Beginner Doing a friends wedding, advise please.

Damo88

Damo88

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Damen
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Hi

ive been offered the chance to do my friends wedding, I always normally shoot in raw mode and manual.

should I remain to shoot raw and process the photos?? I'm thinking also that aperture priority mode and auto iso may be a good idea??

any advise would be great.

thanks
 
Sorry to be blunt but if you're not sure what to do then don't do it.
Rather go to your friends wedding as a guest and let a pro do the job and you just take some photos aside of the usual stuff, such as capturing some candids and emotional photos during the occasion.
 
how else can I gain experience and learn?? I've done lots of other stuff i.e. a couple of 30th birthday parties, motocross, kid/toddler etc but this is a wedding I thought I could grasp experience of, I really want to do it but I'm just really asking for advise on if I should do anything different etc otherwise I'm never going to learn.


I will have another guy helping me out who's on the same level as me, using good lenses also 70-300mm vr Nikon etc
 
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Hey Damen! I'd shoot aperture priority if you're comfortable with that during parts of the day and switch back to manual if you feel you can. The wedding environment can be fast moving so you want to fast on your feet to capture those special moments. I shoot AV most of the day and only really go to manual when I'm using flash. Ensure you have an agreement with the couple so that you can manage their expectations and ALWAYS have a family formal list of the shots they want so you can cross them off when you have them. That way they can't say you didn't get such a photo. Be sure to have plenty of cards, plenty of lenses and ideally back up gear :)

I shoot RAW and then edit all the shots I want to keep but know some shooters (mainly mirrorless) who now shoot JPG. Guess that's the perks of the electronic view finder!
 
Grrrr. I was looking for popcorn smiley but could find it.
Could be a long thread this.
 
Project Valentine said:
Hey Damen! I'd shoot aperture priority if you're comfortable with that during parts of the day and switch back to manual if you feel you can. The wedding environment can be fast moving so you want to fast on your feet to capture those special moments. I shoot AV most of the day and only really go to manual when I'm using flash. Ensure you have an agreement with the couple so that you can manage their expectations and ALWAYS have a family formal list of the shots they want so you can cross them off when you have them. That way they can't say you didn't get such a photo. Be sure to have plenty of cards, plenty of lenses and ideally back up gear :)

I shoot RAW and then edit all the shots I want to keep but know some shooters (mainly mirrorless) who now shoot JPG. Guess that's the perks of the electronic view finder!
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Thank you for your input.

Ive met with them and got a nice long list of who the bride and groom mainly want, also any small details ie cake and flowers etc.

They want us there at the reception and not in the morning, it will be reception, an hour or so with photos and then the evening due, ive done a couple of night dues before so im more than comftable with that.

Me and my friend are going up to the venue before hand to check out any nice areas we feel will be the best for photos etc.

So camera wise A mode for a time and i was thinking nice big shots switch to manaul etc

Im only going off mine and my wifes professional photographer we had, we paid £1400 and he still didnt get shots of things we wanted and wrote down.
 
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I shoot RAW, and would advise you do - it will give you the best chance for recovering shadows, highlights and fixing colour balance.

Aperture priority and auto-iso will probably work well, but don't forget to set a minimum shutter speed, I typically use 1/250th to avoid motion blur. If you leave it on 1/f or 1/60th you may get lots of blurred shots indoors.

Since I often shoot wide open (f1.4), I will jump to shutter priority - it will force wide open, and I get full control over shutter speed to either freeze action or lower ISO for stationary subjects.

I go full manual when working with flash later in the evening, usually for cake cut, first dance, and disco shots. Perhaps use TTL and bounce flash off light ceilings or walls for better lighting. You may want to practice indoor bounce flash, depending on how familiar you are with it.

I don't know what kind of lenses you have, but consider stopping down to get important shots, such as a shot of the bride walking down the aisle, the kiss, the first dance, e.t.c. it will give you more room for error, particularly if they are moving.
(stopping down for me is using 2.0 instead of 1.4, but your mileage may vary). Practice taking photos of someone walking towards you indoors.

Stop down aperture for group shots, particularly if they are staggered.
 
dancook said:
I shoot RAW, and would advise you do - it will give you the best chance for recovering shadows, highlights and fixing colour balance.

Aperture priority and auto-iso will probably work well, but don't forget to set a minimum shutter speed, I typically use 1/250th to avoid motion blur. If you leave it on 1/f or 1/60th you may get lots of blurred shots indoors.

Since I often shoot wide open (f1.4), I will jump to shutter priority - it will force wide open, and I get full control over shutter speed to either freeze action or lower ISO for stationary subjects.

I go full manual when working with flash later in the evening, usually for cake cut, first dance, and disco shots. Perhaps use TTL and bounce flash off light ceilings or walls for better lighting. You may want to practice indoor bounce flash, depending on how familiar you are with it.

I don't know what kind of lenses you have, but consider stopping down to get important shots, such as a shot of the bride walking down the aisle, the kiss, the first dance, e.t.c. it will give you more room for error, particularly if they are moving.
(stopping down for me is using 2.0 instead of 1.4, but your mileage may vary). Practice taking photos of someone walking towards you indoors.

Stop down aperture for group shots, particularly if they are staggered.
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Brill advise thank you, with the flash i feel confident with so thats all good, lens wise we have a nikon 18-55kit lens, nikon 35mm 1.8g prime, nikon 70/300mm vr.

Ill deffo take this on board, thankfully there are only 40 guests throughout the day and 150 at night. Ive advised them this is the first time im shooting a wedding but they have seen my other work ive done.
 
What body are you shooting with? The kit lens will be too slow inside! As will the 70-300 without flash inside! 35mm 1.8 is great lens!!! I'm guessing you shooting nikon crop sensor!
 
Damo88 said:
Brill advise thank you, with the flash i feel confident with so thats all good, lens wise we have a nikon 18-55kit lens, nikon 35mm 1.8g prime, nikon 70/300mm vr.

Ill deffo take this on board, thankfully there are only 40 guests throughout the day and 150 at night. Ive advised them this is the first time im shooting a wedding but they have seen my other work ive done.
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I think you might struggle with the kit lenses, you'll be relying on the ISO performance of your camera when you're in darker areas which may not cope well (depending which model it is). As another poster has said you'd really want flash to get a bit of light but this might not be possible at the venue. F2.8 or brighter lenses would help you out, but wouldn't buy specifically unless you can get your costs back
 
Have you considered renting some equipment? Renting another body, would also mean that you have a backup, just in case something did go wrong.
Any money, you have to spend on this, would be a good investment on your part.
 
  • Get the couple to delegate a suitable member of the family who will assist with rounding up people for the formal shots. Saves you buggering about having to do it, the responsibly of doing it and also leaves you to continue grabbing some more informal shots.
  • Make sure you have a full timetable of events so you can get into position beforehand.
  • All the usual stuff such as having two of everything as a backup.
  • I'd also keep the shutter speed high because an under/overexposed image can still be recovered or crafted into something artistic but nothing can recover a blurred photos from using too slow a shutter speed.
  • For the formal shots (especially any group shots) I'd recommend cranking up the fps and rattling off a few per scene because there's always someone who blinks.
 
brill guys. top advise thank you.

bodys we are using are Nikon d600, Nikon d7200 and a d3300 on hand also

lens wise - 70/200 mm sigma, 18-34 sigma, 105mm sigma, Nikon 1.8 35mm lens if need be :), been to the place today to check things out.

ye we have the brides mother to get everyone in line for each photo :)
 
See if you can pick up a 2nd hand Nikkor 35-70 f2.8 for the D600.

I helped out on my daughter's wedding photography with that lens predominantly. It's a cracker and cheap nowadays.

An 85 f1.8 would be useful too if you can afford it.
 
If you are going to do this. Here is my advice go visit the church and reception venues you need to know what light is available. You should have a clear idea of the shots you are going to take, once the day starts it will move very quickly. I don't want to put a damper on things but remember you only have one chance at this. I don't know how good friends you are but it maybe worth a thought
 
Have you explained that you have never shot a wedding before, have limited understanding and they should keep their expectations low? In these situations, managing expectations is key to avoid upset.

Edit: have they seen any of your other work?

Are you charging them?

Given it's the evening I think you are missing some fast glass, kit lenses will be severely limiting and the 70-300 won't be much help indoors. A fast 35mm and 85mm prime is all some wedding togs use. Also, you will probably want a flash and some gels to balance with the ambient light, not essential but will make it all a lot easier.
 
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If you are charging, you are no longer friends you are a pro.

Only shoot raw of you are happy with processing,if not shoot Jpegs.

If you get flustered then shoot auto everything.
 
Damo88 said:
Hi

ive been offered the chance to do my friends wedding, I always normally shoot in raw mode and manual.

should I remain to shoot raw and process the photos?? I'm thinking also that aperture priority mode and auto iso may be a good idea??

any advise would be great.

thanks
Click to expand...


The best advice would be to not do it. However thats unhelpful if you've committed to do it, with the proviso that if they think you're able to provide a £2k service for free just run away.

Use settings you're used to and if you feel you need abbitional kit get them to pay to hire it, or explain what they'll lose by not having it. Remember you're doing them a favour. That shouldn't cost you
 
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thanks so much guys for everyones input I'm grateful, were not the best of friends but we see each other every now and then, its free of charge but more to gain experience for me and my partner helping me out.

I've told them I've never done a wedding before and I will try my best at everything. I've been up yesterday and checked everything out and also taken some lovely photos my self.

I have a 35mm Nikon prime 1.8g if that will be good for indoor shooting, I did once use my d3300 with external flash and 18-55 kit and it worked great on the night.

befalldown - your deffo right though, its more for me to show people what I can do at weddings, and hopefully if the weather holds out it will be even better.

they have seen my other work (portfolio stuff) of all different kinds of things I've done and are more than impressed. maybe they may give me something as a gift for it but I will have to see.
 
A few tips from my own experiences:

- If you're not a regular flash user, then really spend the time getting to know how to use it both inside and outside. Fill flash is your friend outside, as is bouncing inside.

- If the plan is to do photos outside, then have a backup plan for if it's raining.

- Ensure you have charged up and spare batteries for camera and flash

- There are two shooters, so have a plan for who is going to shoot what. No point you both shooting the same thing. Maybe one does the shots of the couple, while the other does the shots of the guests, etc.

- Don't forget to have something to eat and drink! You can get so caught up in it and realise you've not drunk anything for 6 hours.....
 
good advise thank you, the only issue I'm having at the moment is, they get married at 4pm and they close at 4.30 ! and they don't stay behind to allow them picture inside which is disgusting if you ask me, so I need a plan b to be honest
 
My tips as a hobbyist in no particular order. Have loads of memory cards and either number them or devise a method so you don't mix used and fresh. Make sure all the cameras have the same time so when you import they are in order chronologically. Make sure you know how to use your equipment, it should be second nature. Don't try anything you are not familiar, now is not the time to experiment. Shoot wider than you think you need to allow for cropping and levelling and shoot few of the same to allow for blinking eyes and heads looking away etc. Try and do a test shot ( time permitting) to check for exposure, white balance etc. As there are two photographers, take a laptop to transfer the RAW files so there is a complete set with each photographer as some sort of backup. One last thing would be to have some poses in mind for the couple (assuming they want set poses). Practise this so you learn how to give instructions and notice things like hair in the wrong place and if using lighting the last thing you want is to waste time with fiddling getting it to work. As you have a second shooter perhaps a reflector would be useful.
 
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Damo88 said:
how else can I gain experience and learn?


I will have another guy helping me out who's on the same level as me, using good lenses also 70-300mm vr Nikon etc
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I would say work as a seconed shooter before doing your first wedding yourself, as for saying what gear you use this says more about your experience than anything, it's not about gear it's about being a photographer first, knowing how to handle people know what shots you need, gear comes last.
 
Depends how much you value your friendship! I won't do family or good friends weddings ! That's not to say I don't do weddings ! I do plenty
 
Mintchocs said:
My tips as a hobbyist in no particular order. Have loads of memory cards and either number them or devise a method so you don't mix used and fresh. Make sure all the cameras have the same time so when you import they are in order chronologically. Make sure you know how to use your equipment, it should be second nature. Don't try anything you are not familiar, now is not the time to experiment. Shoot wider than you think you need to allow for cropping and levelling and shoot few of the same to allow for blinking eyes and heads looking away etc. Try and do a test shot ( time permitting) to check for exposure, white balance etc. As there are two photographers, take a laptop to transfer the RAW files so there is a complete set with each photographer as some sort of backup. One last thing would be to have some poses in mind for the couple (assuming they want set poses). Practise this so you learn how to give instructions and notice things like hair in the wrong place and if using lighting the last thing you want is to waste time with fiddling getting it to work. As you have a second shooter perhaps a reflector would be useful.
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This would pretty much reflect my own experience as a veteran of two whole weddings. Some good tips here.

Have a rough timing plan for the day. It won't run on time but at least will give you a running order. Use this to make notes of which specific shots you might take in relation. Consider lighting as well in your timing plan. Outdoor shots can look very different a couple of hours apart.

The time stamp one is good advice. I didn't do this at last wedding and found that you can blanket correct the time stamp in lightroom afterwards but it does rely on you having two photos that you know were taken at the same time in order to know the adjustment. Much easier to sort beforehand. Memory card swapping is a good idea as long as you have somewhere safe to keep them and there is no risk of them going missing. I don't know if it might be less risky to shoot with two big memory cards in the camera (assuming you have dual slots?), one performing constant back up. On that note, think about what you're going to be carrying on the day. A big bag will constantly be in the way but you might want some means of carrying a couple of lenses and batteries.

Couldn't agree more about sticking to what you know and keeping it simply. By all means practice some new techniques a bit beforehand but only if you're going to be 100% comfortable implementing them on the day. No time for experimentation.

With regard to posing, I'm no portrait photographer but I did pick up some simple tips to avoid awkward looking shots. Just stuff about turning bodies away from camera a little. Gents often look more natural with hands in pockets etc.. Worth a google and noting down a few simple guide points that you can refer to when pressure is on on the day.

Have a think about your plan for editing afterwards. If there are two of you, you really want to get one person to do all of the editing or both sit down and do it together. If you both edit your own, you'll likely end up with a lot of duplication and two very different editing styles.
 
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I always get a list of poses and groups from bride and groom and print off twice and cut to size to fit in shirt top pocket and laminate! In case it's raining ! I give a copy to the usher or a family member who knows all guests!!! I haven't got time to find nanny Jones! Who?????? I
use a 64gb card in second slot and use 16gb cards and swap them out so they don't currupt whole load!
I take 3-5 shots of each group to make sure all eyes are open !

It's best to overshoot than miss anything
 
There is a band stand there which is nice so if the weather becomes bad we have cover :)
 
Just a small point, the white balance looks a little inconsistent between the four photos you posted above, might be worth getting a grey card or something to help setting the WB in post.
 
My advice would be, preparation. Which you're already on top of. Going to check out the venue is one of the key things to do. I'd also make yourself an itinerary and also make sure you know how long it takes to travel between places. Last thing you want is to arrive late.
Having back up gear is also a must but you seem to have that covered too. Make sure you have plenty of batteries and clear memory cards.

I also like to go and speak with the vicar/minister/whoever is conducting the ceremony, I find they're usually more relaxed with you and you can make sure what they're happy and not happy for you to do

Other than that, just be respectful of others doing their jobs, try not to slow the wedding down and enjoy it because it will be over in the blink of an eye. Good luck mate.
 
Should have added some other stuff to my earlier post but only thought about it since:

Be very deliberate in checking your backgrounds when you're taking shots. Moving a foot to your right or left can make a big difference sometimes. This is especially important when there are two of you working together as you really don't want to be featuring in each others shots.

If you get an opportunity to arrive early, you might have a bit of time to grab some of the 'detail' shots that you might miss later. Things like flowers, place settings and all the other things that the couple may have spent a lot of time planning and will want a record of.

The shots you showed earlier look like some nice locations. Do some googling of examples of similar looking scenes, couples on bridges, steps, benches to get an idea of what sort of poses work and what doesn't. The scene looking through the trees to the bench is really nice though you might want to take a step forward to avoid that foreground foliage.
 
Only one thing nobody has mentioned...... you can't photograph the signing of the certificate! They will do a mock up for you after the official job
 
I've been in this situation, and after advising them to get a pro while I do supplementary shots, they still wanted me. I was nervous as hell, but went for it.

Fortunately, it went well. I even surprised myself! Definitely shoot RAW. You WILL spend a lot of time processing.

I've done it 3 times now for friends and family, and every time has been a good 8 hours of shooting, plus 40-50 hours of picking out the good from the chaff and then processing. Factor that in if you're charging them.

Each time has got easier, less nerve wracking, and more money. ;)
Since it's close friends and family I've always just told them what's involved, and asked them to pay what they think it's worth, while factoring in how happy they are with the final product.

Show them some of your work so they know what to expect, explain that you'd rather they went pro, and if they still want you, then it's for a reason. Just show up and do what you do.
Personally, I shoot aperture priority 90% of the time anyway so I didn't change that. I have learned however, to bump the auto-iso limit up further than usual. It's MUCH better to have a grainy shot, than no shot at all.

Good luck!
 
Firstly, ask your friend what and how is he/she expecting for the photographs to be i.e. pre-wedding, sangeet and many other. Depending on it you can search for the terms and get better shots as per the location and you will also be helped by some or other source.
 
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