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Alladin121

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Louise
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Hey everyone, :wave: im after some advise.........im going tomorrow to be a second shooter at a wedding for the first time! i went to the rehursal with the pro tonight and im so scared!:| im being put at the front of the church to tackle the intimate moments between the couple! the only thing i was wondering is what pics should i be aiming to capture whilst the tog is busy? i really want to do well and am so nervous!!! :( :) any help on ideas would be great?? :D
 
Hi Alladin121, I am not really getting this post. I cant help but wonder if I assume correct this is your first time at being a second photographer at something as important as a wedding, surely if you whent to the rehersals with a pro, he would have been telling you want he wants and expects from you :shrug:
 
yeh but they were very busy with bride and groom and im fine during the service, i was wondering what sort of shots i should be looking for when the tog is doing the group shots? i just dont want to be in the way and looking for some reassuring advise!!
 
you need the facial expressions, laughs, smiles and open mouths whilst singing...

the kids pulling faces as its all so boring for them, the non direct family yawning if its a am wedding. capture it all you will be surpised at the antics,

if you can, try to shoot down if possable for a few, some church's have balconies. unsure on how you stand with flash so practice before they turn the heat up.

when i helped out as a second, he did the formals, i was happy to just wander capturing anything and everything, like the wedding car when parked up... the odd fag break, parents with hungry babies outside etc......

just be natural and you should fit in, let him do all the poses and you shoot everything else.

with no restrictions to this outer task i thoroughly enjoyed my day out.
 
For most people a wedding is a once in a lifetime event. Photographs of the day are incredibly important.
I am sick to my teeth of amateurs and happy snappers alike taking this kind of events lightly.
You obviously have no clue of what is expected of you so, do the right thing, tell the Pro that much and advice him to hire someone with a minimum of experience in this kind of events.
If he messes up the day's photo because of your incompetence he can get sued.
Not to mention you would have contributed in making the new couple very unhappy indeed.
 
Excuse me Igadiz, i am not getting paid for this and to be honest if everyone had your viewpoint no one would enter a new industry, you are very rude and if you dont like it dont comment!!!
 
yer leave the pro to the paid stuff, if the ametures images are not upto spec they dont have to be showed.
 
:eek: ..... :popcorn:
 
My intention was not one of being rude.
You failed to inform us about not getting paid for the job nor that the couple is aware of your inexperience. You asked for advice and with the information I had at the time, I gave it to you as I saw it.
If indeed they are aware, then go ahead, it will be a good learning exercise.

PS: I would still advice the pro to hire someone with experience while you are learning the ropes.
 
Thank you for reply.....but you should have asked!! lol To be hones the tog works alone and does some fantastic work and doesnt really need an extra, im really privilidged to be allowed the experience and thats why i wanted extra advice because i didnt want to screw it up!! :)
 
There should be no pressure on you cos your shots are an added bonus and everyone is aware of that. Just relax, get what you can and try to enjoy it!:thumbs:
 
I have a friend who does weddings for a living. He takes 3 cameras, 2 experienced photographers with yet more cameras and a 2 guys who's sole job is to copy full cards to 3 different drives and replace said cards with fresh ones.
How your friend manages alone is beyond me. Sooner or later something will go wrong. He has been lucky so far but, he is playing Russian roulette.
Anyway, have fun and don't forget to post your images here.
Oh a trick for groups, ask them to close their eyes tight, then say open your eyes and immediately take the shot, do this 2- 3 times as there is always one who keeps his eyes closed just to be funny.
Is no fool proof but, it helps having most people with open eyes (saving you time with the old cloning tool in post).
 
wow i have never seen a photographer that has an entourage that big!! must be getting mega money!!! have you got a website for him, would love to have a look at his work for inspiration?
thank you for the tip, i think the pro tog will be doing the group shots which is good, leaves me to the candid shots which i really enjoy!
 
IGADIZ said:
I have a friend who does weddings for a living. He takes 3 cameras, 2 experienced photographers with yet more cameras and a 2 guys who's sole job is to copy full cards to 3 different drives and replace said cards with fresh ones.
How your friend manages alone is beyond me. Sooner or later something will go wrong. He has been lucky so far but, he is playing Russian roulette.
Anyway, have fun and don't forget to post your images here.
Oh a trick for groups, ask them to close their eyes tight, then say open your eyes and immediately take the shot, do this 2- 3 times as there is always one who keeps his eyes closed just to be funny.
Is no fool proof but, it helps having most people with open eyes (saving you time with the old cloning tool in post).
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I know lots of Pros that shoot alone, some of your comments are beyond me !! give the kid a break..............................................:bonk::bonk::bonk:
 
Well, he is one of the most sought after pro wed photogs in Australia commanding up to $10K (AUS). So obviously the people who hire him likes what he does.
For what is worth, No pro I know of would dare to take on a wedding alone nor would they ask an amateur to help. Covering a wedding needs at the minimum 2 professionals to make sure the day will be covered no matter what. Anyone doing it alone or asking amateurs to help is taking huge risks, simple as.
Anyway, I am not going to get in to an argument with you about this.
Like I said, have fun.
 
wow that is alot of money, but then again with all those people to pay, no wonder really :D No i respect your opinion but as stated i think ALOT of photographers do that in this country!! Entirely up to the individual whether they believe in their abilities enough to undertake it alone i guess :)
Will let you know how i get on tomorrow and hopefully post a few photos for your critique!!
 
Hey everyone, just to update, i had the wedding today......it was awesome, had a really good day, learnt alot and got some great shots! need to wait until b&g have seen the shots then will upload some pics for you all to see! The tog was really impressed with my work and has now asked me to freelance at other weddings YAY :D Thanks everyone for replies :D
 
I have to say your first few times should be "shadowing" an experienced second tog, then you do a few with him shadowing you (just in case) only then should you really be let loose solo as second shooter.
The second tog usually shoots the boys at home/church and the guests arriving and some of the formals, these are still important parts of the wedding shoot, and shouldn't really be left to someone inexperienced at weddings.
 
lot of ego in this thread...

glad you had a good time Alladin :] hope you learnt a lot !
 
Good luck with it and enjoy it. You need to be confident in your ability Alladin but whilst theres no pressure on you its an excellent chance to learn the ropes.

You may have gathered weddings are touchy subject one here though

lots of :boxer::popcorn::annoyed:

Anyway try to enjoy it and treat it as a learning experience, if you dont get any good shots, don't worry, you learn more from mistakes than success.
 
Alladin121 said:
Hey everyone, just to update, i had the wedding today......it was awesome, had a really good day, learnt alot and got some great shots! need to wait until b&g have seen the shots then will upload some pics for you all to see! The tog was really impressed with my work and has now asked me to freelance at other weddings YAY :D Thanks everyone for replies :D
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Really glad the day went well, and congratulations.
 
Thank you for your lovely comments!!! Swanseamale47 to be honest the tog and i think i did a really good job, the tog doesnt have a second shooter, so i wouldnt have been able to shadow someone else anyway!! i had a brilliant time, everyone is really pleased with the photo's i took and i think some people on here should give new people a break, you dont know how skilled or unskilled at taking photos i am......so please bare in mind and not be so negative, its not as if i was charging for my services, all the photos i took were a bonus to the couple and they were really pleased with the proofs!!! again thank you to everyone for the supportive comments, will upload some pictures soon! :D
 
Alladin121 said:
Thank you for your lovely comments!!! Swanseamale47 to be honest the tog and i think i did a really good job, the tog doesnt have a second shooter, so i wouldnt have been able to shadow someone else anyway!! i had a brilliant time, everyone is really pleased with the photo's i took and i think some people on here should give new people a break, you dont know how skilled or unskilled at taking photos i am......so please bare in mind and not be so negative, its not as if i was charging for my services, all the photos i took were a bonus to the couple and they were really pleased with the proofs!!! again thank you to everyone for the supportive comments, will upload some pictures soon! :D
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I'm glad it all went well for you.
It's not a case of knowing how experienced as a photographer you are, theres a lot more to weddings than just taking photos (as you now know) Theres organising the guests, managing time etc etc.
Then theres the resposibility, you have to be able to produce the goods regardless of weather, how you feel, whether the B+G have just had a barney, drunk guests, broken down wedding cars and heaven knows what else. Those do not not all require photographic skills, it's more man managment, or it's closer to crisis managment at some weddings lol.
Yes everybody should get a chance, but dropping you in the deep end is a risky way to learn.
Really you need the oppotunity to learn watching somebody else without you having to do it under pressure.
 
swanseamale47 said:
I'm glad it all went well for you.
It's not a case of knowing how experienced as a photographer you are, theres a lot more to weddings than just taking photos (as you now know) Theres organising the guests, managing time etc etc.
Then theres the resposibility, you have to be able to produce the goods regardless of weather, how you feel, whether the B+G have just had a barney, drunk guests, broken down wedding cars and heaven knows what else. Those do not not all require photographic skills, it's more man managment, or it's closer to crisis managment at some weddings lol.
Yes everybody should get a chance, but dropping you in the deep end is a risky way to learn.
Really you need the oppotunity to learn watching somebody else without you having to do it under pressure.
Click to expand...

I think it depends an awful lot on the type of person you are anyway regardless of the amount of actual experience you have.

A supremely self confident person is much more likely to be able to hit the ground running with regard to managing the other bits and pieces you list there, everything but taking the photos. Whereas a more timid individual may take much longer to overcome his or her shyness to be able to 'direct'.

Obviously knowing the order of events, the 'must have' shots, all that good stuff can only come with experience and that's the part that everyone should learn by shadowing someone else.

As far as the other stuff goes, like I said, depends on your own personality.
 
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