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My First Wedding! Yay!

BendrBendr Registered Users Posts: 665 Major grins
edited July 9, 2011 in Weddings
So... I was a Groomsman at a friends wedding, and I brought along my gear. I was planning on taking a few photos just for fun, but I found out the main photographer was the Brides sister, and she was super happy to have someone else shooting(I guess she normally has a 2nd) So then I went all out and basically played the role of 2nd...

Used 40D with 10-22, 24-105 f4 is, and 70-200 f4 is, with 580ex II, and 420ex off camera.

This was my first time shooting a wedding, and my first time using off camera flash(now I'm sold.)

I learned a lot, and now I'm much more comfortable with the prospect of shooting something in the future. I'm pretty happy with what I got, and I showed the pictures to the bride and groom the other day and they loved them! :barb

Here are a few of my favorites from the wedding, ring ceremony, and reception... I had a really hard time picking!

C&C Welcome!


1#Groomsman getting help with cufflinks
IMG3170-L.jpg

2#Groom
IMG3206-L.jpg

3#I love kid shots!
IMG3307-L.jpg

4#
IMG3344-L.jpg

5#
IMG3379-L.jpg

6#Right after they finished the ring ceremony.
IMG3656-L.jpg

7#Flash is up against the window to illuminate inside the car as they are leaving
IMG3773-L.jpg

8#Cake, and Bridesmaid's Bouquet
IMG3820-L.jpg

9#Guest Book
IMG3845-L.jpg

10#First Dance
IMG3897-L.jpg

11#
IMG3920-L.jpg

12#Groom's Parents
IMG4088-L.jpg

13#Cake Cutting...
IMG4118-L.jpg

14#She Creamed him!
IMG4136-L.jpg

15#Getting artsy for some detail shots.
IMG4219-L.jpg

16#Groom's sister, ready to go home.
IMG4289-L.jpg

Thanks for looking!
Ben
http://bendr.smugmug.com

Comments

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    JDizzleJDizzle Registered Users Posts: 3 Beginner grinner
    edited June 22, 2011
    Really love all the pics. You have some great shots. I'm trying to build up to buy an external flash so I can start experimenting
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    r3t1awr3ydr3t1awr3yd Registered Users Posts: 1,000 Major grins
    edited June 22, 2011
    #6, #13, #14 look like they have external flash but I'd raise the height of the flash so it doesn't look like monster lighting.
    Hi! I'm Wally: website | blog | facebook | IG | scotchNsniff
    Nikon addict. D610, Tok 11-16, Sig 24-35, Nik 24-70/70-200vr
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    Mark1616Mark1616 Registered Users Posts: 319 Major grins
    edited June 22, 2011
    They look like a cool couple. External flash is hard and can be harsh, modifying it with a softbox and getting it higher is really helpful. For a first time out look good to me.

    I'm here to learn so please feel free to give me constructive criticism to help me become the photographer I desire to be.

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    BendrBendr Registered Users Posts: 665 Major grins
    edited June 22, 2011
    JDizzle wrote: »
    Really love all the pics. You have some great shots. I'm trying to build up to buy an external flash so I can start experimenting

    Thanks, it really is worth it, i'm going to keep playing with it and hopefully get better.

    Ben
    http://bendr.smugmug.com
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    BendrBendr Registered Users Posts: 665 Major grins
    edited June 22, 2011
    r3t1awr3yd wrote: »
    #6, #13, #14 look like they have external flash but I'd raise the height of the flash so it doesn't look like monster lighting.

    Definitely will do that in the future, I picked up some stands to help with that.

    Thanks,
    Ben
    http://bendr.smugmug.com
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    BendrBendr Registered Users Posts: 665 Major grins
    edited June 22, 2011
    Mark1616 wrote: »
    They look like a cool couple. External flash is hard and can be harsh, modifying it with a softbox and getting it higher is really helpful. For a first time out look good to me.

    Thanks for the feedback,
    I'm starting to love flash, in fact this shoot inspired me to pick up 2 more 580ex's with stands and umbrellas. Hopefully that should help... :)

    I'm curious, do you guys find it to works well to set the flashes on manual and off to the side on a stand when you are moving around in a group? Or is there a better way? For this event I was using canon's master/slave configuration and I was running into a few line of sight problems here and there so i'm considering a wireless trigger such as the cactus v5 that would force me to manual.

    Any thoughts?

    Thanks,
    Ben
    http://bendr.smugmug.com
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    Mark1616Mark1616 Registered Users Posts: 319 Major grins
    edited June 22, 2011
    It depends. I use the Cactus v5s and they are great, I've got 6 of them so can set up numerous options. If you work with an assistant then get the settings on manual and they just have the flash the same distance away all the time from the subject. It doesn't take long for them to learn to get the 45 degree position so the lighting is nice. I honestly would only work with a single light when needing to work fast unless the lights are fixed and you bring people in to them.

    I'm here to learn so please feel free to give me constructive criticism to help me become the photographer I desire to be.

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    TomHarmonTomHarmon Registered Users Posts: 21 Big grins
    edited June 23, 2011
    First off, #2 is by far the best one. Secondly, you have a lot of tight crops. Its good to get close every once in a while, but you lose their surroundings. I'd like to see where they are, especially on the first dance. Your lighting looks ok. Good exposure, just coming form the wrong direction sometimes. (i.e. on #6, the uplighting is not so flattering). #6 is a good try, but I think it would be stronger if they were wither looking at each other or the camera. But all in all, good first go. You got a lot of good moments here.
    New Jersey Wedding Photography
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    trevorbtrevorb Registered Users Posts: 263 Major grins
    edited June 23, 2011
    Wow, really like the lighting on #4.
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    HurtNoMoreHurtNoMore Registered Users Posts: 7 Beginner grinner
    edited June 23, 2011
    #2 is as good as I've seen from a 40D.
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    BendrBendr Registered Users Posts: 665 Major grins
    edited July 2, 2011
    Mark1616 wrote: »
    It depends. I use the Cactus v5s and they are great, I've got 6 of them so can set up numerous options. If you work with an assistant then get the settings on manual and they just have the flash the same distance away all the time from the subject. It doesn't take long for them to learn to get the 45 degree position so the lighting is nice. I honestly would only work with a single light when needing to work fast unless the lights are fixed and you bring people in to them.

    So you try to keep the flash moving with the subjects?(Gonna have to find an assistant) :)

    Any thoughts when you don't have access to an assistant? do you still use the Cactus v5s? or do you stick to bounce/ettl?

    Thanks!
    http://bendr.smugmug.com
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    BendrBendr Registered Users Posts: 665 Major grins
    edited July 2, 2011
    TomHarmon wrote: »
    First off, #2 is by far the best one. Secondly, you have a lot of tight crops. Its good to get close every once in a while, but you lose their surroundings. I'd like to see where they are, especially on the first dance. Your lighting looks ok. Good exposure, just coming form the wrong direction sometimes. (i.e. on #6, the uplighting is not so flattering). #6 is a good try, but I think it would be stronger if they were wither looking at each other or the camera. But all in all, good first go. You got a lot of good moments here.

    Thanks, Glad you like it! I will definitely try and do more of this, I had a lot of fun shooting, and I learned a lot!

    It really is amazing what you don't notice when you are the one taking the pictures, I.e. looking back, I do have some surroundings photos,

    IMG4035-L.jpg

    but I really did focus on the close ups when I was shooting the bride and groom, even when I was shooting wider angle lenses like this.

    IMG4011-L.jpg

    I think part of it was I was trying to keep different lenses than the main photographer so I would be capturing a different perspective. But I appreciate the perspective that you are giving me, I didn't really notice until you mentioned it! :)

    As for lighting, it will definitely be a learning process for me, hopefully these stands will help, and I'll get more opportunities to play around with it.

    Thanks,
    Ben
    http://bendr.smugmug.com
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    BendrBendr Registered Users Posts: 665 Major grins
    edited July 2, 2011
    trevorb wrote: »
    Wow, really like the lighting on #4.

    Yeah, That little girl was adorable, and I was really happy with how that one came out!

    Thanks!
    http://bendr.smugmug.com
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    BendrBendr Registered Users Posts: 665 Major grins
    edited July 2, 2011
    HurtNoMore wrote: »
    #2 is as good as I've seen from a 40D.

    Thanks!

    Ben
    http://bendr.smugmug.com
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    NeilLNeilL Registered Users Posts: 4,201 Major grins
    edited July 2, 2011
    HurtNoMore wrote: »
    #2 is as good as I've seen from a 40D.

    headscratch.gifscratchheadscratch.gifne_nau.gifdunnone_nau.gifrolleyes1.gifrolleyesrolleyes1.gif

    Neil
    "Snow. Ice. Slow!" "Half-winter. Half-moon. Half-asleep!"

    http://www.behance.net/brosepix
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    NeilLNeilL Registered Users Posts: 4,201 Major grins
    edited July 2, 2011
    Enjoyed these! There's a feeling and look about them which maybe comes from you being very familiar with all the people. Just now it strikes me as a bit strange having a complete stranger - of course often the usual case - photographing such very personal events as a wedding. Somehow many of the subtleties of what's going on between people don't get in the shots, maybe because the stranger photog is just not sensitised to the "decisive moment"?:D

    Neil
    "Snow. Ice. Slow!" "Half-winter. Half-moon. Half-asleep!"

    http://www.behance.net/brosepix
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    Steinhaus PhotographySteinhaus Photography Registered Users Posts: 4 Beginner grinner
    edited July 7, 2011
    I absolutely love #10 and #11. You captured the moments (and emotions) just perfectly. Awesome job!
    www.SteinhausPhotography.com
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    BendrBendr Registered Users Posts: 665 Major grins
    edited July 9, 2011
    NeilL wrote: »
    Enjoyed these! There's a feeling and look about them which maybe comes from you being very familiar with all the people. Just now it strikes me as a bit strange having a complete stranger - of course often the usual case - photographing such very personal events as a wedding. Somehow many of the subtleties of what's going on between people don't get in the shots, maybe because the stranger photog is just not sensitised to the "decisive moment"?:D

    Neil

    Thanks, my goal is really to capture those moments, I think I take a bit more of a photojournalistic approach then some would, and there were a few, that after I took them I said, "That is sooo them..." Maybe there is some basis to what you are saying... :)

    Ben
    http://bendr.smugmug.com
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    BendrBendr Registered Users Posts: 665 Major grins
    edited July 9, 2011
    Steinhaus Photography wrote: »
    I absolutely love #10 and #11. You captured the moments (and emotions) just perfectly. Awesome job!
    www.SteinhausPhotography.com

    Thanks, Glad you like them, You just picked out two of my absolute favorites.

    By the way, I looked at your site, you've got a great style, I really love it!

    Thanks,
    Ben
    http://bendr.smugmug.com
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