Wedding Help

mandabec · Apr 16, 2008

My husbands uncle is getting remarried and I am going to take some pictures. They weren't even going to have anyone take pics or make it anything fancy but I offered just to take a few so they would have somthing. Does anyone have any posing ideas. I think this will be just basic stuff seeing as they are older and weren't even gonna have flowers until my mother-in-law talked them into it. I am doing it as some practice as I am going to do my first "paying" wedding in October. Any ideas? Thanks!

JerryPH · Apr 16, 2008

There are books and books written about wedding photography. It's one of the most challenging forms of photography, IMHO.

To give a few points:
- have a couple of fast lenses
- have a camera that is good at high ISO
- be VERY comfortable with off camera flash

EOS_JD · Apr 16, 2008

Beore you do your paying one, you may want to look at getting a decent fast zoom. Using slow lenses in low light (if the weddings are inddors) is likely to be very tricky. You may also want to consider backups. These are one off events that you can't risk ruining.....

Regards posing, reading and looking at images is great advice.

Knowing your camera inside out is a pre requisite. Exposing properly and knowing how to manually adjust your camera meter is important when exposing white/black dresses/suits.

You have one nice camera. Hire another.

You have a decent flash. Hire another.

Buy at least one fast zoom lens (by that I mean a 17-50 or 24-70 range f2.8 lens.

f4-5.6 lenses are tricky (maybe impossible) to use in low light when you want to capture a fast paced wedding in full flow).

MarcusM · Apr 16, 2008

hmmm...I'm always curious when people come on and post in the Foundations of Photography forums saying that they have a wedding in a few months and are asking how to shoot one. I always wonder how they end up turning out.

It seems like there are a lot of people who have a camera and might know the basics but ask for help on how to shoot a wedding. It just seems like such a huge endeavor with a lot of responsibility to take on if you're not experienced to really know how to do it.

I myself have never shot a wedding but I know that I would never take one on without shadowing someone a few times first and only after I have practiced portraiture with lighting and know my equipment in and out.

As far as poses, there are countless books out there and I'm sure practice is the best teacher - get your significant other or relative or friend to be your guinea pig.

Mike_E · Apr 16, 2008

Basketball players practice their shots over and over every day. Pick out the shots you want to take and practice them every day until you can nail them every time under any condition. And then keep practicing them so that you don't loose your edge.

JerryPH · Apr 16, 2008

MarcusM said:
hmmm...I'm always curious when people come on and post in the Foundations of Photography forums saying that they have a wedding in a few months and are asking how to shoot one. I always wonder how they end up turning out.

I can answer that... lol... but let me be clear that I am not saying that this will happen here... I am not psychic.

90% of the time the photographer comes back all nice and happy and wants to show their results. The results when seen... are mediocre at best.

Sometimes, we later find out that they ended up refunding the money to avoid being sued, and often even after refunding, they get sued anyways. The vast majority of the time, becuase the person suddenly finds out its a lot of WORK to learn how to do a wedding right, don't bother following the advice and get some really mediocre results, and the B&G know it and are *NOT* happy.

About 10% of the time, its a family member doing it for another family member that REALLY could not care less about pictures and has a couple hundred poor quality pics but since its better than nothing... says nothing.

MarcusM said:
It just seems like such a huge endeavor with a lot of responsibility to take on if you're not experienced to really know how to do it.

It *is* a terrible responsability, but for the most part, they want to play pro wedding 'tog and fail. Of course, they rarely tell you that they flopped, they do not want to look foolish, but it often comes out a few months later, when they respond to someone else's similar question and speak about their own horror story.

MarcusM said:
I myself have never shot a wedding

I've shadowed 3 times so far, #4 is coming this summer. It is hard, sweaty, stressful and very fast paced. The first time I did it, I was warned in advance... but no warning is going to help... real life was a LOT more challenging, and I was only a 2nd shooter. I cannot stress enough how much more it is for the primary shooter to know what they are doing!

MarcusM said:
As far as poses, there are countless books out there and I'm sure practice is the best teacher - get your significant other or relative or friend to be your guinea pig.

That will just never be the same. We all practice in nice bright sunny rooms or outside, rarely do we go into a very dark church with 2 people dressed in black AND white or reception hall with wierd lighting and toss out 2000 pictures in a single afternoon practicing. I've done it 3 times already ON TOP of the shadowing at the wedding... it is an eye opener, let me tell you and nothing is going to stress you out more than getting home and seeing the pictures you worked hard to get NOT coming out to your liking. Thats when the panic starts coming in, and you start asking yourself some very poignant questions about if you really want to do this or not.

We often tell people to watch out for this one (last second wedding advice),... but man, this is the FIRST place everyone wants to run to... and like lemmings to a cliff, if you are not careful and LEARN from other people's mistakes, you will follow your fellow lemmings right on over into the ocean of failure.

It is not easy and it is not fun to fail, but I have yet to feel a rush like I do elsewhere. Like when I am in the heat of the action and things are flowing like water and things are happening FAST during the event, and I am smiling like an idiot and talking a hundred miles an hour to the subjects to get the results I want.

I do not want to turn pro, I make a damn good living running my own business... but I love photography, and mostly, I really enjoy portraiture and weddings.

All that said... they could not pay me enough to be the primary of a wedding, not even with all my equipment and experience... there is just too much riding on it if I to screw up someone's ONCE in a lifetime event like a wedding. There are no second chances to reshoot a wedding, so it had better be done once and done RIGHT. I'll leave that to the pros thanks, and enjoy shadowing as many times as I can.

keith204 · Apr 16, 2008

JerryPH, you're making me nervous! But, you haven't scared me off quite yet!

table1349 · Apr 16, 2008

I agree, this is a question that gets asked a lot and it also amazes me. It's like someone stating, I drive a Prius 3 miles to work and back every day on streets at no more than 40 mph. I'm supposed to drive in a NASCAR race Saturday at Daytona. I've never done this before, any advice?

If weddings are something that a person is interested in and want to do then get some training first. Then study as a 2nd shooter until you not only feel comfortable with being the first shooter, you know you can be the first shooter.

There isn't a wedding in the world that pays enough for me to put up with Bridezilla or Bridezilla Mommy. I've seen families split over far less than a few mediocre pictures. It just isn't worth it.

JerryPH · Apr 16, 2008

keith204 said:
JerryPH, you're making me nervous! But, you haven't scared me off quite yet!

Keith, I sure as heck don't see you as your average 'tog wanting to shoot your cousin's-friend's-mom's-3rd-cousin's wedding! But stay nervous, it will keep you on your toes!! :lol:

keith204 · Apr 16, 2008

JerryPH said:
Keith, I sure as heck don't see you as your average 'tog wanting to shoot your cousin's-friend's-mom's-3rd-cousin's wedding! But stay nervous, it will force you to keep on your toes!!

if that was a compliment, then thanks!

Yeah staying nervous usually helps me to get prepared. Also, I like to dress up a little nicer, no matter the event... you know, slacks and a button down, and with a decent haircut, and clean shaven. I usually have shaggy hair and don't shave much, so when I do tidy up, I feel more professional, therefore, I act more professional.

RyanLilly · Apr 17, 2008

keith204 said:
if that was a compliment, then thanks!

Yeah staying nervous usually helps me to get prepared. Also, I like to dress up a little nicer, no matter the event... you know, slacks and a button down, and with a decent haircut, and clean shaven. I usually have shaggy hair and don't shave much, so when I do tidy up, I feel more professional, therefore, I act more professional.

I could just imagine you looking like "The Dude" from the Big Lebowski strolling in to the church with a camera in one hand and a White Russian in the other. :lol:

keith204 · Apr 17, 2008

RyanLilly said:
I could just imagine you looking like "The Dude" from the Big Lebowski strolling in to the church with a camera in one hand and a White Russian in the other.

haha you HAVE to explain this, I don't get it at all.

Why do I have a white russian?

MarcusM · Apr 17, 2008

Dude...haven't you seen the Big Lebowski?

keith204 · Apr 17, 2008

I just looked up the dude...

I'm not that shaggy! My profile pic is me on a better-shaven day with a semi-recent haircut. Probably made myself sound like a hobo.