Any photographers in here?

Out in the bay with some friends and these guys showed up and played around a bit!!

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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blyndspy/5067072080/" title="DSC02873 by blyndspy, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4130/5067072080_0afa12d7a5_b.jpg" width="800" height="442" alt="DSC02873" /></a>

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blyndspy/5067072620/" title="DSC03068 by blyndspy, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4127/5067072620_17fe91b6af_b.jpg" width="467" height="700" alt="DSC03068" /></a>
 
OK, so I'm going to jamaica for a wedding (fiance's brother) and vacation. They've asked me to shoot portraits/groups of up to 10 ppl because they basically only get an hour (ceremony and cutting/toast included so a half hour for pics with their parents, etc) with the professional photographer. I obviously also plan on taking pics of anything and everything while I'm down there.. first time off the continental US/canada (yay)! I need a couple recommendations from some who are more experienced with this pic style, I definitely am not.

I've got:
20D
18-55 IS
55-250 IS (borrowed, because its better than my sigma 70-300)
50 1.8 Mk1

I'm lookin at splitting a lens rental with the bride/groom for the trip and I'm torn between choices.

10-22
17-35
17-55
24-70
(other recommendations open, but these lengths seemed to make sense and are all fast lenses)

or would an experienced portrait photographer recommend a really good crop prime length? Would my 50mm 1.8 be very nearly as good?

second question, should I use some kind of off camera flash for fill? I'm assuming I'll be able to set up portraits in a well lit location, but depending on what they want for a backdrop who knows if the lighting direction will be optimum. This I would plan on buying so keep recommendations budget friendly please.

General setup recommendations for setup recommendations in shooting (mode, fstop, etc) would be appreciated as well. I'll be honest, I'm a little nervous.
 
17-55 dude. No questions. It gives you a wide angle, and also gives you a nice portrait style without having to go too close to them at 35mm. You get 55mm instead. Plus it has IS and is 2.8. SHarper than the all your lense choices except for the 24-70 which is about the same but no IS. 10-22 won't give you the reach and will distort people in pictures and make them look fat on the edges which is a no-no.

I would not bother with off-camera flash now if the wedding is near. If it's a year away, then read up on Strobist and how to make use of light w/ small flashes. Do their assignments and homework etc. You'll find out lots about triggers/receivers that people prefer etc etc.

I shoot my weddings in natural light a lot of the time. I find you can see details more with it. I use on camera flash in the reception. Or I'll put studio lights in the corners and bounce them off the ceiling to get extra light in the venue. I also have an assistant carrying a flash w/ an umbrella.

I dunno..there's so much to list and tell etc. Just go shoot lots! Beg your friends to be the extra guy to shoot and stuff. Events etc. YOu'll realize what you need/can do/won't do etc.
 
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blyndspy/5067072080/" title="DSC02873 by blyndspy, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4130/5067072080_0afa12d7a5_b.jpg" width="800" height="442" alt="DSC02873" /></a>

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blyndspy/5067072620/" title="DSC03068 by blyndspy, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4127/5067072620_17fe91b6af_b.jpg" width="467" height="700" alt="DSC03068" /></a>

Im no photographer but those pics look really good to me!
 
Well, I think I figured out what my "spot" problem was. I believe it was the little bugs flying around the spotlights @ the football game. I was at my old HS band competition and I noticed them again. At least I have an idea on what to look out for. I did get another round of pics in though if anybody wants to look. Some turned out halfway decent. Input is appreciated. http://s681.photobucket.com/albums/vv179/03zoomzoom/nikon p100/TW band Competition/
 
17-55 dude. No questions. It gives you a wide angle, and also gives you a nice portrait style without having to go too close to them at 35mm. You get 55mm instead. Plus it has IS and is 2.8. SHarper than the all your lense choices except for the 24-70 which is about the same but no IS. 10-22 won't give you the reach and will distort people in pictures and make them look fat on the edges which is a no-no.

I would not bother with off-camera flash now if the wedding is near. If it's a year away, then read up on Strobist and how to make use of light w/ small flashes. Do their assignments and homework etc. You'll find out lots about triggers/receivers that people prefer etc etc.

I shoot my weddings in natural light a lot of the time. I find you can see details more with it. I use on camera flash in the reception. Or I'll put studio lights in the corners and bounce them off the ceiling to get extra light in the venue. I also have an assistant carrying a flash w/ an umbrella.

I dunno..there's so much to list and tell etc. Just go shoot lots! Beg your friends to be the extra guy to shoot and stuff. Events etc. YOu'll realize what you need/can do/won't do etc.

This has me a little worried:
However, we do NOT recommend the 17-55 f/2.8 IS lens be used with 20D or XT cameras
 
Any reasons? Where did you read that?

One of the rental sites. Info could be WAY outdated, who knows. ERR00 and ERR99 codes? apparently with the newer firmware its less common? I saw another site that specifically included the 20D, so I don't know.

Looks like I'm talkin about 110 with shipping for 2 weeks.
 
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17-55 dude. No questions. It gives you a wide angle, and also gives you a nice portrait style without having to go too close to them at 35mm. You get 55mm instead. Plus it has IS and is 2.8. SHarper than the all your lense choices except for the 24-70 which is about the same but no IS. 10-22 won't give you the reach and will distort people in pictures and make them look fat on the edges which is a no-no.


For only $4 more, he can get the 24-70. Personally, from my time in France using it, the 24-70 would be my choice for the WHOLE vacation, including the wedding. The 18-55 is more than capable for the reception, where wide shots are more needed. The 24-70 will pay off big time at the ceremony though, and for the rest of the vacation. For my trip to France, I chose the 10-22 also because of the old narrow streets more commonly found...
 
I think the 17-55 would be a better walk around. It's lighter. He's not paid or anything. It has IS for the super short sunsets that the caribbean has. The 24-70 seems like a beast for carry around. On vacays, I only bring the 10-22 and 50mm with me. He doesn't even have an external flash so the 18-55 in a reception is not ideal. It's not fast enough, and his 20D isn't really the best on high iso shots. I'm tired ...no more typing.
 
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/finktel_jr/5071992401/" title="Dawn Greenway One Departure by Finktel Jr Productions, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4105/5071992401_dab68173ba_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="Dawn Greenway One Departure" /></a>

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/finktel_jr/5072591596/" title="Modern Nostalgia by Finktel Jr Productions, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4110/5072591596_0944e959f1_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="Modern Nostalgia" /></a>

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/finktel_jr/5072592598/" title="Line up and Wait by Finktel Jr Productions, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4089/5072592598_37b2160eef_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="Line up and Wait" /></a>

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/finktel_jr/5071990997/" title="Waco over FDK by Finktel Jr Productions, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4086/5071990997_dcff7eb8d2_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="Waco over FDK" /></a>


You know, for only having the 55-250 on the camera, I'd say its not a bad lens...
 
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