Help with friends renewing wedding vows

[woody12]

Hi, as title suggest my friend is having his wedding vows renewed and wants me to take some photos. I'm needed for half-an hour to hour max and really wants formal poses of family. He is paying me £150 for the job, but this is where I'm worried. Never really do people as a rule the whole process of focusing especially is daunting. Told my friend this and put him in touch of a friend who does weddings as a sideline and is really confident and good. But he insist that I do it as the family know me . What I need help with is what equipment to take. I have tripod remote release, 55-300, 35 mm and kit lens. I have spare cards and batteries and a good flash gun. Which leads me onto the two points that concern me - do I need a flash and how do I really use it in the situation of low light? The other point is focusing, do I need single point, matrix ect. Really confident round the aperture, iso and shutter speeds and know enough about composition it's just flash and getting the focusing right so the couple have a good selection of shots. Has anybody got any tips or can you link me to good YouTube videos to help. Think the lens and equipment is good enough for the hours work. Thanks for help, relly enjoy wildlife and landscape but that doesn't make me am expert on weddings.

 

[DemiLion]

I'd say that you have a choice of two options, given the questions that you've asked above:

a) Go back to your friend and absolutely insist that he gets someone else in to do the photos (preferably your other friend)

b) advise him that this is not something that you do or are experienced in, but if he absolutely insists you will do it but refuse to accept any money and that you can offer no guarantee of the quality of the photos.


I'd go for option a) reluctantly followed by b) in your position!

 

[KIPAX]

I would go for a) and absoloutly not b)

Sorry but your just not ready for it... you might go.. do it and post some great pictures for us all to fawn over... but to be perfectly honest.. given what you ahve said above... you shouldnt be doing it.. let alone charging 150 quid for half an hr when you self admit that you ahvent a clue what your doing

 

[Sir SR]

Hi

I'm in a similar position in that my best mate from school is renewing his vows and asked if I could take some pics of him and his family. I'm happy to do it as I know my camera, am comfortable with using my speedlight(s), OCF, have done some second shooting and have back up gear. I'm not charging either!

Anybody else and I would have said no!

I agree with the above points. The questions you ask suggest you're not quite completely confident yet. if you've got time and go for option b, practice like mad and try to practice in the venue before hand!

S

 

[DrGed]

Discretion is the better part of valour!

I think you'd be quite right in telling your friends you really can't do it. Not an easy thing to do but the best, I think.

 

[Merc]

Sorry but if you're asking if you should use flash and how to use it, plus how to focus then I would strongly recommend you don't do it.
I'm all for supporting someone on their first shoot but you don't sound ready.

I'm not sure where the renewal of vows is taking place but if it's in a church then 99% of vicars don't allow flash anyway, which I totally understand as it is quite distracting. Your camera is going to struggle with high ISO.

If all of the above is still not enough for your friends to accept your advice on getting someone else, without knowing anything about the venue then the best advice I can give is to use a large aperture and as high ISO as your camera can handle. I would use single point focusing on the bride/wife as it sounds like you won't have much DOF. She is the most important person on the day. The D3100 is an excellent camera at low ISO but I think you're going to struggle above ISO 800.

 

[woody12]

Thanks for all the advice. Makes me laugh, just because you enjoy photography as a hobby people think you instantly become a wedding stroke people portrait business photography. Love getting out on my own to shoot landscapes and if I'm lucky wildlife.
Told my friend my concerns but he insists he just wants some nice snaps of the day nothing world class. In fact we have draw up a contract that states that as a novice I cannot guarantee the quality of these snaps and as a token accept no payment for them. This gives me a little freedom. The service is outside weather permitting so will visit the venue and scout shots I could possibly take. This is a long term friend and we both had a laugh about my issues and he reassures me he just wants a record of the event. He is actually into photography himself but being the groom so to speak cant really take the shots himself. I'm going to practise practise and even.more practise .

 

[Merc]

Fair enough then Paul. Best of luck to you mate.

 

[woody12]

Thanks for support Mark and genuine words of advice. Will post the results after the 10th August when I probably die of embarrassment lol

 

[Rainbowaggie]

Good Luck with the wedding. Is there any scope for you to have your other photography friend to assist you with holding your bags etc it might help steady the nerves

Don't mean to tell you how to suck eggs but remember a few close up shots of the bride's shoes and flowers etc. Being a girlie that stuff matters. It also can help get you into the zone to work on the other shots. Most of all though enjoy!