My first solo wedding..

Harvey_nikon

Harvey_nikon

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Well, I have just got back from my first wedding shooting solo.

When wedding togs say its a hard day, they are right, it is. I have shot a couple of weddings as a second and loved it, but then it was summer, bright, well organised days that had good venues and every thing went well.

Pretty much the exact opposite of today :eek:
:eek:

It was an ex-work colleague, wedding ceremony and party where in the same venue. Initially it was "meet us at the venue, take lots of informal shots and put them on a DVD", then it was start at her mums, venue, formal shots, informal shots and DVD".

So armed with my new D700 and flashes off I set. Arrived at her mums at 12 as requested meaning I miss all of the getting ready shots which I would of liked to of done but hey ho. Flower photos done, they want bridesmaid and family shots but no where to do it. Get permission to shoot in a neighbours driveway that has a nice foliage end. Lots of photos taken, and we head in to the house to wait for the car. Then decide they want more, so back out we go.

Luckily, other than being cold and a little overcast it wasn't windy or wet. 1pm, the car arrives. I take what shots I can trying to avoid the crappy backgrounds. Bridesmaids jump in and I follow them to the venue timing how long one trip makes.

Arrive at the venue, unload bag and ready gear. Go in, meet the groom and start taking photos of the reception area, then move to the ceremony room. Brief chat with the registrars, no flash during the ceremony, and they had a nice fountain pen so I didn't need my nice empty one :)

Time is cracking on, groom hasn't got time for photos before bride arrives due to the hotel. After speaking with a young lad later in the night it appears a lot of managers have recently quit leaving them short staffed and those that are left are inexperienced. :(

Groom is rushed in to the see the registrars, I move outside as the car should be arriving shortly. 5 mins later it does, photos from in the car of bride and dad.

Nobody has a clue what is going on now and the guests are moving in to the ceremony room. I have to take over as the man in charge is useless, mumbles and disappeared for several hours. I tell the groom to stay in the ceremony room with the guests as some of the bridesmaids are trying to get them all out so the bride can meet the registrars, but then they'd all see her including the groom. Registrars agree that it is best come out, so they do. I move in to the ceremony room and set up for photos, registrars come in and everything starts. Photos of everyone coming in, ceremony takes 8-10 minutes in total.

Then it should be my time, a whole 30 mins. What a balls up. Get several of the B&G in the back of the car, before looking at setting up for other formal shots. However, the B&G decide to go for a 20 minute drive. :bang:

It kind of just got worse after that. I had a schedule of what should happen when, it didn't. I got no real formal shots, no shots of the details on the dress, none of the rings etc. Cue 40 minutes of me grabbing what photos I can while everyone smokes and mills around in the bar, B&G are swamped.

greeting line should of been at 3:30, that comes and goes. It starts at 4pm which is when the breakfast should of been served. I am expecting to take lots of photos of hand shaking and hugging, but due to the hotel again guests are just walking in and sitting down while the B&G stand there wondering what is going on. Again I have to stap in, I don't tell them about greeting everyone, it was too late and pointless. I tell them that they stay there until everyone is seating, then they should be introduced as Mr & Mrs and they then take their seats.

I go and have my chicken and pasta while I back up the 300 photos from the day so far, got to love my new netbook :) 40 mins later I am back inside. Speeches are in another 30 mins. Within 2 mins of being back inside and the mumbling manager decides its time to cut the cake before speeches so it can be served with coffee after the desert.

Then the speeches, but the wedding venue didn't remove the balloons as requested so ended up shooting around them. Speeches were short and emotionless until the grooms.

A few requests for photos from random groups and outside for photos around the car, formal shots mostly with some fun ones.

Then the party is being set up. First dance was supposed to be 9:30pm, at 8:40 the B&G have asked me to photograph their sign outside, which I was doing when I heard "now give it up for the B&G!". Cue me running to the dance floor to get the first dance song. I wanted to use remote off camera flash behind the couple but no time to set it up. Managed to get several shots but not as happy with them as I would of liked.

Rest of the night was good, they liked a party, lots of kids and crazy folk requesting photos all night. The bride has asked me to take some photos of the bridesmaids necklaces because the girl that made them has asked for some. Ok, I grab the prettiest bridesmaid, and she was stunner imho and off we go. Grab a few great shots of her.

left the venue at 12:15, my legs are rubbed raw from all the running around, feet ache and my right hand is still completely numb 2 hours later due to holding the camera all day.

Now I've got between 600-900 photos to sort, backup and edit. The B&G kept telling me I was there as a friend as well as a photographer, and they say they are going to give me a bonus when they get back of the honeymoon just for how great I've been running the wedding for them.

This was, a nightmare wedding, all it was missing was a punch up or either the B or G not showing up :) And we nearly had the punch up when a Stoke football player turned up and caused a stir. No organisation, no interest in formal shots, and like trying to herd and direct a bunch of drunken monkey's.

So when wedding togs say it can be tough, it can be. I have 4 more booked for next year + 2 couples from today asking about me. I need to get more used to using the D700, and I really need to get more experience with the SB900's. Studio flash I can set up and use quite easily, strobes for some reason I am struggling with, perhaps its the layout and complexity :( I really enjoyed the night do, loved being part of a big day, there is nothing quite like it.

My aim, to get more experienced with equipment and technique, to try and take part as a second more and see how others use do it, and then to develop my own style.

I am sure some of the pro's will provide positive feedback, some may post criticism but hopefully this will all be of some interest to those thinking of doing one.
 
I've done a few "for friends" weddings and always find them more stressful than doing them for people you don't really know.My last one was for my brother and I felt under the spotlight from family members all day.You end up putting more pressure on yourself to turn out a good set of pictures.
Sounds like you got through the day ok.A good character builder for next time!

Gary
 
Well if that doesnt put people off nothing will :D :D

Certainly sounds like a pressure day :gag: If you can handle this and still carry on well nothing can stop you now...It would be nice to see a couple of your efforts from the day :cool:
 
You get good ones and bad ones, and it's always best to get a bad one under your belt early as it proves to be great for experience.

Re the B&G driving off for 20 minutes, did you not sit down with them and map out exactly what was going to be required in terms of their time and when the pictures would be taken? If you did then they can certainly have no excuses if they moan about the lack of pictures of the two of them.

I find you have to be a bit outspoken and forceful if things start to become a complete mess, tell the best man to sort everyone out and if it doesn't happen then there's no a lot else you can do. The one thing i wasn't so prepared for in my first wedding was the sheer amount of people with cameras taking snaps, especially just after the actual ceremony. It was an absolute nightmare!

Did they pay you? I'm not asking that to start some sort of debate, I'm just wondering that if it was a freebie, maybe that's why they weren't so fussed about the pictures? Either way, I'm sure you've got some great shots for them and you'll have a great time at the next one now you've got that one out of the way, especially if it's well organised.
 
Messing about with lighting w/o someone to assist you is just asking for stress. You'd be better off investing in some fast glass and then simply using ambient light.
 
Dman said:
Re the B&G driving off for 20 minutes, did you not sit down with them and map out exactly what was going to be required in terms of their time and when the pictures would be taken? If you did then they can certainly have no excuses if they moan about the lack of pictures of the two of them.

Did they pay you? I'm not asking that to start some sort of debate, I'm just wondering that if it was a freebie, maybe that's why they weren't so fussed about the pictures? Either way, I'm sure you've got some great shots for them and you'll have a great time at the next one now you've got that one out of the way, especially if it's well organised.
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I had the whole talk with them about formal shots and needing 3-5 mins for each one depending on how organised they were. And the car drive thing was an off the cuff thing they wanted to do, it's their day so who am I to argue.

I was paid, but it was mates rates. Wife has just looked through them and likes a lot of the shots, and she is my biggest critic. She did pick up on my one issue which is people's faces in the middle of the photo leaving too much space above their heads, but I realised that myself so there isn't too many like that. :)

FruitFlakes said:
Messing about with lighting w/o someone to assist you is just asking for stress. You'd be better off investing in some fast glass and then simply using ambient light.
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D700 + nikon 24-70mm f2.8 and a Sigma 70-200mm f2.8. It was still a struggle with ISO 6400 in some cases. But I am going to spend the next couple of months doing some hardcore practising and perfecting my technique :)

I tell you what though, it is very demanding on the old body especially if you are a bit out of shape like me :) Right hand still feels swollen and numb in the fingers, I can't rotate my left wrist more than 90' and my legs and feet are killing me. Gym membership here I come :D
 
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Sounds like a bit of a disaster at times but at least you got bad experience early on so you don't always expect it to be all rosey
 
Harvey_nikon said:
D700 + nikon 24-70mm f2.8 and a Sigma 70-200mm f2.8. It was still a struggle with ISO 6400 in some cases. But I am going to spend the next couple of months doing some hardcore practising and perfecting my technique :)
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When I say 'fast glass' I mean the sexy 1.4 stuff. :p A really good set up for weddings would be a pair of D700s, 24/1.4, 35/1.4 and 85/1.4 (or a 135/2 DC if you really want the extra reach) - the 35 would be your general lens and you'd switch between the 85 and 24 on the other body. Then again that set up would be horrifically expensive, but if wedding photography is your calling then I'd imagine they'll pay for themselves pretty quickly.
 
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Thanks for the write up - interesting and not altogether surprising. As the previous poster said, surely a properly fast prime or two would have been handy, even just an 85mm 1.8 which isn't too expensive?
 
Primes are on the shopping list, but the bank was only so full and I needed to get the best equipment covering the best range of photography.

However, I can see the 1.4/1.8s helping with focussing on low light, but even at 2.8 the DOF can be very small and when you have people dancing around, moving back and forth the fixed focal length of a prime and the shallow dof it would result in more photos for the bin.


For instance, 85mm 1.8 at 10ft gives you a DOF of approx a whopping 6 inches, not suitable for lots of drunk ladies dancing around :)
 
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Well, you survived, so the next one should be a breeze ;)
 
Your only real mistake (as such) was assuming that you wouldn't be in charge from the moment you arrived...

Most people haven't a clue and are simply waiting for someone to take charge - since you actually have an important function to perform, it had better be you, otherwise you'll never get what you need.
It also calms people down to know someone has their **** together...
 
Arkady said:
Your only real mistake (as such) was assuming that you wouldn't be in charge from the moment you arrived...

Most people haven't a clue and are simply waiting for someone to take charge - since you actually have an important function to perform, it had better be you, otherwise you'll never get what you need.
It also calms people down to know someone has their **** together...
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Correctomundo. Ya gotta BOSS it. ( I think that's the correct parlance ) innit !
 
Daryl said:
Thats why we use 2 togs for a full day Harve and charge £1,500 upwards. Well done fella.
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Well I can't charge that much ..... yet :) Maybe given a year or two. :)

Arkady said:
Your only real mistake (as such) was assuming that you wouldn't be in charge from the moment you arrived...

Most people haven't a clue and are simply waiting for someone to take charge - since you actually have an important function to perform, it had better be you, otherwise you'll never get what you need.
It also calms people down to know someone has their **** together...
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I guess the weddings I have been to previously gave me a false sense, as they all had dedicated planners from the hotel. They basically run everything, tog takes over in their allotted time space.

Tbh, it's something I could do, I just wasn't expecting to have to but you just have to go with the flow :)
 
What went well?

Well, all the research I had done on here from looking at others images and learning the processes used on a wedding really helped me see what was happening.

Also, the guest were great, especially come the night do. Think there are a few photos out there of me being as silly as them.

I've already had several guests add me as a friend on facebook with one of them asking about covering another wedding next year. Also got on with the DJ's who might want work doing for their website. So it may lead to lots of extra work.

Lots of kids at the wedding too, I realised just how much fun it was connecting and photographing them, and how easy it is for me to get on with them all.

What will make me do future ones? The feeling of being part of someone's big day, there is nothing quite like it.

I also learnt my current limits with the new gear, so I know exactly what I need to work on. That's a big positive, because my aim is to be producing shots to match some of the togs on here within a year at the most, togs such as alib, spxxxx and raymond lin. And maybe to see someone post "I wish I could take photos like this" about one of my photos :D
 
Harvey_nikon said:
What went well?

Well, all the research I had done on here from looking at others images and learning the processes used on a wedding really helped me see what was happening.

Also, the guest were great, especially come the night do. Think there are a few photos out there of me being as silly as them.

I've already had several guests add me as a friend on facebook with one of them asking about covering another wedding next year. Also got on with the DJ's who might want work doing for their website. So it may lead to lots of extra work.

Lots of kids at the wedding too, I realised just how much fun it was connecting and photographing them, and how easy it is for me to get on with them all.

What will make me do future ones? The feeling of being part of someone's big day, there is nothing quite like it.

I also learnt my current limits with the new gear, so I know exactly what I need to work on. That's a big positive, because my aim is to be producing shots to match some of the togs on here within a year at the most, togs such as alib, spxxxx and raymond lin. And maybe to see someone post "I wish I could take photos like this" about one of my photos :D
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I like that attitude :thumbs:
 
Sounds like you had fun :eek:

I'm still hoping my 1st one coems off ok in December. Although I think its going to be a real challange due to the reception hall and surrondings not exactly kind to the eye :thinking:

Luckily I have a pro coming along to give me support and be a second tog for me, So hopefully it will reduce the pressure a bit!!! :eek:
 
Well done mate.
I have had both the organised and disorganised, the sunny and the wet, the gorgeous locations and the back room of the local pub. Every wedding is different.
The sense and feeling that you get when you look at the images and know that you have done a good job in whatever the situation was that was thrown at you is what makes you want to go back for me. I'm a sucker for a good wedding, so the chance to do wedding photography is amazing. I dont see it as a chour when i shoot one, i see it as a great day. You always meet some amazing people, some real characters, some total idiots but mainly a lovely bunch of people having a great time at someones big day.

Well done mate, i'm sure the images are cracking and the Bride and Groom will be really happy, especially since you became their coordinator as well as their photographer :lol:
 
Harvey_nikon said:
I also learnt my current limits with the new gear, so I know exactly what I need to work on. That's a big positive, because my aim is to be producing shots to match some of the togs on here within a year at the most, togs such as alib, spxxxx and raymond lin. And maybe to see someone post "I wish I could take photos like this" about one of my photos :D
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Oh thanks :lol:

There aren't that many venues that actually manage the day well, so get used to running the timetable. It will be noticed and afterwards the B&G will realise.
 
Only read the original post, but well done for being so deadicated - obviously you want to be as its your reputation etc but could be easy to get very annoyed.

I guess maybe the rule here is to be very clear with the B&G before a wedding to let them know that if they want good photos then they really need to be organised and such. I guess for most people they don't understand you have to set up lighting or even change lenses and backup pics and such.

Good work, hope you got some good pics and hopefully the next one will go better!
 
i did my first solo a few weeks ago.
ive always been second tog to my Mrs, but this one was a friends wedding.
scary.
did a good job, and the B&G are happy, but still scary.
happy to be back as second tog, but more confident now to know i could handle it if needs must.
yes they are sometimes bloody hard work, and things do go wrong.
go with the flow is sometimes the only way
some wedding venues are better organised than others
some havent got a clue.
on more than one occasion ive had to go and collect a groom and drag him in to see the registrar.
even had the brides mother moan at me because we didnt get shots of all the guests at the reception.
the reception she forgot to organise transport to , for all the guests.
some guests were so late, the meal had started , finished and speaches had begun.
we even bought three guests to the reception in OUR car.
 
Just caught this thread. Well done mate on having a good go at it. I know from what I've read of yours and the questions you've asked that you would have been as prepared as anyone on their first time out.

Shooting on your own is a different ball game to shooting with an assistant or second shooter. To be honest, the way I shoot a wedding I hate doing them on my own. For a start it's near impossible to do both bridal prep and groom getting ready. I've done it but it takes military precision to pull it off. And weddings don't usually work like that.

Well done again. And I'll look out for the pictures if you decide to share some.

Ryan
 
I used to do weddings in the distant past, and one thing that has struck me in a few different threads (on various forums) are the number of people who are starting to photograph weddings as the official tog and only taking/using one body!

Weddings aren't really that easy to replicate on another day if there is a hardware malfunfunction, how do solo togs justify (even to themselves) taking these sort of risks?
 
Thanks for the feedback all, been working through the photos and its taking a while. 700 down to 400, now editing and making a video for them too.

Need to order a DVD presentation case and find my DVD printer adapter.


Dave1 said:
I used to do weddings in the distant past, and one thing that has struck me in a few different threads (on various forums) are the number of people who are starting to photograph weddings as the official tog and only taking/using one body!

Weddings aren't really that easy to replicate on another day if there is a hardware malfunfunction, how do solo togs justify (even to themselves) taking these sort of risks?
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Any reason you've posted an unrelated comment in my thread? Was anything mentioned about only having 1 body? :thinking:

While a valid point, I am just not sure why it was posted here. For reference, I had my D60 as a back up body, and will be upgrading to D3s or D4/D800 so I can experiment with video. The d60, while not up to the capabilities of the D700 is very capable with good light, something I could get using my SB900. I also had a couple of extra lenses, extra batteries (aa & DSLR) and extra mem cards.
 
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It sounds like a nightmare, but a good learning experience though. I'm quiet curious now of how the photo's turned out. I enjoyed reading it actually, just gives ya an idea of what to expect as well.

Gosh it gives me the creeps when I read this but I'm gonna be doing the wedding for my sister in May and really looking forward to that. I actually would like to do this kinda thing. Well I still say this before I've ever done a weddingphotoshoot ;)

I'm going to get myself a backup, but then I think I've got the right equipment.
 
Quick tip on shooting the formal group stuff.

I noticed a while back that you really need to engage with the whole group to get decent group shots and TBH it's a little bit like being on stage. You are out in front of this big group of people and they are all looking at YOU!

Now not many people enjoy this part of a wedding and most see it as a mindless chore that has to be endured rather than enjoyed and it shows in their body language.

So if you want a decent group shot there are a couple of ways of improving them.

Firstly, get the camera on a tripod. Not because we are going to be shooting slow shutter speeds but because it commands your position and you are going to be sneaky. ;) Start by actually talking to them as a group. I have found that a little pep talk actually helps a LOT! I'll point out that in 20 years time when these two have charted a certain path through their marriage that when they pull out the album it won't be the pics of them they will be looking at. Oh no! It's the pics of the people who were at their wedding and that as friends and family they have a very important role to play in helping me provide those pics. You can see the whole lot straighten and you now have their attention. This is when you start taking pics with the camera tripod mounted and you are not looking through the viewfinder, keep looking at the group and talking to them, if you can make them all smile that's your shot. Take 3 or 4 of each group setup so you have a better change of getting everyone smiling and eyes open. Have some fun with the children if you have them at the front. A little bit of activity and a giggle or two also go down very well and don't forget to thank everyone for their time and cooperation too.

If you have a child bawling it's head off (happens) don't get granny (it IS always her) to drag it screaming and kicking into the front of the pic, just take them out and make sure you go back and get some nice ones of them when they have calmed down. The screaming child image will never make the album so there is no point in putting the child through a screaming fit and shooting it.

Also don't agree to hundreds of group shots, people WILL get bored and wander off and that's when the sheepdog act starts and you lose control. Keep it to the absolute minimum and people will actually enjoy the wedding more which after all IS the point of them being there. ;)

Right, off to edit 4000 images, produce some advertising (as if by magic) and need to re edit all my website pics.....see you all about Feb! lol
 
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Your a very brave man, I would love to get into wedding photography, but I could not take the pressure of it all, a wedding is a special day in peoples lives and I could not sleep at night if I thought I had screwed up there photos which are a once in a lifetime record of that event.

I take my hat off to all wedding togs, you have my deepest respect
 
Sounds like a real experience Harvey. I'm just finishing the album for my first which although throughly enjoyed it was a great learning curve. Throughly recommend the Lovegroves Big Day dvd which will help you using your flash indoors no end and probably save you alot of dough on primes ;)

I was a bit gutted when i put together a dvd which was an added extra for the bride [an older friends mother], she was a bit taken back due to the size of the screen. When she saw the pics on the computer she loved them but i didn't get the reaction i wanted, i was pretty gutted. But all said and done i know i haven't done too badly at all. Fortunately there were only 19 family members so perfect for a first one. Really didn't enjoy the processing and certainly spent far too long perfecting them. In a similar boat as you regarding earning some valuable experience, if you ever need a second shooter i'm only just down the road,

Kris
 
Harvey_nikon said:
Any reason you've posted an unrelated comment in my thread? Was anything mentioned about only having 1 body? :thinking:

While a valid point, I am just not sure why it was posted here.
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How is it unrelated? Perhaps you should re-read your OP, I was posing a question related to what you posted in your op (and if you read my post, I was actually posing it as a rhetorical question relating to the number of new semi pro's who find it acceptable to take on wedding assignments with minimal gear, not necessarily you). You said:
So armed with my new D700 and flashes off I set.
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I was answering what you posted, I must apologise for being unable to realise you had a second body from your original post. Silly me, it's so apparent now I have the hindsight of your follow up post.
 
oddly i really enjoy working the group shots and marshaling the throng.
but as second tog, i can concentrate on that while wifey shoots them.
a bit different when you have to do both at once.
an awfull lot of wedding photography IS people skills.
you dont get many shy, retiring wedding togs.
 
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