Wedding Photography Without Tears

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Shorn

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Hello, have seen a few posts about first time weddings being taken on, scary I know, but I took the plunge and said yes. That was a good few years ago and to be honest, the stress beforehand was a little unnearving, but I managed to do 5 weddings in all. Very acceptable results too I may say :) before I realised that that type of photography wasn't for me.
What this post is about really is a book called the same as the thread title, it was by David Mathias who no longer is with us I am sorry to say.
The book is a must for anyone wishing to take on a wedding, Janice I have read you are about to take one on, so I am sure this book would be good for you. It shows how to plan a wedding from the start and to finish, excellent reading.
 
Hah, could have used that today! nightmare venue pics to follow... :)
 
It made my first official wedding booking go smoothly, as in the method as to which to get the necessary pics.
Davids best tip was " always use a tripod "
Also to know exactly what pictures are required. I had my son help me, and he had the list and ticked them off as we went along.
I can't stress enough how good this book is.
 
Is a tripod a good idea. can you really get about quick enough with one?
Like nipping up the aisle in front of the bride and groom on their way back and things like that... you cant just leave it al over the place as people will trip over it....can you imagine!! :)

Also, i dont have anything with enough pockets for about 2 or 3 lenses etc. wont a bag be bad idea to have with you?

does the book tell you about settings and such too?
 
Janice, if you don't mind looking a little daft get yourself a fishing vest/waistcoat, loads of pockets for all those little bits.

Today I used the Tripod for perhaps 50% of the shots, the set up ones and the ceremony itself, but you also have to option of using a monopod if you want to keep on the move.
 
hmm the strange thing about mine...is ... im supposed to actually be a guest!! :D
 
If this weather holds and you can get shots outside, you won't be needing a tripod anyway!
 
Janice said:
hmm the strange thing about mine...is ... im supposed to actually be a guest!! :D
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Me too Janice and I used to have to run to the 1 hour processing shop so they could have a butchers before they set off on honeymoon.
I always ended up with indigestion :)
 
Shorn said:
Janice you are more than welcome to borrow my copy.
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That would be really kind of you, Shorn. thank you. its not till august but i have to get it all to sink in! ;)
 
Steep said:
If this weather holds and you can get shots outside, you won't be needing a tripod anyway!
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Can't ever count on that. Trust me.

I shot an August wedding here in Colorado, when the wedding should have been quite hot. We ended up having a freak cold front blow through, with bone chilling winds for an outdoor wedding with no option to move indoors. It was nearly dark at 3 PM. I ALWAYS opt for available light and didn't have the option for flash anyway (forbidden by the officiant); I shot the ceremony with ISO 3200 film pushed a stop. That's ISO 6400, and I needed every bit of it.

The key with weddings is to be ready for and comfortable with anything at all, because "anything" is exactly what will happen.
 
And no matter how organised people seem, some thing simply WILL NOT run as planned.

Anticipate those and be ready when they happen!!

:thumbs:
 
I shot a wedding last August which promised sunshine. It persistently chucked it down so much that it looked like fog. I had a towel over my camera and lens to keep out the wet, but unfortunately the lens 17-40mm packed up and wouldn't focus. Canon told me on the Monday that it was humidity that caused it. Then the camera (20D) kept showing Error 99. I did manage to get some pictures I was happy with - although I messed up in the reception big time. The anti-room to the Reception was at basement level and there were no windows and full of those little spot lights in the ceiling. In the anxious mood I was already in with my kit, I forgot to set the WB and was still shooting in Jpeg. Result was a Yellow cast on them all. I salvaged the best ones and turned them into B&W. I will post some later. I agree with Anton and Cjnicolai that anything can happen. My best purchase for doing weddings was 2 golf size White opaque umbrellas for the B&G and the Bridesmaids. It would have been a disaster on that wet August day last year as it was a long way to the Church door from the car.
 
I must admit that I was very blessed the last year or two as not one of my 12-15 or so weddings rained out (and we had rain on plenty of those mornings!)

Worst was a bride or two with muddy heels but make up intact:thumbs:
 
Gilly B said:
I shot a wedding last August which promised sunshine. It persistently chucked it down so much that it looked like fog. I had a towel over my camera and lens to keep out the wet, but unfortunately the lens 17-40mm packed up and wouldn't focus. Canon told me on the Monday that it was humidity that caused it. Then the camera (20D) kept showing Error 99. I did manage to get some pictures I was happy with - although I messed up in the reception big time. The anti-room to the Reception was at basement level and there were no windows and full of those little spot lights in the ceiling. In the anxious mood I was already in with my kit, I forgot to set the WB and was still shooting in Jpeg. Result was a Yellow cast on them all. I salvaged the best ones and turned them into B&W. I will post some later. I agree with Anton and Cjnicolai that anything can happen. My best purchase for doing weddings was 2 golf size White opaque umbrellas for the B&G and the Bridesmaids. It would have been a disaster on that wet August day last year as it was a long way to the Church door from the car.
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Honest post! :)
Just don't do it unless you're prepared for all eventualities. The weather can, and often does, turn the whole thing into a nightmare.
 
If your camera is supported, you can take a picture with any camera under any lighting conditions at any occasion....... qoute from the book :)
 
Shorn said:
If your camera is supported, you can take a picture with any camera under any lighting conditions at any occasion....... qoute from the book :)
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Yeah, I know but you have to set it up for Tungsten, Flourescent etc first.:shake:
 
:agree: :agree: :agree:
hypnotic said:
One big advantage with shooting raw ..... Not having to worry about wb!
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So it eats card space and makes for interesting workflow adjustments but SO worthwhile
 
hypnotic said:
One big advantage with shooting raw ..... Not having to worry about wb!
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Agreed, Shooting raw can be the success of your day or the worst nightmare of your life.;)

I have always said this and stand by it!!

Why shoot jpeg when you have the option to shoot raw??
 
busterboy said:
I have always said this and stand by it!!

Why shoot jpeg when you have the option to shoot raw??
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I agree, Tim.

All it needs is a couple more cards.

To shoot jpg at a wedding I would have to be SOOOOOOO sure of myself and know all my settings were perfect.


As it stands.......its RAW for me all the way.

I need to give myself a fighting chance for god sake!!! :lol:
 
You will feel 100% sure after reading that book Janice :)
Make a lst of the pics you need to take in order and tick em off as you go :)
 
For wedding photography I honestly can't emphasize enough how great a book 'Capture the moment' by Stephen Swain is. If you're in to the reportage style then you must read this, truely inspiration photographs and some great advice.
 
hypnotic said:
One big advantage with shooting raw ..... Not having to worry about wb!
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..?? You got me confused now... excuse the slight hijack peeps.

So does that mean that although I do set my WB when shooting raw... I don't really need to because I can re-adjust later in my raw editor ... I was assuming it was best (quality wise) to catch the image as I intend first...rather than dial back in later...

...could some one unconfused me please. :)
 
Referring to earlier about always using a tripod.....that Im sure was good advice in earlier times when photos were rather static and posed.

Nowadays people want candid shots of the children, fun, laughing ones.

Im sure handheld is the way to go for these isnt it?
 
I've just done my third wedding and I've only used the tripod for a handful of shots, usually in the church when the light was low. With the candid/reportage style of wedding photography that is popular at the moment and the increasing usage of VR/IS type lenses a tripod would be too restrictive.
 
Well I dont have IS lenses....but i can see myself getting into all sorts of trouble with a tripod.
 
The unrecognized virtue of a tripod....? it slows you down. You think more about the shots, you're not firing away like a demented holiday-maker, and surprisingly enough - it instills confidence in the Wedding Party.

I find it an essential accessory for the formal group shots the couples usually (still) want. Perhaps a second camera for any candids?
 
chewyuk said:
I did a wedding last year in Austria on film !!! Absolutely cacked myself, it was the first I had done. (dont make things easy for myself) But thankfully Snow and White dressed bride turned out well. Best bit of advice - Don't use film :) I'm kidding...
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See now, I wouldn't ever consider NOT shooting a wedding on film. LOL. All that exposure latitude you get with negative film.... several stop more than with digital.
 
Forbiddenbiker said:
..?? You got me confused now... excuse the slight hijack peeps.

So does that mean that although I do set my WB when shooting raw... I don't really need to because I can re-adjust later in my raw editor ... I was assuming it was best (quality wise) to catch the image as I intend first...rather than dial back in later...

...could some one unconfused me please. :)
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When shooting RAW it really doesn't matter what you set the WB to in camera, you can change it in your raw converter (whatever flavour). It really is a godsave!
 
Janice said:
Well I dont have IS lenses....but i can see myself getting into all sorts of trouble with a tripod.
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How about a monopod? Helps steady things but isn't as restrictive as a tripod... I wouldn't be without mine now...
 
Why use a tripod or monopod unless you REALLY need to? Unless you're working with very low light or are an extremely shakey person, most of the time there's no need.

The images I like to get simply wouldn't be possible while using a tripod. I like to go relatively unnoticed when shooting weddings in order to get true candids. Can't really go unnoticed with three extra legs and people tripping over you. Monopods aren't quite as bad, but still create a lot of clumsiness.
 
I think that the book emphasises on profesionalism, hence it is regarded to look like a proffesional and that means a tripod.
I think a lot decides on what the couple require, a set of formal shots and then a set of candids.
It was 10 years ago I think since I read the book to tackle a friends wedding, times change as do requirements.
I remember watching a local photographer 10 years ago with a mamiya mounted on a tripod, he told us also at the camera club that he always uses a tripod.
About 6 months ago I watched him do another wedding, 30D handheld :)
I felt more in command when I had my camera mounted on a tripod, at the time I was using my weston master to meter with, not having a tripod would have caused me grief.
 
Shorn said:
I think that the book emphasises on profesionalism, hence it is regarded to look like a proffesional and that means a tripod.
I think a lot decides on what the couple require, a set of formal shots and then a set of candids.
It was 10 years ago I think since I read the book to tackle a friends wedding, times change as do requirements.
I remember watching a local photographer 10 years ago with a mamiya mounted on a tripod, he told us also at the camera club that he always uses a tripod.
About 6 months ago I watched him do another wedding, 30D handheld :)
I felt more in command when I had my camera mounted on a tripod, at the time I was using my weston master to meter with, not having a tripod would have caused me grief.
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Oy. Looking like a professional doesn't mean the images are better.

Honestly, most of the time when I see a photog schlepping lots of equipment or constantly dragging around a tripod at a wedding, it's almost guaranteed that he or she is a greenhorn. A truly experienced, quality professional would use only what was needed without worrying whether people thought he/she looked professional.

As I said, if you truly need a tripod or monopod, then by all means do it. But don't drag one around just because you think it makes you look more professional.
 
cjnicolai said:
Oy. Looking like a professional doesn't mean the images are better.

Honestly, most of the time when I see a photog schlepping lots of equipment or constantly dragging around a tripod at a wedding, it's almost guaranteed that he or she is a greenhorn. A truly experienced, quality professional would use only what was needed without worrying whether people thought he/she looked professional.

As I said, if you truly need a tripod or monopod, then by all means do it. But don't drag one around just because you think it makes you look more professional.
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Looking like a professional is not necessarily about results! It's about instilling confidence.... there is nothing worse than a group of people (who may have paid a tidy sum of money) worrying that their chosen photographer doesn't look capable of getting the results they hope for! I think a photographer in these circumstances should always look professional - certainly not look like a gadget collector though. There's a big difference!

I don't consider myself a greenhorn but I wouldn't do a wedding without the gear I know will give both myself and the couple the knowledge I know what I'm doing. A tripod is a really good way of slowing the proceedings down so that the group shots (if they're needed) can be controlled. It focusses everybody's attention and concentration. I agree the tripod needn't be "toted around" everywhere but there really are times when it is a useful accesory.

If particularly heavy enough it can be used to bludgeon ardent amateurs who think they know it all into whimpering submission! That way the rest of the show can carry on unhindered (That was a joke BTW ;) )
 
cjnicolai said:
Oy. Looking like a professional doesn't mean the images are better.

Honestly, most of the time when I see a photog schlepping lots of equipment or constantly dragging around a tripod at a wedding, it's almost guaranteed that he or she is a greenhorn. A truly experienced, quality professional would use only what was needed without worrying whether people thought he/she looked professional.

As I said, if you truly need a tripod or monopod, then by all means do it. But don't drag one around just because you think it makes you look more professional.
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oggy oggy oggy ....... OY OY OY

I was not meaning any of it to sound like you mentioned. I am merely usiing snippets from the book that spring to mind when a question is asked.
I do not think looking like a professional means you take better pics, ok I will put it this way, I read the book, have you ? I am actually lost for words :)
I suppose I read it as first impressions count, and in the good old days a wedding photographer wasn't a wedding photographer unless he humped a tripod along :)
Made me smile has this :)
 
chuckles said:
Looking like a professional is not necessarily about results! It's about instilling confidence.... there is nothing worse than a group of people (who may have paid a tidy sum of money) worrying that their chosen photographer doesn't look capable of getting the results they hope for! I think a photographer in these circumstances should always look professional - certainly not look like a gadget collector though. There's a big difference!

I don't consider myself a greenhorn but I wouldn't do a wedding without the gear I know will give both myself and the couple the knowledge I know what I'm doing. A tripod is a really good way of slowing the proceedings down so that the group shots (if they're needed) can be controlled. It focusses everybody's attention and concentration. I agree the tripod needn't be "toted around" everywhere but there really are times when it is a useful accesory.

If particularly heavy enough it can be used to bludgeon ardent amateurs who think they know it all into whimpering submission! That way the rest of the show can carry on unhindered (That was a joke BTW ;) )
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:) I also found that at least with a tripod, most guests, excluding toddlers, would at least line up behid the tripod not getting in the way of the couple :)
 
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