****PLEASE HELP***** Wedding Photography

[LeeBase]

Now what about memory cards, right now i just have a CF Type II
2.0GB memory card, should i be getting something larger...

That and more. FYI -- I shoot about 20gigs on an average wedding (shoot only raw, 20D and 5D).

One camera? You need two.

One flash? You need two.

You need backup batteries. For the camera bodies and the flashes.

You need a circular polarizer (for the outdoor shots)

You may need scrims if you shoot the formals outside (if it's too bright) -- or lights and umbrellas if you shoot the formals inside.

A WhiBal to for the white balance.

You don't need exact duplicate lenses for backup -- but you do need to have the ability to shoot the wedding if a particular lens fails.

Diffusers for the flashes (like the Gary Fong Lightsphere).

Tripod/monopod

And on and on.

Lee

 

[LeeBase]

You know what... Ive tried that, but they are content with the
photography that i do... and as long as i have what everyone has
been suggesting, i think they would be happy with whatever they
get.... They have looked at my photos and have both agreeed that
they think i can do it... And they dont want to pay big bucks... So
i cant say i never did try to talk her out of it

People don't know that wildlife photography and landscapes are COMPLETELY different photography skills from wedding photography. Kinda sounds like YOU don't realize the difference.

But there is the "we don't really care about photos" part -- and for such people, a talented landscape shooter can do just fine.

I've shot weddings with just a Nikon Coolpix 990 and flash -- and so I know it can be done and the people can be very happy with the photos.

I also know that if you aren't REALLY experience shooting people shots -- particularly indoor people shots -- you can screw up badly.

At the time I was shooting in auto modes -- and I accidentally moved some switch and my photos looked bad -- and my flash was over flashing -- and I could not figure out how to get things back to normal.

Fortunatley, it wasn't a wedding but a church event. But it was doing dozens of such events that helped me be prepared for weddings.

And the free weddings I did -- I did for the kind of people you described -- if it were not for me, they'd have had NO photos -- so my shots were much better than most people's "snapshots".

Make no mistake, though. YOU are taking a big risk. It doesn't seem like you fully grasp that. If you are fully prepared to have yoru shutter break on you in the first five minutes of the day and say "sorry sis, the camera broke" -- or any of a BUNCH of other things that can happen.....then go for it.

I did.

Lee

 

[LeeBase]

geez you guys are starting to make me worry.... There seems like
there is alot on my plate, but the more responses i get from you
guys, the better off i am. Thanks.....

As for the me saying no.... well i cant get out of it.... so thats
about it

Be sure, then, to practice EVERYTHING. Start taking portraits -- group and individual. Start shooting indoor events. Take your camera to church and start taking candids.

Shoot -- volunteer to be a free second shooter for a local photographer and go out on a wedding or two.

Practice with flash photography.

Practice taking available light shots without flash photography -- indoors.

Practice taking photos in really bright sunlight -- of people.

And on and on.

Lee

 

[csnoff]

Im going to put most of the negative coments aside telling me not to do it... Even if this is a first time thing, I would rather do it then not at all right... experiance is just that... Whether i get some good ones which im sure i will, it will be worth it in the end... I think with all the great advice everyone has given me ill be ok....

My sister isnt the type to pull a knife on me if i dont get that one shot.... cus if i dont... im sure someone will....

 

[LeeBase]

I am hoping
to get an external flash for my birthday which is the same day as
the wedding. Some people will say this sounds like a recipe for
disaster especially pros who don't want you taking their business
away, but I'm taking the job seriously.

lol! It is a recipe for disaster -- which has nothing to do with taking our business away.

A pro won't take a brand new camera to a wedding that he received the day of. You have to take equipment you have worked with and understand. You don't have time to figure things out the day of.

Everyone does start somewhere -- and I started as badly as anyone else -- for people who couldn't pay for a real pro.

But that just means I know what I'm talking about when I tell people to not try it. Or at least understand the risks.

Lee

 

[LeeBase]

Im going to put most of the negative coments aside telling me not
to do it...

They are not negative comments. They are "advice from one who knows what he's talking about". You are free to consider or reject that advice -- no skin off my nose.

But they are not "negative comments" designed to discourage you.

Even if this is a first time thing, I would rather do
it then not at all right... experiance is just that... Whether i
get some good ones which im sure i will, it will be worth it in the
end... I think with all the great advice everyone has given me ill
be ok....

After reading more of your posts -- it is clear to me that it's not just your sister who doesn't understand photography -- but you. You don't know what you don't know. You are less prepared than you think.

And I'm not speaking from a "prepared as a pro to charge thousands of dollars" perspective.

Would you think you could cater the wedding just because someone likes the cookies you make? Does that prepare you to handle the task of feeding 500 people all at the same time?

Will getting "a few good picts" really serve your sister well? Wouldn't she rather have good picts from every moment of the day? That's one of the differences between wedding photography and "taking picts".

You go out to a park and "take picts". And a few turn out really good. And people see them and say "you are a good photographer".

But that's NOTHING like having to perform under the stress of a wedding where you need to get "good shots" all day long.

My sister isnt the type to pull a knife on me if i dont get that
one shot.... cus if i dont... im sure someone will....

That's nice. I'd be putting the knife in my own side if I screwed up on my sister's wedding. We are trying to help YOU care.

Did you see the terrible photo someone pasted in this forum that was supposedly "better than the pro's"? Is THAT all you want to provide for your sister?

But hey -- it could all turn out fantastic. Mine did. Lucky I was -- and you may be too.

Lee

 

[csnoff]

well i suppose they arent negative comments...and like you said, maybe i dont know anything about taking pictures at all.... but with that being said and explaing to my sister the situation and her response, she is wiling to take what she gets from me... if she gets some good ones and its saves her a $1000 then sweet.... Besides we all have to start somewhere... i would rather just do it as a side project and not take on the whole event.... I suppose i could beg her to get someone else do it.... but really i think i like this opportunity to see what kind of fotos i can actually take... i do have a bit of time to practice, and i will be trying to go here and there and get some experiance in differnt settings to practice.... And like LeeBase said

Everyone does start somewhere -- and I started as badly as anyone
else -- for people who couldn't pay for a real pro.

Im looking more for tips and tricks then words of discouragement NOT to DO this.....

I think it will be fun....

As for enjoying the wedding.... I have 5 Sisters this will be the last to get married... all of which have happend in the last year an a half... i wont miss much by standing behind a camera

 

[AJohn]

...don't get me wrong, I'm not jumping on you or even disagreeing with you. As a matter of fact, I agree with you and if it were me, I would not do it. BUT, I think he already mentioned that he can't (or won't?) get out of it at this point. I don't know if it is a 'me or no pics for her wedding' situation or not, but it sounds like a done deal. So, I'm just giving whatever tips I can at this point.

--
Andy (Critiques Always Welcome)
FCAS Member #120
http://imageevent.com/ajrphotos

 

[secheese]

I've done 3 weddings... or was it 4? No matter... I died a thousand deaths doing them; although the results were good. In any case, two things I can think of...

Make a list of shots that are must haves and go over the shooting of these shots, in your mind, every single day until you know it by heart.

Second, for each group shot you do... divide the number of people in the group by 3, and shoot at least that many shots of them. NO... I'm not kidding!

 

[Hellashot]

If you don't have experience with an external flash, please tell your sister to choose someone else or help pool money with other to pay someone. It is highly unlikely you can rent an external flash for saya week and learn how best to use it. I have had an external flash for 2.5 years and I am still learning.

People must understand that just because someone has an expensive camera doesn't mean they know how to shoot everything. People can be the hardest subjects to photograph especially at a fast moving event like a wedding, yes things happen fast if you don't have the experience and have to be thinking about your camera settings.

 

[Bambi Brown]

People must understand that just because someone has an expensive
camera doesn't mean they know how to shoot everything.

Aint' that the truth! I find it interesting that if one says that same thing in the context of discussions about exposure issues and getting great photos automatically in auto mode, they're branded as bashing newbies who want "x times better photos because their camera cost x times more" than their P&S.

 

[LeeBase]

But he's already said he's not interested in hearing wisdom -- just how to do the impossible -- be an inexperienced photographer and do a good job covering a wedding.

And actually -- it can happen. It's like being a teenager and having sex. It's fun -- and "getting pregnant" is something that happens to other people.

Stop telling him that sex carries with it the risk of pregnancy and just tell him how to have fun at it.

I am being serious. Many of us know what can go wrong -- because we've been there to have it happen or to have heard the stories time and again.

But the reality is that things don't always go wrong. It may all work out just fine. He may not know about flash photography -- but you never know -- the situation might happen that the flash in full auto mode will be perfect.

And that even though it's outside -- he'll know when to use fill flash -- and how to take advantage of shade -- or there will be perfect overcast skies. Oh man, if the skies are perfectly overcast -- he'll be golden.

It could happen. Bad things -- things that it takes experience to learn how to handle -- just may not occur on that day.

And if he messes up -- neither he or his sister will care. What could be better?

Lee

 

[weirmg]

With all this talk about first time wedding photographers I just couldn't stand by anymore without jumping into the conversation -- there is always a first time -- I did mine last summer and both the bride and groom were very pleased with the results. The bride is my nice and understood this would be my first wedding -- I explained all the pitfalls and she understood -- and still I couldn't say no to her.

So, I did my homework and acquired both the knowledge and equipment minimally needed. First, I got a couple of good wedding books and did everything they said -- more or less -- created a comprehensive shot plan for every phase of the wedding, got agreement with the couple prior to the wedding on the plan, coordinated with the location proprietors and other vendors, created a no-fee wedding services contract with all the T&Cs and deliverables specified -- used their templates as a starting point and tailored to my own requirements -- had the bride and groom signed the contract which also allows me to use their likeness for my own promotional purposes -- learned this in the wedding books of course.

Then I got some equipment I needed -- specifically the 580EX Speedlite -- I read the on-line three part flash tutorial and to be quite honest, the whole process overwhelmed me -- but I learned about outdoor flash using FP mode which allows high shutter speeds enabling fill flash. For the indoor reception shots I smartly used P mode and trusted Canon -- it worked out just fine.

The deliverables specified in the contract were a set of images on CD-ROM -- 30 days after the event -- as agreed I didn't specify any printing. However, I did do a few prints of the typical must have shots (again, learned these from the book) and they are on the couple's mantel today.

Also, the image below was processed into a Phart and printed poster size, professionally mounted and framed, and given to the couple just a few weeks ago -- they absolutely loved it and it'll probably reside in their home for many years.

[350D w/ EF-50mm @ f/1.4, 1/3200 -- Post Processed w/ PSE5]

 

[Josh4fun]

I think it will be fun....

As for enjoying the wedding.... I have 5 Sisters this will be the
last to get married... all of which have happend in the last year
an a half... i wont miss much by standing behind a camera

It will be fun. I'm confident that with practice and preparation..you'll do just fine. If I may suggest something, if you know the venue and time of the entire wedding both outdoor and indoor, scout this places, if you prefer that is, and simulate or I should say meter the ligthing conditions that way you know what settings you'll do or should I need flash or not...that type of thing. When I first did my wedding, my main concern was getting the right exposure. By doing some scouting and preparation like what I suggest above, during the wedding it was like a walk in the park. Believed in yourself and your confidence will guide you through. Here are my important tips:

During the wedding you may get distracted a lot or forget to change some things or settings that you should have so be careful. I learn these along the way. I made mistakes but not that severe. I also make good shots and thats where you want to shine.

1. Be very aware at all times what your ISO/Aperture/Shutter settings are and where you want them to be while shooting. These three if not check ocassionaly can be at our disadvantage. I use to tape a small sticky note beside my LCD screen to remind me that I'm at ISO400. When you move from indoor to outdoor, check your settings again. Sometime we all forget that light condition has changed.

2. Know what and where your camera settings at all times. You can hit your camera knobs and buttons with your fingers without knowing and that you accidentaly changed to a different setting.

3. Remember its digital so if you mess up, over or underexposed a shot, make the adjustments then tell your subject that you need to make another shot. They won't know....this is damage control in a jiffy.

4. Be creative, believe in yourself, show your smile, and your day will be great.
5. More importantly, relax and have fun...

I hope this helps...

Jonji
Please visit my gallery at:
http://www.fotop.net/Josh4fun

 

[The Big Labowski]

I agree with the above poster. I would use the kit lens as main shooting lens for the day and the others as needed (50mm=DOF and low light; tele=capturing people from distance and DOF). 2 things you must do:

1. Get a good book, I have just purchased (from Amazon) "Digital Wedding Photography" by Glen Johnson, and am very impressed.
2. Get a flash capable of high speed sync, for fill in bright sunny conditions.

You should also get a diffuser, I have just purchased Gary Fongs light sphere, and I love it.

I am thinking of doing a few weddings myself, and you are in the perfect situation to begin with (unless time is on your side and you can do some voluntary assitance work with a wedding photographer).

As an interesting point I have noticed that in the book above alot of the examples are shot at ISO 1600/3200. So don't be scared to there if needed.
Well good luck, Keep us posted
Adrian

 

[yuyucheu]

Find some professional organizer organize the event. you need at least 2 photographers to take photos
Have fun):

 

[DDTech]

Get a ext. Flash and one of these

http://www.abetterbouncecard.com/

Works great

And you need a lot of memory, extra batteries and tons of practice.

Have fun

I will do my first event, a friend’s daughter’s confirmation, with:

350D w. Grip
10-22mm
17-85mm IS
50mm F1.8
430EX Flash + bounce card
Reflector and reference card.
3 batteries for 350D
5 CF card's (10GB total) + labtop

Borrowed a:
28-300mm L
85mm F1.8
and a spare 300D

Hans

 

[denny2020]

I think it's ok. I mean some weddings, the Bride and Groom don't hire any photographers and just gather the photos for Family and friend's P&S cameras. But since you are "quote" the primary photographer, I would least do a lot of research before hand. Weddings are "generally" very predictable events. "Most" things happen in a predictable sequence. Just make sure to keep checking on how many shots left on your memory card so you don't find yourself changing your memory and missing key moments like the Entrance of the Bride, Ring exchange, and most importantly the first kiss. Over course there are many others. Also make sure your shutter speed is always fast enough not to have handshaking blur. As well to check that the focus is accurate after key shots. Exposure issues you can generally fix with photoshop but missed focus and motion blur will be very hard. Remember not to be afraid of higher ISO shoots. Again film grain better than motion blur. Here is my first attempt at a friend's wedding. I'm not a pro photography nor likely ever will but hopefully the link will help a bit and give you some encouragement. I was in a different boat though since the B&G hired a pro photographer so no stress for me. The funny thing is that the B&G didn't really like the pro's photos since shot most of the wedding with wide angle. No real tight shots. So remember to get a good mix of tight and wide shots. Tight of details and emotions, wide for atmosphere.

http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1031&message=18318836

I hope this helps.

 

[DougH]

Yes, there is always a first time, but it would be smarter to learn to use a flash and learn to shoot weddings before that first time. If he had an opportunity to be an assistant at even one wedding for another photographer, he'd be better off.
--



No, that's not my middle finger....

 

[DougH]

Remember that you not only have to make the bride happy, but the bride and groom's mothers, etc.
--



No, that's not my middle finger....