:::

Still remember the first Wedding I ever documented after I have my D70 is my Friend's Sister's Wedding. Not too long after I got the SLR and Flash. Then my friend ask me if it's ok to be the Photographer for his sister's Wedding, ofcoz no problem lah ! Since I can be there and help out, also can practice a little bit of Wedding Photography. I have asked my friend to get some Pro to document the stuff, coz I dun want to ruin the Wedding by having lousy pictures for the couple's Memory, but ... :" Aiyah, you take good enuff lah, Photographer very Expensive lah ~~~" Well, what can I say ?

Anyway ...

I thought it was easy, but I swear, it's not as easy as you and I have thought. Just bring camera and shoot shot here and there ? No ..... Hell no ... Carrying all the Gears running around for nice angles, got to push all the other friends or relatives that also want to document the wedding with Point and Shoot Camera, got to think very hard about lighting, to flash or not to flash, got to always be around the couples to capture those face expressions, laughters, sweet smiles, and capture all the attendees as well. Oh Yah, not forgetting to gather and arrange everyone for that 'oh-so-boring' group picture. It's Not Easy ...

But I was enjoying the whole thing ~

Why don't ask your friends or relatives that have a SLR to Photograph? Why pay for Pro ? Let me tell you why...

Your Friend or Relatives also want to enjoy the Wedding Ceremony, if he is carrying his camera around, he/she won't be enjoying it AT ALL. As like me, I dun even have time to smoke during Morning session, and no chance to eat during Wedding dinner, let alone ' Enjoy ' the Wedding. You dun want your friend half way eating then you go and ask him stop, and go take picture for you and other friends, or half way eating then need to stop and prepare/wait for your March-In right? I guess you yourself won't be happy if someone else do that to you right ? Give RM200 to attend a Wedding, then have no time to eat the food and drink, also have to run Up and Down Here and There to take picture for everyone. He/She won't say no if you ask for favor, but have you thought about what Friend is all about ? Making use of his Passion and Talent ?

Picture Quality is another thing. I don't think Friend/Relatives will bring Full Gear to attend your wedding, or maybe his full gear cost lest than 1 piece of Pro lens that a Fulltime Photographer have. I saw some newbies even bring Entry Level Camera and Budget Lens for paid job, WTF ? Let me show you the difference...

Fulltime Photographer:
D300 or D700 or D3, staring from RM5500 .
Nikkor 17-55 or Nikkor 24-70 , around RM5500.
Nikkor 80-200 or 70-200, starting RM3500.
SB800 or SB900, starting from RM1500.

Cheapest Setup for Fulltime Photographer: RM12,500 worth of gear.


Newbies/Beginner/Friend/Relative:
D40/D80/D90 , starting from RM1899.
Kit Lens that comes with the camere. FOC.
Might not even have external Flash ...

So you might have a Photographer with RM1899 worth of gear.

I let you do the compare. RM12,500 VS RM1899 .


Some might say :" Camera Not Important mah, Skill more important ~ "
I must agree with the above statement. But how to shoot in Low Light condition ( indoor/dinner ) if the ISO control no good ? How to bounce Flash for softlight so Face Oil dun come out ? How to create shallow DOF for Creative/Mood Shoot ? WB not correct and everyone come out either Strawberry/Orange/Banana color on the face ? Ofcoz skills are more important than Gears. But you think Pro spend so much on Pro Gears coz they are loaded or Crazy ? It's for the Quality. It's like Driving Kancil and Driving BMW, you tell me skill more important lah ~

Anyone also can be photographer, just bring RM1899 to a camera store and RM50 to print name cards, done ~

Don't feel bad ok ? I don't mean to offense anyone. Let's go shooting !!! Yay !!!