Wedding photography advices

You don't have a flash? You are probably going to be at the reception...f/4 without a flash during the night hours would not cut it. I would suggest rent a lens if you're near any places that offer that service. If not, I would just put on the 50mm and snap photos from the side or where you're sitting at.
 
As a wedding photographer I totally agree with MLeek. I would add that often if there is a pro the good shots that don't get taken are the candids. Get the cute couples, kids dancing, older couples and people that won't be around for long. Those are are the fun ones and will really teach you a lot about photography and your camera. If its inside get a swivel flash that bounces for sure! Most reception halls were NOT made flash friendly, with mirrors and windows on every wall. My Swivel flash is my best friend at weddings.

The one thing I have a different opinion on is the lens. While having the wider angle is great and very important for the pro, most candids are easier with my zoom. I shoot a lot of shots at 150-200. They never see me and the candids are great that way, because I'm more invisible. I let my boss take most of the 'standard' wedding pics and I take the fun ones. He has a 18-200mm, I have my 75-200mm. It works for us as a team.

Most of all have fun with it. View it as a learning experience, check your LCD often for glaring problems and enjoy yourself. Wedding photography can be fun but also stressful so enjoy the fact that it's not all on you and have fun.
 
Well for starters I need to know IF there will be any pro, and this I do not know yet :/ What I am looking for are photos as good as they can be :) I have no industry experience, photography is my hobby (at least now) and I've never done a wedding shoot before but I am hoping to get some good stuff for my portfolio :) If I am lucky I will have also a flash by that time, do you think it would help me significantly?

Specific advice is tough for me to give in an environment like this, especially something big like a wedding. In result, vagueness of inputs so far from me. But here we go...

First off I'm glad you're in a situation where you are going to shoot a wedding however not designated as the "pro" or "main" photographer.

Start big, I never believe in starting small. What I mean by this is for you to know the whole itinerary of the wedding. The ins and outs of the getting ready, the ceremony, the portrait sessions, and the reception. Know the lighting, the time, the venue. All of these variables will define what you will need for equipment(You keep stating what you have as equipment, but I can not specify if that is sufficient enough for the venue you are shooting. Also, I do not know your skill set). Get the big picture idea and then you will know your small pictur break down. Let's throw an example out there of what I would do once I gather my data.

Getting ready shots:

Bride Room: 8:00 am - 10:00 am
Situation: Dark, tight space.
In reslult equipment needed: Flash, wide angle to mid zoom.

Groom Room: 9:00 - 10:00 am
Situation: Bright, large space.
In result equipment needed: Mid prime lens, reflector.

Ceremony:
Outdoors in front of beach: 10:30am - 11:30am
Situation: Infront of beach, harsh sun.
In result equipment needed: Off camera flash(3 sets), 35 prime, and mide range to tele zoom.

Portrait Session:
Shaded area in hotel parking lot: 11:30am - 12:00pm
Situation: Shaded, horrible background.
In result equipment needed: All prime lenses w/ 1.8 or greater f-stops to blur out backgrounds.

Reception:
Shaded area in beach lawn area: 1:00pm - 4:00pm
Situation: Dark, and tight.
In result equipment needed: Off camera flash 4 sets, wide primes.

Ok so now back to your question. In my professional opinion, I think you first need to develop a style to know what you need when a situation is thrown at you. I advice you to get into the industry, as an assistant with a local pro in your area who's style you like, or who runs in parallel to your goals as a photographer. Get your foot into the door, even if you are just going to be carrying bags, absorb the big picture on how they deal with certain scenarios and take from them what you need and what you like.

Prepare prepare prepare. Anticipate anticpate anticpate. Develop that style first before you even try to build your portfolio because your style will define your niche by developing the concept. Single images of wedding portfolio are now over as they will easily be outdated. If you want to be on top of the market, the industry standard today is to have albums of whole weddings to show as porfolio - this will be more timeless and will express your brand clearly. In result, you won't be able to build a credible portfolio unless you start of as a second shooter or even a third. The careless way is to con yourself as capable and start taking weddings on as the primary shooter without industry experience.

Any other specific advice given to you will be potentially worthless as there are infinite scenarios and unknowns for any of us cyber characters to offer value added advice to in order to give you pro results. Somethinig for you to look forward to is, when you do arrive to that pro level, no one else will be able to answer your own questions but yourself.
 
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Thanks again guys, you really helped me a lot :)

As to flash, I want to get one ASAP, but I am still not sure which one to get..I can have a new 430 EX II, or a used 580 EX I (these are about the same price) or a used 580 EX II (around 100$ +) and just dont know which one to buy..
 
Thank you MLeeK, this is exactly the kind of answer I was looking for! I will make sure to follow your advices and if there will be a pro photographer there I will try to learn from him. Your post was really helpful to me! <3

Figure out *if* there's going to be a professional there--ask your friends who are getting married. Don't make the mistake of assuming.
 
Personally I do not allow guests to bring DSLR's to weddings I shoot, this is in my contract.

Why? Guests have zero idea what they are doing and get in the way. I get paid to be there and if I miss a shot because a guest steps in my way I get dinged for it, not the guest. Honestly the problem is bad enough because everyone has a point and shoot and they all use flash, it's hard enough to get the first kiss because everyone is shooting at the same time with harsh crappy on camera flashes.

Sorry and I really don't mean to rain on your parade or be negative here but you really should ask the couple before bringing a DSLR to their wedding.
 
Blair has some good points.

Personally, when I'm an invited guess at a wedding I leave the gear at home and enjoy celebrating the joining of the lives of the loved couple.
 
Personally I do not allow guests to bring DSLR's to weddings I shoot, this is in my contract.

Why? Guests have zero idea what they are doing and get in the way. I get paid to be there and if I miss a shot because a guest steps in my way I get dinged for it, not the guest. Honestly the problem is bad enough because everyone has a point and shoot and they all use flash, it's hard enough to get the first kiss because everyone is shooting at the same time with harsh crappy on camera flashes.

Sorry and I really don't mean to rain on your parade or be negative here but you really should ask the couple before bringing a DSLR to their wedding.

So how does this go about being enforced? Does the couple put a blurb in their wedding invitations? Do you say something to Uncle Bob when he shows up with his D3100? Just curious.
 
If/When Uncle Bob shows up I say something to Uncle Bob. I kindly ask them to not take photographs while I am working, that normally works... Normally.

Also, when I talk to the Bridge and Groom before the wedding I mention it, they also have been known to help; I have seen a few of the couples actually mention it on their website.
 
Personally I do not allow guests to bring DSLR's to weddings I shoot, this is in my contract.

Why? Guests have zero idea what they are doing and get in the way. I get paid to be there and if I miss a shot because a guest steps in my way I get dinged for it, not the guest. Honestly the problem is bad enough because everyone has a point and shoot and they all use flash, it's hard enough to get the first kiss because everyone is shooting at the same time with harsh crappy on camera flashes.

Sorry and I really don't mean to rain on your parade or be negative here but you really should ask the couple before bringing a DSLR to their wedding.
This is goofy to me. When we shoot weddings, we welcome guests with their DSLR's. Heck, at just about every wedding I have shot there has been at least one guest that asked me why their shots weren't coming out right. You know what I do? I tell them. If they don't understand, I'll set up their camera for them. Heck, sometimes I let them borrow gear.

You know what all that results in? Yep, more calls and more referals. We weren't the photographers who blew off the bride and grooms friends and family. We were the photographers who helped out in every way we could.

I would imagine it takes a lot more effort to try to enforce a 'no dslr' rule than it would to just be helpful. We still get paid. The bride and groom still love our shots, prints, albums, etc. I don't see how other good pictures of the reception hurt you at all. Especially since most of the people at a wedding are either wedding age or know people who are about to get married. The goodwill more than makes up for the inconvenience. I've also found that when you make friends with the 'guest with a camera', they tend to be less of a distraction and go out of their way to make sure they aren't interfering in the shots.

We obviously have a much different style. The company I shoot with gets most of it's business based off referrals from happy clients and guests.

Personally, I wouldn't hire you if you had a policy like that, and if I showed up as a guest to a wedding and you attempted to enforce a no-DSLR policy on me, I would probably ignore you. Just my .02.
 
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I'm just a big old DSLR rookie with lots of outdoor 35mm experience long ago. But I've had the experience shooting 2 weddings with point-and-shoots for 2 of down-and-out friends that got hitched. I'll never go pro, that's for sure. But I am going to my (ex-) step-daughters' wedding in a couple of months with my shiny new 60D and a couple of "L"s. Certainly not as the official photographer, though. But I will check if she has/will have one lined up.

This thread has helped me in many ways to show me how to help the pros by staying out of their way and their set-ups. I might even ask a couple of questions. And, heaven forbid, if I should be the only one there with a DSLR, I now have some idea of what to expect!

Many thanks for the help already, pros! :>)
 
So how did it go?

Got some shots to share?
 
I have made wedding shots with alot less, sure it's fine :)

Professionel fotograf i hele Danmark

Ok, dude... decide if you are a member or if you are just posting for SEO. Cuz if it is for SEO it's SPAM and you'll kindly get the boot. If you really want to be a member quit posting your website in every post-or you'll be getting the boot.
 

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