Quick wedding help!

farrance

farrance

Messages
987
Name
Alex
Edit My Images
Yes
On rather short notice I've been asked to contribute photos to a friend of the family's wedding. They're asking me to take photos of them in certain locations, I won't be doing the actual ceremony.

I'm just looking for tips to be honest! I have no idea what kind of shots I should be going for, I'm panicking a bit due to this being a bit short notice and also the fact that I've not done and never planning to do weddings!

Any tips/pointers? I don't have alot of kit either, I'm going to keep my 50mm on the whole time as the kit lens I have isn't very good!
 
well if it were me, and they have a Pro doing the actual ceremony...

i would keep out of his way

and take candids from the perimeter where he's working if you're using a 50mm
 
Try searching on here, there are 10000s of posts like this, all of the information is there.

If it is after the ceremony then the chances are that the light will be failing and that you are going to have to use flash or ramp up the ISO and shoot at 1.8 or 2.8 if your lens can deal with it.

As for your signature about Nikon being crap in low light.....
Good luck with that... LOL

You need to find out what they want and make a list of poses for when you draw a blank.

Also your 500d is a cropped sensor so space could be an issue as 50m is actually 50x1.6 so you may struggle in certain places to get a full length shot is that is what they want.

I hope you have a Decent flash gun and know how to use it because on camera flash is a BIG no no....
 
Flash gun, folding softbox, wireless trigger, voice-activated lightstand and lots of practice. Scout the scene and be flexible in your approach to work with the weather and light on the day.
 
Yardbent said:
well if it were me, and they have a Pro doing the actual ceremony...

i would keep out of his way

and take candids from the perimeter where he's working if you're using a 50mm
Click to expand...

They have a professional doing the ceremony, I did mention it in my first post.

crashtestmac said:
Try searching on here, there are 10000s of posts like this, all of the information is there.

If it is after the ceremony then the chances are that the light will be failing and that you are going to have to use flash or ramp up the ISO and shoot at 1.8 or 2.8 if your lens can deal with it.

As for your signature about Nikon being crap in low light.....
Good luck with that... LOL

You need to find out what they want and make a list of poses for when you draw a blank.

Also your 500d is a cropped sensor so space could be an issue as 50m is actually 50x1.6 so you may struggle in certain places to get a full length shot is that is what they want.

I hope you have a Decent flash gun and know how to use it because on camera flash is a BIG no no....
Click to expand...

Haha, I know. It's just something I read on here and thought it was funny haha.

Luckily for me the ceremony will be finished at about 2-3pm. So I'll be entering the twilight zone as far as natural light goes. I'm not going to bother with my flash, partly because I don't have one yet (:/) but mainly because I prefer not using artificial light. In my experience with the 500D and it's ISO handling, as long as I have composed the shot so the sun is where I want it, the ISO is fine. I never go past 3200 anyway.


Alastair said:
Flash gun, folding softbox, wireless trigger, voice-activated lightstand and lots of practice. Scout the scene and be flexible in your approach to work with the weather and light on the day.
Click to expand...

Wut.
 
You are assuming that there will be a sun as well.....

You should be able to manage with natural light without any trouble but shutter speed will be come a factor and grain in the pictures. You may also be inside as the weather will probably be bad or at least VERY cold.

The Sun cannot help you indoors.... Unless you are very lucky with the direction of the building....
 
Last edited:
farrance said:
They have a professional doing the ceremony, I did mention it in my first post.

''and AS they have a Pro doing the actual ceremony''..
that any better..?......:shrug:

I'm not going to bother with my flash, partly because I don't have one yet (:/) but mainly because I prefer not using artificial light. In my experience with the 500D and it's ISO handling, as long as I have composed the shot so the sun is where I want it, the ISO is fine. I never go past 3200 anyway.

guess you dont actually need any tips then..

Wut.
Click to expand...

good luck with the shoot..:thumbs:
 
I think I'm just going to have to wing it and let my creativity run free. I have no idea of the location, all I know is it's in Birmingham.

Yardbent said:
good luck with the shoot..:thumbs:
Click to expand...
Thanks! :D

I'm having a damn slow day today, I need my mind to wake up haha
 
If they're having a Pro cover the wedding why have they not got the pro covering the other things that they want :thinking:

I really do think that you need a flash, or at the very least something to modify your on board flash, that and or a fast lens, what lens are you planning on using for this, finally I think that you need to avoid high ISO I shoot one generation below your camera so I'm assuming your camera handles ISO3200 in the same way that mine handles ISO1600 and if that's the case I would never go near in :shrug:

Matt
MWHCVT
 
MWHCVT said:
If they're having a Pro cover the wedding why have they not got the pro covering the other things that they want :thinking:

I really do think that you need a flash, or at the very least something to modify your on board flash, that and or a fast lens, what lens are you planning on using for this, finally I think that you need to avoid high ISO I shoot one generation below your camera so I'm assuming your camera handles ISO3200 in the same way that mine handles ISO1600 and if that's the case I would never go near in :shrug:

Matt
MWHCVT
Click to expand...

As far as I'm aware, they have hired the pro-togger for the ceremony inside the church, but not for the party. Not sure whether it was because it was cheaper or whatever, I don't know. Everything is sort of last minute, seeing as it's going on on Saturday.
I'm using my 50mm F/1.8. I have the kit lens which is the obvious 18-55 F/3.5-5.6 but I don't plan on using it.
I won't be shooting at a high ISO, but if I need to, Ill only go up to 3200, maximum.
 
I have the same lenses as you on my 600d. I like the DOF the nifty fifty gives me, and you can get some surprisingly sharp images from the kit lens, but there is barrel distortion.

I shot my dads retirement party (not saying this is in anyway the same as a wedding of course!!LOL!) in a fairly dark restaurant using predominantly the nifty fifty, with mixed results (i only got the lens that morning so mucked up the aperture on a fair few). Using the fifty meant I didnt need a flash gun for most of it, but with a wedding I think this would be different due to the white/ivory of the dress, but I am probably wrong? I set my iso for most of the shots at around 40, and it worked ok.

Speaking as a recent bride, in terms of reception shots, I would include:

- First dance - try to catch the expression on both the bride & grooms faces e.g. bride in focus, groom slightly soft and vice versa
- also, try and capture some of the guests watching the dance - our togger caught a cracking shot of one of our guests watching our dance - its one of our favourite images

Bride & groom greeting guests - you can get some lovely shots - to be honest, on our day we were so busy we forgot who was there and who wasnt so looking at the reception images filled in the gaps

Table centrepieces/ candles (if being used) - maybe try and get a shot of their rings in candlelight?

Fantastic food decoration - if there is something really spectacular on the buffet table, get it...then eat some!! LOL!


As someone has already suggested, go off and capture guests whilst the pro is doing his thing....

Other than that, my suggestion would just be to circulate amongst the party and capture lots and lots of candids - you might be really pleased with what you get.

Hope that helps in a small way. Good luck!
 
Thanks for the advice Sam! I'm pretty well informed when it comes to my kit, but what with all the huffle about weddings and photographers. I just get a bit panicky now and again haha. I'll definitely be posting a few of the pictures up on the forum once i've done them, and undoubtedly they'll get horrid critique back. But I feel as if I owe TP the chance to see what the product would be like if I did a wedding haha :shrug:
 
I can understand that Alex, but in all honesty, the pressure is on the pro togger, so you will have more freedom. Also, the B&G will be more interested in other people & caught up in the specialness of the day to really be worried about anything else......I know I was!
 
I am sorry, but your camera and no flash at 3pm in winter will make it difficult, if near impossible to get a decent image.

I have no idea why you dislike artificial light, normally the opinion is because the person just doesn't really know how to use them.

Even with my D700 and my 24-70 2.8 I wouldn't be choosing to shoot in failing light without flash, especially as there is a good chance it is going to be overcast and grey. Despite what you think, you will be shooting at high ISO.

You need the location, so you can prep and see what lighting is like nearby, you might get lucky.

You need to get yourself outside tomorrow and test your kit, get an idea of what settings you are going to need for nice crisp shots.
 
Harvey_nikon said:
I am sorry, but your camera and no flash at 3pm in winter will make it difficult, if near impossible to get a decent image.

I have no idea why you dislike artificial light, normally the opinion is because the person just doesn't really know how to use them.

Even with my D700 and my 24-70 2.8 I wouldn't be choosing to shoot in failing light without flash, especially as there is a good chance it is going to be overcast and grey. Despite what you think, you will be shooting at high ISO.

You need the location, so you can prep and see what lighting is like nearby, you might get lucky.

You need to get yourself outside tomorrow and test your kit, get an idea of what settings you are going to need for nice crisp shots.
Click to expand...

Good advice there.
 
I have no flash, that's my problem. When I say I dislike artificial light, I mean it in the respect of outdoor type stuff. In my experience with studio work and using flashes outside, with proper calibration it's like the flash is never there. I did some work for a local bands Merchandise a few months ago and I used an external flash with remote triggers and the way it was set up, if you look at the photos now you can hardly notice the flash at all.

I'm all the way down in Somerset and I'll only be going up to Birmingham for the day, not even the day really. I'd say about 7 hours. We'll be going up there to go straight to the service and ceremony.

I'm going on complete guess work for this entire day, I have ZERO information about times, I can only go on assumptions from what my family has told me.
 
Flash is just as important outdoors as in a studio or inside. As others have said this time shooting with no flash is going to be almost impossible. I would get hold of a flash for the day. beg borrow and steal as this could be the most important piece of gear you have.
 
farrance said:
I have no flash, that's my problem. When I say I dislike artificial light, I mean it in the respect of outdoor type stuff. In my experience with studio work and using flashes outside, with proper calibration it's like the flash is never there. I did some work for a local bands Merchandise a few months ago and I used an external flash with remote triggers and the way it was set up, if you look at the photos now you can hardly notice the flash at all.

I'm all the way down in Somerset and I'll only be going up to Birmingham for the day, not even the day really. I'd say about 7 hours. We'll be going up there to go straight to the service and ceremony.

I'm going on complete guess work for this entire day, I have ZERO information about times, I can only go on assumptions from what my family has told me.
Click to expand...

Can u google the venue and see if it has a website with some pictures? It might give u a few ideas?
 
I just thought i'd update you all. I got to the venue last night, it was primarily indoors the whole time. The registry office was packed with light, really easy colours on the walls. When I got there, the pro photographer wasn't hired, he was doing the gig for free (I know) as he was a friend of the groom.

I was only planning on getting 3 shots for personal use, but they came out much better than usual. so I plan to print them off and put them in a frame and send them to the newlyweds!

The photos in all honesty aren't the best. I will definitely be buying a flash next, screw lenses. Flashes are just fundamental. Times like these, I'd rather listen to this forum and beg borrow and steal for a flash than have to go without. I better start liking artificial light very friggin' soon!

Thanks for all the advice guys and girls!
 
farrance said:
I was only planning on getting 3 shots for personal use, but they came out much better than usual. so I plan to print them off and put them in a frame and send them to the newlyweds!
Click to expand...
Well done for giving it a go, good way to try when the pressure isn't too much as there is someone else doing the main stuff. I'm sure the couple will love the prints you give them.

farrance said:
The photos in all honesty aren't the best. I will definitely be buying a flash next, screw lenses. Flashes are just fundamental. Times like these, I'd rather listen to this forum and beg borrow and steal for a flash than have to go without. I better start liking artificial light very friggin' soon!
Click to expand...
Direct flash from on board flash is very different from flash bounced or off camera and as you learn how to use it you can control direction and how much light so you use the light to create the look you want - something I'm still learning!
 
I think we get a bit put off flash when we see how on camera direct flash makes our images look - with a flash gun its much better as you can bounce/ swivel the flashgun and direct the light. A diffuser is also a good buy - I picked my diffusser up on ebay for about £4.

P.S - glad the wedding went ok - am sure the photos are great - can we have a peek???
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top