Wedding advice/help !

justa1972

justa1972

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Justin
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Hello

Would really appreciate some help please ! My Son is getting married in Rome next year and although there is a Photographer included with the Villa we are staying I would also like to try and take some more informal photos - as well as a few formal I suppose.

The problem is that I have only ever shot landscape and travel shots - I rarely if ever take photos of people and if I do it’s never just of their face rather them included within the landscape shot !

Are there any guides that are worth looking at or even a course worth doing ? I’m not even confident of what aperture to use when taking portraits and have never used face detect or eye detect !

Finally, would you recommend a portrait lens ? Currently I have a 20-60mm f3.5-5.6 and a 50mm f1.8 FF lens for my S5 - would an 85mm be a useful addition ?

thanks in advance !

Justin
 
Surely on the day you'll be busy and emotional, so just enjoying the day might be a better idea, but the day before might be a good time for pictures.
Are you meeting up then, and if so where - using your landscape skills but inserting a few people would keep things simple for you, but just keep your eye on the light for facial shadows etc. In bright sun a white reflector/piece of card or fill in flash may be worth experimenting with beforehand..
My feeling is that you'd be recording a few memories rather than masterpieces so go for capturing the moment and don't stress about creativity. I'm not a wedding photographer but have done a few for friends and all the most loved pictures are grabbed moments.
I've no idea what level of expertise you have so hope I'm not teaching you too suck eggs....
 
Don't, would be my advice try and be a photographer and a member of the wedding party. I had to with my son's wedding for various reasons. I won't go into You will not be taken as a serious photographer although you should be able to get a few snaps on the day. The other guests will see you as father of the groom and nothing else so trying to get those "formal" shot is nigh imposible. I know and I tried. at the reception would be the same ,

Tthere is one photo worth getting

SON SIGNING HIS LIFE AWAY TO HER WHO IN FUTURE MUST BE OBEYED ;):LOL:


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I agree with Bazza. Our son got married in August and I made the decision not to take photos as I wanted to enjoy the day as his father.
I took along my very small Ricoh GR3x (pocketable) but after taking a few snaps I found myself thinking about photos and angles and not enjoying myself so I stopped.
Another thing is that as his parents we were expected to mingle with the guests, and we hadn't seen quite a few from "our side" for some time, so chatting was more a priority than photos.
 
Thanks folks a lot of things I hadn’t thought of - need to digest them.

Its at a rather lovely Villa about 30 mins from Rome - it is a very small affair though, only 16 people attending - just close family and that’s it.

Not sure whether that will make it easier or harder ?!!
 
ALMOST FORGOT AND VERY VERY IMPORTANT. TELL THEM TO GET 2 OR MORE COPIES OF THE WEDDING CERTIFICATE.

Why? because it will be very hard to get later on should the need arise. Not like here in the UK where you can go get copies . I discovered this when one of my customers was trying to get a divorce and his wife would not let him have the only copy as they got married in the caribbean and he could not get a copy so she was ripping him off over money wise. Also there may be times when the original is wanted as proof of marriage and has to be sent away
DO GET MORE THAN ONE COPY
 
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If you are going for a few days I would take photos the day before and the day after but on the day just enjoy it. For every second you are looking at your camera you are missing a moment. There are thousands of you tube videos on photographing people which, you will find helpful
 
You can either attend as a photographer or as a guest, but if you try to be both then you're likely to fail at both - and the fact that your own photographic skills lie in other directions will make the whole thing impossible for you.

So, my advice is to go there as your son's father, and leave your camera at home.
 
Thanks for all the advise ! I’ve taken note of it and will just take photos before and after - and will enjoy the big day !
 
Maybe take a compact slipped into a pocket.
 
I was banned from taking any during my Son's. The official photog didn't want any cameras or straps showing in hers!
 
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