First Wedding HELP!

[mwcfarms]

Well said Gryphon, not to be rude OP but the forum see's many threads like this a week. We haven't seen your work, know what you shoot with, how experienced you are etc. People are not trying to be mean but realistic.

You said it yourself that your new to the whole photography thing. Take a deep breath and ignore the hurt feelings and take the sound advice you have been given. If you are set on still doing it then try to be a second shooter somewhere and learn and practice as much as you can.

 

[HopeNFotos]

What do you have for lenses?

How many batteries?

How many (and what size) memory cards?

Do you know what aperture, shutter speed and ISO do and how they relate to each other?

I've already mentioned white balance...

How about RAW format, do you know how to take a RAW file and post process it?

Just trying to get an idea where you are at.

I have a 55-200mm lense
I have three 2gb memory cards and a 4gb laying around somewhere if I can't find it I'm planning on buying another one.
1 rechargable battery but am going to get another 1 of those as well.
I have taken a photography class and learned a little bit about aperature,ISO and shutter speed but don't really know how they tie in together
And as for RAW format I'm completly lost.
I have a little over 9 months to get ready and we are planning on doing a couple of shoots before the actual wedding so hopefully I can grow and learn everything I can before the big day.
Thanks so much for your help and being nice about it

 

[Restomage]

If you're asking questions like these you really should not be putting yourself into a position to shoot a wedding. And quite frankly your gear is no where near suitable to shoot a wedding or any other professional event for that matter.

And FYI you almost are never allowed to use flash during a ceremony and even if you are technically permitted it is considered very disrespectful (assuming you're in a church).

 

[HopeNFotos]

So I'm not only new to this forum but I'm also kinda new to the whole photography world. I have played around with photography since I was about 13 but this is my first big project and it's a wedding. I'm scared out of my head. So here's the problem if anyone can help


The church we are shooting the wedding at has a lot of wood work and flourescent lightin, and most of the pictures are turning out with a dull yellow tint. I was told that if I get a flash it will help but I'm completly lost when it comes to flashes for my Nikon D3000. Also need any pointers possible for doing my first wedding.

Thanx Bunches
Whitney A

Whitney,
I will jump into this one and be as gentle as I can. After reading your post my gut instinct is that you need to talk to the bride and groom and convince them to find a photographer that is experienced enough to take on a once in a lifetime shoot like this one. A wedding shoot is no time for on the job learning by doing and messing up. There just are no do overs in this kind of assignment.

It's kind of like this, I have flown kites and paper airplanes all my life as well as RC control model airplanes. I understand stick/wheel-yoke controls as well as rudder peddle control and flap usage. Would you like to climb into that 747 with me at the controls? I wouldn't.

If you want to do wedding photography I would suggest that you get to know how to use your gear inside and out on the fly. Learn about lighting and the use of natural and artificial light. Find a wedding photographer in your area that would take you on as a second shooter and learn the wedding business from them. Not only the craft of shooting weddings but how to run a photography business. Many a qualified photographer has failed due not to a lack of photography skills, but due to a lack of business skills. If you are willing to put in the time and effort to learn the photographic skills needed and the business skills you will have a good foundation to become a wedding photographer.

Frankly this is one of those occasions where it is better to swallow a bit of pride to make sure the bride and groom get exactly what they want. Mostly the bride. This is that one and only Cinderella Day for her and the memories are going to be there for a lifetime including the photographs.

I'm not trying to get bent out of shape I just wish that the first post I posted ever on here didn't have so many negative comments. But that's besides the main matter here. I have begged the bride (my cousin to be) to hire a professional, they can't afford a professional so she asked if I would do it. I told her that I really didn't feel comfortable shooting her wedding but she insisted. I have done bridal portraits before and know a little bit about photography just not weddings. I know this is the brides big cinderella day and I am stressed to the max that what if I make a mistake. I'm currently a full time student and working part time so I don't have a whole lot of time to hire on with a pro photographer. Like I said though we are going to the church a few times before the big day and set up the spot lights and play with my camera and make sure we have what we all agree will work.

 

[Wilsan]

This is fun keep going !!!!
Whitney send me a PM and I explain you what you would need.

I not going to participate on the massacre here.

 

[HopeNFotos]

If you're asking questions like these you really should not be putting yourself into a position to shoot a wedding. And quite frankly your gear is no where near suitable to shoot a wedding or any other professional event for that matter.

And FYI you almost are never allowed to use flash during a ceremony and even if you are technically permitted it is considered very disrespectful.

I know that I don't have big expensive equipment and I didn't volunteer to shoot her wedding. It is a small cermony and they don't have the money to hire a professional. I insisted she get someone more trained in this type of photogaphy and she insisted she wanted me to do it. I have taken bridal portraits before and she was pleased with them and that is why she decided on me. Thanks for tip on a flash cause I've never heard of that

 

[MichiganFarts]

It's Christmas time, everyone who got a DSLR for a gift is now booked solid.

Come on man...Don't type these things when I just take a drink! Vernor's out the nose isn't cool!

 

[Robin Usagani]

You will need someone else to help you. Hopefully you will have a few nice photos between the two of you (maybe with better equipment than you).

 

[Light Artisan]

It's Christmas time, everyone who got a DSLR for a gift is now booked solid.

Come on man...Don't type these things when I just take a drink! Vernor's out the nose isn't cool!

 

[mjhoward]

What do you have for lenses?

How many batteries?

How many (and what size) memory cards?

Do you know what aperture, shutter speed and ISO do and how they relate to each other?

I've already mentioned white balance...

How about RAW format, do you know how to take a RAW file and post process it?

Just trying to get an idea where you are at.

I have a 55-200mm lense
I have three 2gb memory cards and a 4gb laying around somewhere if I can't find it I'm planning on buying another one.
1 rechargable battery but am going to get another 1 of those as well.
I have taken a photography class and learned a little bit about aperature,ISO and shutter speed but don't really know how they tie in together
And as for RAW format I'm completly lost.
I have a little over 9 months to get ready and we are planning on doing a couple of shoots before the actual wedding so hopefully I can grow and learn everything I can before the big day.
Thanks so much for your help and being nice about it

Um... the largest aperture on that 55-200 is f/4, you dont have a flash and even if you did you might not be allowed to use it, you dont even know what RAW is, you have 1 battery, and dont even know the relationship between aperture, ISO, and shutter speed... You are planning to take money from a couple that is probably expecting a professional photographer to capture the biggest and only day like this in their life, and I'm the ass? 9 Months wouldn't be long enough for a complete beginner with all the right tools to prepare for something like this, let alone a beginner with none of the right tools.

 

[HopeNFotos]

Well Ive never shot a wedding. I have however done a lot of reading about photography in general. That means understanding why my shots would have a yellow tint. I found a pro that has been doing it for a while who is willing to let me work with them. Ive saved and bought fast glass so I'm not trying to shoot in a dim light church that doesn't allow flash at F/5.6. If you plan on being a photographer get some thicker skin. Not everyone is going to like what you shoot and some will you tell you about it. You cant get bent of shape about it.

Well if I hang out in the forum I'm gonna have to get some thicker skin ya'll people are straight up honest in the most honest way possible. I can take it just give me time to adjust

 

[Light Artisan]

Eh, I think there's a chance this person could do much better with the right help. I'm not a wedding photographer and never plan on being one (no thanks!).

If nobody with experience shooting weddings chimes in, I'll help out with the basics at least in the form of weekly assignments. That will be my good deed for 2011, might as well get it out of the way.

 

[HopeNFotos]

What do you have for lenses?

How many batteries?

How many (and what size) memory cards?

Do you know what aperture, shutter speed and ISO do and how they relate to each other?

I've already mentioned white balance...

How about RAW format, do you know how to take a RAW file and post process it?

Just trying to get an idea where you are at.

I have a 55-200mm lense
I have three 2gb memory cards and a 4gb laying around somewhere if I can't find it I'm planning on buying another one.
1 rechargable battery but am going to get another 1 of those as well.
I have taken a photography class and learned a little bit about aperature,ISO and shutter speed but don't really know how they tie in together
And as for RAW format I'm completly lost.
I have a little over 9 months to get ready and we are planning on doing a couple of shoots before the actual wedding so hopefully I can grow and learn everything I can before the big day.
Thanks so much for your help and being nice about it

Um... the largest aperture on that 55-200 is f/4, you dont have a flash and even if you did you might not be allowed to use it, you dont even know what RAW is, you have 1 battery, and dont even know the relationship between aperture, ISO, and shutter speed... You are planning to take money from a couple that is probably expecting a professional photographer to capture the biggest and only day like this in their life, and I'm the ass? 9 Months wouldn't be long enough for a complete beginner with all the right tools to prepare for something like this, let alone a beginner with none of the right tools.

If you would read between the lines a little here. I'm not taking any money from them and seeing as it's my cousin and his fiancee they know that I'm not a professional in every way possible. But they have seen enough of my work and know that I don't have the equipment needed to still have enough faith in me to get some good shots. I have said to almost everyone on here at some time or another I didn't volunteer to do this and I am nervous,scared and have begged to get out of it. I told her I would not want to be the one that messed up her big day but she seems to have enough faith in me that I can pull it off. I'm not saying anyone is being a butt I just think you can let people know the truth and stuff in a little nicer way but hey I can take it just give me time

 

[mjhoward]

It is a small cermony and they don't have the money to hire a professional.

If this is really the case, then perhaps one of the best gifts the families could give the bride and groom would be to pay for a professional photographer. There will be plenty of time for them to get things like silverware, dining sets, and all that other stuff the newlyweds typically get... but they'll never have the opportunity to go back and re-shoot their big day.

BTW, letting everyone know that you are not getting paid and that they are relatives probably would have saved you from a lot of flaming.

 

[Robin Usagani]

Um... the largest aperture on that 55-200 is f/4, you dont have a flash and even if you did you might not be allowed to use it, you dont even know what RAW is, you have 1 battery, and dont even know the relationship between aperture, ISO, and shutter speed... You are planning to take money from a couple that is probably expecting a professional photographer to capture the biggest and only day like this in their life, and I'm the ass? 9 Months wouldn't be long enough for a complete beginner with all the right tools to prepare for something like this, let alone a beginner with none of the right tools.

You cant just assume he is taking money. 9 months is plenty of time to prepare if he is commited and willing to upgrade some of his equipment.