First post - first wedding

soboyle

My Niece asked me to photograph her wedding.
I want to give her the best images I can - but considering I have zero experience shooting weddings, that may not be that great.
It seems to me that being in the right place all day is half the trick to getting the shots.
Knowing ahead of time where things will be happening. So is the best approach to carefully plan the day, talk to the bride and groom, see what the sequence of events will be and how they will unfold, then try to be in 10 places at the same time?
I'm fairly confident with my shooting technique, I'm going to keep it as simple as possible. Just a couple lenses and a body. It's an outdoor daytime wedding, with an outdoor reception. So light should be good, or at least not too dark.
Fill flash?
Tripod for group shots?
tricks for posing that go a long way?
Thanks for any suggestions on what, I'm sure, will prove to be a very long day.

Photosbychuck

Hi soboyle,

Yes, tripod for group shots.
I also suggest doing the group shots in the shade.
Go to the location a few days before the wedding at the same time the wedding is going to take place. This will let you see how harsh the light will be and take someone so you can do test photos. Maybe you will get lucky and it will be a overcast day. Try to find a shady spot that you can do the group shots.



Good Luck,
Charles Cassidy,

smurfy

Try reading through the stickies at the top of this forum, and after that, searching "first wedding." Your question has been asked countless times before, and some very kind people have written tons of useful information to answer it.

Ed911

Since no one else commented on fill flash...absolutely. I shoot events during the day...shade, if possible, and fill flash. When you go to preview the venue, take a friend to model the shots...put your flash on your camera and practice fill flash everywhere you think you'll be shooting the wedding party.

This will help you determine your settings for the best fill flash for a given situation. It's sure not a time to "learn it as you do it." And, while you can take some very good natural light images...fill flash can save the day when the natural light isn't where you want it. It will get rid of raccoon eyes...allow you to use the sun as a rim light...put some needed extra light where you want it.

The desired effect is to have it add to the image...not to be so noticeable as to look flashy.

You may already know all of this...if not, practice.

Matthew Saville

The ABSOLUTE best thing you can do for yourself, honestly, is to team up. People could post for days and days about whether or not to use fill flash in harsh sun, (I dont') ...or which lenses to buy, rent, etc... But the bottom line is that you'll need REAL WORLD experience in order to get everything, in order to truly PROMISE the couple that you won't let them down. I believe it was either here, or in the school which I'm also a member of, where someone mentioned that on their first wedding job, they bumped their camera into a different shooting mode just MOMENTS before the ceremony kiss. YIKES. And I've heard countless other stories, about memory card issues, lens issues, flash issues. etc.

So the bottom line is, #1, KNOW YOUR GEAR. I would much rather know exactly how to use my gear, and where it's limitations are, than to have rented $5,000 worth of gear I've never shot with before.

And, #2, in my opinion, is to get help. Personally for example, I make myself available around So Cal to "2nd shoot" with other photographers, when I'm available. Considering that even an experienced professional will ask just a few hundred bucks for 2nd shooting, you just can't get a better deal from the bride & groom's perspective. Find someone local who can shoot with you, Ask the B&G to pony up an extra $200-400 to pay for their services, and just let them do their creative thing while you handle the responsibilities of being a primary shooter.

All in all, to answer a few questions really quick:

Sunlight, shade, tripod, no tripod, etc... It doesn't really matter that much to me. Bring on the harsh sun, all I gotta do is figure out the location and light direction, etc. I like tripods, but plenty of pros haven't touched one in their life. I like 100% ambient light and fast primes, but plenty of pros love their fill flash and zooms etc.

Every bit of advice you will ever receive is (hopefully at least) based on real-world experience, comfort levels, methods, etc. One photog's taboo, worst-case scenario might be another photog's prime environment in which they shine. So, experiment around, develop your own methods, and know them like the back of your hand when it comes time rock the job!

=Matt=

Sam

Matt,

Your ether a genius or an idiot depending ones point of view.

Rather than spend thousands of dollars to hire you I can reach out to you and say I am a beginning / amateur photographer looking for a second shooter, and pay peanuts.

I can see this posting in all the how to save money on your wedding blogs.

Absolute genius. Will you fly to San Jose? I'll start booking now.

PS: I understand your intent........just giving you a different interpretation of your post.

Sam

Matthew Saville

Sam wrote: »

Matt,

Your ether a genius or an idiot depending ones point of view.

Rather than spend thousands of dollars to hire you I can reach out to you and say I am a beginning / amateur photographer looking for a second shooter, and pay peanuts.

I can see this posting in all the how to save money on your wedding blogs.

Absolute genius. Will you fly to San Jose? I'll start booking now.

PS: I understand your intent........just giving you a different interpretation of your post.

Sam

I know, at first it sounds like just another excuse for a bride to go cheap on her wedding day. Have "uncle bob" be "in charge", but pay for a professional 2nd shooter just to ensure a few great shots happen even if uncle bob cracks under the pressure.

But, it's definitely not that simple, as I'm sure we all know. I only make myself available ~1 month in advance; I simply would NEVER reserve a weekend more than 2 months away for just $300-400. And in general, I don't broadcast this philosophy, or my offer, from the rooftops. I keep it quiet, from one serious photographer to another.

I only put this idea out there because it is something I wish I had when I was starting out. I have a friend who photographed something like TWENTY weddings as a 2nd shooter for a local studio, before going out on their own. That photographer was able to go straight to $3,000 too, instead of floundering around at $500, or worse...

But I digress. My point is, well, you get the point. Experience is king. Practice, practice, PRACTICE before doing anything professionally, especially a wedding. And, when you're still unsure, get help.

=Matt=