HELP!!

[Overread18 6]

Darn it!

 

[MLeeK]

MLeek, it doesn't get to 3200 it maxes out at 1600 when expanded. Normal is 100-800.

My mistake... That's even worse!@

 

[Overread18 6]

MLeek, it doesn't get to 3200 it maxes out at 1600 when expanded. Normal is 100-800.

My mistake... That's even worse!@

Considering mine just now - and now yours - -- I think this thread is Cursed!

 

[RebeccaAPhotography]

Oh and I will be at the rehearsal to do some practice shots!

I did something like thisfor a friend. Her x sued her for custody of kids and she pretty much had to spend ALL her wedding fund for a lawyer. She went from 300 guests to 10. It was on a boat which space wise made it challenging. But I still did it for her bc she literally had NO ONE else I was intimidated by it but I did my research and made a list and triple checked it lol but I was so affraid I was going to miss something I shot in auto during the ceremony hey they didnt come out bad nor or they on the level of some of the sweet photographers here. But I helped a friend I will post them here eventually when the laptop comes back from repair

My advice to you. Go to the church a couple of times. Experiment with your settings see if this is at all possible. Don't wait to the rehearsal to realize that you should have taken my advice on this and others to rent a better camera and better lenses.

On another note will I do another wedding. Hell to the no! I will gladly 2nd man it or even 3rd just for experience but it's not my cup o tea at all lol.

 

[MLeeK]

MLeek, it doesn't get to 3200 it maxes out at 1600 when expanded. Normal is 100-800.

My mistake... That's even worse!@

Considering mine just now - and now yours - -- I think this thread is Cursed!

Must be this being cooped up with crappy winter weather. When in doubt ALWAYS blame it on the weather.

 

[thereyougo!3]

Try and visit the church and take some photos of something solid and standstill. You will be working handheld in pretty difficult light, so find out for sure what the limitations of your present setup is before you get to the rehearsal. Bear in mind that your friend will probably want one fairly big to be framed (my wife and I certainly did - we picked a panoramic shot of a ruined castle which we had posed in - great job that the photographer made) so you will not be wanting the important shots to be pushing the limits of your camera. For good control of noise, Nikon is famous but as you are used to a Canon, I would definitely recommend trying to borrow or hire a camera like a 7D, something with fast shooting speed and good handling of noise. You'll want zoom ranges between 24 - 200 if possible as you'll get better candids from a distance with a zoom, but you'll need something a bit wider for group shots.

Even though she is a friend go through the shoot in advance with the bride and groom to find out exactly what she wants. If you don't get organised, you'll be a wreck on the day and not get half the shots you want. Meet the best man also as you will find him useful for rounding up the guests. You want to concentrate on one thing only - trying to get the best shots.

Do definitely think about borrowing or hiring a better camera and lenses. It might be a favour, but it's the gift of a lifetime and you don't want to have any regrets.

 

[MaryK]

We just went through this in our family. We didn't have the money to pay for a professional, so we asked a friend to help. She did a great job! We did have another very good photographer who attended as a guest and shared his photos too. What was more important is that we have some great memories!

 

[punch]

mmmkay, I think this really depends on what your friend is hoping to get out of the experience. does she want a professional photographer, or does she want you to bring your camera?

i didn't pay for a professional photographer at my wedding with the understanding that i wasn't going to have one of those giant wedding album books that 11 years later would have looked dated and stupid anyway... however, i did have guests with reasonable skills who captured a lot of the wedding so i do have pictures.

is your friend paying you? if they're paying you, i would tell them, thanks, but no thanks... take pictures for free (bring your camera along) but i would be weary of posing as a "photographer" for the day.

main idea: make sure you're clear on what your friend is after. if she's expecting a full-service photography session, you sort of have to tell her you can't do that.

 

[blackrose89]

Ok I know people have been saying "if you want to persevre your friendship" . I'm not saying you should do the wedding. But if someone would turn on you when she begged you to be her "official photogrpher" for FREE, you told her multiple times they may not come out well, spent your time and efforts and did a massive favor, is that someone you really care about holding onto anyway? if there is any fear of bad blood, doesn't sound like much of a friend on the first place. Not saying this is the case with your friend, just saying in general.

 

[manaheim]

Practicing at the rehearsal will be invaluable for you. Make the most of it.

You know in most churches a flash is going to be pretty unusable. Very high ceilings. You also don't want to be popping it right in their face.

 

[jaicatalano]

I second Derrel. There is so much pressure in a wedding with all the nerves that the last thing you are going to want to do is miss all the goodies that comes with a wedding. Unless your friend doesn't really care (which I am sure is not the case) then refuse.

Darn it Gary post a warning before scary things like that!

No kidding!!! But, get rid of the winking icon!!!!!!!!

Ehhhh...wedding without experience....hoooo boy....a flame-proof jumpsuit is what you need.

If you absolutely MUST do this, I would suggest the Tamron 17-50mm f/2.8 zoom lens or the Canon 17-55mm f/2.8 zoom lens is your best option. Buy one and start testing the lens out immediately. And I mean test it, shoot it, shoot it, shoot it, shoot it. February is a short month, and January is doggone near over...you'll need the time to become familiar with the lens and how to get decent pictures with it. I am NOT kidding either.

If all you have is say, the "kit lens", the 18-55mm f/3.5~5.6 lens that probably came with the Rebel, then you simply must politely and firmly tell your friend you and your camera are simply not up to the task of an indoor, no-flash wedding in the dead of winter in the NE USA...if it was summer in California or Florida, the amount of light coming in through windows would boost you up 3,4,5 f/stops, but February in Penny??? Uh.....no....

 

[thereyougo!3]

Just to illustrate my point - here are two shots from the shots I took at my brother's wedding in August 2010. It was an overcast damp day and both of these were shot at ISO 800 on a Canon 5D mkII with a 24-70 L lens. I'm reasonably happy with how they came out and my brother has copies of these. They had aperture settings of f/3.2 and f/3.5. Light wasn't perfect but was still summer light albeit on a very damp day:


john looking worried by singingsnapper, on Flickr

and


by singingsnapper, on Flickr

They were shot with a lens with a f/2.8 maximum aperture. They aren't perfect by any means, but are all natural light. Had I been shooting with a lesser camera with a slower lens, I would have struggled. DO, DO, DO see if you can borrow better equipment. The 24 - 70 L is a very good piece of glass, and helped me capture.