Wedding photography - travel kit

[Manfred M]

I would probably leave the light stands and umbrellas, but that's just me.
!

That is a recommendation from a number of the wedding photographers I know. In fact one of them suggested I might want to take a couple of studio lights, battery packs and softboxes along. That, I feel, might be overkill.

[William W]

. . .camera, lenses and speedlights always travel in the hand luggage (I've had my stuff all over the world, and only had an issue once . . .

I've had my carry on WEIGHT checked twice. Both were on a domestic leg within AUS as part of an International Ticket.

IMO it pays one to know exactly what the weight limit for carry-on actually is, because now (I recently noted in AUS for some carriers) it is being checked at the boarding area immediately prior to boarding the 'plane (i.e. not at security or at the check in), so if it is overweight there is very little option other than to relinquish the baggage, sometimes that might be to be carried on a later flight.

WW

[pnodrog]

Do you have any information on the venue and the type and level of illumination you will be working with?
Personally under the circumstances I would keep the kit as simple as possible. Go equipped more as a sports photographer (leave out the heavy long lens) rather than a studio photographer...

[rpcrowe]

One other comment...

Perhaps you could get a student photographer from a local school to volunteer as a translator.

Or, I would make up a small dictionary of important shooting terms (like "look at the camera" or "smile") written out on a pocket pad phonetically!

Or possibly get an electronic pocket translator for English-Japanese (Niponji) and Japanese (Niponji) -English

[Manfred M]

Do you have any information on the venue and the type and level of illumination you will be working with?
Personally under the circumstances I would keep the kit as simple as possible. Go equipped more as a sports photographer (leave out the heavy long lens) rather than a studio photographer...

My equipment selection has been based on the likely scenarios I will be shooting under, hence the flash / stands / umbrellas in addition to the camera and lenses. I've been told to expect some decent light as well as some poorly lit conditions.

[Manfred M]

One other comment...

Perhaps you could get a student photographer from a local school to volunteer as a translator.

Or, I would make up a small dictionary of important shooting terms (like "look at the camera" or "smile") written out on a pocket pad phonetically!

Or possibly get an electronic pocket translator for English-Japanese (Niponji) and Japanese (Niponji) -English

The bride is fluent in English, Japanese (and French), while the groom can handle Japanese, English and Amharic (not much use unless you are in Ethiopia). Some of the guests will be able to handle English and Japanese as well. Yes, I can get hold of a Japanese electronic translator; there should be one kicking around our house somewhere.

I have a tiny bit of Japanese, so I can count to three and shoot (ichi, ni, san). I'm really not too worried about language barriers as I've been to many places around the world where I don't speak the language and have managed to do quite well.

[Loose Canon]

I’m sorry Manfred but I find this more than a little humorous!

I would have adamantly explained my position on this, refused to do it based on those predications.

Then, when I was promptly informed that I was going to do it anyway regardless of how I felt about it, I would resolve to do the best job I could! Probably just about the way you have done!

I think your gear list is a nice balance of portability and necessity. I wouldn’t think the lighting gear you have chosen would present a huge PITA as far as transport. I also think the dividends it could pay might be well worth the trouble. I like Storm Cases for transporting. Made by Pelican if I’m not mistaken. Padded, water-tight, virtually indestructible, and you can put a lock on them. Once you get to a certain size they have wheels and retractable handle just like a roll-aboard. You can also pile other bags on top and wheel the whole shootin’ match in!

I believe I’ve read somewhere about some of the gear you typically carry. Which I think included laptop, spare cards, backup HDD’s. So I won’t mention those except for folks who might be interested. I think I also read a gray card lives in your kit, maybe a color checker so I won’t mention those either! Power converter(s) since I have no idea how they are set up in Japan. Don’t forget your umbrella adapters for the light stands. Spare Pocket Wizard if you have one handy and/or maybe a sync cable. And I might toss in a few gallon size zip-locks. Good for stuffing speedlights in if necessary and will hold water (or sake) in your sandbags if you find yourself without sand or rocks, or something else. Roll of gaff tape, maybe if you have room a clamp or two (I like super clamps), but the grip always makes life easier. Especially when you realize you need it and forgot it. And as far as that goes, if I’m going to go ahead and do the gig (whether I want to or not), my philosophy is simply “I’d rather have it than need it” so I would spend a lot of time on the details list. I think I saw a Paul Buff mini boom arm or two in your kit. May not need it but tossing one in might be a thought. First aid kit! “Snakebite” kit! Flares, Jaws of Life, and a spare oxygen bottle!

If I think of anything else I’ll be sure to pipe off!

Go get ’em Dad!

[inkista]

Backup hard drive? Research for a local rental place in case you need additional backup gear? Some way to display photos of the day for the crowd at the party? Prepped the couple to talk any potential Uncle Bobs out of photobombing your shots? That's all I can think up.

[Manfred M]

Thanks Terry - most of what you have listed is already part my normal travel gear. I hadn't thought about using water filled ziplocks, but that really makes a lot of sense. I was planning to raid one of the local dry Zen gardens for sand and just cover my tracks with one of the rakes... .

I've got a couple of the Buff mini booms, but I usually only use them with the big wide stands, so that is certainly something to consider. I was planning to take a couple of the smaller Manfrotto1052BAC stands, which should be fine for the Speedlights and umbrellas. I have a couple of larger Pelican's that I use to hold the Einsteins for travel (probably the biggest size that does NOT have any wheels), but haven't got anything for the light stands and modifiers, so that is definitely on my to buy list. Part of the reason I'm asking the question now is so that I can figure out how big a box I need.

As for the PocketWizards, I'm planning to take two FlexTT5's and a MiniTT1. My backup is using the camera in Commander mode and using this to fire the optical slaves in the flashes. Clamps I haven't thought about too much, but clothes pegs and A-clamps for sure and maybe a couple of others (I've got one Manfrotto superclamp that I do use on occasion). And the gaffer tape lives in the kit too.

Power; Japan is great as they have North American style blade plugs and their line voltage is 100V, so no need for adapters or converters. They don't have the grounded plugs we have on some of our equipment, so that is the only complication. They run 50Hz in Eastern Japan and 60Hz in Western Japan (where the wedding is), but I don't think any of our gear will be affected; it tends to be things with AC motors and the like only.

Thanks for the suggestions.

[pnodrog]

Post a photo and list of the assembled gear before you pack. Also it would be interesting to know what you actually end up using at the wedding.

Have a great time and I look forward to seeing a few wedding shots and your travel photographs while in Japan.

How long do we have to wait?

[Manfred M]

Post a photo and list of the assembled gear before you pack. Also it would be interesting to know what you actually end up using at the wedding.

Have a great time and I look forward to seeing a few wedding shots and your travel photographs while in Japan.

How long do we have to wait?

That won't happen until the middle to end of August / early September, but I am looking forward to the trip. It's been 9 years since the last time I spent any time in Japan.

[SteveF]

Well Manfred,

I think you've got yourself quite a challenge. Don't know what cameras you are using but the lighting stuff is tops if not over the top a bit.

I do weddings and have done them from the age of 17 and I'm 56 now. So last August I participated in the photography of our eldest as second shooter having an first shooter who was not a wedding photographer and hadn't even shot in church let alone a wedding.

It's tough. I'm talking a church two miles away, hotel 1/2 mile away but, it was traditional and as such I gave her away and obviously did the aisle walk. We didn't use any of the lighting kit you have listed, just two onboard flashguns bounced into a reflector an assistant helped with. Nothing to trip over, no weight, which then gave us a chance to carry more cameras and backups.

I can see your dilemma re being the photographer but I dare bet as first shooter you may not enjoy it so much which really is a shame. My day went so fast and without a first shooter to give instructions to I'm sure I might have missed stuff because on the day Father of the Bride will be required to get in the group shots I'm sure you would cherish for years to come.

Best of luck!

[Manfred M]

Well Manfred,

I think you've got yourself quite a challenge. Don't know what cameras you are using but the lighting stuff is tops if not over the top a bit.

I do weddings and have done them from the age of 17 and I'm 56 now. So last August I participated in the photography of our eldest as second shooter having an first shooter who was not a wedding photographer and hadn't even shot in church let alone a wedding.

It's tough. I'm talking a church two miles away, hotel 1/2 mile away but, it was traditional and as such I gave her away and obviously did the aisle walk. We didn't use any of the lighting kit you have listed, just two onboard flashguns bounced into a reflector an assistant helped with. Nothing to trip over, no weight, which then gave us a chance to carry more cameras and backups.

I can see your dilemma re being the photographer but I dare bet as first shooter you may not enjoy it so much which really is a shame. My day went so fast and without a first shooter to give instructions to I'm sure I might have missed stuff because on the day Father of the Bride will be required to get in the group shots I'm sure you would cherish for years to come.

Best of luck!

Thanks Steve - The light stands and modifiers are for the more formal shots of the bride, groom and other assorted relatives.

Depending on the venue lighting, I'm planning to shoot existing light or a combination of existing light / flash. I've to to look at the light quality and quantity at the chapel, dining area and party area. I don't use "pure" bounce, but tend to use a few assorted on-flash modifiers; the Stroboframe will probably stay at home. I suspect that the lights are going to be compact fluorescent or fluorescent, so I should probably pick up some CTS and CTG gels for the Speedlights.

I'm certainly not looking at doing a "formal" wedding approach and will have my wife and other daughter shooting as well, so I expect there should be enough coverage at some of the key events.