WEDDING photography question

[JerryPH]

end of.

... end of what? You do not even get access until you pay a membership fee (yes, I have an account/membership there).

Granted DWF is great, but there are a million better places for a starting photographer to get basic photography information and basic wedding photography information without needing to invest any money. Unless you are VERY serious, and have at LEAST basic photography skills down at higher than average levels, DWF will not help you any more or less than any of 40-50 other free wedding forums online can for free.

 

[Jamesy]

You do not even get access until you pay a membership fee

dwf start is FULL of info for people starting out/aspiring pros. you just need the time and patience to go through it all.

edit: (and it's free)

(yes, I have an account/membership there)

anyone care? doubt it. lol.

 

[Mike30D]

dwf start is FULL of info for people starting out/aspiring pros. you just need the time and patience to go through it all.

edit: (and it's free)

The thing is even the people that are in "start" mode aren't going to really help her if she has no wedding experience at all. They will tell her the same thing, find a pro to assist/second shoot with. Besides, like Jerry said most (some of that stuff you won't find elsewhere) of the info in the "start" forum can be found in any of the other free forums.

 

[dklod]

A friend of mine is a pro photographer. He doesnt do weddings for a living anymore, but he has been asked to do one next weekend for one of his friends. He asked me if I wanted to tag along. Im not. If you wanted to come to Sydney for the weekend, Im sure he would love to have you help out.... Why not just rock up to a church holding a wedding and see if you can just mingle with the masses and take some shots. Ask if its ok, hide yourself out of the way of the hired guns, and just shoot the gathering inside and outside the church. All they can say is no. I know at my next wedding, I'll be taking my camera, how is that any different.

 

[JerryPH]

dwf start is FULL of info for people starting out/aspiring pros. you just need the time and patience to go through it all.
anyone care? doubt it. lol.

Starting out.. aspiring PROS. Your own words. What planet are you on? You think that all it takes is 2 weeks on a wedding forum and you are instantly a Jessica Claire or Dameon Valakkov?

We are discussing someone who is basically a nice person, but who is asking what camera settings are needed for a wedding but and likely could not explain to you the zone system for exposure, doesn't have a CLEAR understanding of the interrelationship of ISO, shutter speed and aperture... likely has no lighting experience... ALL the very basics of wedding photography that should be, if not mastered, VERY comfortable with. No pro photographer will even look at a 2nd shooter who doesn't have these basic skills, much less accept them as a 2nd shooter, something that the vast majority of people accept as a BARE MINIMUM required before even trying to shoot a wedding.

Telling someone the intricacies of the differences between DOF of focus vs the DOF of light and how to exploit this in a formal's or portraiture situation in this case is a waste of time for any pro. The thing is, before even thinking about approaching a pro, these things SHOULD be known.

My friend, you wished to sound like you offered some piece of valuable advice (a link and 2 words... lmao), as the end all of photography knowledge... all you did was make yourself look a little foolish because you are so inexperienced that you cannot even see the big picture here.

But feel free to be insulting some more, I am sure everyone here would love to have a little bit more of a chuckle at your expense, because the one that offered nothing was you... and in your own words, concerning you... no one cares.

 

[JerryPH]

I know at my next wedding, I'll be taking my camera, how is that any different.

Just for the sake of personal experience or practice? I think that's great idea as long as it is ok with the people there and you don't step on the toes of the pro (like you suggested already), however, if you don't have the basics in place, it would really improve your pics a lot more if you knew these things in advance beforehand and could exploit them during your time in the church to perfect your technique rather than battling the basics (which can be learned outside of this time).

All I am saying is that a wedding is NOT the place to find out that you don't have a clue about how to look at a histogram and figure out what you are doing wrong and how to fix it... lol.

 

[MyaLover]

Seriously... if you do what I suggest, you will have enough tips to keep you busy for a good 6 months or more and it will be WAY more valuable than a few "tips", because... wedding photography is the most dynamic and most difficult environments to challenge a professional, much less someone less inclined..

I am not saying that to be mean... but sheesh, it is out there waiting for you to find it, why do we need to hold your hand to show you less than what a 30 second google could find for you?

At least try to put in a good effort to give yourself the chance to do a half decent job!

Have you even done a search on THIS club for hints about wedding photography??

Wow.... this was the most arrogant, a$$hole comment I have read in a long time. It has nothing to do with being honest or attempting to be helpful. it has to do with tact and common decency. I was asking this question merely to get some advice for future endeavors, and yes I have done my research, but I was merely looking for possible variety. Do not make assumptions on what I have or have not done, as well as what knowledge I do or do not have, regardless of the type of question I ask. Im looking for an answer, not degradation or judgement. However, if you feel that there is "no special setting for wedding photography" and that my question blatantly pointed me out as someone who is "less inclined", then a real professional would remain just that, a professional, and seek to understand more of what I was looking for in an answer. "Seek first to understand, then be understood." Dropping names, and dropping internet groups, websites, etc that you are a paying member of, doesnt make you a professional or give you any sort of perceived knowledge. It only makes you look like a pretentious blow-heart. No one needs to "hold my hand". And that is not what I was asking for, and never will ask for that from anyone. If anyone has shown their true lack of knowledge, true lack of professionalism and true lack of professional experience as a photographer, it has been you.

 

[Jamesy]

most arrogant, a$$hole

exactly lol. don't worry, all of his posts are like that.

 

[abraxas]

MyaLover,

I don't have the slightest clue, but dug this up for you. I hope it helps and good luck.

http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=20069

 

[JerryPH]

Wow.... this was the most arrogant, a$$hole comment I have read in a long time.

You are entitled to your opinion. Consider it a little bit of tough love.

Let me see if I can rephrase it in a manner that you understand... may I assume that you do know how to cook?

Look at it from the perspective of someone asking YOU to make a quiche because they heard it was something really tasty, so you would want to say, well, here are the ingredients you need and you really would want make a whole detailed explanation about the process and then in the same post asking how to make a quiche, the poster made reference that they did not know what a pot or a pan was. It would be pretty much useless to go through the process of explaining how to make a quiche, wouldn't it?

This is where you are with your photography. I am not saying this... YOU said it with your question. Anyone with more than the basics under their hat KNOWS that there is no such thing as a specific camera/lens setting for something as incredibly diverse as a wedding. It doesn't make you a bad person, it simply makes you a person that doesn't have enough basic knowledge to accomplish your goals. That also doesn't mean that you cannot learn, but it does mean you have a lot of work ahead of you.

Im looking for an answer, not degradation or judgement.

Ah, but you see, the very act of the kind of question you ask will define very clearly your level of knowledge, and I *did* give you (initially) an answer that would give you TONS of info without me needing to reproduce it here in a post. You chose to ignore that and then ask for "hints". There are no "hints" that will take your pictures from "blah" to "incredible" in 10 sentences or less.

If anyone has shown their true lack of knowledge, true lack of professionalism and true lack of professional experience as a photographer, it has been you.

You are entitled to your opinion, I won't even bother trying to prove anything... you see, I do my own research and am aware of what I have do to get to where I want to be and what I have done in the past to get to where I am.

Getting back to your issue...did you even do a search here? I kinda doubt that. You see, if you had, you would have found THIS thread that would have led you to THIS blog.

Heaven forbid that you go out on a limb and perhaps you could have done what I initially suggested, which was THIS or THIS. These 4 links *WILL* keep you busy for months on end and *WILL* more than answer your question... why this was so hard for you to do yourself... I just do not understand. Interesting that other members here are also pointing to results of searches that they did themselves here on this site. They had no issues clicking on the SEARCH button.

Instead, you chose to air an opinion and then some little pup added his useless 2 quid to the equation, which I will not even further dignify with an acknowledgment in this thread any further.

Everyone will see what they want to see, everyone will always feel that their position is the correct one based on perspective. You may choose to complain, or you may choose to do what I suggested in the first place and advance your level of knowledge.

Do as you wish... I will politely bow out of posting further in your thread from this point on.

With much respect, I wish you... success.

 

[Jamesy]

then some little pup added his useless 2 quid to the equation, which I will not even further dignify with an acknowledgment in this thread any further.

i'm afraid you just did :roll:...

Anyway, Jerry, on the whole I agree with most of what you say in a lot of your posts, however almost, if not all of them have a very distinct air of extreme arrogance/'jerry is the best' kind of attitude about them and personally, it just makes me want to ignore everything you say, even if some of it might be useful.

You also insist on putting everyone down at every opportunity in order to just pad out your self worth sitting behind your desk. As myalover already pointed this out, I'm not the only person on here with that opinion.

If you actually took time to read other people's posts in the context of the original question you'd see they actually make sense. For example, im sure myalover would learn A LOT more by reading through dwf start, getting input from many many world class wedding photographers who actually want to HELP for a few weeks, rather than reading your thread about 'newb wedding photog questions' which just seems to be full of people abusing each other and moaning about why they wouldnt want to shoot weddings. Nor did i suggest or imply that one can become jessica claire with 2 weeks reading dwf. How you concocted that one I still fail to comprehend!

You also straight up assumed that myalover was going to be shooting a wedding next week as primary photographer or something silly, when she could simply be attending a friends wedding and want her pics to be a little better than they would be if she went out and did it today. The wealth of info found in dwf would be more than enough for this.

All in all, while the information you give out is generally fairly useful, the attitude is one that I could only compare to a 13 year old boy and I believe this severely clouds anything you say.

I'll no doubt get an arrogant reply furthering your worthless attempt at making me and everyone else look inferior to yourself. Or no reply at all since you've 'politely'!!! bowed out of posting in the thread.

And to myalover, good luck on the wedding photos! :thumbup: ...and sign up to dwf start and read, read, read.

 

[Mike_E]

MyaLover, my post may have gotten lost but trying to recreate shots and then practicing them in any and all conditions you can learn more (assuming general competency, yes) in a Saturday than 2 months of reading forums.

The added benefit is that you can tell what is right and what's not instead of having to guess whether or not someone on a forum has any idea what they are talking about. Yes,even me.

 

[dklod]

Just for the sake of personal experience or practice?

Sure, why not. Nothing to lose, everything to gain. Besides, a hired photographer only has one lens. You can capture things he might miss.

All I am saying is that a wedding is NOT the place to find out that you don't have a clue about how to look at a histogram and figure out what you are doing wrong and how to fix it... lol.

A wedding someone is paying you to do, of course not. A strangers wedding where the results really dont matter other than to experiment, learn and understand, perfect.

 

[ksmattfish]

Do not make assumptions....

What else can I do with this?

Just curious as to settings some of you use for taking wedding photos.

You've provided no context. All I have to go on is assumptions. In fact, and I'm not trying to be an a**hole, I completely skipped this when you first posted because the question was so vague. Please give more info and be more specific if you want helpful answers. Otherwise I guarantee that folks will think you are a newbie, and start giving you the tired old "newbies shouldn't shoot weddings" speech. Usually you will get the speech from folks who have never shot a wedding themselves.

Here are the settings I use at weddings:

format: APS and 35mm digital
file: raw
exposure mode: M & Av
WB: auto, daylight, or tungsten
drive: 99% single shot
ISO: 100 - 1600
metering: evaluative
picture style/parameter: neutral
focal length: assorted lenses for both formats ranging from 17mm to 200mm

Here are some tips:

Make sure you have plenty of charged batteries: camera, flash, etc...
You need back ups of all gear.
Use off camera flash whenever you can, get a bracket for when you can't.
Bounce the flash.
Dial in + flash comp when pointing at the bride in white. Dial in - flash comp when pointed at the guys in black.
Never format a card without checking the photos on it first.
Meet with the couple and plan out the wedding day. Assume they will be running late no matter how much planning has been done.

In general all the really important tips are about handling people on a very busy day,and that just comes from experience. The camera doesn't care that people are getting married; it's just photographing the world as usual. In general use the same settings you would in a similar lighting situation (which I have no clue about because you didn't mention a thing).

Good luck!

 

[MyaLover]

Thank you, that was helpful ksmattfish. And what I meant by hints or tips, i meant creative poses, settings as in locations, etc. Looking at other wedding photos does help. and all the constructive comments do help. so thank you matt, mike and jamesy