I recently shot my first wedding. I second what many of the others said, make sure you attend all the events. The rehersals and informals are a great opportunity to learn who is who, the relatives, etc. That knowledge helped me and my wife (my lighting assistant) have fun and be more relaxed. We were also able to know the important people to get pictures of. I found that knowing the stories of the individuals helped me capture certain moments better to get the feeling of the wedding and personalities.
Also, I asked to have the rehersal at the same time of day to get the lighting down (it was outside) and test my wireless lighting on manual mode (it was my first time trying off camera wireless flash).
Looking back, I should have color corrected my flash in the bridal room shots to match the florescents. Also, I was not happy with many of the reception pictures on the dance floor, although a few came out ok. I really needed a 2nd flash and different umbrella for those shots. I was using a white flash through umbrella (first time) and should have used a silver reflective umbrella to get more flash power. Also, it would have been good to have an on-camera flash only for focus assist. Even with an f2.8 lens I had trouble focusing in low-light without flash assist.
After talking to the B&G after the wedding and looking through the pictures, they didn't notice a lot of the technical issues. That points out that the critical thing is getting the right people at the right time. They loved the surprise candid shots the most.
You got some intesteing shots for your first wedding, i like the one dress shot with warm tones and the arms kinda disapear. but whats with the difference in Skin colors??? some look like you used lucis art and/or high pass sharpen, kinda deadlike skin tones, and others look like they used some spray on tan stuff. ?????
I would take several memory cards and shoot RAW. DON'T PUT ALL YOUR PICTURES ON ONE MEMORY CARD - that's dangerous. That's like putting all your investments (money) in one firm...or all your eggs in one basket. I number my cards...I use 4.
Google: List of wedding pictures to take.
And remember you are in charge...so just take it easy and relax...you can do this...don't sell yourself short.
I think you've gotten lots of wedding advice...just take notes...study them and you'll be ready.
Hi everyone and thanks so much for all of your comments and suggestions!!! The wedding is over and I've been out of the Dgrin loop for a few weeks now, traveling to the wedding, shooting photos of it, and processing all the images for posting to the web for the bride and groom. Thought I'd share my experience with you.
First of all I learned to have GREAT respect for anyone who does this kind of thing and does it well!
What a nerve racking experience. I did have fun though. Keep in mind that I prepared the folks getting married with the idea that I am NOT a professional and they would end up with a large set of photos documenting the occasion but nothing more. Secondly, I was reminded of the fact that I am truly an amateur photographer! So much for being able to say 'gee ... that shot didn't turn out quite like I thought, let's do it again...'. That's ok though, I have no where to go but UP from here! It was a great learning experience.
The first major set back happened when I saw where the wedding was to take place. I was informed that it was at a resort in one of the banquet facilities ahead of time. I expected to find a large room with tables and chairs set up that I would be able to walk around in to shoot the actual wedding. I was also told ahead of time that I'd be able to set up where ever I liked for the wedding. Here's what we ended up with :
There was no way to stay down in the lower level to get the wedding party walking in and then get to a vantage point where I could see the wedding! At least not without walking right THROUGH the wedding party. So, at the last minute, I decided the best I could do is set up above and try to get as many shots as possible from there. I also found out when I arrived that the wedding was going to take 15 minutes max! No time to move from one spot to another. So I told the bride and groom I'd take some photos of them with their wedding party down below before things got started. This allowed me time to get back to my ceremony vantage point before things got started. It didn't allow me to find a great spot to shoot the wedding party. We ended up not shooting any 'formal' wedding shots because the wedding ended with the bride and groom on the dance floor doing their first dance.
I think to shoot this wedding properly would have taken no less than three photographers. One below to shoot the wedding party entering, one on each side of the balcony to shoot the actual wedding ceremony from the bride and groom vantage point.
Here's a couple of shots from the wedding.
At the reception I was concerned with lighting so set my camera for aperture priority mode and f2.8. Being the amateur that I am, I left it set that way for most of the night. BIG mistake for some of the shots where groups where not lined up since I had a fairly small DOF. Most reception shots were ok but a few had someone out of focus that was important to the photo. I won't bore you with ALL of the mistakes I made.
Regardless of the mistakes I made and the unexpected surprises, I had a BLAST! It was probably the BEST wedding I've ever been to. My own excluded of course! I had so much fun taking photographs of everyone. I don't think I'll be able to go to another wedding without camera in tow!
One last time ... Thanks to all of you for helping to make this a great learning experience for me. I had so much fun and owe a lot to you for trying to prepare me for what to expect. Without that I would have been, instead of partially overwhelmed, TOTALLY overwhelmed.
Thanks and HAPPY SHOOTING!
Maybe now I'll have time to scrounge up a shot for the next LPS round!
Given the constraints under which you had to work and the lack of a decent schedule, I think you did very well. Some of your shots are a little over flashed and some are a little under exposed (the under exposed ones can be brought up in any RAW converter - no issues there).
In #4 and the last one, what happened to the groom's facial skin? Is that really what his face looked like or do you have some issues to deal with there. It looks like the worst case of sunburn I have ever seen.
All in all, for a first time and with limited photographic experience, I think your friends will be quite happy.
In #4 and the last one, what happened to the groom's facial skin? Is that really what his face looked like or do you have some issues to deal with there. It looks like the worst case of sunburn I have ever seen.
I'm still working on all of the photos with the groom in them. His skin looks like that in pretty much every photo. It was that way in the second photo as well but I made some adjustments.
I have 2 weddings to do in August and September. They are my first at being the main photographer and I'm not looking forward to it!
I've always taken a camera with me but haven't had the added pressure that comes with messing up someone's special day :cry Which, incidentally, I have never done and have always been told that they wish they had hired me instead of their own photographer haha.
I just hope my wedding photographs turn out as good as yours.
I take it you used your Nikon D80, but, what lens did you use?
Canon EOS 40D, Canon EOS 350D, 50mm 1.8 MKII prime lens, 17-40mm f/4 L lens, 70-200mm f/2.8 L IS lens, 430 EX speedlite, Tungsten Continuous studio light, Pocket Wizards, Gary Fong Lightsphere, Stofen Omni bounce diffuser, 5in1 reflector
Thank you. Mostly I used my Tamron 17-50mm f2.8, D80, and SB600 flash.
Cool thank you
Canon EOS 40D, Canon EOS 350D, 50mm 1.8 MKII prime lens, 17-40mm f/4 L lens, 70-200mm f/2.8 L IS lens, 430 EX speedlite, Tungsten Continuous studio light, Pocket Wizards, Gary Fong Lightsphere, Stofen Omni bounce diffuser, 5in1 reflector
I take it you used your Nikon D80, but, what lens did you use?
In the "for what it's worth" column, I use my EF-S 17-55 f/2.8 IS on 90% of my wedding photographs. It is my workhorse, my goto lens. Another 9% can be attributed to my 70-200 f/2.8 IS (a beautiful lens that I simply could not do without). The remaining 1% is usually my 100 f/2.8 Macro and my 50 f/1.4.
Comments
Also, I asked to have the rehersal at the same time of day to get the lighting down (it was outside) and test my wireless lighting on manual mode (it was my first time trying off camera wireless flash).
Looking back, I should have color corrected my flash in the bridal room shots to match the florescents. Also, I was not happy with many of the reception pictures on the dance floor, although a few came out ok. I really needed a 2nd flash and different umbrella for those shots. I was using a white flash through umbrella (first time) and should have used a silver reflective umbrella to get more flash power. Also, it would have been good to have an on-camera flash only for focus assist. Even with an f2.8 lens I had trouble focusing in low-light without flash assist.
After talking to the B&G after the wedding and looking through the pictures, they didn't notice a lot of the technical issues. That points out that the critical thing is getting the right people at the right time. They loved the surprise candid shots the most.
http://bradschulz.smugmug.com/gallery/2812029
Google: List of wedding pictures to take.
And remember you are in charge...so just take it easy and relax...you can do this...don't sell yourself short.
I think you've gotten lots of wedding advice...just take notes...study them and you'll be ready.
Good Luck.
First of all I learned to have GREAT respect for anyone who does this kind of thing and does it well!
What a nerve racking experience. I did have fun though. Keep in mind that I prepared the folks getting married with the idea that I am NOT a professional and they would end up with a large set of photos documenting the occasion but nothing more. Secondly, I was reminded of the fact that I am truly an amateur photographer! So much for being able to say 'gee ... that shot didn't turn out quite like I thought, let's do it again...'. That's ok though, I have no where to go but UP from here! It was a great learning experience.
The first major set back happened when I saw where the wedding was to take place. I was informed that it was at a resort in one of the banquet facilities ahead of time. I expected to find a large room with tables and chairs set up that I would be able to walk around in to shoot the actual wedding. I was also told ahead of time that I'd be able to set up where ever I liked for the wedding. Here's what we ended up with :
There was no way to stay down in the lower level to get the wedding party walking in and then get to a vantage point where I could see the wedding! At least not without walking right THROUGH the wedding party. So, at the last minute, I decided the best I could do is set up above and try to get as many shots as possible from there. I also found out when I arrived that the wedding was going to take 15 minutes max! No time to move from one spot to another. So I told the bride and groom I'd take some photos of them with their wedding party down below before things got started. This allowed me time to get back to my ceremony vantage point before things got started. It didn't allow me to find a great spot to shoot the wedding party. We ended up not shooting any 'formal' wedding shots because the wedding ended with the bride and groom on the dance floor doing their first dance.
I think to shoot this wedding properly would have taken no less than three photographers. One below to shoot the wedding party entering, one on each side of the balcony to shoot the actual wedding ceremony from the bride and groom vantage point.
Here's a couple of shots from the wedding.
At the reception I was concerned with lighting so set my camera for aperture priority mode and f2.8. Being the amateur that I am, I left it set that way for most of the night. BIG mistake for some of the shots where groups where not lined up since I had a fairly small DOF. Most reception shots were ok but a few had someone out of focus that was important to the photo. I won't bore you with ALL of the mistakes I made.
Regardless of the mistakes I made and the unexpected surprises, I had a BLAST! It was probably the BEST wedding I've ever been to. My own excluded of course! I had so much fun taking photographs of everyone. I don't think I'll be able to go to another wedding without camera in tow!
One last time ... Thanks to all of you for helping to make this a great learning experience for me. I had so much fun and owe a lot to you for trying to prepare me for what to expect. Without that I would have been, instead of partially overwhelmed, TOTALLY overwhelmed.
Thanks and HAPPY SHOOTING!
Maybe now I'll have time to scrounge up a shot for the next LPS round!
My Photos
My Facebook
In #4 and the last one, what happened to the groom's facial skin? Is that really what his face looked like or do you have some issues to deal with there. It looks like the worst case of sunburn I have ever seen.
All in all, for a first time and with limited photographic experience, I think your friends will be quite happy.
My Photos
Thoughts on photographing a wedding, How to post a picture, AF Microadjustments?, Light Scoop
Equipment List - Check my profile
I'm still working on all of the photos with the groom in them. His skin looks like that in pretty much every photo. It was that way in the second photo as well but I made some adjustments.
My Photos
My Facebook
I have 2 weddings to do in August and September. They are my first at being the main photographer and I'm not looking forward to it!
I've always taken a camera with me but haven't had the added pressure that comes with messing up someone's special day :cry Which, incidentally, I have never done and have always been told that they wish they had hired me instead of their own photographer haha.
I just hope my wedding photographs turn out as good as yours.
I take it you used your Nikon D80, but, what lens did you use?
Thank you. Mostly I used my Tamron 17-50mm f2.8, D80, and SB600 flash.
My Photos
My Facebook
Cool thank you
My Photos
Thoughts on photographing a wedding, How to post a picture, AF Microadjustments?, Light Scoop
Equipment List - Check my profile