Re: [Leica] Leicas and wedding

[TTAbrahams@aol.com]

Ernesto and Guido,
 Shooting a wedding, thats more nerveracking than doing aerial shoots through
open doors of planes. I haven't done many and I wisely refuse to be the main
shooter. The most important factor is comfort and speed. Each one shooting
with 2 M-bodies + a third loaded body, no lens, in a pocket. One shooter with
21 and 35 for wide stuff ( use 35 Asph for wide open sharpness) and the second
shooter with 35 and 75, or if possible with 50 Nocti and 75. Use the same
speed film throughout, no chance of screwing up which camera had what film in
it. 800 ASA for indor stuff ( church, reception etc, Fuji is great and for
black/white the Neopan 1600 pulls nicely to 800 ASA. Each one can use a M6 as
meter/camera and the second body can be M3 for the 50 mm and a M4P for the 75.
Chrome bodies for color/black for black/white. Convince some of the wedding
guests that are not shooting to stock some extra film so you dont have to run
back and forth for supplies. 
 The reception is the easiest and most fun to shoot, wide angles work best,
with the 50 for tighter shoots. If you can scout out the church beforehand
that is great. Shoot a roll of the type of film you are going to use and do a
testrun.
 I did a wedding last year as a guest, shot the ceremony from a pew ( aisle
seat) and also things like the bride coming down the centre, bridesmaids etc
and some of the guests. After the ceremony I quickly took a couple of rolls
over to the local 1-hour lab and had them run all the frames as 6"x9" glossy
prints. I had talked to them beforehand and they were happy to co-operate and
did it all in 55 minutes. Then at the reception I gave the pack of prints to
the groom and he could hand them out to some of the guests who had to go back
to Europe (Italy and Germany) the next day.
Almost all of it was shot with a M6, a 50/1,4 and a Rapidwinder( of course!).
Very popular with the overseas guests and the bride/groom. 
 I would keep 1 or 2 rolls for shots outside, 100 or 160 ASA color and do
tight shots as well as the whole group.
 The formal shots are OK at weddings, but the pictures that tend to stand out
are the more "journalistic" style of shooting.
 Cant wait to see the result of your shoot in March.
All the best.
Tom A