help - help - help i need it fast

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thewol

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hello all,

well i'm a full amature
i've done a 15 week night school course - so i know the basic's

i have a nikon d100 i've been using for over 3 years now

a friend's mate is getting married on saturday
he as just phoned me to ask me to do the photo's
(there photographer - has become very ill over the last few days)
and there is no time to get another

so i'm stepping in to help so there will be photo's of the day


i need a run down of what i should need / do on the day
if any one is out there please help

many thanks
wol
 
Use the search function (in the top banner) to search for wedding kit or similar, you'll find plenty of resource across the forum as to what's recommended :thumbs:
 
Probably will help to list what you have I guess.
If need be and you dont have the right lens, you could ask them to chip in to rent one?

Good luck, I would love to do a wedding!
 
hi

i have a d100
with lens 18-55
i also have a cannon d70
18-135lens
+ 45ish prime len

cannons a friends i will borrow for the day

tripod + flash
 
Hi thewol,

You are on a steep learning curve with only a few days to do it in. Can I suggest you put your location up and see if anyone with wedding experience can come along and help?

Just a thought, you might get a kind soul.

Otherwise you need to do a search online and read what others have said.

Your kit is generally OK, but the important bit is how you take the pics and what of. Obvious I know!

At the risk of being shouted at by others with more experience this is what I suggest:

1. Make sure you can take pics in the Church. Forget the flash just up the iso and as you will be converting to B & W don't worry about the grain.

2. When you take pics of different folks after the wedding get your friends ie the couple to get the people together they want you to take pics of. This will be a load off your mind.

3. Keep taking candid pics all the time. Just keep the finger ready to take pictures of everything you see.

4. During the meal/speeches take lots of pics of the friends and family and again if you have to up the iso and don't panic, you can always convert to b & w.

5. Make sure you have a lot of battery power and memory cards. Do NOT try to review and delete pictures during the day as you might delete the wrong thing. Make sure all cards are formatted in camera before you start the day. Have a fail safe method of putting cards in a safe place that will not get mislaid or over written.

6. Shoot in aperture priority only and just change the dof as required.

7. Use zoom as much as possible it makes for better portrait pics.

8. If possible check out the Church before the wedding so you have confidence in where they will go for your pics.

9. In your circumstances the best advice is take LOTS of photos, but do your best to keep looking for the right photo every time. Remember that it is not a staged photo shoot so it will be hard to take totally rubbish pics. Conversely you are not a wedding photographer and they will have to accept you are only doing your best!

That's all I can think of for now and it is a bit jumbled. Remember this is NOT a list for someone planning months in advance, just something that should get you through the day!

Good luck and don't forget to let us know where you live or/and where the wedding is, you never know someone may be near by!

Best regards

Chris
 
I take no credit for this as it was posted by one of the great wedding photographers on here and i saved it because i thought it was excellent (appologies to the original poster i forgot to save your name).
Anyway hope it helps:

Before the wedding
___ Wedding dress lying over a chair
___ Zipping up or buttoning the wedding dress
___ Mother of the bride fastening the bride's necklace
___ The bride's garter
___ The bride's veil
___ A close up of the bride's shoes peeking out from under the dress
___ Bride looking into a mirror
___ Bride looking out window
___ Bride and bridesmaids putting on makeup
___ Bride pinning corsage/boutonniere on mother/father
___ Bride hugging parents
___ Bride touching up
___ Bride and parents leaving for ceremony
___ Groom tying tie
___ Groom looking into mirror
___ Bride looking out window
___ Groom pinning corsage/boutonniere on mother/father
___ Groom hugging parents
___ Bride and parents leaving for ceremony


Wedding Photography Shots At the Ceremony
___ Outside of ceremony site
___ Guests walking into ceremony site
___ Bride and father entering ceremony site
___ Parents being seated
___ Grandparents being seated
___ Maid of honor walking down the aisle
___ Bridesmaids walking down the aisle
___ Flower girl and ring bearer walking down aisle
___ Groom waiting for bride
___ Ceremony musicians
___ Officiant
___ Altar or canopy during ceremony
___ Close up of bride, just before she makes her entrance
___ Bride and father walking down aisle
___ Groom seeing bride for first time
___ The back of bride and father walking down the aisle – with the groom waiting in the distance
___ Bride's father and Bride hugging at end of aisle
___ Shot of the audience from the bride and groom's point of view
___ The unity ceremony
___ Close up of bride and groom saying the vows
___ Wide shot of bride and groom saying the vows
___ Exchanging the rings
___ Close up of hands
___ The kiss
___ Bride & Groom walking up the aisle
___ Receiving line
___ Bride & Groom outside on steps
___ Guests throwing confetti/rose petals/birdseed
___ Bride & Groom hugging guests, laughing, getting congratulations
___ Bride & Groom getting in car
___ Bride & Groom in back seat


Posed Wedding Photography Before the Reception (These can also be taken before the ceremony)
___ Bride alone (full length)
___ Bride with Maid of Honor
___ Bride with bridesmaids
___ Groom with bridesmaids
___ Bride with parents
___ Bride & Groom together
___ Bride & Groom with parents
___ Bride & Groom with families
___ Bride & Groom with entire wedding party
___ Bride & Groom with flower girl and ringbearer
___ Groom with parents
___ Groom with best man
___ Groom with groomsmen
___ Bride with groomsmen


During the Reception (to help your photographer, you may wish to list these shots in the order they will happen at your reception)
___ Outside of reception site
___ Bride & Groom arriving
___ Bride & Groom greeting guests
___ Table centerpieces
___ Table setting
___ Bride & Groom's table (head table)
___ Musicians or DJ
___ Guest book
___ Place card table
___ Closeup of bride and groom's place card
___ Wedding cake
___ Groom's cake
___ Gift table
___ Decorations
___ A shot of bride & groom with guests at each table
___ Bride with college alums
___ Groom with college alums
___ The buffet or, if having table service, a dinner serving
___ Bride & Groom's first dance
___ Bride & Father dancing
___ Groom & Mother dancing
___ Guests dancing
___ Bride & Groom cutting the cake
___ Bride & Groom feeding each other cake
___ Toasts
___ Bride & Groom drinking champagne
___ Signing the marriage license
___ Bride throwing bouquet
___ Groom retrieving garter
___ Groom tossing garter
___ Garter/Bouquet dance
___ The getaway car
___ Bride & Groom leaving party
___ Bride & Groom driving away
 
Hi thewol,

There's nothing else for it!!!!!........







PANIC :eek::eek: - :'(



Seriously, though if you can get to the location before the day, do so. Do some test shots..

Take lots of shots, you can always ditch the not needed, but if you didn't get the shot... too late! Try to keep that shutter speed up to avoid "Shake/Blur" even if you have to up the ISO a notch.

If nothing else make sure the Formals and the few of the B&G on their own outside (If poss) are good! Your're normally limited in the service anyway and after all that's done at least at the reception you'll have less pressure.

Have a look at some wedding tog sites, to get some ideas for poses, captures. What the hell!! look at your own Wedding album if you have one, things haven't changed much in terms of what shots to get, or try and look at someone elses.

IMHO the MOST IMPORTANT thing, I think is BE THE BOSS!!!!!....

Which incidently is harder when you know the people.... I find one of the hardest things is organising the people for the shots (Formals) - most of the time there too busy chatting and lost in the day - YOU have to work round this and stay calm and polite. Sometimes you just wanna :runaway:

:bang:

Tip:- For the group shots, get everyone to face camera, and shut their eyes... 1,2, 3 Open and smile.... click, click, click - Hey presto, everyone looking, everyone with their eyes OPEN... and hopefully some good shots.:thumbs:

You'll be surprised how many times when you review theres just that one person with their eyes shut - ruins an otherwise great shot.

Might be an idea to post where you are? There are some lovely people on here, and one just might PM you and offer to help (Not necessarily a pro) just someone who has done it before. That too will take the pressure off

You never know.

Best of Luck
 
You need to meet with the couple or at least speak with them over the phone before Saturday. You also need to get from them a list of their "must have" shots - the stuff that they really, REALLY want in their album. Write these down as a list and take it with you on the day. At the same time, work out with them what they are expecting from you in terms of images and what you are comfortable with. Ask them also to put someone in charge of getting groups together and generally being your helper for the day - they will simply not have time to do this, and when they are having their solo shots done someone needs to prevent the guests from getting in the way.

Your dress should be smart and tidy. No jeans, no trainers, no t-shirts.

Find out from your friend if there's "Stuff" you need to know - did the bride lose her mother last year so the "mother of the bride" figure will actually be an aunt or family friend? Are there divorced parents on either side? If so, which figures will be in the Bridge & groom with parents shots. This is where a "helper" will be invaluable too - they should know the people involved so you don't miss getting a shot of old Uncle Bill or auntie Flo.

Remember to watch your exposure when shooting the wedding dress - shoot in RAW and underexpose slightly to ensure you watch the detail in the dress. If it has beading or embroidery made sure you get some closeups of that detail. Lacing down the back is best photographed once the dress is on the bride - you shouldn't have too many problems getting a shot or two from behind the bride in the course of the day - same with her hairdo if elaborate. If your camera has a "Raw+jpeg" setting, use it - if not ensure you take at least two of every shot that's really important. For portrait stuff that the B&G have said they specifically want shoot two anyway - you stand a chance of eliminating the blinking/eyes shut problem.

You are going to be truly terrified by Saturday morning, but try to stay as calm as you can. Have some sort of breakfast and go easy on the caffeine. Do not under ANY circumstance accept anything alcoholic to drink until you're done!

Good luck, and try to enjoy it!
 
thewol- try and get someone to give you a hand. Where are you based? What day is the wedding?

If I am free & its nearby, I don't mind coming to give you a hand.
 
jcoutts said:
Tip:- For the group shots, get everyone to face camera, and shut their eyes... 1,2, 3 Open and smile.... click, click, click - Hey presto, everyone looking, everyone with their eyes OPEN... and hopefully some good shots.:thumbs:
Click to expand...

That is a good tip. I would consider having the camera on continuous shot for large groups, and take several.

Also, with the tip above, you cannot use an onboard flash, or a flash too close to the camera (or a red-eye reduction flash). Hopefully you won't need flash in that situation, but everyone's pupils will be wide open because of having their eyes shut.
Major Devil Look

[S2]Redeye[/S2]
 
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