Wedding Photography - Photographers. HELP

Gary.D

Gary.D

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Gary Derbridge
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:help:
I have just been asked by a freind to do the photos for their wedding. I seriously don't know whether or not to accept because I have no experience with weddings. Im using a Canon 400d which isn't the greatest camera in the world either.
Any of you do weddings.
When was your first?
Were you in the same situation as me?
Please help guys!
lol
Im worried ha ha
Gary:'(
 
Not saying that you would, but ask yourself if you could look your friends in the face should you get their photos wrong.

Personally, I've turned down a request from friends to shoot their wedding (and be paid for it) for that very reason. I know one end of my camera from the other, but I couldn't handle the prospect of making a schoolboy error and ruining the photos from their big day.

I'm now taking my kit and acting as the unofficial second shooter for the day, capturing a more 'reportage' style set of shots (I hope!).

It all depends on your confidence in getting the shots they want I guess.
 
i think the rule of thumb is do you honestly feel you could do it at your current experience level? if you do be sure to take back up kit beyond what you use day-to-day. if not don't sweat it. I'm not making any judgements but I suspect your friends just want to get photos of the day done cheap, who can blame them? but its worth the expense to get the day done right...after all, once the champagne's all dried up and there's nothing but cake crumbs left its the photos that will last forever so why skimp?
 
Well take it as a compliment, but if you're in any doubt of being able to fulfill their wishes then decline and offer to attend as a second shooter.

Wedding photographs are really something that cannot be replaced, you get one crack and whilst the 400d is up to the job (although I would never consider doing this without a backup) your lenses will play a huge part, and flash - so list the kit and we'll be able to point out any gaps.

You'll need to have a long and serious chat about what they want - formal shots or 'reportage' style? If informal grabs are the order of the day, that's fine - but what happens if you miss Great Aunt Gert from any of the shots? How do you ensure you get everyone?

I'm not saying a definite no, but you're doing the right thing by giving it serious thought!

Cheers,
James
 
I'm doing a wedding for a friend in August and I'm pretty nervous about it too. I've got myself a Nikon D300 (although not specifically for the wedding), I'm getting a Nikon 70-200mm f2.8 VR (again not specifically for the wedding). The one thing I can't buy is the creativity and the expertise. Luckily my sister is a pro wedding tog so I'll be tagging along with her a few times before the wedding to learn as much as I can and I'll speak to the bride and groom to work out exactly what kind of pictures they want and what the locations will be like.

All you can do is prepare as much as you can and do your best and remember that the chances are, if a couple are prepared to ask a novice to do their wedding then they're not expecting fully professional shots so don't worry if they're not perfect.
 
Wedding photos are irreplaceable, let me ask you,do you feel lucky punk :eek:
Sorry for that :D

But if you're m8 can afford it,IMHO he should get a pro Tog.
I did my Nieces because she was broke,Also decked the car out and drove her there..........but boy,was it nerve wracking......

As you say, have a pratice first,before going it alone.....
 
To do a wedding, you will need at least
2 bodies
1 flash gun
Enough memory cards to shoot all day without running out, (1500 RAW for me)
At least 1 lens covering the focal length of 17-50 or 24-70 for Full Frame.
Another lens like the 70-200 if possible.
2.8 constant aperture lens preferred.

Know your light, know how light can manipulate a shot and use it to your advantage, indoors and out.

and the ability to resist a drink, you don't want to be drunk, not even slightly, trust me.
 
Gary120190 said:
Thanks for all the advice guys :)
I will have a think and maybe try doing a couple of weddings as a "second shooter"
Click to expand...

Hey bud - im in Dover & would be more than happy to play 2nd shooter
(novice myself) so we can get around 1200 crap shots between us :lol:

Seriously though,if you need an extra camera let me know :thumbs:
 
will you be paid for the job? i ask has the kit you will end up buying etc might make you at a loss?

have you thought about hiring the lens/lenses needed? (bring your costs down a bit).
 
Raymond Lin said:
To do a wedding, you will need at least
2 bodies
1 flash gun
Enough memory cards to shoot all day without running out, (1500 RAW for me)
At least 1 lens covering the focal length of 17-50 or 24-70 for Full Frame.
Another lens like the 70-200 if possible.
2.8 constant aperture lens preferred.

Know your light, know how light can manipulate a shot and use it to your advantage, indoors and out.

and the ability to resist a drink, you don't want to be drunk, not even slightly, trust me.
Click to expand...



Yep, very wise words!!!

But and it is a big but, we've all go to start somewhere:shrug:

cheers

Darren
 
Darren9330 said:
Yep, very wise words!!!

But and it is a big but, we've all go to start somewhere:shrug:

cheers

Darren
Click to expand...

Yes, we do all have to start somewhere. I've just shot my first wedding as a pro yesterday and my experience is that with the very occasional exception you would be utterly mad to go straight into it. I shot a season as a second shooter and invested heavily in the kit to do it. (To the tune of about £8,000) Two pro spec bodies, 6 lenses, 3 flashguns a new PC and enough peripheral kit to open a branch of Calumet.

I went on specific training courses and read a huge amount. I practiced on friends and family, I shot a friends wedding for free.

In total I spent almost 9 months so far in gearing up for this and I still have three months of hard work to put in on the business side.

Hope that helps.
 
For what my 2 pennies are worth...
i have recently opened a studio in essex and advertised for weddings as well as studio shoots...never done a wedding on my own, been a second shooter with a pro that i trained with (local tog that does training courses well worth doing,try doing a search for jeff turnbull)..
the inevitale has happened 3 weddings booked for next year.....
i have 3 bodies
400d...30d and 5d
lenses
sigma 24-70 2.8
sigma 70-200 2.8
sigma 17-35 2.8 - 4.5
nifty 50
flash gun
cf cards etc...
all second hand except the 400d and costs so far up to £4000 but that includes my studio set up(but not my rent lol) and returns so far £200 -£300...this may not be perfect but i need to build some money up to get the gear i really want.

the 1st is early feb and i have aranged to meet at the church for the trial and the venue...meet with them to do a list of the shots they require etc.

you have to start somewher,e but its where you feel comftable, and what you are prepared to do for yourself..i could have said no to the shoot and made an excuse up, but i want to really go for it, so i have took the plunge.....(and my buisness partner will be there doing the video)

i see you are only in southend.. so if you want to meet me at the studio (chelmsford) and i will give you my advise and go through the settings etc i will only be to happy to help as that is how i have had to start......if you want to come on my wedding as a second shooter please contact me...
cheers

jamie
 
The hills are that way -->
Start running :D

Seriously, have they asked you with the intention of paying you?
Or are they a bit skint and can't afford a pro?

If it is the former, I would recommend you decline unless you are planning onto getting into wedding photography anyway (And have cash to spend on gear)

If it is the latter explain your situation. Tell them that you will need to obtain a second body and hire lenses to do a reliable job - make the choice theirs. Be totally upfront about your current experience (You may be going to try and learn as much as you can, but don;t get expectations up!).

I have been asked to to two weddings recently for friends. I have all the gear (Including second body/overlapping lenses/etc) and I know the gear inside out. I am pretty good at putting a nice shot together. I still said no because it isn't something I would enjoy - and lets face it - you need to enjoy that type of photography to do it!
 
Raymond Lin said:
To do a wedding, you will need at least
2 bodies
1 flash gun
Enough memory cards to shoot all day without running out, (1500 RAW for me)
At least 1 lens covering the focal length of 17-50 or 24-70 for Full Frame.
Another lens like the 70-200 if possible.
2.8 constant aperture lens preferred.

Know your light, know how light can manipulate a shot and use it to your advantage, indoors and out.

and the ability to resist a drink, you don't want to be drunk, not even slightly, trust me.
Click to expand...

I could argue that you need 2 flashguns. I did a mates wedding a few years ago and when removing the flash from the top of the camera, the bloody thing sprung apart while I was in the church and I ended up with bits all over the floor, talk about embarrassing !!:help:
 
chilliz said:
I could argue that you need 2 flashguns. I did a mates wedding a few years ago and when removing the flash from the top of the camera, the bloody thing sprung apart while I was in the church and I ended up with bits all over the floor, talk about embarrassing !!:help:
Click to expand...

True, but i was going for absolute minimum.

In reality you really need 2 of everything, lots of batteries and memory cards, not to mention insurance.
 
Q papa
 
admirable said:
Q papa
Click to expand...

Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!:eek:

On a more serious note, you'll need to spend a fair bit just to get a basic kit to cover the big day!
A decent flash, a fast lens for the church, a long lens, a tripod & insurance.

You will need a fair bit of money, a large pair of gonads & but the most imortant bit?
Having the ability to make people listen to you!:thumbs:

HTH

Spence
 
I'm getting married in 2010 and may have put a friend of mine in that spot. I would prefer a more reportage style than stuffy contrived shots anyway.

Just out of interest what do pro's charge?
 
Anywhere from £200 to £20,000 although the average is probably hovering around the £750 to £1000 mark.
 
I did my sisters wedding a couple of years ago. I didn't want to, but the photographer she originally hired let her down 2 weeks before the event, so she had nobody to cover it; talk about dropping in at the deep end !

At that time I only had my 350D, so I borrowed a 300D as a 2nd body, along with a 24-105 L. I got myself a half decent flash unit and a grip for the 350 (2 batteries plus an AA magazine as back up).

I went to the church the weekend before to have a look at the venue and met with the vicar. On the day I had my son at the hotel with groom to record him & the best man getting ready, while I was with my sister throughout the morning.

Church bit went OK but I did have an issue with my flash which meant I had to use the on body unit with a 2nd manual unit on a photo-cell slave.

All turned out OK in the end, but the pressure I felt was immense. You need to do lots of preparation, check out the venue, meet the Vicar, get a list of what shots the couple want, and while at the venue, think of a few shots you "could" set up.

Good luck !!

Steve
 
chivers67 said:
Perhaps it would be best to Pin A wedding photogrpahy advice thread rather than have a new one ever fortnight or so
Click to expand...

Yep but would it stop these new threads?? I doubt it!

Anyway back to the OP, the best advise I can give would be to say sorry to your friends and recommend they get a pro.

If you decide to go ahead then really do make sure you have 2 of everything, there is a thread which contains a fair few examples where the day was saved as the tog had backup kit. If you don't want to buy it, I'm sure you can find a friend to borrow from or at worst you can hire it for the week, as your friends to chip in to these costs (they are the ones saving money on a real Pro). You will also need lots of memory cards and a good number of spare batteries (I'd recommend 3 per camera).

As for the lens, you really do need good quality glass! f2.8 constant for a zoom lens and at least the 50mm f1.8 if not the f1.4 in case things are really dark. It's not just the light gathering abilities which make these lenses ideal, they also tend to be sharper and have less optical effects than the cheaper lenses. You will spend less time post processing images with good lenses.

Final tip, read, research and practice every spare moment and remember the flash can also be used in bright daylight.

All the best
 
jimjam said:
For what my 2 pennies are worth...
i have recently opened a studio in essex and advertised for weddings as well as studio shoots...never done a wedding on my own, been a second shooter with a pro that i trained with (local tog that does training courses well worth doing,try doing a search for jeff turnbull)..
the inevitale has happened 3 weddings booked for next year.....
i have 3 bodies
400d...30d and 5d
lenses
sigma 24-70 2.8
sigma 70-200 2.8
sigma 17-35 2.8 - 4.5
nifty 50
flash gun
cf cards etc...
all second hand except the 400d and costs so far up to £4000 but that includes my studio set up(but not my rent lol) and returns so far £200 -£300...this may not be perfect but i need to build some money up to get the gear i really want.

the 1st is early feb and i have aranged to meet at the church for the trial and the venue...meet with them to do a list of the shots they require etc.

you have to start somewher,e but its where you feel comftable, and what you are prepared to do for yourself..i could have said no to the shoot and made an excuse up, but i want to really go for it, so i have took the plunge.....(and my buisness partner will be there doing the video)

i see you are only in southend.. so if you want to meet me at the studio (chelmsford) and i will give you my advise and go through the settings etc i will only be to happy to help as that is how i have had to start......if you want to come on my wedding as a second shooter please contact me...
cheers

jamie
Click to expand...

Jamie PM sent.
Thanks so much lol
Gary :D
 
Jelster said:
I did my sisters wedding a couple of years ago. I didn't want to, but the photographer she originally hired let her down 2 weeks before the event, so she had nobody to cover it; talk about dropping in at the deep end !

At that time I only had my 350D, so I borrowed a 300D as a 2nd body, along with a 24-105 L. I got myself a half decent flash unit and a grip for the 350 (2 batteries plus an AA magazine as back up).

I went to the church the weekend before to have a look at the venue and met with the vicar. On the day I had my son at the hotel with groom to record him & the best man getting ready, while I was with my sister throughout the morning.

Church bit went OK but I did have an issue with my flash which meant I had to use the on body unit with a 2nd manual unit on a photo-cell slave.

All turned out OK in the end, but the pressure I felt was immense. You need to do lots of preparation, check out the venue, meet the Vicar, get a list of what shots the couple want, and while at the venue, think of a few shots you "could" set up.

Good luck !!

Steve
Click to expand...

Thanks Steve ! :)
 
Ok thought I'd better chip in with some advice.

I always go to the venue with the bride and groom prior to the big day first meeting at where the bride will be getting ready if possible for a quick checkover of areas to take pictures then onto the venue(s).

I'd take a tripod for the group shots, it might slow you down a little but you'll line up the photographs better, if you have one and it has a quick release head then this would be idea. If you're allowed to take shots in the church then this will come in handy if you want to balance ambient with flash.

If you have a reflector such as a lastolite to do bride & groom shots this works well - I normally get the best man to hold it, it seems to help the couple relax a little too.

Make sure the flash you use is fully charged for isle shots - i normally use a quantum battery pack that allows continuos shooting

Get the main group shots done as soon as you can especially at the Church before people slope off for a pee/fag/drink or whatever else. I try not to take really large group shots they seem a waste of time sometimes as people start to get really small in the shots and you often get several guests hiding. I much prefer smaller less formal group shots. I often use a bench for the bride and groom using the arms for Ushers and Best Man and people behind.

do a mock cake shot before everyone goes inot the wedding breakfast area - I normally ask for a couple of glasses of sparkling wine for the bride and groom to toast each other with the cake. The groom should hold the knife with his right hand and the bride with her left so you can see her ring (If possible)

I try to remember some of the guests names and the parents in particular, interaction with the guests is almost as important as good photography skills

Back up is important as people have mentioned. Good luck if you do it :thumbs:
 
Hi Gary

I know exactly how you feel - we have all been there - My advice to you would be to have back up equipment - Also explain to your friend that you are prepared to do it - Unfortunately the only way to gain experience is to shoot a wedding - chicken egg scenario
You need to know the location you will be shooting at - Also consider what you will do if it happens to be a wet day.
if you need any assistance please take alook at my site - send me an email and i will help in any way i can -

wedding photography in kent
 
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