1st wedding

salixius

salixius

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niki
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Hi There..just some advise for someone(me) with 1st wedding on august 4th this year.We have had meetings where i have been honest with them..and said there wedding is my 1st one..and that i have no prior experience with this photography.All said and done..there still happy to have me do it..as the only official photographer.I am a photography student so do have some knowledge on lighting and camera skills(manual or semi).
Can i ask..What i shouldnt do? prior to what i should..
They are good freinds of mine and im so proud they asked me...im not to proud to turn it down,as im one to give anything a go and give it my all,also its something i'd like to specialise in,in the future..
any advice would be tremendously appreciated and written down in my wedding book..
xx
 
forgot to say..i am doing it for free..there only liable to pay for any prints they want done..which i'l do at college on there very expensive printer..so they only have to pay for materials.They may offer me favour money as they told me..but that will cover the evening party..
 
It's difficult to give you advice when we do not know what it is that you don't know?

Scope out the venue beforehand (depends on your shooting style and personality later - but for a first time its a good idea)

Ensure that if they're depending on you - that you have spare gear - you cannot put your hand up half way through and say you have to go home for batteries, lenses, flashguns or a camera. Some people will say that if you're shooting for free you don't need this - but put yourself in the bride's shoes for a minute and you'll see it's a no-brainer. You don't have to buy it -you can borrow or rent it.

Speaking of gear, do you have the necessary body and fast lenses, It's often ISO 3200 and f2.8 in churches - even in the summer. Generally there's no flash during a ceremony - although you'll be OK using flash for the register signing etc.

Find out exactly what it is they expect - and be honest with yourself that you can deliver that. Have a list of the groups, some people will have a full shot list, but this would be a distraction for me - depends on your personality and style.

Take food and drink and make time to look after yourself - soldiering on will not give the best results for your customer.

Switch cards prior to important events, stopping to swap cards isn't an option during the first kiss.

Although having reasonable camera skills is necessary - it's about 20% of the skills you need to pull this off. Then it's about 5% of the skills you need to carry on as a business.
 
I doubt the lenses you ahve listed in your profile will be up to the job inside the church... Also you need to speak to the church (vicar whatever) see whats allowed..

Oh and fingers crossed :)
 
thanks guys ;)..i do realise its a tough one,but if i say no..then i may never get an opportunity again to shoot this stuff..and i would really like to give it my best shot..at least i'l have some round about idea for the future..after all everybody has to start with there 1st one..
i have got flash/speedlite guns,spare batterry's and cards..i havnt got a wide angle lens..the best i have is EF-S 18-55 mm 1:3.5-5.6 IS..its a pretty good all rounder but isnt as fast or nowhere near as an open aperture as you have recommended..i may invest in a faster lens as im really into portraiture..
thankyou..as we havnt disscussed what's allowed and what's not inside the church.
Its a 1500's old church and has beautiful structure,architecture and general beauty..we have a reaaly old walk way cemetry at the back which houses old stone's,walls and benches..or the front which is very green scenery but against the sun most of the time(open space)i suppose it could depend on lighting conditions of the day.The wedding is 2pm..i shall arrange another meet with them to go have a browse up there.
i will take plenty of fluids and tit bits to snack on.
Would a step ladder come in handy for group shots?
What lens at a reasonable price would you reccommend?
and again many thanks for this..its a great help ;)
x
 
It depends what you mean by a reasonable price - you could get something like a 17-55 F2.8 which would be a major step up on a kit lens , but they arent cheap - even second hand you are looking at a couple of hundred

best cheap lens is the 50mm f1.8 which is about 80 quid new or 50 quid used

you don't need a wide angle, what you need is a wide maximum apperture
 
Thanks..erm the latter sounds more reasonable for me atm..id be more than happy to buy an exceptional quality one if i find i used it alot,i have already spent hundreds of pounds this year alone..but that one sounds about my price range for now ;).
in fact im going to have a look right now at some online..so again thanks for a very informative reply ;)
 
this is the 17-55 http://www.mpbphotographic.co.uk/us...fit-lenses/canon-ef-s-17-55mm-f/2.8-is-usm-3/ as you can see 600 notes used - wide apperture zooms are expensive

this is the nifty http://www.flashcamera.co.uk/canon-normal-ef-50mm-f-1-8-ii-autofocus-lens/ which kerso has at 75 quid new

if you fancied something longer kerso also has an f1.8 85mm for £255 (which wpould make a cracking portrait lens) http://www.flashcamera.co.uk/canon-85mm-f-1-8-ef-usm-autofocus-lens/

while if you did want a wider angle there is also a 28mm f1.8 for £379 http://www.flashcamera.co.uk/canon-wide-angle-ef-28mm-f-1-8-usm-autofocus-lens/

Personally i'd say get the nifty , unless you are going to be doing lots of low light portraits in which case i'd suggest the 85mm
 
wow thanks for that "big soft mouse" im defo getting the nifty...id love them all..but funds controlled the nifty is a perfect 1st one for me..Thankyou very much for this ;)
x
 
Forgot to ask ;/..is that one ok for weddings? (inside church)xx
 
Yes - thats what i was recomending it for - large max apperture lenses like the nifty are ideal for low light situations like the inside of churches

the only proviso is that 50mm isnt a very long focal length so it depends on how close to the action you'll be - it will be fine for bride walking down aisle type shots , and shots of the cremony from near the front - however if you are going to be working from the back of the chiurch it won't be long enough.

In that situation i'd suggest hiring a 70-200f2.8 - lensesforhire.com are good (stewart is an advertising member on here)
 
its out of stock right now ;( so il check back nxt week..has 3 pretty good reviews.x
 
im pretty confident my telephoto will do the rest of the shots..it doesnt have an aperture as wide as f/2.8..but is still pretty wide and iv got some awesome portraits out of that tbh,iv managed to get some lovely bokeh and complete creamy blur backgrounds ;)
thankyou
x
 
salixius said:
its out of stock right now ;( so il check back nxt week..has 3 pretty good reviews.x
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You can get niftys all over the place not just from kerso - although he's usually cheapest - he's also an advertising member here so you could drop him a pm and ask when they'll be back in stock

also theres a guy in the classifieds here http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=396074&page=2 selling a mk1 for 95 quid (the nifty is unusual in that the mk1 is better built than the mk2 - although theres not much difference optically)

With regard to longer shots the sigma 70-300 will do okay in decent light but its AF will hunt in low light environments - you'll also need a tripod as you arent likely to have a fast enough speed to hand hold unless you bump the iso right up
 
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I was in a simliar situation last year - tried to say no, they persisted, I sat down and made sure they knew my limitations and lack of experience... I asked a few people who were experienced in weddings to review some of my photos and see if they thought I could do it... and I went for it.

I asked on here and got loads of helpful advice leading to my buying a Tamron 17-50 f2.8 (non VC) which I used for a lot of the shots. I borrowed a second body, and also brought a friend along to assist and she took some candids. I borrowed a Tokina 11-16 f2.8 (for a wide shot from the balcony during a hymn - the only time the minster allowed me to shoot during the ceremony) and an 85 f1.8. I also had a 50 f1.8 (and even my 18-105 kit lens in the car as backup). I had two SB600 speedlights. And lots of batteries and memory cards!

I went to the rehearsal to see the church and talked to the minister and also went to the reception venue to suss out both indoor and outdoor locations for group shots. I talked to my friends and got a list of the group shots they wanted and asked the best man to round up the family and friends in the right order (gave him a copy of the group shot list). I had a longer shot list for the day (with what lens I probably would use) to make sure I didn't forget anything.

One thing to remember if its for friends - other friends will maybe not see you as the 'official' photographer and will expect you to stop and chat while you are trying to work - so you may need to be firm and say 'talk later' or you'll never get any photos taken!
 
ShoeQueen said:
One thing to remember if its for friends - other friends will maybe not see you as the 'official' photographer and will expect you to stop and chat while you are trying to work - so you may need to be firm and say 'talk later' or you'll never get any photos taken!
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This

Also freinds and family are a lot harder to organise and push about when doing groups etc than strangers are. I did my sisters wedding last year and it was considerably more stressfull than shooting for strangers
 
Good luck!

In terms of good friends asking you to snap their wedding, I would, personally, say no. I'd rather be at my friend's wedding and not be tasked with photographing. I see what you mean about seizing the opportunity though and if you're up for it, some excellent advice on here. I would say - with the greatest respect - from your friends' point-of-view they should be aware of what they're getting (and the saving they are making). Hope it all turns out well, I'm sure it will!
 
Thanks alot guys for the brilliant advice and all the fantastic links..one of which im buying a new lens off.Im going to look around for a wide angle lens..as i think i'l use that alot due to landscape loving and college work..The only thing i will not have for this wedding is a spare body..but my freind has a 550D to..and i may be lucky in her borrowing it to me..hope fully mine will be fine,its less than a year old and still under warrenty and insurance(heres hoping).
To be fair i'm extremely nervous,but i see it as an opportunity and although theres a 50/50 chance of me screwing up..there's also the chance i may do them proud..i tend to lean more towards the positve side..its just the person i am..glass is always half full so to speak.
i will be offered drinks galore,but im going to be firm for the 3 hours im working and maybe a lill rude..but i have to concentrate on work..after all this could lead me to another one day(never know)
again thankyou..and iv written all this down
x
 
You really ought to have a second body - not only from a back up point of view but because life is a damn sight easier with two bodies (short lens on one, long lens on the other - no need to change lenses and no risk of getting crap on the sensor halfway through.)

If your mate can't lend you another 550D, if the worst comes to the worst I'll lend you one of my back up 20Ds if you come and get it/bring it back - I don't know where in cornwall you are but I'm in devon so it can't be that far (saying that you'll probably turn out to be in penzance :lol: )
 
lol..thankyou very much for your generous kindness and support..im in bodmin lol..im going to ask her at college on monday..so il let you know..and the idea of how you have put it..puts into perspective now..i see what you mean ;)
x
 
Let me know if you need it - My day job is for the National Trust and can probably find a reason to go to our lanhydrock office which isnt a million miles away from Bodmin ( If the wedding isnt til august theres plenty of time to work something out)
 
thankyou;)
 
Hiki, I sometimes have photography students from Plymouth Art College or similar come out with me on a wedding. If you would like then you are welcome to come and help out on a wedding, see how it goes from this side of things, grab a few shots along the way so that you are aware of what it will be like on the day. Let me know if you are interested and we can see what can be sorted. I do ask anyone who comes out to be presentable (this is someone's wedding afterall), and also reliable as I need to let a B&G know that I will have someone else with me as usually I work alone.
 
omg..thanks guys..just seen this..iv posted quite a bit over the weekend so i keep revisiting them and some i forget to check..so please bare with me..im not being rude replying late.
The links are just amazing..i looked at so much crap on the internet its hard to define good decent knowledge(part reason i joined here).
I have one more year left at college gaining my ex-diploma then i plan on falmouth or plymouth uni hopefully to branch off..
Wedding and family photography is very much an interest for me..i have a family my self..but and i state but..i would really like to have an individual signature to my work..im a big fan of irving penn and his use of lighting and the old timeless emotion in his work..as you know its so hard to find your point of individuality..as many if not most have been done a million times before..
Mark..thankyou so much..i would really like to take up that offer..it means alot and i feel priveliged that you would happily let me do that..
I look back on my very first photograph i took at college(portrait in 35mm film..im a fan of film to)and i look now and tbh im astounded by my progress..i dont claim to be nowhere near ready..but im on a ladder that has 3 4 more years ahead of me..so i may just reach some kind of height and quality by then.
People who dont understand photography(my family)just dont realise the amount of work,thought that goes into it.I used to think i was a natrual(very ignorant)..but learning composition has probs been the hardest so far to master..
thanks guys
xx
 
I see you do the photo booth to Mark..i know someone here in bodmin that wanted a photographer that wanted the booth as part of a package..only just realised people want booth's now...must be a sign of the times(a modern thing to do)
niki
x
 
salixius said:
im pretty confident my telephoto will do the rest of the shots..it doesnt have an aperture as wide as f/2.8..but is still pretty wide and iv got some awesome portraits out of that tbh,iv managed to get some lovely bokeh and complete creamy blur backgrounds ;)
thankyou
x
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Sorry to disappoint you but the telephoto end HAS to be a faster lens. You need faster shutter speeds at long focal lengths and given your lens is not stabilised (I presume) then it will be near impossible to get anything of acceptable sharpness when the light is not that good. Hiring a 70-200 2.8 is not a bad idea (if cost is a concern ask the couple to pay for it and don't accept a fee - the experience you'll get is worth it believe me ;) )

For wider angles you could try and find a tamron 17-50 2.8 if funds allow it (about 200). great little lens and acceptably sharp at 2.8
 
you could always hire a lens for the day :)

I just did my first wedding (to practise for my daughter's in vegas) and it went really well. I wasn't allowed to ask anyone to pose which was limiting but I learned a lot about what goes wrong ha ha
 
As stated above the Tamron 17-50mm f/2.8 is a great lens (I have one :)) but just be aware the focusing can be quite noisy and depending on the location it might be a bit too noisy.

I would certainly be wary of using it in a small location at quiet moments in a ceremony, particularly near the couple!
 
I did my first (and only!) wedding last year, and the experience taught me a lot. Not enough to give any serious "pro" advice of course, but I learnt a couple of things I think might help;

1. Shoot in raw. I saved many shots in post-production that would have been useless otherwise.
2. Shoot in either shutter or aperture priority. The conditions you will be shooting in will change very quickly, and you risk losing shots that require spontaneity if you are fiddling around changing settings too often. Many pro wedding togs shoot entirely in manual, but this takes practice and experience. I would suggest going with shutter priority, as there is not a lot you can do with blurred shots.

Hope it goes well, and enjoy :)
 
andyturner said:
I did my first (and only!) wedding last year, and the experience taught me a lot. Not enough to give any serious "pro" advice of course, but I learnt a couple of things I think might help;

1. Shoot in raw. I saved many shots in post-production that would have been useless otherwise.
2. Shoot in either shutter or aperture priority. The conditions you will be shooting in will change very quickly, and you risk losing shots that require spontaneity if you are fiddling around changing settings too often. Many pro wedding togs shoot entirely in manual, but this takes practice and experience. I would suggest going with shutter priority, as there is not a lot you can do with blurred shots.

Hope it goes well, and enjoy :)
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:thumbs: I usually shoot in AV , the only justfication i could see for shooting in full M is if you are shooting portraits into the sun and you want to force the camera to expose for the subject, not a phenomenally bright back ground - however there are other options like using the exposure compensation.

(hard won lesson if you do do that , make sure you zero it again afterwards as you don't want to wind up shooting a bunch of later shots with the wrong exposure values)

One area where TV is better is if you are trying to shoot 'flash and blur' on the dance floor at the evening reception as for that you really need to force shutter speeds down , and you have very variable background lighting

Some people swear by A-Dep which allows you the best bits of both AV &TV , (basically you can alter either setting and the other one changes to match ), however I've never used it so i can't comment sensibly on that.
 
i would have gone for a 35mm f2 prime, you have a crop sensor so the 50mm1.8 which is a brilliant lens but will give you 85mm on a crop sensor. you will not likely get the church shots with both people in at that range, depends on the church but you are normally quite close to the couple. you could get their heads in but not their hands. wide angle you already have you have 18mm at f3.5 id suggest you think through what focal lengths and apertures you actually need.
also, if your telephoto lens isnt image stabilized you can near enough forget it in a church, why dont you go to the church with a friend and photograph them in there and see what its like.
 
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mart77 said:
i would have gone for a 35mm f2 prime, you have a crop sensor so the 50mm1.8 which is a brilliant lens but will give you 85mm on a crop sensor. you will not likely get the church shots with both people in at that range, .
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:thinking:

I've never been that close to the couple during a service - and I've never needed anything shorter than 50mm (on a cropped sensor) for ceremony shots.
 
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I'm new, and reading this thread to learn rather than give advice - it's an excellent thread.

From my area of experience I would offer that management of expectation is vital. It sounds like you've already begun working on that, but IMO it can't be stressed enough.

People are often more critical of cheaper services. If something is expensive then it must be good and vice versa. The more costly a service provider, the more cooperation they are given, and the better results they get! I'd work to counter that and engender an atmosphere of "let's help out the kind friend who's taking the pics"

It's probably very obvious and/or unnecessary for pros who can set up shots instinctively, but if I had to do it (cue cold shiver running down back) I'd go through that list of shots Lez linked to, and plan as many beforehand as possible.

I'd go to the venues the week before at the same time of day as the event and work out what shots would work where and what lenses, and settings, I'd want (And I'd write them down in case I get flustered on the day). I'd probably even try to work out a "lens schedule" so that I know what lens to have when, and try to minimise change-overs. This would also give you a chance to try out all your proposed lens in the right lighting. I get the impression(!) the pros here are trying to tell you you need a very fast lens for the church!

That offer from Mark sounds invaluable. That'd be a great way to learn and get ideas for shots but also to take pictures you can then show to your friends to (going back to the beginning of my post) manage their expectations and let them have a clear idea of what they're getting.

Sorry - I'm sure people are rolling their eyes at the novice suggestions.
 
All good sense sam - except that i'd do the venue recce earlier than a week before (also bear in mind that the venues may be in use so you won't be able to just wander about as you please)

on the question of lens change overs ideally you want two bodies (which you ought to have anyway for back up) and one lens on each - no changes.

Also planning is great - but remember the military axiom that 'no plan survives first contact' so you need to be prepared to improvise and not get flustered if stuff doesnt go according to plan
 
Yeah, I like the comparison of weddings and war! I can well imagine plans going out the window, but I also think it's better to have a clear idea of the ideal just so it's that much more painful when it all goes to pot!
 
i often shoot ceremonies on the 50mm but on full frame, not 85mm which it would be on a crop, its often on the limits of framing at any church i go to. she should go to the church and check it out first though and see whats what because any discussion we have is irrelevant if shes not even allowed to be at the front. lol
big soft moose said:
:thinking:

I've never been that close to the couple during a service - and I've never needed anything shorter than 50mm (on a cropped sensor) for ceremony shots.
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mart77 said:
i often shoot ceremonies on the 50mm but on full frame, not 85mm which it would be on a crop, its often on the limits of framing at any church i go to. she should go to the church and check it out first though and see whats what because any discussion we have is irrelevant if shes not even allowed to be at the front. lol
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Quite - photography during the service may even be banned which would render the whole discussion moot

that apart whether she needs an effective 50 or 85 will depend on how close Niki can/wants to get, and also may be determined by the availability of cash - a 50 f1.8 is one of the cheapest lenses out there - which isnt true of the 35mm f2
 
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