I SURVIVED!

AnneRiceBowl · May 30, 2010

I shot my first wedding this past Friday. All I gotta say is that I now have much more respect for the brave and damned good wedding photographers out there.

[This spot reserved for photos. Currently saving RAW to .jpeg.]

pbelarge · May 30, 2010

I bet it feels good to have finished the shoot. We look forward to seeing some of your hard work.

AnneRiceBowl · May 30, 2010

I did get some really great photos of the bride (my friend). She had the ceremony at a bed and breakfast, which is a historic mansion downtown. We also went to the downtown mall (think: grassy knoll) where there is some really cool industrial art (the bride lost patience from heat, wedding stress, and being pregnant and I wasn't able to photograph the bride and groom to the piece of art I really wanted to photography them).

I was also in the understanding that I was to be getting a crash course in wedding photography, and that the bride's friend (who worked for the bride when she own a photography studio) would be showing me things with lighting and camera. Well, I seemed to know more than she did with both. I felt more like she was getting in my way, and she worked slowly, so I eventually just did my own thing. I was shooting over her shoulder, I was up and down stairs, standing on furniture, climbing on things, and was like stealthy ninja monkey.

myfotoguy · May 30, 2010

Wow, sounds like it was a fantastic time and a great experience. I'm looking forward to seeing results!

Cedar · May 30, 2010

Weddings are tricky! It's all about timing.

On a side note: I have found that most people who own studios and such, are quite terrible at photography and us freelancers and hobbyists seem to know the nitty gritty of it all.

Having money and a studio does not make a good photographer

AnneRiceBowl · May 30, 2010

A quick update on the conversion of RAW to .jpeg: Still converting! 68 of 181 as I post.

Secondly, I would like to apologize for the poor grammar in my previous post. That's a great example of why I shouldn't be posting before I've had coffee.

pbelarge: The overwhelming joy of finishing the wedding didn't really hit me until yesterday afternoon while I was at lunch between classes with friends. I made the formal announcement while we were sitting at the table. Good laughs were made and shared! One of my guy friends at the table is getting married in October, and I told him to please be gentle to their photographer and to not freak out about how much it will cost because just shooting the wedding is a really tough job, plus there is a lot of work before and after the actually photography.

myfotoguy: Photos are coming soon! I can't wait to share them with everyone! There is one shot in particular that I absolutely love, and the pose and lighting were my ideas. I did have a great time, just wish I would've had more sleep the night before. I was up until 3:30 AM working on a web site that was due on Saturday and was up for the day at 6:30 AM--yes, 3 hours of sleep, and I didn't have anything to eat until around 6 PM. It was hot, and I was running around both on feet and in my vehicle with no AC. Fun times.

Cedar: The bride (the one who owned the studio) also did a lot of photography outside the studio. She also shot weddings, bar mitzvahs, recitals, schools, everything. I've seen her work, and it's impressive. It was the friend who worked for her that I had a problem with, and also that I was misinformed of her experience. To tell you the truth, I would have been better off on my own. This friend of the bride's also brought along tripods, Alien Bee lighting, flashes, stands, umbrellas, lenses (that I thought I would be able to use since we were both shooting Canon), she was shooting with a Canon 20D, and the whole shebang. I was shooting with my Canon EOS Rebel XS, the kit lens, and whipped out my telephoto lens when we were shooting at the mall. I also didn't really use my flash unless the bride was overly insistent that I use my on-board flash (which I HATE on-board flashes). I prefer to work with what I have available to me and go from there.

Cedar · May 30, 2010

Anne, ah I see. I can't stand stock flashes either! It really ruins the whole feel of the shot, even with proper editing. I think the worst stock flash I have ever used is on the Nikon D40, it makes a nice shadow of the lens wherever it shoots...

However I am really looking forward to seeing some of your work! I'm sure you have plenty of editing to do

ShutterShaman · May 30, 2010

Congratulations. Can't wait to see the wedding photographs!

ifi · May 30, 2010

You too are brave

Can't wait to see some of your photos.

AnneRiceBowl · May 30, 2010

Cedar: Oh yeah. I do have quite a lot of editing to do. Because it was so bright outside and because of the positioning of the sun and where we were photographing the family breakdowns, I couldn't see on my screen that those pics were blown way out. I've already given the groom copies of all the RAWs. This was all done for free, BTW. It was a trade-off. He can mess around with them if he wants, and I will only be doing PP on a few. My wedding present to them will be a pop art wall portrait.

ShutterShaman: First, cool username.

Secondly, 91 of 181 converted as I edit this post. Oh the suspense!

ifi: haha Thank you...I think. There is a very fine line between brave and crazy. I do have to say that the patience I learned in the studio came in handy for shooting the wedding.

Aayria · May 30, 2010

Yay! I wanted to chime in and say that I, too, am very excited to see your pictures! I think when a photographer truly enjoys the work, and is enthusiastic about putting their best effort into every shot, it really shows in each picture! I can tell by your posts here that your pictures are going to be a joy to view =)

AnneRiceBowl · May 30, 2010

Aayria: I do absolutely love photography and having a camera in my hands. I don't know about you guys, but it makes me tingly all over.

126 of 181 converted. Check back later!

AnneRiceBowl · May 30, 2010

Ok, I kinda fibbed. I couldn't wait any longer. Here is the first one I will share with you:

No PP (yet).
Shutter Speed: 1/25
Aperture: 5.6
ISO: 800
Focal Length: 53 mm
Custom White Balance

IMG_0653 on Flickr - Photo Sharing!

whoops! I've never posted from flickr before, only from photobucket.

Aayria · May 30, 2010

AnneRiceBowl said:
Ok, I kinda fibbed. I couldn't wait any longer. Here is the first one I will share with you:

No PP (yet).
Shutter Speed: 1/25
Aperture: 5.6
ISO: 800
Focal Length: 53 mm
Custom White Balance

whoops! I've never posted from flickr before, only from photobucket.

go to "share this." Then click on "html." You copy/past the information in the html starting after the word source=

It should read http://*insertnameofyourpicture*.jpg

Then just make sure to put that text in between "

" tags