Up Coming Wedding. Newbie needs help

[PhotoCalifornia]

If your going to be the photographer for your best friends wedding be sure that both you and your best friend understand that if you mess up your probably no longer going to be friends at all because it's things are going to be EXTREMELY AWKWARD every time you see him or his wife.

If both you and your best friend are ok with that being a possible outcome (and the chances of that outcome are higher because you have never photographed a wedding) then go ahead and photograph the wedding.

It is not there actual wedding, more like the ceremony, so it does not matter so much to the couple and also I told them that I cannot promise prfessional shots. I am going to practice at the rehersal aswell

 

[e.rose]

It is not there actual wedding, more like the ceremony

Huh? :scratch:

Since when is the ceremony not an actual wedding?

And are you not planning on sharing your work with us, then?

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[manaheim]

Yeah. Everyone has given you some great answers... which is pretty rare for this kind of thread.

The risks are these:

- Being a competent photographer is one thing, being prepared for the technical rigors of a wedding is another. Weddings are the hardest things I've ever done, and I was a photographer for ten years before I shot one.
- Being prepared for the rigors of dealing with people AT a wedding is yet another. People can be pretty wacky in a variety of ways.
- Being prepared for the rigors of being on the job 100% of the time (minus 30 minutes to eat), for 8-14 hours... is another thing. Not to be gross, but I drank 1 GALLON of Gatorade and another quart or so of water over a 10 hour period, and did not go to the bathroom once. Weddings are GRUELLING.
- Being able to have a strong enough relationship with your friends that they won't hate you when you screw up the pictures is yet another... and really... no matter how much you think it'll be great, if you screw this up, it will hang over your friendship for as long as that friendship remains intact.
- Having spare equipment for everything is an issue as well. Redundant memory cards is also very important.

And on and on. I could write a book about all the stuff I know about this, and I've only done like 12 weddings.

I can tell you WITHOUT QUESTION that it is going to be much harder than you think. Impossible? No. But don't fool yourself. No matter how good you are, you're probably not as ready for this as you think.

 

[Light Guru]

If your going to be the photographer for your best friends wedding be sure that both you and your best friend understand that if you mess up your probably no longer going to be friends at all because it's things are going to be EXTREMELY AWKWARD every time you see him or his wife.

If both you and your best friend are ok with that being a possible outcome (and the chances of that outcome are higher because you have never photographed a wedding) then go ahead and photograph the wedding.

It is not there actual wedding, more like the ceremony, so it does not matter so much to the couple and also I told them that I cannot promise prfessional shots. I am going to practice at the rehersal aswell

The ceremony IS THE ACTUAL WEDDING. And it WILL MATTER TO THEM if it did dent they would not be getting married.

Practicing at a rehearsal is hardly going to be enough practice. If you want to practice you should find a wedding photographer to second shoot for a several times before your friends wedding.

 

[e.rose]

:addpics:

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[Light Guru]

- Being prepared for the rigors of dealing with people AT a wedding is yet another. People can be pretty wacky in a variety of ways.
- Being prepared for the rigors of being on the job 100% of the time (minus 30 minutes to eat), for 8-14 hours... is another thing.

And the difficulty of that is going to be compounded by all the other friends of yours that are attending the wedding. They will be there trying to have a good time and may distract you from doing the job. Your not there to socialize and have a good time you are there to work.

I can tell you WITHOUT QUESTION that it is going to be much harder than you think. Impossible? No. But don't fool yourself. No matter how good you are, you're probably not as ready for this as you think.

Amen. Even if it does not bother him much it will bother her. And because she doesn't want to be around you then your probably not going to see much of him.

 

[Darkershadesofbrown]

Much has changed in the wedding photography industry over the last couple of years. I don't work with a shot list anymore. Take the family pictures and then just take pictures of whatever you find interesting.

 

[imagemaker46]

This is older thread but the "professional/street/fine/lots of sports/photographer" has failed to return, has not offered up a web site, that likely does not exist, is too embarrassed to provide any sample of work, made some absolutely stupid statements, "I'll practice at rehearsal " What we have here is a failure to communicate. Amateur, but hey, you have a camera.

 

[robbins.photo]

It is not there actual wedding, more like the ceremony

Huh? :scratch:

Since when is the ceremony not an actual wedding?

Well, when your 2 years old.. those don't count.

And are you not planning on sharing your work with us, then?

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Because were such nice people.. really..

Ok.. well some of them are nice people.. really...

Lol

 

[JoeW27 1]

Hello pro's
I have been really into photography for a few years, and even run a buisness as a fine and street art photography and some product photography, and a lot of sports. My best friend is getting married and they asked me to be the wedding photographer. I am confident in my equipment and skill, I just do not know what shots to get, can anyone give me a list of go to shots.

The list of shots depends upon what style of photography you're taking to the wedding. For instance, a VERY basic division of wedding shooting styles would be photojournalist/reportage, traditional, contemporary, and artistic. The shots each style would focus on would be different with that style. If you're shooting what some call a photojournalist approach, then you're telling a story (from start to finish). Additionally, it varies with the package. When my wife and I got married 21 years ago, we got a very basic package from an outstanding and established photographer. We could have gotten much more involved (pre-wedding portraits, bridal nude/boudoir poses. One of my brothers was married and the package included portraits of all family members by unit (i.e.: each brother with his wife and kids). Some packages include details about the reception and party.

I don't consider myself a wedding photographer. I've shot plenty of weddings of friends--but I've always refused pay and always refused to be the principal photographer (I've just been a friend with a camera). I've had a couple of friends (or even the bride of my friend) who told me they liked my work more than the photographer they hired. But there are a couple of key points here: I was never the guy that my friend(s) were counting on to produce results so there was never any danger to the relationship. B/c if you shoot the wedding of a friend or family member, you need to be prepared for the results if they don't like what you give them (and that happens even to the best of photographers).

There are a number of very long threads here (some of them quite painful to read) that I suggest you go through--they'll have not only the details that you crave but also a lot of other instructions (critical backup equipment, site scouting issues, working with the wedding planner, etc.).