Wedding Shoot ::FacePalm::

[Hardrock]

Zoom makes for lazy photography. And this is coming from someone who is still quite nervous about street shooting or any kind of 'people' shooting.

The simple fact is the more you are engaged in the action, the better your pictures will be. Learn to use what you got. Work with the "limitations."

Easier said than done, though, right? I understand completely. If this were me, I'd use the event as an opportunity to be more outgoing and engaging as a photographer.

For me..wanting to use the 200mm, it isnt about being lazy. I know all of these people... and getting up in there face is no issue for me. I just assumed that the DOF, and the Bokeh and all that.... would benefit more from using it.. compared to the"crappy" kit lens...but I wont hesitate to use it if itll better the shots.

Yes I think you need to use the 200 it will allow you to get some seperation from the background. Even if you use it at 100mm at f5.6 it should be better than the 55 at f4 for sure. It should really help smooth the background out some. Of course that is if you have the room to stand back and fill them in the frame. During the ceremony use the longer focal length with a tripod and you should get some decent shots. And for the reception get the wide angle and get close. Try and use Av and that way you will actually learn something, I think if you use auto you are just going to be taking a bunch of pictures.

 

[bigtwinky]

Considering the situation, just go out and have fun. If you stress too much about it, it will impact your work.

Churches usually frown on flash. Shooting in the scene modes or in the auto mode means that the flash may pop (and probably will in a church). So instead, shoot in P mode. Its like auto, but allows you to change the settings (which you dont have to do).

Portrait mode has the camera trying to get as wide open aperture as possible for the DOF. So its like AV mode, but it sets the aperture.

If you want to get a blurrier background, have the couple step further away from their background. Dont shove them on a wall, keep some distance.

Remember to frame nice, which will make all the difference. Dont have too much head room, dont center compose unless the shot calls for it.

Up that ISO in the church. Its better to get grainy pictures than no pictures. The grainy ones can often be somewhat fixed or turned black and white.

Use both lenses. 200 more in the church and the kit lens for portraits.

Really, just go and have fun.

 

[PerfectlyFlawed]

You cant turn silent/quit mode off in AUTO mode?? That little light?

 

[Derrel]

"besides it will be good experience for you"...

That's what the recruiter tells you when you sign up for the US Army...

KAikens and Big Twinky echo my sentiments. Say a little prayer, take 10 deep breaths, and get out there are do your best. Your camera has an LCD screen on the back...after any critical sequence of shots, take a peek and make sure you are in the ballpark settings wise. What you need to guard against are sloooooow shutter speeds with combined flash exposures: in some of the programmed or scene modes, the shutter speed might dip down to slow speeds like 1/4 second....that can cause blurring from existing light, and then when the flash fires, it creates a sharp,crisp flash-lighted image which when combined with a slow shutter speed setting like 1/3,1/4,1/6 up to about 1/30 second, can cause a "ghost image". Good luck!

 

[PerfectlyFlawed]

Phew! OK.. So, I made it out alive! 930+ some images later... I was there about 8 hours. Pre wedding, post wedding... etc etc etc. A switched around from P mode, portrait and Auto ( no flash ).. Right when i was starting to get used to P mode, a pic would make me doubt it, and i didnt want to second chance it. theres no retakes! ( however, i am DEFINITELY loving it, gonna start practicing in that get used to switching settings)

The atmosphere was SUPER cramped. Small, decently lit church. small mobile home for the reception pics ( VERY crappy lighting ) at one point i had them hold a clamp light and deflect it off the ceiling, which worked pretty good.

I was Sweating bullets the whole damn time.... i think i was more nervous than they were:lmao:

BUT, what *was* a free gig... i got tipped 250 bucks for my first shoot. Not to shabby.

Ill get some pics up ( i havnt seen them yet aside from previews)... and see if i can get some C/C...

THANK YOU all for all of your help!

 

[KAikens318]

Phew! OK.. So, I made it out alive! 930+ some images later... I was there about 8 hours. Pre wedding, post wedding... etc etc etc. A switched around from P mode, portrait and Auto ( no flash ).. Right when i was starting to get used to P mode, a pic would make me doubt it, and i didnt want to second chance it. theres no retakes! ( however, i am DEFINITELY loving it, gonna start practicing in that get used to switching settings)

The atmosphere was SUPER cramped. Small, decently lit church. small mobile home for the reception pics ( VERY crappy lighting ) at one point i had them hold a clamp light and deflect it off the ceiling, which worked pretty good.

I was Sweating bullets the whole damn time.... i think i was more nervous than they were:lmao:

BUT, what *was* a free gig... i got tipped 250 bucks for my first shoot. Not to shabby.

Ill get some pics up ( i havnt seen them yet aside from previews)... and see if i can get some C/C...

THANK YOU all for all of your help!

That is awesome! Congrats!!! I can't wait to see some of the pics you got. Glad you got a little something out of it as well. And just think, you can add the really good ones to your portfolio for next time! :thumbup::thumbup:

 

[JasonLambert]

Way to go!!! :thumbup:

 

[FrankLamont]

Well done. It's tough when you're put in a situation like that.

For future reference: with slow lenses (ie, high f-number lenses like f/4, f/5.6) in the telephoto field, you shouldn't zoom - or with any kit lens, for that matter - as it simply stops down. You lose light, need a slower shutter speed... bad.

Telephotos aren't also advisable with kit lenses as you can't compensate for the exposure without giving in to the shake that's more prevalent at that focal length.

 

[tdz16]

Can't wait to see the pics.

I've been faced with the same situation for this Saturday. Photography company apparently decided to "go another direction" with their work and bailed on the rest of their dates, including my friends wedding. I almost bailed out too because I know I am not ready for such a gig, but I need the experience and its a "no expectations" thing like yours.

It's easy to do great work when there were no other options, that's the way I'm looking at it!

~Tom

 

[Moe]

Glad you made it through! Looking forward to the photos!

 

[Raizels]

Just as I was about to write about what was important to us at our wedding, I see you've done it already! All I can say is, you go, girl - I would be FREAKING!! You're my hero.

 

[Live_free]

Phew! OK.. So, I made it out alive! 930+ some images later... I was there about 8 hours. Pre wedding, post wedding... etc etc etc. A switched around from P mode, portrait and Auto ( no flash ).. Right when i was starting to get used to P mode, a pic would make me doubt it, and i didnt want to second chance it. theres no retakes! ( however, i am DEFINITELY loving it, gonna start practicing in that get used to switching settings)

The atmosphere was SUPER cramped. Small, decently lit church. small mobile home for the reception pics ( VERY crappy lighting ) at one point i had them hold a clamp light and deflect it off the ceiling, which worked pretty good.

I was Sweating bullets the whole damn time.... i think i was more nervous than they were:lmao:

BUT, what *was* a free gig... i got tipped 250 bucks for my first shoot. Not to shabby.

Ill get some pics up ( i havnt seen them yet aside from previews)... and see if i can get some C/C...

THANK YOU all for all of your help!

If you need some to be PP for you, let us know. A lot of us are very good at it and can help ok shots look GREAT. I myself would help because I know this is for a wedding and you may not know how or have the programs to. Can't wait to see the pics! =D

 

[MDWine]

. . .I was Sweating bullets the whole damn time.... i think i was more nervous than they were:lmao:

BUT, what *was* a free gig... i got tipped 250 bucks for my first shoot. Not to shabby.. .. ..

Awesome! I started reading the thread yesterday and have to admit I couldn't wait to get back to see how it turned out.

It sounds like you had a blast, and you learned something... that's the best return on your investment and worry!!! (the cash ain't bad either!)

I'm looking forward to seeing your images!

Congrats!

(OK, now what's next? )

 

[burstintoflame81]

I would advise shooting in Tv or Av mode as well. They would be most useful to you I think. Since you can't get any other equipment, that pretty much ruins any other advice I think most of us would have. a Flash and faster lens would be ideal. It would also be good if you knew anyone that had another Canon dSLR that you could borrow. That way you could have them both around your neck, one with the zoom lens and one with the kit lens. You won't have time to switch out lenses in time without missing important stuff. Just make sure both cameras' sleep modes are turned off so they stay on the entire time and are ready to go at all times. Then I would also say have some backup batteries with you and backup memory cards. Shoot on many cards, not one big one incase one memory card decides to have an error you don't lose everything. ( I did not listen to this advice on here and nearly lost half of my first wedding shots. )

 

[PerfectlyFlawed]

So many photos... And multiples of almost most LOL ugh, where do I start!

I definetly delete the crappy ones right? I wouldn't want them...

And do I have to do PP on ALL of the pics??? Yikes!