She popped the question. "Will you be a photographer at my wedding in April?" My response was "Ummmmm.... Yes, I will".
Excitement came first. I'm flattered to be asked. She likes my photography enough to ask. And then panic set in! What does she mean "photographer"? Does this mean I'll be the lead, a second, a third? Will I be doing formal portraits of grouped wedding guests? Will my equipment be enough? YIKERS!
After I calmed down I asked her a few basic important questions and found out she will have a photographer do the big shots. He'll have the equipment and ladder and whatever. But then she said "But, I don't like his style". OY! Let me recommend someone. But she refuses. She's got her guy but then she wants me to do all the pre-wedding (bridal preparation), wedding, and reception candids. Sounds easy enough but I'm not totally convinced. Still seems a big responsibility. There might be one other photographer guy friend who says he'll do it but she said he's not committing so I'm anticipating I may be the only one. PANIC, again. The responsibility of catching quality and important shots is weighty on my shoulders.
Already done:
1 - scheduled time for a conversation with her to determine her expectations, vision, and desires.
2 - a link to a photographer's work that she admires. But what runs through my head is "how in the world do i emulate someone else's style?".
3 - started reading the discussion board here to learn more.
4 - started scheduling photo shoots with friends so I can practice skills with other people (like little kids who are constantly moving).
5 - an engagement shoot has been scheduled so I can spend time with them as a couple and I can practice my skills.
6 - she can't afford to pay me so I've told her photos will be my gift to her. I'm not printing anything but will provide a CD and an upload to a photo site (probably Shutterfly).
7 - I'm planning to purchase a tripod before the engagement shoot. Any suggestions on a favorite that's sturdy but light and easy to take around all day long?
Need help:
- what equipment do I still need (my best equipment is my Canon T2i, the standard 18-55 lens that came with it, one telephoto lens (also from my kit)) that would really be useful for the day?
- what are your favorite wedding links for tips and best practices?
- what is the best camera setting to shoot white to really capture the dress on its own or as she walks down the aisle amongst lots of color around her?
- what are the absolute necessary shots I must capture during the pre-wedding, wedding, and reception?
- I'm getting better at adjusting my settings accurately, but certainly a work in progress. In my first photo shoot ever (happened today) I found myself getting flustered as I moved my friends along between sunny and shady patches. Maybe it just takes time and experience but are there any tips for keeping organized and calm to avoid nervous flustery faux pas during the shoot and get the best images possible?
- tips for carrying around my gear in an elegant but practical way. I've seen some cute bags geared for women in which you can place your lenses. Gear gets heavy. Any tips?
- a friend just gave me a fish eye lens that will attach to the tip of an existing lens. My camera is a Canon but the lens attachment is Polaroid. I've yet to try it. Hope it is useful.
- I'm a guest, but I'm also acting as her primary photographer for much of the day. What can I do to work but still enjoy myself?
- What must I do between now and April to ensure that I am prepared to capture these important moments on her special day?
I'm excited, but nervous. I'm flattered, but insecurity sometimes sets in. I'm challenged and very inspired by the task.
Apologies for all the questions, but any tips, suggestions, guidance you can provide is MOST appreciated.
Good luck! Have fun and take lots of shots! Forget about being a guest, if you are serious about getting all the good shots. You will be busy! Just do the best with what you've got. You can do it! Although you could recommend that she place disposable cameras at each guest table. I have never seen these photos but some people enjoy them. It sounds like you've done your research. I would shoot in auto and edit later if I were not comfortable with camera settings. Ok, that's my bit of jumbled, not knowing any better than you advice! Just have fun with it.
In terms of equipment, you will need an external flash with a head that can be pointed in different directions (to provide fill light in sunshine, and to bounce of the walls or ceiling indoors) such as the 430EX II, and you will definitely benefit from a fast prime lens like the 50mm f/1.8. You will need at least two batteries that hold excellent charge, as well as a couple of sets of rechargeable AA batteries for the flash. You will need at least twice as many memory cards as you think you will need.
With the flash in particular, you should try and get it well in advance so you can practice using it -- learning how to do flash photography is not advisable on the big day!
If you don't already shoot in RAW, doing so will give you a lot more leeway if you get your settings wrong. You can fix white balance, minor to moderate exposure errors, and so on very easily in RAW compared to JPEG. Again, you should really get some practice in beforehand, learning RAW when you have a couple of thousand photos to process is not much fun.
Don't shoot fully manual unless you absolutely know what you're doing and you really want to. There seems to be a (at least partially misguided) point of pride on this site that always shooting manual is the right way to do things -- don't let it affect you. Camera manufacturers spend millions of dollars making their automatic and semi-automatic (Av and Tv modes) do an excellent job. If in doubt, let the camera do the hard work. (That includes using Auto ISO)
Become familiar with how to use exposure compensation, how to read the histogram when reviewing a photo on your camera, what 'blinkies' are and how to correct for them, how to quickly select the right focus point for the shot you want. (You may already know some or all of this).
Remember that the bride and groom will probably be happier with a bunch of 'boring' shots that come out really well, than a bunch of adventurous shots that didn't quite work out. Things like fisheye adapters might make for a cool shot -- but they might not. If in doubt, keep it simple.
I'm sure others will be along with better advice shortly :)
First I would like to say - Alexis I always love your comments. They are on the money and you know your technical side of things way more than any normal persona could, so I would like to thank you from everyone as you do a fantastic job and are a valuable member of this community.
Now - I must say I loved loved loved your description. I feel I know where you are coming from and if find it entertaining. ;-) I am sure you can appreciate that....
If I may let me answer your questions directly. Sorry this is going to be LONG...
Already done:
1 - scheduled time for a conversation with her to determine her expectations, vision, and desires. Excellent but you need to express your expectations also. Tell her straight up that you are not a pro and you can do what you can do, and that you will try your best something don't work out.
2 - a link to a photographer's work that she admires. But what runs through my head is "how in the world do i emulate someone else's style?". Forget the link, she said she likes YOUR style so stick with it.
3 - started reading the discussion board here to learn more. Well done
4 - started scheduling photo shoots with friends so I can practice skills with other people (like little kids who are constantly moving). . Well done
5 - an engagement shoot has been scheduled so I can spend time with them as a couple and I can practice my skills. Use that time to set their expectations. It is important that you and them know what you are going to give them.
6 - she can't afford to pay me so I've told her photos will be my gift to her. I'm not printing anything but will provide a CD and an upload to a photo site (probably Shutterfly). Ask her if you can also use the photo for your own use
7 - I'm planning to purchase a tripod before the engagement shoot. Any suggestions on a favorite that's sturdy but light and easy to take around all day long? What for? You will not need it unless you are planning to put lights on it.
Need help:
- what equipment do I still need (my best equipment is my Canon T2i, the standard 18-55 lens that came with it, one telephoto lens (also from my kit)) that would really be useful for the day? Do you have the 250mm lens? 55mm is WAY TOO close for a wedding. I wouldnt worry about off camer flash as you might not have time to work it out before the wedding.
- what are your favorite wedding links for tips and best practices? Check out my latest videos, as they give you some tips about photographing groups. See my profile
- what is the best camera setting to shoot white to really capture the dress on its own or as she walks down the aisle amongst lots of color around her? Great question..... Have it on spot metering and meter the dress, then dial it down a tad in exposure. A great idea is to meter off your hand, and then take the photo.
- what are the absolute necessary shots I must capture during the pre-wedding, wedding, and reception? Ask them.
- I'm getting better at adjusting my settings accurately, but certainly a work in progress. In my first photo shoot ever (happened today) I found myself getting flustered as I moved my friends along between sunny and shady patches. Maybe it just takes time and experience but are there any tips for keeping organized and calm to avoid nervous flustery faux pas during the shoot and get the best images possible? spot meter on their face, the rest you can fix in post
- tips for carrying around my gear in an elegant but practical way. I've seen some cute bags geared for women in which you can place your lenses. Gear gets heavy. Any tips?Carry less gear...... Ok Ok Ok, you have me here..... You are not there to be elegant, you are there to take photos, so take photos. Stick the lens in your pocket, stick them in a backpack. It doesnt matter as long as you get the shot.....
- a friend just gave me a fish eye lens that will attach to the tip of an existing lens. My camera is a Canon but the lens attachment is Polaroid. I've yet to try it. Hope it is useful. forget it. One trick pony
- I'm a guest, but I'm also acting as her primary photographer for much of the day. What can I do to work but still enjoy myself? you can not be both, choose one!
- What must I do between now and April to ensure that I am prepared to capture these important moments on her special day? Practice in LOW light.
As a bit of a note I work in AV mode 99% of the time at an event, so go practice that.
Watch my video on how to select people form a group and get great photos of them.
Did I say practice....
Here have a look at this image as it has an attached the attached video.
Julz @julz - you can do it :-D ... we used to shoot amateur photography and videos decades ago for friends' weddings on numerous occations, as gifts too, never did I loose friendships as a result of this :-) ... people get what they pay for AND MORE ;-) ... have fun with it!
Much excellent advice has been "said" already, @mandyj92@abirkill@agima) ... you're going to be busy, so your role as a guest is minimalised ... dress sensibly for your role as photographer - unrevealing and smart business code may be a good idea.
I am a complete novice, however, that did stop my bestie from asking me to take her wedding photos...and to my own horror, I said yes! I was THE primary photographer...there was no other. The pressure was huge!
My little tips:
You're doing the 'getting ready' shots...be there BEFORE the bride is ready. Take this time to get unflustered and take shots as you see them. Don't set up too much, just hang around. When I had just-waiting-around time, I took photos of the parents of the bride and bridesmaids. I also took some grouped shots of the shoes, garter, wedding rings and flowers. My bride was calm and we had a lovely time just playing around...she trusted me, which was pressure for me but she felt great.
Outside shots are easiest...we had a lovely, slightly overcast, day. My hardest were the indoor low light. As the guys said above, practice this the most. Any time you don't use in-camera flash, the better. I didn't have any external flash system and so as the night wore on I found it hardest.
Talk to her about choosing a protected outdoor area for some shots before the wedding, if time permits. I took the bride and bridesmaids to a sheltered flower park with pond and lots of foliage and flowers. It actually was a Rhododendron park...lovely. We had fun there doing what ever we wanted.
Remember, I'm a novice. You have had much more experience then me! I did sooooo much post production in PS! However, the bride and the groom were happy as! Phew!
Something I learned here, just this week, is how to do custom white balance in the camera. For indoor, that would have been a godsend back then. I am only now learning to move past P setting in my camera.
You will need a tripod for any group shots...a long drawn out process that will make your arms ache. The family and friends almost always want the group shots! I have a Manfrotto 785B - lightweight tripod.
I took a couple of thousand shots. And spent hours and hours in post production. Just what I have learned here in the last 10 days would have saved me more then half the time lol
Would I do it again...a year ago, nope. Now, hmmm maybe!
Good luck! Remember, it's a happy occasion. And I hope for you, that your bride and groom are calm and happy on the day :)
@abirkill @agima
You are both legends, and we here at 365 land, are so lucky to have you around. You give so freely of you experience and expertise, I have learnt so much from you both.
I have no wedding advice...I just wanted you 2 guys to know how much you are appreciated.
Good luck ...l have recently done a friends wedding - very daunting, l was lucky as they had a relative from either side helping, all of us amateurs, but we got some good shots - l checked out , with the couple, the best spot for the group shots, where the sun, shade etc would be, one of the most valuable things l found was having a relative with me organising the groups, and throwing suggestions at them , ie jump, kick your legs up, turn side ways etc...she had a great eye for composition, and people wanted direction, she was invaluable...once again good luck:)
Be sure you have a good program for post-processing. Since the big Photoshop is not always affordable, Photoshop Elements or Lightroom are excellent choices.
And if you have time before the wedding, see if you can find someone with a wedding dress that's willing to throw it on so you can practice (or at least a white dress of some kind). Wedding dresses can be tricky to photograph. And personally I don't think it hurts to look at other photographers' work just to get a direction. Don't try to copy them, just see what sticks in your mind and build your own style from that.
Best of luck to you. I've been in your shoes. Don't let the nerves get to you. Be all business, focus, and you'll do great! And post here afterwards so we can see them :-)
I did this for a relative who also couldn't afford a 'real' photographer. First, do everything that Brendan and Alexis say...absolute geniuses! My only advice would be to make a list of shots you really want to get. I didn't necessarily use my list all day but writing it all down helped me remember it. Good luck!
@agima@abirkill - the 365 world is so much better with you guys around here. i'm not shooting any weddings, but whenever i read these 'help!' discussions, i always zero in on your comments/advice first before i read anyone else's. thank you for being here for us.
@julz - heed the advice of these gentlemen. and practice, practice, practice!
Thank you to all, I have just learnt lots from reading eveyone's bit.... go girl you can do it...... and you will surprise yourself at how many lovely pictures you will have at the end of the day...x
I'm amazed by the community here. I knew you guys were great but now I just think of ya'll as rockstars! SWEET!
@mandyj92@hagscat Thanks for the encouragement. I'm excited and anticipating the busyness of the day. My plan is just to have fun with all the shots and to be as creative as I can. Hopefully with all the practice I'll be getting between now and then I'll be armed with more skills to be in more control and accurate with the shots I'm imagining.
@githaofegestal Thanks. I'm hopeful I won't lose a friendship over this. With the engagement shoot, I'm thinking they'll get to see what I can (or can't do). Reality, right? Thanks for the link reference.
@kazlamont
Thanks for the tips. SO helpful! Thanks for reminding me to "hang around". Sometimes it's those unexpected shots that show up in front of you that turn out the best. I love outside shots. Lighting is almost always better. I'm a little nervous about indoor low lighting, especially as it moves into evening but I'm hoping I'll get some practice in the coming weeks with this type of setup. What is your favorite settings for indoor low light?
Great tip on choosing a protected area for pre wedding shots if possible. I hadn't thought of that. You're way ahead of me in post processing. I have much to learn.
Thanks for the tripod recommendation. I won't be taking family shots (phew!) but I'm finding more and more where I might benefit from having a tripod. I have a Gorillapod but it's not strong enough for my dSLR.
I'm a little worried about post production as I know that will be quite cumbersome. How long did it take you to get through it all. I'm estimating I might need to tell her she won't see photos for a month. Is that a reasonable time frame?
@onie@summerfield Ditto. As I'm participating more and more in Discussions, I so appreciate the generous expertise that is shared. Thank you SO much @abirkill@agima for sharing. You are appreciated and I'm learning so much from you.
@michelle58
Thanks for the lucky wishes. Phew! It is a daunting task but thankful I love weddings and all it stands for. Great tip to check out best spots before hand to anticipate lighting and composition. I'm planning to visit the site beforehand for this purpose. Nervous!
@shutterbug0810
I just got Lightroom. I hear it's good. But after stepping over the threshold and gently dipping my toe in, the Lightroom "water" is icier than I thought. It's like reading a foreign language (sort of).
Your tip to have a friend throw on a white dress was priceless. It made me recall a photography teacher I took a class from mentioning photographing white can be a challenge. I've sent out feelers for help and am hopeful to do a practice shoot with a lady in white in the coming weeks.Great idea!
Any tips on how best to shoot white? Especially if it's white on white on white.
Will post afterwards. For sure something from that day will be my photo of the day. It's all the photographing I'll be doing that day. LOL!
@tryeveryday Yup, I plan to do everything that everyone is telling me to do (of course, all things that make sense that is). Brendan and Alexis advice has been priceless. Agreed!
@abirkill@agima
WOW! WOW! Thank you, thank you for all your advice. I'm not even sure where to begin with that wealth of knowledge except to say thank you! I will have to respond more as I practice some of what you are suggesting and advising.
@abirkill
I will say, I've just started shooting in RAW just to play with it and see how it feels differently. Thanks for that encouragement. And I started learning a little more about Av and Tv modes. I usually shoot just in M. Shooting in Auto now seems weird.
@agima
Thanks for loving my description. I love to write so your kind words were very encouraging.
I appreciated the LONG description. So much for me to learn and excited to try.
Great tip to utilize the engagement shoot as a means set their expectations. I plan to show some of the ugly shots... hahaha. Then when I take a decent photo, they'll be impressed. :D
Thanks for the tip to ask for using photos for my own use. I'm incorporating that into my practice shoots between now and then. Everyone's been super supportive in being open to the request.
Thanks for the tip on the tripod. The thought of lugging one around was not appealing.
Thinking more about lenses than before. I don't understand them yet (like which ones are best for certain types of shooting). All I know right now is that they make a big difference when you've got a nice on on your hands. I've been borrowing lenses from others and it's turning me into a "snooty" shooter. Ha!
Regarding lenses, a good option for an event like this is to rent them. That way you can get to use something you otherwise wouldn't buy. Even though the bride and groom aren't able to pay you, they might be able to chip in for a couple of lens rentals?
The go-to place in the US is lensrentals.com (no affiliation). Lenses like the Canon 24-70mm f/2.8L II are the bread and butter of wedding photographers and will produce absolutely beautiful shots.
If you do go this route, I'd advise sticking to similar focal lengths to what you're familiar with (i.e. rent the top-end version of the same lens or lenses you currently use). That way it'll feel totally natural to use and you don't have to worry about learning to use it.
Indoor low light! I didn't have to worry too much as it was an early reception and the place was all windows. Anything I had to fix, I did in photoshop. I was a complete newbie at PS so it took me a long time.
Another thing, the bride and bridesmaids etc are not professional models - try some different ways to have them stand/sit while taking the shots and get them to loosen up and relax before you click the shutter - you don't want them to look stiff, which can happen when they are nervous. You will see the strain through their shoulders, especially while holding the flowers. Having those practice sessions will be very helpful and laugh alot while doing them :)
Yep to saying one month to the bride to be.
Do some reasearch on the best ways to complete your post workflow. Learn how to batch process as much as you can. You have a canon, so you should have Canon Digital Photo Professional program - awesome batch processing. Learn how to create "recipes" in that program. I knew nothing about them at the time and that would have saved massive amounts of time.
This should be a fun and huge learning curve for you. When you feel stressed about it all, remember that your photography, on a personal level, has got to get better from this!
@julz ... you go Girl!!! ... your reality check is well in tact and engagement shoot will be a great pilot / practice round for all (you and them)
... here's a link to a simple and useful Posing Guide to help you and them with 21 sample couple poses @ http://digital-photography-school.com/posing-guide-21-sample-poses-to-get-you-started-with-photographing-couples
Once again - Good Luck!!!
BTW: here's a greeting card - I created it some time ago for one of my daughter's friends for her wedding day :-)
There are lots of good tutorials online for Lightroom; just Google :-)
As far as photographing white, my best advice is to bracket (take lots of shots in various exposures; keep stopping up or down). Overexposing means you'll lose the detail in the dress, however, that can be artsy when done right. But I'm sure the bride will love to have properly exposed pics so she can make out the dress details, too. It's not hard. You'll get it with practice.
And one more thing - I don't want you to worry or focus too much on exposing the dress properly. Just do your thing. I'm sure no matter what you do she's going to have some beautiful photos to cherish!
@abirkill great tips! haven't done any research yet but how would a novice like me know "top end" from not in lenses quality?
@kazlamont
Relaxing my subject. Totally agree. I was an assistant for a photog friend of mine and as I watched her pose them... Shoulder down, head up, turn this way or that... Some adjustments made sense but sometimes I wondered abt the purpose. Not as a second guess but more from photographer intuition of what will look best. So my question is, what does one look for or be cognizant of when posing or asking for specific movements to get a good "look"? And like you said, there can be stiffness. Second question is, what might you say or ask of them to get them to relax? Just asking them to relax might result in slumped shoulders or body. Your or anyone else's thoughts/tips on achieving the right look?
believe it or not, I have had good luck asking someone to "fake laugh" for a photo. it can actually make them end up smiling for real and breaks the tension a little. of course it doesn't work for everyone though.
How is the practising coming along for the wedding photos? Have you managed to get any new lenses or thought any more about hiring any? I use 4 main lenses at a wedding and 2 of those make up 90% of my shots, the Canon 24-70mm f/2.8 and the Canon 50mm f/1.2 (although the Canon 50mm f/1.8 is still a fantastic lens and one I used for many years!), the other two I use are the Canon 70-200mm f/2.8 and the Canon 100mm f/2.8 macro. These 4 lenses capture everything for me, but you do need to practise to get the best out of them!
Posing people is one of the things I find hardest to do, and when one of the above comments said about not copying someone else's look or style, that's exactly right. The best thing you can do is absorb yourself in great wedding photographs and see how the pros do it. Practise a few of these shots on the day and the images you saw will start to come back to you.
@vokesy Thanks Andrew. Will write a better response tomorrow when I'm a bit more rested and clear in the head but wrote a little about my photos shoots for today's photo. Here's a sample.
Thanks for the book suggestion. Will definitely check it out. I have so much to learn. I actually feel like I've taken a step back in my learning though.
I've started shooting more in Av and Tv and finding that there is more consistency in my photo quality for posed and action shots. Thanks @agima for that tip. You may have given me that tip in a different discussion but I hadn't forgotten and have been trying it out in my photo sessions.
I never shoot Tv at a wedding, I just don't see the point! The only thing to watch out for with Av is the shutter speed going really slow in dark places, it's easy to forget about it and get a blurred shot. Always be mindful to check the shutter speed, especially when you change locations, or the lighting changes. A lot of people get stressed about pushing the ISOand getting really noisy images, but I say it's better to have a noisy sharp image than a blurred one, full stop!
These look fab! Glad you had a positive experience and captured a collection of shots you are happy with...I'm sure out of the batch, the bride and groom will be very happy with many more then you are...we are our own worst critic lol
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With the flash in particular, you should try and get it well in advance so you can practice using it -- learning how to do flash photography is not advisable on the big day!
If you don't already shoot in RAW, doing so will give you a lot more leeway if you get your settings wrong. You can fix white balance, minor to moderate exposure errors, and so on very easily in RAW compared to JPEG. Again, you should really get some practice in beforehand, learning RAW when you have a couple of thousand photos to process is not much fun.
Don't shoot fully manual unless you absolutely know what you're doing and you really want to. There seems to be a (at least partially misguided) point of pride on this site that always shooting manual is the right way to do things -- don't let it affect you. Camera manufacturers spend millions of dollars making their automatic and semi-automatic (Av and Tv modes) do an excellent job. If in doubt, let the camera do the hard work. (That includes using Auto ISO)
Become familiar with how to use exposure compensation, how to read the histogram when reviewing a photo on your camera, what 'blinkies' are and how to correct for them, how to quickly select the right focus point for the shot you want. (You may already know some or all of this).
Remember that the bride and groom will probably be happier with a bunch of 'boring' shots that come out really well, than a bunch of adventurous shots that didn't quite work out. Things like fisheye adapters might make for a cool shot -- but they might not. If in doubt, keep it simple.
I'm sure others will be along with better advice shortly :)
First I would like to say - Alexis I always love your comments. They are on the money and you know your technical side of things way more than any normal persona could, so I would like to thank you from everyone as you do a fantastic job and are a valuable member of this community.
Now - I must say I loved loved loved your description. I feel I know where you are coming from and if find it entertaining. ;-) I am sure you can appreciate that....
If I may let me answer your questions directly. Sorry this is going to be LONG...
Already done:
1 - scheduled time for a conversation with her to determine her expectations, vision, and desires. Excellent but you need to express your expectations also. Tell her straight up that you are not a pro and you can do what you can do, and that you will try your best something don't work out.
2 - a link to a photographer's work that she admires. But what runs through my head is "how in the world do i emulate someone else's style?". Forget the link, she said she likes YOUR style so stick with it.
3 - started reading the discussion board here to learn more. Well done
4 - started scheduling photo shoots with friends so I can practice skills with other people (like little kids who are constantly moving). . Well done
5 - an engagement shoot has been scheduled so I can spend time with them as a couple and I can practice my skills. Use that time to set their expectations. It is important that you and them know what you are going to give them.
6 - she can't afford to pay me so I've told her photos will be my gift to her. I'm not printing anything but will provide a CD and an upload to a photo site (probably Shutterfly). Ask her if you can also use the photo for your own use
7 - I'm planning to purchase a tripod before the engagement shoot. Any suggestions on a favorite that's sturdy but light and easy to take around all day long? What for? You will not need it unless you are planning to put lights on it.
Need help:
- what equipment do I still need (my best equipment is my Canon T2i, the standard 18-55 lens that came with it, one telephoto lens (also from my kit)) that would really be useful for the day? Do you have the 250mm lens? 55mm is WAY TOO close for a wedding. I wouldnt worry about off camer flash as you might not have time to work it out before the wedding.
- what are your favorite wedding links for tips and best practices? Check out my latest videos, as they give you some tips about photographing groups. See my profile
- what is the best camera setting to shoot white to really capture the dress on its own or as she walks down the aisle amongst lots of color around her? Great question..... Have it on spot metering and meter the dress, then dial it down a tad in exposure. A great idea is to meter off your hand, and then take the photo.
- what are the absolute necessary shots I must capture during the pre-wedding, wedding, and reception? Ask them.
- I'm getting better at adjusting my settings accurately, but certainly a work in progress. In my first photo shoot ever (happened today) I found myself getting flustered as I moved my friends along between sunny and shady patches. Maybe it just takes time and experience but are there any tips for keeping organized and calm to avoid nervous flustery faux pas during the shoot and get the best images possible? spot meter on their face, the rest you can fix in post
- tips for carrying around my gear in an elegant but practical way. I've seen some cute bags geared for women in which you can place your lenses. Gear gets heavy. Any tips?Carry less gear...... Ok Ok Ok, you have me here..... You are not there to be elegant, you are there to take photos, so take photos. Stick the lens in your pocket, stick them in a backpack. It doesnt matter as long as you get the shot.....
- a friend just gave me a fish eye lens that will attach to the tip of an existing lens. My camera is a Canon but the lens attachment is Polaroid. I've yet to try it. Hope it is useful. forget it. One trick pony
- I'm a guest, but I'm also acting as her primary photographer for much of the day. What can I do to work but still enjoy myself? you can not be both, choose one!
- What must I do between now and April to ensure that I am prepared to capture these important moments on her special day? Practice in LOW light.
As a bit of a note I work in AV mode 99% of the time at an event, so go practice that.
Watch my video on how to select people form a group and get great photos of them.
Did I say practice....
Here have a look at this image as it has an attached the attached video.
Much excellent advice has been "said" already, @mandyj92 @abirkill @agima) ... you're going to be busy, so your role as a guest is minimalised ... dress sensibly for your role as photographer - unrevealing and smart business code may be a good idea.
... you asked for recommended links - one of my daughter's school friends is now making a living from this type of photography - I love seeing the "kidz" grown up and love her work @ http://www.facebook.com/GithaOfEgestalPhotography?ref=hl#!/pages/Photography-By-Claire-Nicola/200324920017657
Believe in your photographic intuition and in yourself - GOOD LUCK!
I am a complete novice, however, that did stop my bestie from asking me to take her wedding photos...and to my own horror, I said yes! I was THE primary photographer...there was no other. The pressure was huge!
My little tips:
You're doing the 'getting ready' shots...be there BEFORE the bride is ready. Take this time to get unflustered and take shots as you see them. Don't set up too much, just hang around. When I had just-waiting-around time, I took photos of the parents of the bride and bridesmaids. I also took some grouped shots of the shoes, garter, wedding rings and flowers. My bride was calm and we had a lovely time just playing around...she trusted me, which was pressure for me but she felt great.
Outside shots are easiest...we had a lovely, slightly overcast, day. My hardest were the indoor low light. As the guys said above, practice this the most. Any time you don't use in-camera flash, the better. I didn't have any external flash system and so as the night wore on I found it hardest.
Talk to her about choosing a protected outdoor area for some shots before the wedding, if time permits. I took the bride and bridesmaids to a sheltered flower park with pond and lots of foliage and flowers. It actually was a Rhododendron park...lovely. We had fun there doing what ever we wanted.
Remember, I'm a novice. You have had much more experience then me! I did sooooo much post production in PS! However, the bride and the groom were happy as! Phew!
Something I learned here, just this week, is how to do custom white balance in the camera. For indoor, that would have been a godsend back then. I am only now learning to move past P setting in my camera.
If you don't already know how to do this here's a vid. It's a canon 450D but yours should be similar:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bq3yzTPb1Ng
You will need a tripod for any group shots...a long drawn out process that will make your arms ache. The family and friends almost always want the group shots! I have a Manfrotto 785B - lightweight tripod.
I took a couple of thousand shots. And spent hours and hours in post production. Just what I have learned here in the last 10 days would have saved me more then half the time lol
Would I do it again...a year ago, nope. Now, hmmm maybe!
Good luck! Remember, it's a happy occasion. And I hope for you, that your bride and groom are calm and happy on the day :)
@agima
You are both legends, and we here at 365 land, are so lucky to have you around. You give so freely of you experience and expertise, I have learnt so much from you both.
I have no wedding advice...I just wanted you 2 guys to know how much you are appreciated.
And if you have time before the wedding, see if you can find someone with a wedding dress that's willing to throw it on so you can practice (or at least a white dress of some kind). Wedding dresses can be tricky to photograph. And personally I don't think it hurts to look at other photographers' work just to get a direction. Don't try to copy them, just see what sticks in your mind and build your own style from that.
Best of luck to you. I've been in your shoes. Don't let the nerves get to you. Be all business, focus, and you'll do great! And post here afterwards so we can see them :-)
@julz - heed the advice of these gentlemen. and practice, practice, practice!
@mandyj92 @hagscat Thanks for the encouragement. I'm excited and anticipating the busyness of the day. My plan is just to have fun with all the shots and to be as creative as I can. Hopefully with all the practice I'll be getting between now and then I'll be armed with more skills to be in more control and accurate with the shots I'm imagining.
@githaofegestal Thanks. I'm hopeful I won't lose a friendship over this. With the engagement shoot, I'm thinking they'll get to see what I can (or can't do). Reality, right? Thanks for the link reference.
@kazlamont
Thanks for the tips. SO helpful! Thanks for reminding me to "hang around". Sometimes it's those unexpected shots that show up in front of you that turn out the best. I love outside shots. Lighting is almost always better. I'm a little nervous about indoor low lighting, especially as it moves into evening but I'm hoping I'll get some practice in the coming weeks with this type of setup. What is your favorite settings for indoor low light?
Great tip on choosing a protected area for pre wedding shots if possible. I hadn't thought of that. You're way ahead of me in post processing. I have much to learn.
Thanks for the tripod recommendation. I won't be taking family shots (phew!) but I'm finding more and more where I might benefit from having a tripod. I have a Gorillapod but it's not strong enough for my dSLR.
I'm a little worried about post production as I know that will be quite cumbersome. How long did it take you to get through it all. I'm estimating I might need to tell her she won't see photos for a month. Is that a reasonable time frame?
@onie @summerfield Ditto. As I'm participating more and more in Discussions, I so appreciate the generous expertise that is shared. Thank you SO much @abirkill @agima for sharing. You are appreciated and I'm learning so much from you.
@michelle58
Thanks for the lucky wishes. Phew! It is a daunting task but thankful I love weddings and all it stands for. Great tip to check out best spots before hand to anticipate lighting and composition. I'm planning to visit the site beforehand for this purpose. Nervous!
@shutterbug0810
I just got Lightroom. I hear it's good. But after stepping over the threshold and gently dipping my toe in, the Lightroom "water" is icier than I thought. It's like reading a foreign language (sort of).
Your tip to have a friend throw on a white dress was priceless. It made me recall a photography teacher I took a class from mentioning photographing white can be a challenge. I've sent out feelers for help and am hopeful to do a practice shoot with a lady in white in the coming weeks.Great idea!
Any tips on how best to shoot white? Especially if it's white on white on white.
Will post afterwards. For sure something from that day will be my photo of the day. It's all the photographing I'll be doing that day. LOL!
@tryeveryday Yup, I plan to do everything that everyone is telling me to do (of course, all things that make sense that is). Brendan and Alexis advice has been priceless. Agreed!
@abirkill @agima
WOW! WOW! Thank you, thank you for all your advice. I'm not even sure where to begin with that wealth of knowledge except to say thank you! I will have to respond more as I practice some of what you are suggesting and advising.
@abirkill
I will say, I've just started shooting in RAW just to play with it and see how it feels differently. Thanks for that encouragement. And I started learning a little more about Av and Tv modes. I usually shoot just in M. Shooting in Auto now seems weird.
@agima
Thanks for loving my description. I love to write so your kind words were very encouraging.
I appreciated the LONG description. So much for me to learn and excited to try.
Great tip to utilize the engagement shoot as a means set their expectations. I plan to show some of the ugly shots... hahaha. Then when I take a decent photo, they'll be impressed. :D
Thanks for the tip to ask for using photos for my own use. I'm incorporating that into my practice shoots between now and then. Everyone's been super supportive in being open to the request.
Thanks for the tip on the tripod. The thought of lugging one around was not appealing.
Thinking more about lenses than before. I don't understand them yet (like which ones are best for certain types of shooting). All I know right now is that they make a big difference when you've got a nice on on your hands. I've been borrowing lenses from others and it's turning me into a "snooty" shooter. Ha!
So many great tips! THANK YOU!
Regarding lenses, a good option for an event like this is to rent them. That way you can get to use something you otherwise wouldn't buy. Even though the bride and groom aren't able to pay you, they might be able to chip in for a couple of lens rentals?
The go-to place in the US is lensrentals.com (no affiliation). Lenses like the Canon 24-70mm f/2.8L II are the bread and butter of wedding photographers and will produce absolutely beautiful shots.
If you do go this route, I'd advise sticking to similar focal lengths to what you're familiar with (i.e. rent the top-end version of the same lens or lenses you currently use). That way it'll feel totally natural to use and you don't have to worry about learning to use it.
Indoor low light! I didn't have to worry too much as it was an early reception and the place was all windows. Anything I had to fix, I did in photoshop. I was a complete newbie at PS so it took me a long time.
Another thing, the bride and bridesmaids etc are not professional models - try some different ways to have them stand/sit while taking the shots and get them to loosen up and relax before you click the shutter - you don't want them to look stiff, which can happen when they are nervous. You will see the strain through their shoulders, especially while holding the flowers. Having those practice sessions will be very helpful and laugh alot while doing them :)
Yep to saying one month to the bride to be.
Do some reasearch on the best ways to complete your post workflow. Learn how to batch process as much as you can. You have a canon, so you should have Canon Digital Photo Professional program - awesome batch processing. Learn how to create "recipes" in that program. I knew nothing about them at the time and that would have saved massive amounts of time.
This should be a fun and huge learning curve for you. When you feel stressed about it all, remember that your photography, on a personal level, has got to get better from this!
... here's a link to a simple and useful Posing Guide to help you and them with 21 sample couple poses @ http://digital-photography-school.com/posing-guide-21-sample-poses-to-get-you-started-with-photographing-couples
Once again - Good Luck!!!
BTW: here's a greeting card - I created it some time ago for one of my daughter's friends for her wedding day :-)
As far as photographing white, my best advice is to bracket (take lots of shots in various exposures; keep stopping up or down). Overexposing means you'll lose the detail in the dress, however, that can be artsy when done right. But I'm sure the bride will love to have properly exposed pics so she can make out the dress details, too. It's not hard. You'll get it with practice.
And definitely shoot in RAW :-)
Now go do it and have fun!
@abirkill great tips! haven't done any research yet but how would a novice like me know "top end" from not in lenses quality?
@kazlamont
Relaxing my subject. Totally agree. I was an assistant for a photog friend of mine and as I watched her pose them... Shoulder down, head up, turn this way or that... Some adjustments made sense but sometimes I wondered abt the purpose. Not as a second guess but more from photographer intuition of what will look best. So my question is, what does one look for or be cognizant of when posing or asking for specific movements to get a good "look"? And like you said, there can be stiffness. Second question is, what might you say or ask of them to get them to relax? Just asking them to relax might result in slumped shoulders or body. Your or anyone else's thoughts/tips on achieving the right look?
Posing people is one of the things I find hardest to do, and when one of the above comments said about not copying someone else's look or style, that's exactly right. The best thing you can do is absorb yourself in great wedding photographs and see how the pros do it. Practise a few of these shots on the day and the images you saw will start to come back to you.
I have bought many books and read many magazines and website, but the one I call my "wedding bible" is this one: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Wedding-Photography-Mark-Cleghorn/dp/186108854X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1361986319&sr=1-1
Buy it, read it cover to cover, and then read it again!
Thanks for the book suggestion. Will definitely check it out. I have so much to learn. I actually feel like I've taken a step back in my learning though.
I've started shooting more in Av and Tv and finding that there is more consistency in my photo quality for posed and action shots. Thanks @agima for that tip. You may have given me that tip in a different discussion but I hadn't forgotten and have been trying it out in my photo sessions.
Will write more about lenses soon.
Thanks for all your advice. I survived photographing the wedding. Was definitely challenged but please with some of the shots. Still have much more to learn but it was definitely good experience to be in a higher stressed situation that demanded constant attention (and required a nap afterwards). Here are a few that I took.