Need Tips for Wedding photos!

[zee]

Well, ive been offered a job to take wedding photos!

Can anyone give me advice on how to take photos in a church as you cannot use flash, and they need to look really good of course! ;)

I am using a digital camera, and as i will be enlarging the images after what will i need to save the images as i.e JPEG!

Also any other tips would be helpfull! :)

[zee]

Does anyone out there have any tips that would help me? Please i need some info!

[kndreyn]

Zee,

There are some really good books on wedding photography at barnes & noble. They cover a lot of ground, not just on the actual photography, but on the business end of it also. Examples of contracts, suggestions on workflow... too much to cover here. I would suggest heading on down there and find one that suits you and read read read.

I'm curious to hear how it goes for you.

Good luck,
Keith


Does anyone out there have any tips that would help me? Please i need some info!

[robertwgross]

Are the bride and groom friends of yours now?

If so, then afterwards they may not be.

Get your lawyer lined up early.

---Bob Gross---

[edsarkiss]

i'm no wedding photographer, but some general tips:
(i'm assuming you have a ditigal SLR or G-series camera)
- shoot RAW, not JPEG. higher quality exposure and color correction are possible with RAW.
- bring two 1GB cards per camera, an assistant, and some device to transfer the data onto (laptop, Archos GMini, IPOD with CF reader). have your assistant handle the data transfer.
- you will likely have to shoot at ISO 400 or higher. you may want some kind of noise reduction software.
- rent a second camera and use it as a backup, or put a different lens (e.g. 16-35 or 24-70) and use it as your "wide" camera, so you don't miss shots because you were changing lenses.

[Vegas Poboy]

To save yourself a big headache turn the job down, Weddings takes a good workflow from start to finish. Equipment, know how of your gear and the event. Me myself I went to a few weddings and watched the photographers in work then took a wedding photography class in college. Now I do shoot but still have a friend come along as a backup & vice versa. This event can't be repeated and the bride always looking for photos not excuses.
The setup that you're going in already has its drawbacks. Low Light, is a big challenge by it'self.

If you must take it be sure to explain to the couple of your skill level and if you take any money have them signed a contract.

Go to the church a couple of days prior and shoot and write down the camera settings.

If they're having a rehearsal go then and practice.

Pick up a wedding photography book @ the local bookstore and study the poses.

Do you have Stobes or Just on camera flash?

Do you have to be present @ the reception?

Not trying to scare you just keeping it real :)
It's better to save face now then go through the headache and may never want to pick up your camera again.

Hopefully this info will help
Bennie

[cricket]

You will need lights. If not for inside the sanctuary, then for the reception, or another room where you can set up to do some posed portraits. I say this because I don't think it's a good idea to do a wedding with no external controllable light source.

Also, get a large white reflector and do some shots of the B&G posed by a window (not glaring sun) and reflect the light from the window back into them. You may want to use a tripod as this may require a slower shutter speed (even on Program Mode).

As for shooting RAW, I don't know what your setup is, so I don't know if you have that much storage. If you don't, or can't, use the lowest compression JPEG.

I would definitely get a back-up camera. Use film if you don't have a second digital available.

There are many technical tips I could give, many poses to tell you also, but let me tell you what I think of great importance, for I'm sure they hired you because they have seen something you've done and liked it.

Attitude is so important. You are going to be with the B&G and their family, and their close friends, relatives, coworkers, etc. You will be nervous, and everyone may not cooperate with you. They will probably be late, too! How you react to them and the challenges this event will present to you is vital. They will be nervous enough without thinking that their Photographer is sweating bullets! Don't become that Photographer that the Bride's friends tell me about that they hated!

Be polite no matter what. Smile at them. Cover your bases with extra batteries and back-up equipment so you will feel more confident that this wedding will be photographed. Make a checklist of everything you'll need to bring, and check each item off the list. That helps a lot!

Get a list of desired poses from the Bride. Make this a checklist as well. Also, look up lists of standard poses on the web and incorporate it into the Bride's list. Get a buddy to help you at the wedding and have this person mark off the poses you take. Assistants are very helpful for setting up equipment and fetching people you need in a shot as well.

Another thing regarding poses, the B&G MUST be told that your ability to get the poses they want requires their cooperation. Mainly being ready to go on time. This includes telling the Florist and the entire wedding party what time you need them for photos. You may have a wedding coordinator to help you, or just ask one of the Bridesmaids or Aunts or whomever to help you locate individuals you need at the time.

Try and do as many posed shots before the ceremony as you can. If there is no flash allowed, find out from the Minister, or someone at the church if that means only during the ceremony, or in the sanctuary period.

Yes, if you have time, get some books.

I hope this helps, I vividly remember my first wedding in 1987! I wasn't very confident! I had been an Apprentice, but still sweated bullets!

Good luck to you, and have fun with it!

[Big_B]

Are the bride and groom friends of yours now?

If so, then afterwards they may not be.

Get your lawyer lined up early.

---Bob Gross---

Listen to bob.

[Big_B]

I would not consider doing a wedding without having some experience first. The B&G will want the photos to be perfect and won't want to gamble on you getting it right. Apart from this there are a number of sigificant photographic challenges to be overcome. Others have mentioned the the low light problems, but you also have to cope with a large dynamic range (dark backgrounds, white dresses etc).

IMO, the best thing you could do is either turn them down or go and get some practical experience well before the actual wedding.

[OneManArmy]

You need to find out whether the priest/minister/rabbi/imam/mufti/grand wazoo will allow even flashless photography. .
Bloo, instead of "flashLESS" don't you mean "flash"?

[Big_B]

Bloo, instead of "flashLESS" don't you mean "flash"?
I'm sure that Bloo can speak for himself, but I'm pretty sure that flashLESS was intended.

[Tom W]

While it is common for flash to be taboo in many ceremonies, there are some churches and such that will not allow any photography inside the sanctuary.

[RichardtheSane]

I am so glad I turned the job like this down five years ago.

sooooooooooooooo glad :)

Zee, you are getting replies from people here with serious experience, listen to them.

Wedding photography is probably the most difficult photography you can do. You need to be technically competant - and that is the easy part. You need to be a diplomat, you need to keep smiling, you need to co-ordinate, you need to be able to put people at ease, you need to appear completely confident and competant even if you don't feel it.

Ask youself the question, do you know that you can get the results that the B/G require?

[mikesd]

Zee, only you can answer the question, can I do this? I find that when preparing to shoot a wedding you have to mentally prepare youself not unlike the preparation an athlete goes thru getting ready for a big game. You have to love the challenge to be as good as you possibly can. Secondly, and you have already gotten great advice on this, know your equip. and check and double check everything. Have a backup camera, plenty of batteries and memory. I actually use two cameras taking multi shots with both so in case of an equipment failure all is not loss.I also take a laptop and backup whenever time allows. One last thing, never let them see you sweat, be cool, confident and as mentioned above, smile alot.

[robertwgross]

... so I got the heck out of the church before that CWD could turn BOTH of us into gargoyle bait.


You know, it is getting harder and harder to find good quality gargoyle bait these days. Gothic cathedrals must have it.

---Bob Gross---

[robertwgross]

One thing that I would recommend for a prospective wedding photographer is to have an assistant. The assistant has to marshal the various family groups together for the next shot. For example, "Now we need the bride's parents to come up here." The assistant need to watch for things that the photographer may not see through the viewfinder, things like a crooked necktie, or a gown twisted badly near the floor. The assistant has a little hand-sized checklist of the mandatory shots, and the assistant can work down the list and make suggestions to the photographer. "We need to finish up here at the church within the next 45 minutes before we head to the reception." If at all possible, have the assistant meet the B&G and as much family in advance, and that minimizes mix-ups.

There was one wedding that had three sets of parents of the bride and groom! There was the bride's mother and step-father. There was the groom's father and step-mother. Then there was the bride's father currently married to the groom's mother. I'll tell you, it took three of us working together to figure those out.

---Bob Gross---

[RichardtheSane]

Once the photographer meets basic competency criteria, I think that a valid variation of the question "Do you know that you can get the results that the B/G require?" would be "Will my work sell?"


I like your variation on the question.
:lol:

[Big_B]

There was one wedding that had three sets of parents of the bride and groom! There was the bride's mother and step-father. There was the groom's father and step-mother. Then there was the bride's father currently married to the groom's mother. I'll tell you, it took three of us working together to figure those out.

---Bob Gross---
Lol! I imagine they'd have been non-too-pleased if you got the sets of parents all mixed up.

[robertwgross]

It gets even more mixed up when the bride's father has been "warming up" at the hotel bar and makes it to the ceremony with his eyelids at half-mast.

---Bob Gross---

[MattSG]

It sucks. Don't do it.
I'm not a great photographer, and I've been volunteered to do two...and was too dumb to say no. First was a horrible experience that cost me money...people can't seem to understand post-production takes time. Second I did it for a friend, and the pics were good...but I did it as a friend, because I hate the pressure.

...run.

[RichardtheSane]

Personally I think a high percentage of the Wedding Photographers fees must be danger money ;)

[zee]

Hey all thanks for all the tips ect!! They will come in very handy!
I will let ya all know how it goes...................by the way that will be after May when my first wedding is up!!
Thanks!

[dsze]

....listen to Bob. If you know these people and they are friends and/or family....DON'T SHOOT THEIR WEDDING. I know from experience...and I took excellent photos.... There are stresses associated with doing a wedding that cannot be explained. I would be glad to ellaborate if you'd like.. PM me.

-daniel

[robertwgross]

For friends or family, I think it is fine to play the role of Uncle Fred. Let the pro photographer do the serious stuff, and you just shoot some informal shots and stay out of the pro's frame and out of the pro's way.

Uncle Fred is a time-honored institution to pro wedding photographers. Some pros tolerate him well, and some tolerate him a little. However, if Uncle Fred trips over the pro's light stand or cable, then there will be hell to pay.

---Bob Gross---

[cricket]

I have enjoyed photographing my friend's and family's weddings. They still pay me, they get a family discount. They still sign a contract.

I have absolutely no problem whatsoever being blunt in a nice way and telling the B&G if there is a time issue, you will not get all of the poses you want. Flat out. This is in my contract, and I don't back down from it. Not even for friends and family, and they know it. COMMUNICATE!!! And be polite!

The time frame, to me, is the most stressful part of the job. When it goes well, and it often does, we may end up having time to relax and do some more fun poses. I don't worry about not being able to finish the day. If something breaks, I have at least one other. Often more. Not worring helps a lot. As for dealing with the people, it's no big deal to me. After photographing many types of group functions like weddings, dances, parties, corporate, etc. I have learned how to adapt to different types of people. Oh boy, the types of people! :lol:

I guess I've learned to relax, and it makes it better. I'm not claiming a completely stress-free environment here!

I don't want to do a job I don't enjoy. I enjoy weddings. I don't do as many as I used to because I want a few weekends to myself, and with racing and other hobbies, like photography, ;) I want to do those things as well.

Just my POV!

[mikesd]

One of the things I try to stress to the bride and groom is to take your time and don't rush thru the day. The bride will have all of the formal shots she wants preplanned and when the big day comes everyone is in such a hurry to get to the reception they are willing to forgo some of the wanted shots. This is something to talk over with the bride and groom prior to the wedding as it is awful easy to blame the photographer after the fact for the missed shots.

[Claire]

"Once, I found out that a relative of the bride really WAS a pro photographer, but he worked for the forensic lab of the police department. I should've let that job go to the relative. I'd have enjoyed watching him work. Can you imagine having to outline everyone with chalk before you could take a picture of the wedding party?"

*LMAO* Omg, I gotta stop laughing or people will think I'm nuts...

[robertwgross]

I once shot a biker wedding on disposable cameras. That was a riot. Oh, man. The wedding had been scheduled and rescheduled a half dozen times over a year and a half because at alternating times either the bride or the groom was in the hoosegow.

You should have agreed to shoot the wedding in the jail.

The bride could have worn white, with black stripes.

---Bob Gross---

[Mark_48]

I'm now in semi-retirement from a non-photography related career. Many years ago I was doing wedding photography part time and really enjoyed it. I am now pondering doing a few weddings occasionally to supplement the retirement check and have one tentatively lined up for June of this year. After reading this thread, I might be having second thoughts on the whole idea.

The weddings I did years ago were at a level I could manage and feel comfortable with. Most were couples that couldn't afford a big wedding and were quite pleased with the candid and posed shots I did for a reasonable price. Know the B+G's expectations and don't get in over your head. If it seems like more than you should bite off, be honest with the B+G and politely say no.

Try to do a first wedding as the second photographer to get a feel of what you're doing. Do not to interfere with the primary photographer.

I always had backup equipment in the event something failed. Two cameras, two flash heads, and extra batteries and film (memory cards now).

If you do the wedding without an assistant, remember where you put your gear bag down. Nothing will get you in a panic more than needing a different lens and not remembering that you set the bag on the last row of seating in the church so you could find it easily !!

Expect the unexpected. At one reception I not only got to do the photos, for some reason that I can't recall, I ended up acting as the MC for the cake cutting and garter toss ceremony. Yeah, that was fun.....

Use a quality lab that specializes in wedding/portrait photography for developing film and prints. Walmart is cheap and fast, but is this who you would entrust to deliver the goods on a onetime event. Send in some "test" rolls for processing and printing to a prospective lab to see how they do.