Photographing a friends wedding

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psychology

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Name
Russell
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Hi All

A couple of friends of mine are getting married at the end of October and I am invited as a guest. They had decided not to have a wedding photographer as it is second time around for both of them, so I suggested I take my camera gear and just get a record of the day for them. So there is no real pressure on me but I would obviously like to do a good job. They don't want any bridal/groom prep shots or group shots except one of the whole wedding party (about 40 guests).

However the wedding is in a hotel and the service is at 4.30pm the week after the clocks go back so no real natural light, with the meal at 6pm.

I am taking

2 x canon 60D
2 x Yongnuo 568 flash
Tamron 17-50 F2.8
Tamron 28-75 F2.8
Canon EF 70-300 F4-5.6
White balance card
spare battery and memory cards
Gary Fong rip off thingy which I probably won't use.
wireless triggers

I am confident in using flash and luckily the ceilings are nice and white in the hotel, and I was also hoping to get a couple of OCF shots between the service and meal.

I have also told them that after the first dance I am having lots of beer!

Any advice would be welcome, do I need to take any other gear?
 
Enough camera gear. My advice would be to get the group shot done and out of the way as quickly as practical after the ceremony, if there's elegant stairs try using them to fit everyone in unless there's a large room that people can spread out a bit. If not it might be worth looking at using a few chairs for the bridal party central in the shot with all guests around them. After this picture is done you should be able to take some shots of them together without pressure, bouncing the flash is probably the way to go but without more knowledge of the venue it's hard to gauge
 
my advice would be keep the gear simple - 2 bodies, 2 lenses , 2 flash guns

on the question of which lenses I'd say the 17-50 on one body ,and your longer lens on the other - there's no need to use the 28-75 if you are shooting crop. Your long lens is a bit slow so if you can lay hands on a 70-200 f2.8 you might want to use that instead

also bottom out whether you are the photographer (in which case you'll be doing groups etc) or whether you are litteraly a guest with camera - if its the latter i'd go with one camera, one lens an enjoy yourself , if its the latter make sure they treat you as such as doing groups when no one takes you seriously is an utter arse
 
Thanks for your replies guys. There is a nice double staircase for the large group shot so think I am covered there. Also really enjoying my photography and am finding I like photographing people, so can't resist doing this from the photographers point of view rather than the guests. I've done large group shots before for the local dance group so not worried about that, it's really just the ceremony that I have some concerns about.

The 70-200 F2.8 is on my shopping list :) but unfortunately not in time for the wedding.
 
I'd say enjoy the wedding. If that means taking photos all good. Remember though people and expressions before gear. A technically great boring photo will never wow as much as a technically not quite there but interesting subject. Use gear and setting you're used to and don't change that.

If you're not going to use something don't take it
 
Thought I would update this.

Did the wedding a couple of weeks ago and everything went well. Gave the bride and groom the pictures yesterday and they are delighted with them. I was absolutely knackered by the end of the day! They don't want me to post any pictures on here at the moment as it's a second wedding and don't want to upset anyone. If they change their mind I'll post some. I was extremely lucky that the registrar was brilliant and very helpful.

A few things I learned

I never want to be a wedding tog!
The time required to go through and edit 500 pictures is days.
If a friend asks you to do their wedding and say they only want a record of the day, don't believe them, they want the same shots as a paid tog.
Take spare camera gear, my new 17-50 failed.
Everything happens quickly, really quickly!
I never want to be a wedding tog!


I'm glad I did it and maybe it gets a bit easier the more you do, but I have got to say I admire you guys that do it for a living.

The couple now want to get an album of the images printed so I have suggested they try Loxley or Graphistudio, does anyone have any other suggestions?
 
I've done a few wedding shoots for friends and family and I use Albelli for the book afterwards. They used to be called Fotobook but were taken over and renamed. The software is easy to use and the quality and prices are very good.
 
psychology said:
If a friend asks you to do their wedding and say they only want a record of the day, don't believe them, they want the same shots as a paid tog.
Click to expand...

Quoted for Truth

the logic I apply to such request is "would i give this person a £750 present ? (if i could afford it) " if the answer to that is no then I won't be doing their wedding for free ... (if i'd generally give them a £50 present then they can have a £50 discount if they want it)
 
Last edited:
psychology said:
Thought I would update this.

Did the wedding a couple of weeks ago and everything went well. Gave the bride and groom the pictures yesterday and they are delighted with them. I was absolutely knackered by the end of the day! They don't want me to post any pictures on here at the moment as it's a second wedding and don't want to upset anyone. If they change their mind I'll post some. I was extremely lucky that the registrar was brilliant and very helpful.

A few things I learned

I never want to be a wedding tog!
The time required to go through and edit 500 pictures is days.
If a friend asks you to do their wedding and say they only want a record of the day, don't believe them, they want the same shots as a paid tog.
Take spare camera gear, my new 17-50 failed.
Everything happens quickly, really quickly!
I never want to be a wedding tog!


I'm glad I did it and maybe it gets a bit easier the more you do, but I have got to say I admire you guys that do it for a living.

The couple now want to get an album of the images printed so I have suggested they try Loxley or Graphistudio, does anyone have any other suggestions?
Click to expand...
I started out doing a friends wedding - totally loved it though! Well done on getting through it and your friends being so happy with the images.

Graphistudio is trade only so they couldn't get a Graphi album themselves. I suspect Loxley might be the same.
 
Weddings are exhausting work! both physically and mentally, ive done a for a friend last year, and one for my partners dad this year, So i was a guest and official photog at the same time, in all honesty If i know the people id rather be a guest and leave the camera at home! good to have some downtime for a change..

on the album side of things, ive used cotswold imaging before and they were great, amazing quality,

loxley all i had to do was provide a web address so who knows if it does get checked
 
it means that loxelys standard of proof for ;'are you a business' is 'do you have a website' - tbh why they don't just say f*** it and sell to the public i don't know ( I said the same thing about howdens kitchens - where the standard of proof nededed is a letterhead .... 5 minutes in MS word )
 
You would think they would welcome anyone's money.
Business must be very good if they can be selective.

Steve.
 
Steve Smith said:
You would think they would welcome anyone's money.
Business must be very good if they can be selective.

Steve.
Click to expand...
Most of top companies are selective. It is very difficult to explane your customer how much work and time you put in to get the gear and skills you have to do their wedding and that the price of this album includes all that not just self cost. They usually think all you do is pressing button ;-)
 
psychology said:
A few things I learned

I never want to be a wedding tog!
The time required to go through and edit 500 pictures is days.
If a friend asks you to do their wedding and say they only want a record of the day, don't believe them, they want the same shots as a paid tog.
Take spare camera gear, my new 17-50 failed.
Everything happens quickly, really quickly!
Click to expand...

I did one in May for friends, second marriage for one, first marriage for the other, both in their 60's. Could you shoot around 20 images, turned into a minute by minute breakdown of requirements which at first seemed funny/daunting but actually set expectations and requirements so was very useful.

Just going over it again as I'm using it as the basis of an assignment, visual storytelling of an event in 10 photos.

I took over 400 images, delivered just under 300, but they were wanted the next day so they could get them to someone who was producing their album for them before they went on honeymoon (also as a wedding gift). Getting it right in camera meant editing the next day took about 4 hours, easy to use the workflow in Lightroom and triage. Grade the possibles one star, discarding obvious failure. then second pass to isolate the keepers (two stars) and the worthy (3 stars), then work through to isolate duplicates.

For my assignment I've re-editted one image I wasn't happy with, some dodge and burn on a reception shot to emphasise the bride and groom more.

Take spare gear is essential, but also take only whats needed and be very familiar with it. Strangely enough I think the photo taking comes naturally, provided you use your voice, take command, herd those cats :D

I used two bodies (mostly one) with mostly two lenses, my 70-200 f2.8 (54 images of the service in the church) and my 24-105 (around 340 images). I have 5 images of the interior of the church before the wedding with my 14mm UWA. My 580 flash gun was backed up with a Godox battery pack and lasted all day, recharged very quickly.

It's hard work, but strangely satisfying, but I agree, wouldn't like to do it full time.
 
I have one next friday and tbh i can't wait. I'm relishing the opportunity to give them something that they will cherish for the rest of their lives. I'll probably moan about it the day after but atm I'm really looking forward to it. It's for a family member but i see that as a bonus really rather than a hindrance.

My biggest problem has been GAS. I'm terrible for it but i think I'm just gonna go with the 24-70mm f2.8 on FX and then i also have an 85mm f1.8 which i may use on a DX for the odd shot but also to act as backup should i need one. Also not sure whether to go with bounced flash or high iso/ambient but I'll work that out on the day i guess.

Cheers.
 
^Demon said:
Most of top companies are selective. It is very difficult to explane your customer how much work and time you put in to get the gear and skills you have to do their wedding and that the price of this album includes all that not just self cost. They usually think all you do is pressing button ;-)
Click to expand...

Yes... but I'm not sure what this has to do with Loxely being selective with their potential customers.


Steve.
 
Steve Smith said:
Yes... but I'm not sure what this has to do with Loxely being selective with their potential customers.


Steve.
Click to expand...
They advertise them self as premium product and dont want to be assosiated with uncle bobs. Plus as i said before it helps not to show the true cost of album.
 
minnnt said:
Also not sure whether to go with bounced flash or high iso/ambient but I'll work that out on the day i guess. .
Click to expand...
It will also depend on any restrictions where you're shooting. Most churches won't allow flash and I often shoot ceremonies at round 2500 ISO.

As its winter you'll probably be doing family groups inside so bounced flash or even on a stand is needed as you can't shoot those at 2.8 as might have people standing behind others in some. I know it's a family member so you'll know most people but still get them to do a list in advance.

For speeches in winter I find I often have to use a bit of bounced flash depending on ambient and for first dance.

Bring plenty of batteries and a spare flash if you can. Good luck and enjoy.
 
It's not in a church, it's a civil ceremony at a hall. I have attended a wedding there before (Ringwood Hall) and the room was quite bright which they were married in. Although that was a fair few years ago so perhaps it has changed since. I also seem to remember the reception room was quite dark.

They're having fireworks so I'm hoping for some Outdoor shots, might get a little dangerous if they let them off inside. :D

I shall be taking my battery charger with me for the camera batteries, but i have 4 anyway. I have a few sets of AA batteries for the flashes and I've just ordered a second flash.

I'm going to keep the DX body in the bag and try and use the FX body all day.

Thanks for your advice (y)
 
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