My very first wedding (as photographer) (Part 2)

[LaFoto]

The day after the legal ceremony in the registrar's office was the "big" wedding day, the more important one, the church wedding. It all started with a session at the hairdresser's for the bride:

1.

2.

These two were taken during the service (no, the first was taken before, when we - the choir - were still doing our warming up, and I had the camera on tripod and timer and had to run back to "my people" in the given time) ... the second was secretly taken during the service, I was NOT SUPPOSED to take photos during the service, plus I was on the balcony with the choir, so I couldn't take photos then, but I rested the Powershot on the balcony and took this one:

3.

Choir - self timer shot

4.

Exchanging the rings and blessing

Now to some of the "official" photos, the posed ones, and I have NEVER posed people before, NEVER (!) (and boy, it is harder than you would think, more so when they grant you 10 - 15 minutes (!!!) for these kinds of photos)

5.

6.

7.

(They were not always serious enough to be posed, but I like this one best of the entire series!)

8.

9.

10.

That's about the first wedding I ever covered.
My biggest admiration to those who do this as a job! It is NOT EASY!

 

[Garbz]

Yeah it's a whole different ball game with bad lighting, limited time, and no control. I envy those on this forum who can pull genuinely fantastic photos out at a wedding.

What was with the photography ban during the ceremony? That is a little ... ambitious of whoever banned it. A limit on flash photography I can understand, but photography in general?

Just a personal opinion, you have the same colour cast problems in this case with the outside skylight combined with the internal tungsten light. However I am not a fan of cold wedding photos and would have put the whitepoint closer to shade especially in number 4. This would make the external light source white, and the inside of the church a lovely golden colour.

Well done with the portraits too. I really like number 7 and 10.

 

[LaFoto]

Precisely No 4 is the tricky one, for that was the ONE taken with the Powershot, hence NO RAW (!), that little camera can only produce jpeg's, and I had to shift the colour balances in PS and tried (it was much, much colder to begin with!) and thought I had come to where it looked agreeable enough. Still doesn't, you say?

And they always say (all the pastors, in all the churches I know), that there is to be no photography in church during the actual ceremony. Everything may well be staged afterwards, just no "live photography" (this is mostly so because the vast majority WOULD produce flash photography). I gave up trying to sneak in more pics taken with the Powershot because for some silly reason it was put to beeping when it focused, and - remember: I was also member of the choir! - since I had many other things to do, I did not have the time to fiddle about with the camera, so I just put it away.

And this was a very musical wedding since the groom is my choir director!

 

[JimmyJaceyMom]

Awe! I hope you enjoyed it and I really love that last one! GREAT I bet they love it. I of course like the others but that one is my favorite of the series. Nice job. It is hard huh? Posing people, and I know hardly a person that is serious enough so that is tough.

 

[Garbz]

That sounds like a real pain. I think the local churches here in Australia don't seem to care as much. You can see that when the bride and groom kiss there's normally enough flash power to get a suntan. Pity about the powershot though. Given the circumstances I think it is already better than expected

 

[Antarctican]

Wow, Corinna, it looks to me like you did a good job on your first wedding! The shot in the car is quite nice of the groom, but since it's traditionally the bride's day, I agree that #8 is a better one of her.

 

[LaFoto]

Thanks again.
Somehow it never feels to me (being in Germany and only knowing German weddings) that the day is "the bride's day". It is "their day" more than anything, and these two made me feel the same again (I did not take my wedding as "my day", either) ... maybe also because the bride was not dressed in the typical white with veil and all (it was her third wedding) ... so actually in the very few posed photos (you can't do much when you're granted 15 minutes!) I gave attention to both equally.

By the way, the organ was chosen because it is the groom's PLACE OF WORK :shock: --- when we discussed if there were special places they would like to go to for the "official" photos, any place that has a special meaning to them, "like the organ, for example" I said, they spontaneously decided that that would be a good idea, i.e. to make the organ the background.

I did not know about the car, so that was somewhat spontaneous and quick when they were about to drive off.

 

[Christie Photo]

Wow! 40+ in the choir? I didn't see that many in the pews.

Very good results. I'd say you're certainly on the right path. It's refreshing to see wedding photos that picture the bride and groom. I think we (photographers) as so intent on making a departure from tradition, we sometimes forget to make images like these.

You get a big "atta girl" from me for your first wedding!

-Pete

 

[LaFoto]

You're quite observant, Pete, to be realising we were probably more singers on the balcony than people in the pews! This is so, however, because it was a "joint venture" by the THREE different choirs of the church. So there are more singers than there usually are in "my" choir only.

When you look at my avatar, and then again at the choir pic, you MIGHT be able to pick me out from the crowd - since the photo that has become my avatar for the time being was taken by someone during that wedding .

 

[ClarkKent]

Oh, I think I see you. Your all the way to our left?

 

[LaFoto]

Yes, you have spotted me all right. I set up the tripod where it was and had to make sure I could run back to the choir in those 10 seconds and then stand there and sing . The lady next to me was late. She should actually have been on the right-hand side from here, she is alto. But I am quite happy that in the end I wasn't on the fringe of the group, in the way the self-timer-photographers usually are !

 

[SpaceNut]

WOW, Corinna! These are awesome for your 1st wedding shoot. I helped with one for the 1st time a few weeks ago and I found out that it wasn't has easy as one would think. Thanks for sharing! I'm going to keep some of these poses in mind.

 

[Dcb18c5]

Hey its Bobby from Billings!!!! Those are some great pics. I actually photographed my own wedding back home. It was tough but I used my Nokia 5300 and it turned out great and what not. When I said "I do" I had the priest take a couple of shots. He wasn't real experienced in photography, and I think he might have been batting from the other side if you know what I mean. Anyway, I'm gonna post some pics of my homie G-Toup's tight ride. Let me know!!

Post that ride, Bobby from Billings were all waiting...

 

[hamburger]

Hi Corinna,

of course I've known about this wedding and all the time and effort you put into it from the start. And I think you did well!!!! You've told me how chuffed they were with the photo book and the re-orders for the respective mum and MIL - and I can't blame them!

I suppose it helps that the photographer was their close friend - these are about the most relaxed and fun-filled wedding shots I've ever seen. You know as well as I do that I'm not quite the expert on lighting and editing (not to mention weddings and marriage) so I'll overlook any flaws the real experts might spot (have spotted ;-) ) and just say that I think they radiate so much joy (who wants seriousness on an occasion like this, anyway?). # 7 is my favourite. Apart from #1 - unusual!!!!


Maybe it also helps that - unlike anyone else on this forum except, maybe, your sis - I actually know the bride and groom and therefore suppose am a good judge of how well you captured their personalities.

And of course I was fully aware that the setting - in front of the organ - was the perfect place for them to be photographed. It just made such sense! (And the bride's dress, the un-traditional colour, blends in well, methinks).

Hey, aren't we naming any names? Why not entertain the crowd here with the fact that the bride and groom actually practically share a first name?
Or turn this into a guessing game: groom = bride + s ???????

 

[Scooter]

I like your photos. I don't really have much technical knowledge and no formal training. I usually go with -either I like the photo or I don't. I think your photos tell of a special day for this couple and that because of your patience and hard work- they will be able to enjoy for years to come. Good job.