Wedding Photos

Ian Kirkland Isaac · Mar 22, 2011

Hey I have a question, I have a couple of friends that are getting married next year and they asked me to take photos of their weddings. I have no idea how to shoot a wedding, how many photos to give them (on CD or print) nor how much to charge them. Any ideas???????

Bitter Jeweler · Mar 22, 2011

$2000
Enough photos to fill a 30 page album.

What camera do you have?
Flash?
What lenses do you have, and how fast are they?

Ian Kirkland Isaac · Mar 22, 2011

I use a Sony A-230 SLR Camera with the A-230 flash and Tamron 10-25 MM Lens.

reznap · Mar 22, 2011

I like Bitter's suggestion. Not only should you take crummy photos of yours friends' special day, you should fleece their pockets in the process.

tirediron · Mar 22, 2011

Ian Kirkland Isaac said:
I use a Sony A-230 SLR Camera with the A-230 flash and Tamron 10-25 MM Lens.

I'll assume you mean the Tamron 10-24mm. Unfortunately, UWAs only have limited application for wedding photography. If you're planning on doing a professional or semi-professional job (as opposed to a friend taking pictures type of job), you're going to need at least two fast zooms covering the 24ish to 200ish region and a body that deals well with high ISO (1600+). I know nothing about the Sony system, so I can't say how your camera performs at higher ISOs, but given your stated niche, I'll assume it works well.

Bitter Jeweler · Mar 22, 2011

Rez, they have a year to save up. What?

tirediron · Mar 22, 2011

reznap said:
I like Bitter's suggestion. Not only should you take crummy photos of yours friends' special day, you should fleece their pockets in the process.

Hence the reason he's not "Smiley, Happy Jeweler"!

Bitter Jeweler · Mar 22, 2011

Well too be honest, there is not enough info given to answer the question effectively.

Would it be more appropriate to say, do it for free and give them as many pictures as you can that came out focused and well exposed?

My original post is reasonable.

Stryker · Mar 22, 2011

A wedding is one of the most difficult event to cover as there is no re-shoot. Since the wedding is a year from now, you also have a year to be an apprentice of a wedding photog. Its not just equipment. Its knowing "the must have" shots, the planning, and keeping with the bride's mom, among others.

Dont do it if you have no or little experience

Ian Kirkland Isaac · Mar 22, 2011

Thanks Stryker, the friends that want me to do it seen me take photos in bars and they asked me to do it. But I would rather be experienced and learn from someone that has done it before.

kric2schaam626 · Mar 22, 2011

Stryker said:
A wedding is one of the most difficult event to cover as there is no re-shoot. Since the wedding is a year from now, you also have a year to be an apprentice of a wedding photog. Its not just equipment. Its knowing "the must have" shots, the planning, and keeping with the bride's mom, among others.

Dont do it if you have no or little experience

I agree with this 100%. Find a photographer in your area who is will to teach you and even allow you to second shoot at weddings.

This may sound stupid, but do you know the Manual setting on your camera? Because I didn't my first wedding. It's definitely important.
Be sure that you really really know your camera well too.

Bitter Jeweler · Mar 22, 2011

Ah, so I saw you are in business doing nightclub event photography...well what do you charge for that and how many photos do you deliver? A wedding is just another event, and perhaps some fancy packaging, and some key poses.

MissCream · Mar 22, 2011

Sixteen.

Stryker · Mar 22, 2011

Bar photography is very much different to wedding events.

If the wedding gown comes out grey, the kiss was over exposed, the mother of the bride was blurred in a group shot, the wedding gown's train was cropped, the photo of the bride inside the bridal car came out blurred, you have a few issues that cannot be re-shot. then they tell their friends the photographer was lousy. You have to keep in mind that the wedding day is the most important day of the bride's life and you have to be at the right place at the right time. There is no re-shoot or replay.

If you are going to be the only wedding photographer, I suggest you take some seminars or training how to be a one. I would also recommend that you go to a few weddings in your area and observe how the official wedding photogs move.