Uncle's Wedding

[Guinness]

Hi everyone.

My uncle called me last week and asked me to take the photo's for his wedding next month.

It will be held at a registry office not too far from where I live. He had previously told me they weren't going to have a photographer but just rely on the guests snapshots. I don't think they were too fussy.

When he told me this, I asked if I could bring my camera and take some snapshots along with the other guests, he then asked all about my camera..... 'Lightbulb Moment'.

I made sure he knows that i'm not yet a particularly great photographer and have never taken wedding photo's, or any other event for that matter. But he seems happy seeing as it will cost him nothing and he will have something to remember the day.

Hopefully I will enjoy it and learn a lot from it. :blushing:

Does anyone have any thoughts or tips, bearing in mind i'm still (quickly)learning how to control Aperture and Shutter Speed. Will I need any particular filters.
Oh and I will be shooting in RAW.
(Camera and lenses as in sig.)

Thanks everyone.

 

[KevinR]

Check out the Portrait and Wedding gallery. There are few stickys of wedding tips and sites to check out that will give you ideas.

Good Luck

 

[hyp0rbyte]

It may be in the section KevinR mentioned, but if you google wedding photography you can get a lot of ideas too. What I think would be most useful is the "traditional photos" checklist. It will give you an idea of bride/groom, bride/groom father, groom/bride father. etc...

THIS is a pretty good list.

 

[DocFrankenstein]

...i'm not yet a particularly great photographer and have never taken wedding photo's, or any other event for that matter...

...i'm still (quickly)learning how to control Aperture and Shutter Speed...

Pardon the analogy, but that's like saying "I'm not a particularly great writer, but I'm still (quickly) learning how to use a pen"

You need a minimum of two items:
1) An external flash
2) At least one faster lens 35/2 and/or 50/1.8


Additionally, I'd throw in a light meter and a flash bracket.

Try and shoot portraits in similar situation. Bring your practica with a few rolls of BW as backup.


Good luck

 

[DocFrankenstein]

RAW is good
Forget about filters

 

[cbay]

Raw is good if you know how to use it. No filters needed. But remember there will be alot of pressure as he is family.

 

[Mr_Jones]

RAW will save your life, if you know how to use it properly.

 

[Leo]

Does anyone have any thoughts or tips, bearing in mind i'm still (quickly)learning how to control Aperture and Shutter Speed. Will I need any particular filters.
Oh and I will be shooting in RAW.
(Camera and lenses as in sig.)

Thanks everyone.

Since you are still learning Aperture and Shutter speed (like me), when shooting indoors with a flash, set your camera to P mode. Learned it the hard way, I messed up almost all my indoor shots using the AV mode. Most of my shots are not as sharp and some are blurred.

 

[bigfatbadger]

Get some 1600 in your praktika and a longsih lens for some nice candids. The 1600 will allow you to shoot in whatever weather conditions.

In fact, scrap that, take along some 400, 800 and 1600 and use whichever on the day,.

 

[darich]

While RAW gives some great advantages in post processing IMO i think you;d be better with top quality jpeg.
The reasons are as follows.

• Your uncle isn't fussed about top quality so why use a massive file when he won't require it?

• RAW produces large files and with a smallish buffer on the 350D is it really necessary?

• There's a good chance you'll miss a good shot while your camera is processing a RAW image.

• You're effectively taking quality candids so speed is of the essence. RAW is far from fast.

• With top quality jpeg you can put the camera in continuous shooting when throwing the confetti and you'll get many more shots than you would with RAW.

• Unless you have a superfast memory card you'll be slowed even more.

If you were taking the official shots for the day then by all means use RAW but i think when you've been nominated as top candid shooter (i know some shots will be posed) then I'd consider not using it for speed.
Things happen quickly and you'll want to be always ready..not waiting for the flashing light on the back to stop.

If you insist on going with RAW then be prepared to miss several good opportunites and don't let it affect you.

 

[ksmattfish]

Get a Canon 50mm f/1.8. They are cheap. With it you'll be able to shoot using available light on ISO 400 to 1600 in most indoor situations. They're probably not going to blow the candid shots up real big anyway. Even at ISO 1600 prints are going to look really good 5x7 or smaller, and decent at 8x12 (at least as long as you don't underexpose; you might dial in +1/3 or +2/3 exposure). Available light shots are going to have a lot more atmosphere than most of the front lit shots they are going to see.

If you are going with the zooms in your sig you will need a flash (and not that penlight they built into your camera ). A flash also comes in handy for getting rid of dark shadows outdoors on bright days.

So there's my recommendation, shoot no flash indoors/low light with a fast lens and high ISO, and use the flash outdoors in the bright sun. I know it sounds backwards, but it works.

 

[Guinness]

Thanks everyone, I'm currently winning bidder for a Canon 50mm f/1.8.

I didn't think about using the Praktika, I hardly ever use it, it's had the same roll of 400 in it since November can you still get lenses for it? It's a screwed fitting and I think it's older than me.

Thanks for the tip Leo.
I'm going to start looking for a flash gun although I don't know which one to go for.
While I think about it, I need a new tripod too, I bought one from Jessops (model: 327) and when I put the camera on the head tilts under the weight and I get crooked horizons

Thanks for your opinion Darich, I'll have a think about what file to use, I wanted RAW so I could compensate for my lack of experience using PS, but my lack of experience also means i'll be taking more shots to make sure I get the one I want, thus filling the memory cards up quicker:thumbdown: