2nd shooter at wedding for C&C

[pixmedic]

Ah, the life of a second shooter. never a dull moment.
anyway, the photographer didn't really need a second shooter, but she promised one as part of her deal so...
for the entire ceremony, the main decided the best way to keep me out of her hair was to perch me up in the balcony.
I didn't bring ALL of our gear for a second shooter gig obviously, but enough to fill our tenba messenger bag.
(our fast zooms, a few primes, two flashes, softbox, spare charged batteries, etc etc.) thankfully the church was pretty well and evenly lit.

i was just a little disappointed in the equipment the main photog brought. here is her ENTIRE gear list for the wedding.
Canon T2i and 18-55 kit lens. seriously, that was ALL. wasn't my problem though, I was just the second.
the pictures are a little on the cool side since i was a bit farther away than I would have liked to be, but since it wasn't my gig, I went where I was told, and worked with what I had.
C&C if you like.


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[tirediron]

C&C for a second-shooter is always a little tough since many elements are beyond your control. I'm not on a decent monitor right now, so I can't really comment on colour...

1. In a word, "Ouch!" I assume the posing was the main's job. If so, she needs to horsewhipped with an old camera-strap. People leaned this way and that, eyes closed, horrible background... You've got good exposure, and it loosk like you've made the closest thing to a silk purse you could out of that sow's ear!

2. Table decorations. Check.

3. Come on dude... you know better than that. Level that sh....

4. Again BAD posing (not, I assume in your control). Since your perspective is about what I would expect for a shot like this, and everyone is looking down, what was the main doing? Laying on the floor????

Based on the posing and the main's equipment list, I am guessing that your work probably saved this event! The only question I have is your aperture. Seems like a LOT of DoF (for some reason I can't pull up the EXIF data)... were you not shooting fairly wide open?

Just my $00.02 worth - your mileage may vary.

~John

 

[pixmedic]

unfortunately, I could not do anything about the posing. I was asked not to interact with the wedding party, and told to stay perched up in the balcony. I thought it was too well lit to shoot wide open, and i was high enough to be closer to some of the back end lighting than I would have liked. all along the ceiling, right above the balcony i was on were some pretty big lights. I was afraid to shoot wide open, and i stopped down just a little.

the main was on the floor, and the wedding party was on a stage a few feet up. for some reason, she liked to stoop down to take the picture. I don't know why she didn't pose better, I never actually asked her. the main was lower than the party, so they had to keep looking down at her.

holy crap man... I just noticed the tilt on #3..I actually think that pic got fixed and I just copied the wrong one. ill have to go take a look, or fix that one.

the table toppers i just thought were neat.

 

[pixmedic]

fixed the tilt on this one.
should be a bit better now

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[Majeed Badizadegan]

Why are you second shooting for people I'm assuming you have more experience than and better equipment? I'm guessing the quality of product this main photog is going to deliver is going to be bad.

That being said, I think you could have made out better in your situation even with your limitations. None of these shots are working for me. Besides number 4, all the people images are cut off awkwardly at the feet.

The DOF seems far too deep, and there's nothing pleasing to see in those backgrounds. #4 is the best group shot. The detail shot of the table as a photograph doesn't work for me. Perhaps with some lens-work and re-working the comp something more pleasing could've been made there.

 

[pixmedic]

Why are you second shooting for people I'm assuming you have more experience than and better equipment? I'm guessing the quality of product this main photog is going to deliver is going to be bad.

That being said, I think you could have made out better in your situation even with your limitations. None of these shots are working for me. Besides number 4, all the people images are cut off awkwardly at the feet.

The DOF seems far too deep, and there's nothing pleasing to see in those backgrounds. #4 is the best group shot. The detail shot of the table as a photograph doesn't work for me. Perhaps with some lens-work and re-working the comp something more pleasing could've been made there.

posing and backgrounds are both something I had no control over. that's where they were, thats what was behind them.
I really don't know what the main photographers pictures looked like. I never saw them. the reception was a very dimly lit, very large room with a large disco ball over the dance floor. the main was standing 4-5 feet from people with the popup flash. I didn't get to take any reception pictures. she told me she had that covered herself. I only stayed for the cake and punch.
the main told me (and the wedding party) that she has been a photographer for 16 years. I didn't know much of anything about this deal until I got it. a friend of a friend knew the bride, and knew I second shot on occasion and mentioned it to the main. admittedly, I see the argument for the feet. i was trying to avoid the vents being in the shot, which you can see in #3, and in hindsight, was an error. the stereo equipment WOULD have been easy enough to move out of they way, but it was never mentioned.
normally I love second shooting. all of the fun, not all of the responsibility. a lot less money though. this one was a little strange, but i guess it could have been worse.

 

[gsgary]

Did you meet her on Facebook ?

 

[frommrstomommy]

I'm scared to see the main's from what you've said. lol

 

[gsgary]

I'm scared to see the main's from what you've said. lol

Everyone is the US is a pro photographer what do you expect

 

[mrpink]

Wow. Those poses are BAAAAAAD.

Please get some main shots for us to laugh it.





p!nK

 

[thetrue]

^^^^^^^I second AND third that motion!!

 

[pixmedic]

granted...this is not my best work. (and I don't want to make excuses for mistakes) but i would love to see what the main photographer's stuff looked like. especially the low lit reception area. one of the things that amazed me the most, especially for a 16 year veteran as she said she was, was how she dealt with the kids. the brides youngest son (9 i think) is autistic. (I may have a group shot with him in it) before the reception, the kid was sitting at a table, still all dressed up, and I thought it would make a nice candid photo. when I went up to him and asked if he minded smiling for a quick photo, he asked me not to take any pictures. so I didn't, and put the camera away. the main saw me and decided she would get a picture of him, but when he asked HER not to take any pictures, she started clicking away, with the pop up flash going and he was visibly upset by it. I really thought he was going to have a meltdown. I hope the main got what she wanted, but I wasn't willing to take the shots when the autistic kid asked me not to.
maybe that makes me less a real photographer, unwilling to take the shot.

Hopefully my next gig as a second will be with a little more personable photographer, or at least one that actually wants a second shooter there. And can pose a little better.

 

[Light Guru]

Hopefully my next gig as a second will be with a little more personable photographer, or at least one that actually wants a second shooter there. And can pose a little better.

How about with someone who actually knows what they are dong.

Perhaps the reason the main photographer didn't want a second shooter is because they knew they were not a competent first shooter. How does one claim to be a professional photographer if thy are using a t2i and kit lens as their only gear to shoot a wedding. What professional photographer uses a pop up flash.

Did you look at the main photographers photos before you asked to be a second shooter? I personally don't want to shoot weddings but if I did I would want to see some of their wedding work first.

 

[Designer]

I was asked not to interact with the wedding party...

I'm guessing the main photographer has insecurity issues.

 

[pixmedic]

Hopefully my next gig as a second will be with a little more personable photographer, or at least one that actually wants a second shooter there. And can pose a little better.

How about with someone who actually knows what they are dong.

Perhaps the reason the main photographer didn't want a second shooter is because they knew they were not a competent first shooter. How does one claim to be a professional photographer if thy are using a t2i and kit lens as their only gear to shoot a wedding. What professional photographer uses a pop up flash.

Did you look at the main photographers photos before you asked to be a second shooter? I personally don't want to shoot weddings but if I did I would want to see some of their wedding work first.

no, i went into this thing fairly blind. like the bride and groom, i just assumed someone that has been a photographer for 16 years didn't need a novice like me telling them whether they were good enough to work for. I figured they should be pretty good if they have been in business that long. maybe my biggest mistake.

i don't really care that much what the main did or didnt do, or how her photos looked. I care more about what I learned from it, and not repeating the same mistakes. I wouldn't work for or with her again that's for sure, and the feeling is probably mutual. we had only one discussion after the wedding, via facebook. she criticized me for cropping a photo she said i should have left wider in case the bride wanted to frame it. (I cropped out part of an ugly steel door on the outside wall of the church) I criticized her for not having the proper equipment to shoot a wedding, and she immediately blocked me. I found out later that she called the bride to tell her friend, to tell HER friend, to tell me that i had better not say anything else about her. (or else...i have no idea what. )

so live and learn. I am fine taking responsibility for the issues with the pictures, and with how things got handled afterwards. if i had it to do over again...I would pay more attention to my framing and DOF, and definitely more attention to who I do a job for.