Wedding training or advice

riu

riu

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steve
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I have a posted a thread on the discussion page,
I am looking at improving my overall photography skills, and as such want to do some people/documentary/weddings type stuff.
I have been shooting wildlife for the last couple of years, however after being persuaded to do a friends low key wedding recently I am now hooked on this genre.

I am looking for advice on potential training workshops that would give me the technical knowledge to move my skill level up.

I have posted a few pics so that you can see at what level I currently am (very much a novice is my opinion)

Nigel-Charlotte-1-42 by steve/e, on Flickr

Nigel-Charlotte-1-230 by steve/e, on Flickr

Nigel-Charlotte-1-213 by steve/e, on Flickr

Nigel-Charlotte-1-236 by steve/e, on Flickr

Nigel-Charlotte-1-288 by steve/e, on Flickr



thanks in advance
 
I like these pictures, having said it's a shame that little boy in the last picture sort of spoils what would be a really good picture. I'm sure that could be corrected in PS.
 
You have captured some nice candids there :)

From a critique point of view.

First shot the colours seem a little odd to me ? the rest are not too bad.

The shot in front of the car - you need to keep the couple off to the side so the car is in shot , also this is not always easy to do but try to get them away from having the hands down by the sides. ask the man to hold her waist and vice versa just try something a little different and it will look more natural.

p.s wedding photography is about 10% technical and 90% people skills and being in the right place at the right time so its more practice you need prob more than technical skill.
 
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OK, so you need to work on your processing, but ignoring that ...

First one's well caught and you get a bonus ten points for choosing the low viewpoint, although with more experience you'd have ended up with a less fussy background.

Second one's as good as it was going to get unless you'd said something so that she looked up, which she wasn't otherwise going to. However, it's still just a grab shot of a bride fussing with her frock, though - and from that angle, you were very lucky indeed that it fitted her as well as it did ...

Well done for trying the third one, but once again it's just a technically-competent grab shot. Having said that, though, shots like do this pass for "reportage" (or whatever) on many a wedding photography website.

As regards the posed shot in front of the car - what Mr Davies said.

And again, the last one's just a competent grab shot. With better framing but without the lad, you'd have had a cracking good portrait there.

On the strength of this five, you're thinking about what you're shooting and you're tuned into it, but as I'm sure you appreciate, there's a huge difference between taking a few technically competent pictures at somebody's wedding on the one hand and covering it as a paid professional on the other. As to where you go from here, by all means try a course if you're one of those people who likes going on courses, but personally I'd try to somehow get more experience at weddings first.
 
I love the 5th shot, it would make a lovely photo. If you can remove the boy - if not use fiverr.com. Someone on there can remove it for about £3.
Processing I find is the hardest part to get right, for me getting the colours looking natural is the main key - I notice the groom's jacket is brown in most of your pictures but should be blue.
The one big tip I always tell my assistants when working with myself, is to photograph your picture with lots of space around your subject and crop later in post process - a 35mm prime will help.
 
sparkoe said:
The one big tip I always tell my assistants when working with myself, is to photograph your picture with lots of space around your subject and crop later in post process
Click to expand...

An interesting viewpoint, which is no doubt valid up to a point if you shoot a lot of set-up shots and want to keep all your options open regarding album layout. But if anybody shooting a wedding with/for me worked on that principle, I would be wanting to know why they couldn't get the shots right in camera ...
 
Hi Sid, I use the Sigma 35 mm 1.4 a a lot on my weddings and it's amazing how close you can crop in post processing and keep the sharpness and detail.
You are right that it's best to get it right in camera but then again you can always crop in but obviously you can't crop out.
 
Thanks to all for the time and the comments, I do know I have a lot to work on, the challenge will be how to get the practice in so that I can improve. Courses were one way I thought I could master some of my weaknesses.

regards
Steve
 
riu said:
... the challenge will be how to get the practice in so that I can improve. Courses were one way I thought I could master some of my weaknesses.
Click to expand...

They might still be - and if you can afford to give it a shot without it mattering greatly if it turns out to be a waste of time, why not try one and see what you think?

I do actually know a couple of professional wedding snappers who did a few courses to start with and don't regret it, but I know far more who either never bothered with courses or tried one and left it at that. And then of course there's the snappers I know who do quite well (or would have you believe that they do quite well) out of running them! As ever in most things, but perhaps particularly in wedding photography, different strokes suit different folks.

My own view is perhaps best summed up by saying that if I was so inclined, I could easily take a fair sum of money off you for a day's tuition in wedding photography, with particular emphasis on whatever aspects you wanted, and you'd be well chuffed with what you gained from it But you'd actually learn far more, quicker and more effectively, by tagging along with me at a real wedding and asking lots of questions ...
 
I occasionally end up shooting weddings, and to improve I have booked on a course (NE of England) in the new year.
I also have posted on this forum and received some good advice.
Just checkout the quality of the courses and the price. I think unless you're a pro with lots of bookings (or lots of money) many are over priced.
The alternatives are to tag along with a pro with a regular workload but that's sometimes tricky.
There are social media groups which sometimes talk about second shooting, or have slots for people to assist the main photographer. but of course, it's not for your education but for the direct benefit of the photographer, adjusting lighting, organising guests, carrying kit, etc.
 
Serendipitous Sid said:
My own view is perhaps best summed up by saying that if I was so inclined, I could easily take a fair sum of money off you for a day's tuition in wedding photography, with particular emphasis on whatever aspects you wanted, and you'd be well chuffed with what you gained from it But you'd actually learn far more, quicker and more effectively, by tagging along with me at a real wedding and asking lots of questions ...
Click to expand...

Dan - I wish I lived a little closer !!!!!! Thanks for the comments (everyone), maybe I am not as bad as I thought. Now to work out a plan of attack to improve in this area as I enjoy the buzz from it.
regards
Steve
 
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