremony?

I shoot mostly primes mostly all day. In church I tend to shoot the 135L and then either primarily the 35L or the 50 f/1.4 depending on my position and compositional considerations. I then use the 17-40L if I want major context. I don't own a 70-200 so that informs my choice a lot, but my reasons for liking the primes are the ability to maintain higher shutter speeds in the dark (more than the attached DOF capabilities) and the sharpness of the image.

Jun 28, 2012 at 12:16 PM

tobicus
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p.1 #4 · Primes during the ceremony?

We use nothing but primes. In our first wedding, I did use a zoom for a few shots during the ceremony, but in retrospect, it wasn't necessary, and we sold it almost immediately after the wedding. For every wedding since then, we've used nothing but a 35, 50, and 85. Here's our most recent wedding as an example.

Why do we use primes during the ceremony? For the same reasons as during the other parts of the day: simplicity, low weight, low light, low DOF. I use the 35 pretty much exclusively while B uses the 50 for most of the day and pops on the 85 now and then.

Jun 28, 2012 at 12:38 PM

swoop
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p.1 #5 · Primes during the ceremony?

I use primes all day. There's no reason not to. Its not better or worse, just a different way of working. During the ceremony I'll prefocus on where I want my composition to be. When they walk into the frame I click the shutter. After the walk down the aisle using primes doesn't matter. But the walk is where you're only going to have one chance to get it right. If you can do that, great, if you can't, stick to zooms.

Jun 28, 2012 at 12:45 PM

PhilDrinkwater
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p.1 #6 · Primes during the ceremony?

I've shot about 100 ceremonies

Not looking for advice on how to get this to work. Just wondering whether I should shoot primes in a ceremony or not...

Edited on Jun 28, 2012 at 01:07 PM · View previous versions

Jun 28, 2012 at 01:04 PM

PhilDrinkwater
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p.1 #7 · Primes during the ceremony?

tonyhart wrote:
I shoot mostly primes mostly all day. In church I tend to shoot the 135L and then either primarily the 35L or the 50 f/1.4 depending on my position and compositional considerations. I then use the 17-40L if I want major context. I don't own a 70-200 so that informs my choice a lot, but my reasons for liking the primes are the ability to maintain higher shutter speeds in the dark (more than the attached DOF capabilities) and the sharpness of the image.

Yes - I do understand this. I know when I shoot at ISO800 vs. ISO3200 there is a real perceivable difference in image quality. However, it's that vs. being able to zoom wide and zoom long quickly, which brings it's own advantages...

Jun 28, 2012 at 01:05 PM

PhilDrinkwater
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p.1 #8 · Primes during the ceremony?

swoop wrote:
I use primes all day. There's no reason not to. Its not better or worse, just a different way of working. During the ceremony I'll prefocus on where I want my composition to be. When they walk into the frame I click the shutter. After the walk down the aisle using primes doesn't matter. But the walk is where you're only going to have one chance to get it right. If you can do that, great, if you can't, stick to zooms.

It's not a case of can I get it right - I can - it's a case of which will produce superior results

Being able to zoom vs. having lower ISO / lower DOF...

Jun 28, 2012 at 01:08 PM

ricardovaste
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p.1 #9 · Primes during the ceremony?

PhilDrinkwater wrote:
I've shot about 100 ceremonies

Jun 28, 2012 at 01:25 PM

form
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p.1 #10 · Primes during the ceremony?

I use 24 or 35, 50 or 85, and 70-200 for ceremonies. I haven't owned a fast-focusing standard zoom for probably 2.5 years. 70-200 is useless for dark processionals that I need f/1.4-f/2 to get 1/200 shutter speeds for. I don't like ISO3200 and avoid ISO6400.

Jun 28, 2012 at 01:31 PM

cordellwillis
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p.1 #11 · Primes during the ceremony?

ricardovaste wrote:
PhilDrinkwater wrote:
I've shot about 100 ceremonies

Not looking for advice on how to get this to work. Just wondering whether I should shoot primes in a ceremony or not...

Aren't you contradicting yourself here?

.....

+1 So what is the question?

If you have the experience what difference does it make whether you use primes or zooms? What do YOU like to use. As mentioned, it's a preference and neither is better than the other.

I shoot primes because I WANT faster than 2.8 when I want it. Not always because I need it. During ceremonies you have time to change lenses if you choose to do so; it's not a fast pace situation....unless of course if you are not prepared, but that can happen with zooms too.

Jun 28, 2012 at 02:16 PM

paparazzinick
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p.1 #12 · Primes during the ceremony?

the ceremony is the easiest time of the day to use primes. you know exactly what is happening at any given moment. I would think you would want to use zooms at the reception when things rapidly change. a ceremony is pretty uniform.

Jun 28, 2012 at 02:48 PM

Prettym1k3
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p.1 #13 · Primes during the ceremony?

I use my 17-35 or 24-70 for wide shots. I use my 70-200 for super close in shots.

But once I get a few shots with each lens, I'm back to my primes. The depth of focus for noisy/cluttered backgrounds. The ability to get away without using flash. I'm all about it.

85 is my go to. I'll use my 50 on occasion.

Jun 28, 2012 at 03:47 PM

D. Diggler
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p.1 #14 · Primes during the ceremony?

tobicus wrote:
we've used nothing but a 35, 50, and 85

That must be a little tough having nothing long for the ceremony. Been there, done that. Started out with an 85 as my longest.

Unless you walk right up to the altar area during the service, which is not allowed in my neck of the woods.

Jun 29, 2012 at 02:28 AM

tobicus
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p.1 #15 · Primes during the ceremony?

D. Diggler wrote:
tobicus wrote:
we've used nothing but a 35, 50, and 85

That must be a little tough having nothing long for the ceremony. Been there, done that. Started out with an 85 as my longest.

Unless you walk right up to the altar area during the service, which is not allowed in my neck of the woods.

It's been working well so far. We debated between 85 and 135 for a long time, but we've shot 3 so far with the 85 as our longest, and haven't had any issues. We haven't been on the altar, either.

Jun 29, 2012 at 04:49 AM

PhilDrinkwater
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p.1 #16 · Primes during the ceremony?

ricardovaste wrote:
PhilDrinkwater wrote:
I've shot about 100 ceremonies

Not looking for advice on how to get this to work. Just wondering whether I should shoot primes in a ceremony or not...

Aren't you contradicting yourself here?

I think 50 and 135 from your set should work well.

Sorry I meant not looking for advice on where to stand and so on. I was just wondering why people use primes for the ceremony... that's all..

Before I go ahead and try it on someones wedding I was wondering why other people chose to do it.

Jun 29, 2012 at 08:15 AM

PhilDrinkwater
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p.1 #17 · Primes during the ceremony?

Prettym1k3 wrote:
I use my 17-35 or 24-70 for wide shots. I use my 70-200 for super close in shots.

But once I get a few shots with each lens, I'm back to my primes. The depth of focus for noisy/cluttered backgrounds. The ability to get away without using flash. I'm all about it.

85 is my go to. I'll use my 50 on occasion.

Ahh now that's an interesting thought and the kind of thing I was wondering - does anyone grab some shots with a zoom and then switch to primes are a while, for the look.

I have a wedding tomorrow - maybe I'll shoot a few and see how I feel....

Jun 29, 2012 at 08:16 AM

katiedis
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p.1 #18 · Primes during the ceremony?

I shoot a mix of zoom and prime during ceremony. reception and pre-ceremony shots are all primes.

Jun 29, 2012 at 08:50 PM

Ziffl3
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p.1 #19 · Primes during the ceremony?

I have done both.... just to learn what i like and what i capture.

sometime i like the 24-70 for the processional coming in. I am in 1 spot.

If i am the 2nd i am with the bride and father walking in. i switch from 24/16-35 & 135/85 (depending on depth of church.)

during the ceremony i switch between 135 or 16-35 for the wide.

Jun 29, 2012 at 08:59 PM

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