Shooting a Wedding for the first time as the sole photographer

[MK3Brent]

Brent:

I originally wanted to shoot for free, but she insisted on paying me.

What I do in these cases, is tell the customer to donate the money to a charity of their choosing.

 

[elizpage]

Why did you accept this job? I'm a fairly experienced photographer and have done events and sports, but don't do studio work or weddings and I wouldn't take this on; I'd try to refer them to where/how they might be able to find wedding photographers. Like Ron said it's a one time event...

I tried to refer her to one, as have numerous others.. but she simply cannot afford a photographer. I'm going to do the best I can with the resources available. Also, I let her know far in advance that I am by NO means a professional photographer. She knows this. It's more like a favor to a friend. I'll see if I can get her down to $50 instead of $100, then I might feel better about the entire gig.

 

[NedM]

To relate, I am also shooting my first wedding very soon.

At the time, I only had a crop sensor camera and a kit lens plus a 50mm f/1.8.
I admitted to myself that I was unequipped and unable to shoot a wedding with that kind of gear.

So, I invested into my first L lens, 17-40mm, and bought a 55-250mm telephoto lens.
Keep in mind, I bought these lenses secondhand and saved a ton of money!

Now I have a portrait lens (50mm), a wide angle lens (17-40mm), and a telephoto lens (55-250).
All lenses are enough to cover a wedding substantially.

Bear in mind, I only own one body, and I've never felt more confident!

As long as you know how to operate your gear effectively and have great people skills.
You shouldn't have a problem!

I say go for it!
Life is giving you a window of opportunity!

 

[The_Traveler]

Brent:

I originally wanted to shoot for free, but she insisted on paying me.

Elizabeth,

$100 isn't pay, it's not even a decent tip.
Do it for free, tell her to give the money to a charity.
Taking money to do something you aren't equipped to do puts you in a tough position.
If she likes them, she figures you got paid even if you spent 20 hours on it.
If she hates them, she figures you got paid and things should have been better.

 

[elizpage]

Brent:

I originally wanted to shoot for free, but she insisted on paying me.

Elizabeth,

$100 isn't pay, it's not even a decent tip.
Do it for free, tell her to give the money to a charity.
Taking money to do something you aren't equipped to do puts you in a tough position.
If she likes them, she figures you got paid even if you spent 20 hours on it.
If she hates them, she figures you got paid and things should have been better.

Good points made by all of you. I asked her if she would let me refund the $50 she gave me and do it for free. Hopefully she'll oblige. I also let her know that by no means am I a professional, but I would do the very best I could. By the way, I rented a lens. It just doesn't feel right to go in ill-equipped for something that like was mentioned earlier, is a one-time event.

 

[vintagesnaps]

If someone's having a wedding they have other expenses such as flowers and food and dresses etc. etc. so it would be appropriate to expect they could budget for a photographer as part of their expenses. You don't have to do this for free or next to nothing, it's not your responsibility if someone else can't afford all the expenses of their wedding. It's understandable taking photos for a charitable purpose and donating your time but this is the type work that it would be expected for a photographer to be paid the going rate.

 

[JoeW]

Okay, wedding advice for new photographers:
1. Talk with the bride (and bride's mom) beforehand. Be clear about what specific shots they expect and what final product they want. If you give them a flash drive with a bunch of RAW files and they go "but where's the printed photo album????" then you've just ruined a friendship forever. Be totally clear on expectations and the only way to do that is by managing them upfront. Does she want photos of the cake without any people? Of the table settings? Of random quests without the B&G? Especially in terms of what they expect in return...prints, electronic files, photos they can duplicate and give out at will, wedding books and portfolios...get clear on this.
2. Think through how you're going to shoot this wedding. There are a range of different approaches...the photojournalist (like you're shooting a story), or one that focuses on the traditional iconic photos (bride and groom cutting the cake, bride taking off garter, etc.), one that is more artistic (less about the traditional photos and more about photos that capture the feel and memories of the event....such as an empty church with rose petals down the aisle fading off into a blur. Again, this is about managing expectations.
3. Put together a shot sequence checklist, put it on a clipboard and velcro it to your thigh or hang it from your tripod. If you want to shoot a portrait of B&G with Aunt Gussie and Uncle Fred, make sure it's on the list. You'll be shocked how many "required" photos there are for most weddings.
4. Rent/borrow a second body. Being a wedding photographer is like being a photojournalist in at least one regard--you don't get to do "do-overs." If your battery runs dry, you sweat on your lens, your SD card is full or some other problem develops, you can't yell out during the ceremony "HOLD IT--I'VE GOT TO GO TO MY CAR AND FIX THIS--BE BACK IN 5 MINUTES!" And yet there are simply some shots you're not allowed to miss. So you really should have 2 bodies. I know a few wedding photographers who make a living with just one body. But most I know either carry 2 bodies OR they have an assistant (to provide logistical support and also a second camera during the ceremony). Related to this--I'd get there early the day of the wedding, do some shooting and then load the files to your laptop and check them out. You're not a vet with 200 weddings to your name. You don't want to shoot the wedding and then discover that you had done something stupid like fail to correct exposure compensation from your last shoot or had accidentally set autofocus on a different point. Shoot something early and check it. B/c once the wedding starts, you won't have that chance.
5. Visit the site before the wedding. No, not an hour before. Get there on a day that isn't the wedding and during the same time of day as the ceremony. It would be ideal to walk it through with the wedding planner. If he/she is any good, she'll be able to help you visualize the setting. Look for likely hot spots or areas that will produce a lot of glare or mottling on faces b/c of uneven light (often happens with an outdoor gazebo). You want to check for light sources (what kind of artificial and natural light do you have?), where to set up to get the best shots for the ceremony, and also where you can set up your "portrait studio." Let's face it--you're going to take shots of the B&G posing, B&G with both sets of parents, each set of family, with young kids, maids, best man. And some Moms will say "hey--let's use this as an opportunity to get portraits of all family members" so you'll be asked to shoot Uncle Jim and Aunt Maude with their kids and then Aunt Jilly with her date and so on. You want to find a space that works (out of the crowd flow) where you can get up (and you'll need a fill flash at minimum if this is outside in bright weather and almost certainly a soft box or umbrella with speed light if it's indoors, maybe two lights if it's a typical church with a basement reception hall or a hotel with fluorescent lighting) where you can hustle people in, get them to pose, shoot and then move on to the next portrait grouping. HINT: if you don't have an assistant, enlist the aid of the best man or maid of honor to help you here...someone who will dragoon people and say "okay--we need the bride's parents--Jim and June--get your butts over here!" so you can focus on shooting.
6. Put together a checklist of everything you need to bring to the wedding. I know--sounds idiotic. But you're not a veteran wedding shooter and a checklist means you won't forget key stuff (like a backup battery or extra SD card or microfiber cloth).
7. Think through what you're going to wear. Personally (for a woman), I just pants and black clothing (or dark clothing). Why? If it's good weather and outside, you may end up laying down on the grass at some points. Or laying down on the floor. You may get drinks spilled on you. Or b/c you're focused on possible shots, you sit down on a plate with some cake on it. And you don't have time to take 10 minutes to go into a bathroom and clean up. Wear clothing that hides dust, grass stains, and food spills.
8. I think I recall you posting that you don't do much with speed lights. You're really going to need one (maybe two depending upon the portrait station) to shoot a wedding. Even if it's mounted on camera and you bounce it off the ceiling.

 

[gsgary]

Ron--

I have a T1i body and a backup 50mm lens, but I don't think this will be enough. What would I need to rent?

Im not sure if anyone rents out knowledge

Sent from my GT-I9100P using Tapatalk 2

 

[KelSS90]

I got married just about a year ago, and from a bridal standpoint, I would advise you to apologize and turn down this job. I was considered a "budget bride" and spent 1200 on my wedding photography, which is very low for my area. Just because I had gotten a lower priced photographer, I still expected nice pictures. The kiss, the rings, the dance... Obviously I would have been super upset had those moments been missed or had they been low quality photos. But moreso, the candid shots that she got of me looking at my husband with a giant goofy smile, or my husband dancing with his little niece, or my dad wiping my moms tears from her cheek after the ceremony. More than I even realized, I absolutely cherish those pictures. Personally, the pressure and personal responsibility of capturing those split-second moments (the ones the bride likely doesn't even see during the actual wedding day) would be too much for me.

Assuming that you're going to go through with this, make sure you and the bride are on the same page. My photographer sent me a list of about 50 shots that were top priority to her. She had me edit that list, adding and taking off what I wanted, and giving it back to her. I also gave her a detailed timeline of the day and had her okay it and tweak it to fit her needs before sending it on to anyone else.

It may also be worth noting, I think Pinterest really works against you here. The once-in-a-lifetime, best of the best, shots end up on there. Brides sees these incredible pictures over and over and it's only natural to want those amazing shots of your own wedding day.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[ph0enix]

Brent:

I originally wanted to shoot for free, but she insisted on paying me.

Elizabeth,

$100 isn't pay, it's not even a decent tip.
Do it for free, tell her to give the money to a charity.
Taking money to do something you aren't equipped to do puts you in a tough position.
If she likes them, she figures you got paid even if you spent 20 hours on it.
If she hates them, she figures you got paid and things should have been better.

Good points made by all of you. I asked her if she would let me refund the $50 she gave me and do it for free. Hopefully she'll oblige. I also let her know that by no means am I a professional, but I would do the very best I could. By the way, I rented a lens. It just doesn't feel right to go in ill-equipped for something that like was mentioned earlier, is a one-time event.

You're mostly ill-equipped in terms of photographic knowledge and experience. Back out while you still can. I'm not sure how refunding $50 even makes a difference.

 

[Robin Usagani]

No guts no glory. Good luck to you... and yes... you should get paid. Just like Aunt Barbara should get paid for her cup cakes but she is not a pro.

 

[Derrel]

No guts no glory. Robin--did you invent that phrase? 'Cause that's so good it oughtta be printed on Tee-shirts and stuff! And made into internet memes and stuff!

Anyway...I dunno...I shot my first wedding when I was like 13 or 14 years old. A civil ceremony for a friend of my sister Theda. Monika H. was her name. I had a Cosmorex SE 35mm SLR and its 58mm f/2 Auto-Cosmogon lens. The camera had one, specific horrible trait: being a Russian-made POS, a Zenit B, rebranded, the back latch was on the left hand side of the camera, RIGHT where the neckstrap, which was leather, would 'sometimes' catch, pull up the latch, and pop open the back!!!!

Guess what happened after the ceremony...the back popped open,m and ruined a good percentage of the ceremony pics! I had split up the event (lol) into two rolls; the pre-function, and the civil ceremony in the judge's chambers. The MOST-important pics were the ones ruined.

I think this wedding will probably go better than my first wedding shoot. Just have a feeling it will.

 

[elizpage]

Okay, wedding advice for new photographers:
1. Talk with the bride (and bride's mom) beforehand. Be clear about what specific shots they expect and what final product they want. If you give them a flash drive with a bunch of RAW files and they go "but where's the printed photo album????" then you've just ruined a friendship forever. Be totally clear on expectations and the only way to do that is by managing them upfront. Does she want photos of the cake without any people? Of the table settings? Of random quests without the B&G? Especially in terms of what they expect in return...prints, electronic files, photos they can duplicate and give out at will, wedding books and portfolios...get clear on this.
2. Think through how you're going to shoot this wedding. There are a range of different approaches...the photojournalist (like you're shooting a story), or one that focuses on the traditional iconic photos (bride and groom cutting the cake, bride taking off garter, etc.), one that is more artistic (less about the traditional photos and more about photos that capture the feel and memories of the event....such as an empty church with rose petals down the aisle fading off into a blur. Again, this is about managing expectations.
3. Put together a shot sequence checklist, put it on a clipboard and velcro it to your thigh or hang it from your tripod. If you want to shoot a portrait of B&G with Aunt Gussie and Uncle Fred, make sure it's on the list. You'll be shocked how many "required" photos there are for most weddings.
4. Rent/borrow a second body. Being a wedding photographer is like being a photojournalist in at least one regard--you don't get to do "do-overs." If your battery runs dry, you sweat on your lens, your SD card is full or some other problem develops, you can't yell out during the ceremony "HOLD IT--I'VE GOT TO GO TO MY CAR AND FIX THIS--BE BACK IN 5 MINUTES!" And yet there are simply some shots you're not allowed to miss. So you really should have 2 bodies. I know a few wedding photographers who make a living with just one body. But most I know either carry 2 bodies OR they have an assistant (to provide logistical support and also a second camera during the ceremony). Related to this--I'd get there early the day of the wedding, do some shooting and then load the files to your laptop and check them out. You're not a vet with 200 weddings to your name. You don't want to shoot the wedding and then discover that you had done something stupid like fail to correct exposure compensation from your last shoot or had accidentally set autofocus on a different point. Shoot something early and check it. B/c once the wedding starts, you won't have that chance.
5. Visit the site before the wedding. No, not an hour before. Get there on a day that isn't the wedding and during the same time of day as the ceremony. It would be ideal to walk it through with the wedding planner. If he/she is any good, she'll be able to help you visualize the setting. Look for likely hot spots or areas that will produce a lot of glare or mottling on faces b/c of uneven light (often happens with an outdoor gazebo). You want to check for light sources (what kind of artificial and natural light do you have?), where to set up to get the best shots for the ceremony, and also where you can set up your "portrait studio." Let's face it--you're going to take shots of the B&G posing, B&G with both sets of parents, each set of family, with young kids, maids, best man. And some Moms will say "hey--let's use this as an opportunity to get portraits of all family members" so you'll be asked to shoot Uncle Jim and Aunt Maude with their kids and then Aunt Jilly with her date and so on. You want to find a space that works (out of the crowd flow) where you can get up (and you'll need a fill flash at minimum if this is outside in bright weather and almost certainly a soft box or umbrella with speed light if it's indoors, maybe two lights if it's a typical church with a basement reception hall or a hotel with fluorescent lighting) where you can hustle people in, get them to pose, shoot and then move on to the next portrait grouping. HINT: if you don't have an assistant, enlist the aid of the best man or maid of honor to help you here...someone who will dragoon people and say "okay--we need the bride's parents--Jim and June--get your butts over here!" so you can focus on shooting.
6. Put together a checklist of everything you need to bring to the wedding. I know--sounds idiotic. But you're not a veteran wedding shooter and a checklist means you won't forget key stuff (like a backup battery or extra SD card or microfiber cloth).
7. Think through what you're going to wear. Personally (for a woman), I just pants and black clothing (or dark clothing). Why? If it's good weather and outside, you may end up laying down on the grass at some points. Or laying down on the floor. You may get drinks spilled on you. Or b/c you're focused on possible shots, you sit down on a plate with some cake on it. And you don't have time to take 10 minutes to go into a bathroom and clean up. Wear clothing that hides dust, grass stains, and food spills.
8. I think I recall you posting that you don't do much with speed lights. You're really going to need one (maybe two depending upon the portrait station) to shoot a wedding. Even if it's mounted on camera and you bounce it off the ceiling.

Thank you for the genuine reply. These tips helped!

 

[Grae]

I shot my friends wedding for free. I used my 18-135mm lens for most of it. It was my first wedding and she knew that but she had seen other photos I had taken and really wanted me to do it... Plus, I knew they were strapped for cash. I didn't mind doing it for free because I wanted the experience anyway and I felt confident enough to do it. The photos came out pretty great for my first wedding and they were really happy with them. I say, if she wants to pay you, then let her. She knows your skill level and I'm sure she has seen other photos of yours, so she must feel confident in your ability to shoot an important day like her wedding. I say go for it and have fun.

 

[TheFantasticG]

I've shot two weddings. One with a D7000 24-70 2.8/50mm 1.4 and the other with a D7000 24-120 F4/50mm 1.4 and both with a complete understanding I don't normally shoot people much less weddings.

I got the shots they wanted and they got their shots for free (or bartered for price a.k.a. A few bottles of my favorite whiskey). Of course, I still made bride/groom on both weddings sign a contract just in case for them and me.

I could shoot weddings if I wanted to, but meh. I'd rather be at the reception drinking.

Oh, I 2nd shot a wedding for free as they hired a guy for all the pro shots and he was told I was going to be there specifically for candids. I also got a few time lapses off which they loved.