Saying no/Knowing your limit (Wedding related)

JRJ

JRJ

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Evening all, long time reader of the site, but small time writer.

I'm after some advice on wedding photography, the story goes something like this......
Cousin on the wife's side insists that she doesnt want a photographer for her wedding and is adamant about this, her mother is not happy about this decision so seeing me with my camera at a friends wedding (just some candids and quick snaps) asks if I can help, they compromise and ask if I can take some low key candid shots in the background, of guests and the general wedding related photos without standing out to much prefering the natural unposed shot.
Not under much pressure I was happy with this arrangement, I refused payment only asking for her to cover the cost of some spare batteries and an extra SD card and I would supply a CD as a gift.
Now 6 weeks away I'm being asked to do more standard wedding group shots to the point where its pretty much going to be a full wedding shoot.
I feel like I cant say no and have tried all avenues of getting out of it! (experience, equipment, skills etc) but to no avail! and I know the liklehood of getting a proffesional at this short a notice would be practically impossible.

Any advice from experts?

I've made it clear to them what to expect from the pictures and that they will be nowhere near semi-proffesional.

Kit wise: 550d with 18-55 and 55-250 and 50 1.8, 430ex II. Theyve offered to cover lens hire should I need it? Maybe a 50mm 1.4 and a 24-70 L 2.8 from lensesforhire is what I was thinking?

Apologies for the length of this just feel like I'm in a pickle:bonk:
 
Whats the venue like?

It sounds like you're committed, but don't let that seem like a bad thing. Group shots are a pretty straight forward affair and TBH the kit lens will be more than suitable as long as you're in a light environment (I.e. outdoor, not at midnight).

Practice posing people. Pracitce shooting in different light. Practice at the venue if your able. Find out where you can stand during the ceremony, look around for 'detail' shots you can take on the day (Or even in advance for some things, like physical features of the venue).

Get some help if you can (not even necessarily a photographer, but someone who can fetch and carry).

SHOOT RAW - Don't be scared to 'machine gun' to get the expressions your after.

Finally






ENJOY IT - I love shooting weddings. I've been to a lot of family weddings etc but there is no better feeling than being one of the 'players' on the big day. Its like watching a loved one getting married everytime.
 
When it comes to traditional posed shots at a wedding, I've found that only 10% of it is taking the photo. It's 90% people management.

As for equipment, as long as you aren't shooting in a dull church you have good enough lenses (50m 1.8 will work here), however maybe get a second body as a back up, just in case.

Practice, use spot metering on the dress, practice and be loud :D
 
Thanks both for the advice much appreciated.

Venue is more of large meeting room which doubles as a wedding venue, rectangular in shape with one of the long walls being all glass doors onto a balcony, top table will be setup in front of this.

Church I'm hoping to get there couple of weeks before when the couple see the vicar and practice some shots.

I'm hoping to borrow a second body purely for backup, but depending on what I can get I may have a zoom lens setup on it just so that I'm not changing if a shot pops up.

As I said their happy to cover costs for lens hire, so the plan was to hire a couple of nice lenses and use mine as backup/second body.
As said the two I'm thinking of are a 50mm 1.4 to give me the edge over my 1.8 for the evening "disco" and also inside the church.
For the main photos Canon EF 24-105mm f/4 L IS USM or Canon EF 24-105mm f/4 L IS USM seem to be the favourite among wedding togs any advice from people with regards to these choices?
 
i feel your pain, we recently agreed to do my best mates wedding in march..

hopefully it should work pretty well, the OH is handy at portrait work while i prefer candid so with any luck should get a good mix.

kit wise we're looking to take into the "job": 5dmk2 each (have 1 already), 70-200 each (have these), short lens each (have a 50 1.4 not sure, might use something else), speedlites each (have a 580mk2).
 
Harvey_nikon said:
When it comes to traditional posed shots at a wedding, I've found that only 10% of it is taking the photo. It's 90% people management.

As for equipment, as long as you aren't shooting in a dull church you have good enough lenses (50m 1.8 will work here), however maybe get a second body as a back up, just in case.

Practice, use spot metering on the dress, practice and be loud :D
Click to expand...

Totally agree re the groups all that the OP needs to do with groups is get a decent background pose the B&G and then balance the number of guest evenly and get them to stand at an angle of 45 degrees rather than head onto the camera.
Another trick I have used is to get the ladies alongside B&G and the men on one knee in front of them

Oh and dont take any messing around be Loud and Proud
 
Are you being asked to take the extra pictures by the couple or the Mother?
 
Chivers: By the couple who have been pressured by the mother to get some traditional group photos.

Neilg: Wish I had a kit list half as good as that!

Again thanks for the advice, anybody got any good sites to read, I'm looking through flickr picking a picture I like and checking out the exif data just so that I've got an idea for some shots.
 
Churches can be horrible, dingy places. If your visiting the church in advance, try and go at a similar time of day to the wedding to get a feel for the lighting. Speak to the vicar about flash. I know a lot of togs on here find that they are not allowed to use flash but I can honestly say that in two years I have never come across this situation myself.

As far as the disco in the evening goes, set yourself a final time limit after which you'll stop shooting. Its a demanding schedule during a wedding and you'll need / deserve a wind down at the end of the evening (Particularly as its a family wedding - Sink a few pints befor ethe bar closes). I hate taking pictures of the disco in the evening - they're always boring same old shots of granny on the dance floor and one of the groomsmen making a pillock of himself....
 
Little bit of good news, a colleague has kindly offered me the use of his 550D as a backup body, so same batteries same cards and knowledge of the camera
 
I'm in a similarish position shooting my Dad's wedding at the end of next month. I was going to rent a canon 17-55 2.8 but ended up swapping one of my existing lenses for a tamron 17-50 2.8 so better in low light (also have a nifty fifty) but also to get better background blur/separation of subject on portrait and couple style shots. The other important thing I'm thinking about other than location and composition is getting the f numbers right for depth of field on couple and larger group shots..
 
Thanks again all who have replied, I was fortunate to be at a wedding on Sunday and managed to take a few shots.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jr-j/sets/72157627342428256/

Tell me what you think?

Now I've convinced myself that I need a 50mm 1.4 was struggling a little with the low light and the kit lens, only dilemma is whether to go Sigma or Canon!
 
I think you did alright considering they're guest shots so you won't have had the prime vantage point, nice set
 
JRJ said:
Thanks again all who have replied, I was fortunate to be at a wedding on Sunday and managed to take a few shots.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jr-j/sets/72157627342428256/

Tell me what you think?

Now I've convinced myself that I need a 50mm 1.4 was struggling a little with the low light and the kit lens, only dilemma is whether to go Sigma or Canon!
Click to expand...


If I wasn't paying for a professional to take wedding pictures I'd be very happy with those, so I reckon you'll be just fine upon the big day! Just make sure you're not shaking like a leaf and more worried about the day than the bride and groom :p
 
I feel your pain on this - i'm shooting my sisters wedding on monday week ( yes i know :bonk: ) it wasnt my idea - my sister was adamant that she didnt want a paid tog so our mum kindly volunteered my services.

its a fairly unweddingy wedding - shes adamant that she doesnt want group shots etc, so the breif is to shoot the whole thing reportage/candid - I just hope the light is okay as I dont have a long f2.8 lens (my longest is a 90mm prime), when i'm doing paid weddings i'd hire a 70-200 f2.8IS but i'm not in the position to pay out for lens hire when i'm not getting paid
 
I shot a wedding at the start of this month, with the help of a mate, for some good friends of ours. A common story, they aren't rolling in cash but had seen my pictures before (particularly when they were over at ours with the kids a while back and got some nice shots of them playing), so asked if I would consider covering it. I was absolutely bricking it, no pressure from the couple as I know they'd have been grateful for whatever they got, but I really wanted to give them the best possible. I'm very grateful for having good kit that made my life easier (5d2, 700-200 2.8, 24-105), and I'm delighted with the results. More importantly, so were the happy couple!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/shineondetail/sets/72157627255484175/

Ultimately, whilst nervous, I really enjoyed the experience. I can see that wedding togs really earn their money. All my photography is either something my mates and I can replicate repeatedly, or it doesn't actually matter if we miss the shot. Neither really apply to weddings!
 
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