Training for Portrait & Wedding photography advice wanted

sardelli

I'm looking for advice on getting training to do portrait and wedding photography. Currently I have another career (computers). However, after getting more and more into photography I decided that I want to start making money do it and see where it goes, if possible change careers. So far I have:
-Been asking friends and family to pose for me
-Had a few paying gigs
-Been doing charity work for a large church (events as well as studio shots)
-Signed up to do a small wedding in June
-Reading books on portraiture and lighting

I have some good gear (5D, 24-70L, 100mm macro, some alien bees, etc) that should do me for a bit (I'll need a few more lenses). Now I think I need to think seriously about getting some real training. Any suggestions? I'm not going to go back to school to get a degree. Too old for that. I'm a pretty quick study but training can save time doing trial and error.
I looking for both specific and general advice, anything you got. Or even how you broke into the field.
Thanks in advance.

--
Bob

Mike Lane

http://www.betterphoto.com/

Shay Stephens

Practice low light action photography. Practice portrait photography. Practice flash photography. Practice macro photography. Practice photographing emotion. Study wedding photography.

I spent over year doing that before I did my first wedding. I attended no school, and did no assisting, but I wasn't doing it cold turkey either.

If you don't have the time, then attending a school or assisting or both may be beneficial. Basically it is bad to plan on experimenting or winging it at a wedding. When you shoot a wedding, which is a high stress job, you have to rely on honed skills you can do without thinking hard about. If you have to rely on experimenting, you will likely freeze up under the pressure and not get anything or get something not really worthy of being paid for.

A portrait session can always be rescheduled when things go wrong. A wedding has much higher stakes. And you need to be prepared both mentally and equipmentally (yes a new word hehehe). Don't shortchange yourself.

Art Scott

Another way to get some practice is to attend a few weddings from the newspaper listings for a while and take a few pics during and aftrer the ceremony.....
I did this before doing my first wedding, but I had also been shooting concerts for a couple of years before I did my first wedding....

For me only my first wedding was stressful....I seem to thrive off all the energy that is flowing around weddings......all of the studios and Bridal shops I shot for always gave me what they termed the crabbiest cleints.....it seemed like 5 minutes after I arrived at a wedding everyone was as nice as could be and just let me run things like they should be....

Remember as a wedding photog....You should run the event, the whole event...and turn it over to the Dj when you leave the Reception....anyway that always been my rule and that made sure my work was easy for me.

If I can be of any help just ask and I'll do what i can.

System

Mike Lane wrote:

http://www.betterphoto.com/

There are so many typographical errors on that site I'd never take a course.

Shay Stephens

truth wrote:

There are so many typographical errors on that site I'd never take a course.

In ordur to propurly take this foto, it is emportnt to get the following settings set purfectly: f/5.8 1/112 ASP100 and a focus length of 50 m

Mike Lane

truth wrote:

There are so many typographical errors on that site I'd never take a course.

Fortunately they teach photography not journalism.

Besides I didn't see anything that egregious.

Art Scott

Picked up a british mag this after noon...digital photo Pro...WEDDING ISSUE....a lot of great ideas and such in there...it was in Barnes / Noble and also Borders........yeah kinda pricey....12.00.

kristen

Art Scott wrote:

Another way to get some practice is to attend a few weddings from the newspaper listings for a while and take a few pics during and aftrer the ceremony.....
I did this before doing my first wedding, but I had also been shooting concerts for a couple of years before I did my first wedding....

For me only my first wedding was stressful....I seem to thrive off all the energy that is flowing around weddings......all of the studios and Bridal shops I shot for always gave me what they termed the crabbiest cleints.....it seemed like 5 minutes after I arrived at a wedding everyone was as nice as could be and just let me run things like they should be....

Remember as a wedding photog....You should run the event, the whole event...and turn it over to the Dj when you leave the Reception....anyway that always been my rule and that made sure my work was easy for me.

If I can be of any help just ask and I'll do what i can.

This my friend is a great idea.... I might just try to find a wedding to attend before I shoot my wedding so that I can practice. Time is crunched right now as it is. I seem SO BUSY since I started my business.

kristen

Art Scott wrote:

Picked up a british mag this after noon...digital photo Pro...WEDDING ISSUE....a lot of great ideas and such in there...it was in Barnes / Noble and also Borders........yeah kinda pricey....12.00.

Once again... you are wonderful. I didn't know they had magazines that would give wedding help. I am going to the book store tonight.