My best friend's wedding

[AndyDigital]

Hello,

I'm a pretty new photographer and I own a Canon D60 70-200 is & 24-70 2.8.
My best friend asked me to be the "official photographer" for his wedding. As I've never shot any wedding, I'd like to know if you guys would provide me some good advices or good webistes for this kind of event ...
Some will say he's stupid not to take a pro, but as many of young people they don't have much money for that.
As he's my best friend, I'd be very glad to help him to "immortalize" this day.

Thanks in advance for your comments.

[Pekka]

My advice is that you should politely persuade him to hire a pro and arrange with the pro that you may also shoot there as "a friend". It is important to agree with with the hired pro that your presence with camera does not affect their work or fee.

Reason I'm advicing you to not accept the "gig" is that if (and most likely when, as you are new to photography) you don't get the shots and get them well, you will end up being targeted by the couple - those moments are really precious and personal and it should be ensured that they get them captured in best possible way. Professional wedding photographer can ensure that. Of course you need a _good_ pro. Ask around and check if you can get recommendations who to hire.

I think it is a good thing if you shoot there too, but as a different viewpoint only.

Maybe not what you wanted to hear, but I'm not taking any wedding gigs either because I have not done that before. it needs good gear and lots of experience. And I have heard stories when friends are no longer friends after they messed up the photos.

[lziering]

If there is no way that you can get out of being the wedding photographer (and you should do your best to find a pro to do the shoot-perhaps you could be the second shooter at the wedding) than here is what I advise.

Get a few books on wedding photography and read them cover to cover. Look at the wed sites of every photopgrapher you can find on the web. Go as soon as possible to the location where the wedding will be at the time of day the wedding will take place. Check it out. See what the conditions and lighting will be. You need to practice under the the same or very similar conditions. Under those same conditions shoot hundreds of shots just like you will shoot the wedding. You didn't mention what flash you have but most weddings are shot with flash using aux battery packs. Have a plan for what you are going to shoot, how you are going to shoot it, where you are going to shoot it, and who will be in the shot, how it will be lit. Then have a back up plan.

Remember, the tenth most important thing is that you get every family member and friend in the pictures. The ninth through first most important thing is that the bride must look beautiful in every shot. (The pop up flash on your camera, ain't going to do it. Nor is the wrong white balance setting going to do it.)

Bottomline, it ain't as easy as it looks but it can be done. Shooting a wedding is one of the highest risk assignments that a photographer can take. If you are shooting a box of corn flakes it may pay more but if something goes wrong you can re-shoot. If you screw up at a wedding there is no second chance. So if we can't disuade you from doing this than you'd better practice, practice, parctice. And when you get done practicing you should practice a bit more.

Good luck.

[GenEOS]

Helpful hints for helping out a friend....

Pekka gives pretty good advice. You have to remember that all weddings are really about what the bride and the brides parents want. Guys would be happy with saying "I Do" at the JP's office and flying to Vegas!

But, I understand that there is a market for primarily younger couples getting hitched that don't have a $500+ budget for photos.

A fellow photog buddy of mine once shot a wedding for a "friend" who just wanted a video of the wedding. At this wedding (during the ceremony) most were smoking and well into the beer and wine! So there are very differnet levels of photo needs and wants at a wedding.

If you choose to continue in your "helping" of your friend, then here are a few tips that may or may not help.

Sit down with the bride/groom and let them know what you are willing to do for them. Exactly. Tell them you offer no garantees as to the final pictures but that you will try your best.
I would suggest, and this is kind of strange to do with a good friend, but get it in writing.

I would start with a photo list of shots you plan on taking and add to it any they wish you to take.
You will probably find it easy to compile lists of shots from standard weddings. Stnadard wedding contracts are available on-line and you could modify it to meet your needs.

Here is an example of a few shots: Bride/maids getting ready, groom/groomsmen getting ready,parents before the wedding, shots of the church, people coming into the church, everyone walking down the isle (bride/groom), shots during the ceromony, etc..etc...

I think the main thing for you to do is communicate your in-experience to them and your willingness to try to do your best. I am sure they asked you for more reason than, "you got a cool camera". They had to like your work. So I have a little different view than Pekka on this. I think you need to give it a shot.

I have been looking for a couple willing to do this with. But as of yet, they have not come along. But I want to do one.

In short...

Comunicate you intent and their wishes/expectations.
Document what the expect and your no guarantee poilcy for this, your first wedding.
Shoot this as if it were the most important thing you have ever shot.
Research the shoot greatly.
Study other wedding photographer's work in detail.

Have fun!!!

[gyelland]

In my experience wedding photography is not about taking pictures (this is the easy part) its about commanding people, being about to cope with any eventuality and being able to manage with stress.

In general the photography technical side at weddings is straigforward, truly creative wedding photography is usually done just after the wedding on a sperate day with no pressures, on the wedding day the photos are fairly easy.

The difficult part is having duplicates of everything, cameras, film, flash guns, backup transport, alternative locations if the weather turns bad, a good support guy to manage all equipment etc.

Then you have the sole responsibility of manageing all the people, this is the most difficult task, because if one person has been missed in the photos there is sure to be complaints.

The best way to start (as I did) is to have a professional photographer take the formal shots, then sugest you will take candid and more natural shots and provide it as a gift (professionaly printed and mounted). This is usually highly appriciated by the couple, and at the same time you are learning from the pro.

Good luck

[AndyDigital]

lziering wrote:
You didn't mention what flash you have ...

I've got a 550 ex and a 420 ex

[billfranklin]

Here is a web site that might help. http://www.bridephoto.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi. Click on the icon in the upper left hand corner (wedding forum).

The advice you have been given so far is good. If you have never shot a wedding before, I can almost guarantee, the first one will not be good. If you do this, hopefully you will have backup equipment, have decent people skillks, know your camera backwards and forward, understand various lighting situations, and have some basic knowledge of posing. If it is possible to find a professional photographer to assist before your wedding, go with him/her and see what it is all about.

Good luck.

[Yavor75]

Cudos for all the above posts...VERY GOOD advice. If you do plan to go through shooting this wedding yourself, you must:

Go to the location and shoot practice shots with real people in the same exact locations.
Have a conference or two with the couple and set up the locations for your posed shots (outside- at their homes-at the park..etc.)
Use your 550ex with a bounce card or lumiquest reflector- and test for the amount you need to push the strobe. For the alter set-ups after the ceremony, I always use studio strobes with umbrellas....two set up -on left and right in the pews. You will need an assistant. You HAVE to have back-up equipment. It can even be film. I have my wife shoot with a film camera as back up to my shots...and additional candids.

There is no recovery on this. You have to get the shots. The alter set-ups will be under stress- as everyone wants to go to the reception. Take at least 4 of each group..as someone's eyes will be closed on 3 of 4 shots. Do not let other people shoot the set-ups while you are - the group will not know where to look. Also, take command of the people involved. They will be dazed from emotion- and you need to help orchestrate the process at the reception. Almost every time I've done a wedding - I called the shots as to when the cake cutting/garter throwing and toasts took place. If there is a wedding coordinator- work with her/him. If not, you have to have a contact person so you are sure you get everyone grouped correctly and get everything the couple wants. Plan to shoot in excess of 200 images. 300 would be better. Go into the dressing rooms...be aggressive and tactfull. Dress professionally. The chance of bolloxing up something seriously on your first time out is high....and it will come from equipment failure under stress. You have to know how to operate your equipment in low or no light. Memorize the camera's button layout and LCD symbols.
A wedding is one of the most demanding and stressful shoots you can do....that's why most of my shooter friends just don't do them.

OK -enough..good luck!

Bob

[photography By Evangelos]

As a wedding phographer I have seen this problem all the time. Friends asking friends if they can help out with the photography. First you must ask you self-do I have the experience and equipment to do the wedding. Do you have the know how to arrange people or a large groups of 20 people or more. Do you have a back up Digital camera body and lenses, Flash units if one should break the day of the wedding? It is really nice of you to want to help out a friend. But I think it is a really good idea to get the help of a PRO Wedding photographer. A wedding I did a few weeks ago at a large hall, which has many weddings at one time I was on the way out I, had finished my wedding when a bride approached me in tears. She asked me if I could help her in photographing her wedding. As I talked with her she told me that her friends camera is not working and they did not hire a photographer. So I agreed to photograph there wedding and in the end they were very very happy that I had saved the day. I even got a large tip from the father of the bride. I travel with 3 digital camera bodies and 8 flash units and 10 lenses to every wedding and studio lighting, as I am always prepared. The wedding is only one day so its important to have the know how and be prepared. So wish you the best of luck.

[AndyDigital]

Hello,

Fisrt of all, I'd like to thank you all for your very good advices.
As many of you talked about back up camera, the one I have is a film one (EOS 100). It will be loaded with Superia X-TRA 400.
Unfortunately, there won't be any wedding coordinator and since this is an old friend of mine (almost 20 years ago we met each other) I'll be aware of the groups to shoot.
Talking about the 550 ex, there is a built-in reflector. So do I really need an external one ?


Thanks once again for your comments

[Vaio]

Evangelos, what 3 digital cameras do you carry with you? Do you use film also?

[photography By Evangelos]

Hello I currently use 2 D60's and one EOS 1D. I use the 1D in low light as the D60's A/F is horrible in low light. I do not use film at all. Thanks and have a great day.

[photography By Evangelos]

Hello Andy you many want to use your 550EX as a master flash and use the 420EX as a slave unit for fill flash for all your photography. Useing only one flash unit will not work and all you stuff will be dark and lack the punch needed of good lighting. I use 8 to 10 flash units and set them on stands in a room as needed and use the speedlite transmitter ST-E2 to fire the flash units as needed in groups or just a single flash. Works great and no need for an assistant like other photographers who are shooting med format. Plus I save lots of money. Good luck and have a great day.

[jimwong]

I'm no expert but I have read everyone's comments and all are valid. I shoot hundreds of photos but I'm not a pro. I did have a chance to assist a pro with a hotel shoot. No people. you would think non stressful, NOT, look at an ordinary shot of a hotel room or building shot, seems simple, but it is far from it. very complicated lighting setup. In a wedding you won't be using so many lights, mainly a main flash and a few slaves to provide fill. Any kind of shoot can be stressful, there is the technical side of photography which comes with practice, number and kind of shots, angles, using lighting, choice of film, lenses, determining proper exposure.. that can be mastered only after much trial and error and repitition. The other is non technical, dealing with stress, remaining composed and organized and being able to manage groups of people who will be under stress themselves.. that is something that is a challenge for any photographer pro or amateur.. it is a tall order to shoot a wedding when you have no experience.
My best advice is to sit down with your friend and plan out your shots, but most important set his expectations, no matter how good your photos maybe, a wedding is totally a different animal and mistakes will be made and unfortunately you many lose some once in a lifetime shots due to your mistakes, other people's errors, technical error or choice of shots. Set your friend's expectation, if he cannot afford a pro, he's going to get an amateur's work. You also sound like you have limited equipment like back up cameras, multiple film backs, strobes or lighting.. even an assistant. I agree with another poster. Convince your friend to hire a reasonably priced pro to take a minimum of shots these being the most important formal shots. You can do some of the family and informals..

[jens1204@earthlink.net]

The thing that I have found hard about trying to shoot a friend's wedding is that it makes the whole experience a bit stressful and more like a day of work when perhaps you should be kicking back and making toasts for your friend.

[CyberDyneSystems]

A lot of great advice,.. I have nothing to add but this....

:) Maybe the Best friend can hire the professional as a wedding gift? :)

Then at least you could kick back and enjoy the wedding :D

[ggustafs]

Andy

In addition to the previous advice. It would be helpful to understand your friend's motivation in asking you to photograph their wedding. Are they trying to save money OR are they trying to help you break into wedding photography?

The best scenario is that the wedding will be relatively samll and simple and they need to save money. If this is the case, it can work out OK. Just remember to set their expectations and then ( "KISS" ) keep it simple. Don't try to match the work of a professional wedding photographer who has years of experience and training.
As stated previously, make a checklist of the photos that are required and plan accordingly.

However, if they are trying to help you break into wedding photography and they have an expensive budget for the wedding, they are NOT doing you or themselves a favor. Plus, if you are indeed the best friend, you'll miss enjoying your best friend's wedding, stressing out.

Good Luck!

[AndyDigital]

Thanks a lot guys, but the wedding is over.
This was a stressful day but I was glad to shoot it .
The results were pretty nice. The bride was delighted !
So everything was alright !


Andy.

[CyberDyneSystems]

Glad it all worked out :)

Too funny,. I never looked at the date of the first post :D