My First wedding.. (and probably last)!

asianspec wrote in post #14818797
I agree to this, Wedding photography is not only hard, but it can ruin a person if they don't know what they are doing. People get sued left and right for not meeting to the client's standard. Best way to get training is to be under another wedding photographer and go from there.

the key to weddings is to remember its a marathon not a sprint. anyone can get a couple of great shots but its getting good shots for 8hrs in all lighting cond. thats the key.

also having business insurance is important. photographers can be liable for flying people back out to get family pics they screwed up. if you dont think that really happens... your wrong.

also about shooting conditions in a dark church. i know many disagree but i always use flash unless someone tells me i cant. the client (the bride and groom) are almost always interested in capturing the best pics then preserving the sanctity of the ceremony. again if you dont believe me ask your client.

congratulation and welcome to the group who won't shoot a wedding....I've shot three and all three brides had to beg me...all end up happy...but weddings suck and yes they can pay well...you will get roped into it again....take a second shooter with you......that's what I did on the third one I shot took some pressure off knowing I had most shots covered from different angles....

asianspec wrote in post #14818729
Not bad OP. I also shot my first wedding last dec and it was tough. my suggestion is get more fast primes. 85mm perhaps.

Scooby, not to gang up on you but Pixil is right. the 40D anything higher than 1600 is a far push for it. this is why you need something faster than a aperture of f/2.8 . I have had a 40d and it won't cut it. Op was lucky that there was enough ambient light around. My first wedding was in a Buddhist temple and ambient light wasn't in the question

Hi Asianspec,

The comment I thought was a little daft from 'Pixel' given his experience was knocking my advise for the Op to have used f2.8 over f4 in a dark church. So he'll also be knocking your advise for the Op using faster primes too?

While I agree for a novice it takes more practice and accuracy to nail the focus with SDOF, since he was already committed he hasn't got much choice?

Dark church = Fast aperture & high ISO
Blured shot = FAIL
Noisy shot = Can be improved, and it looks better than a blurred shot.

I have no experience with a 40D, so can't comment on the noise at 1600 so its guess its between a rock and a hard place. Do you pick noise or Blur?

My original advise always stands, if your a novice, don't try and be helpful and do someones wedding as a favor. The risk if all yours, financially and your future friendship with the couple. It would be much more fun to be a second shooter picking up the candid's.

If you going to take on the risk regardless of what anyone says, then at least go prepared and do all your homework before the big day.

Hope this helps.

Pixil Studio wrote in post #14813076
are you nuts?
first off the 40d at 3200 is garbage and 1600 is not too much better
telling a beginner to shot at 2.8 is asking for trouble. the DOF is way to shallow and risky for a beginner at a wedding.
the bottom line is if you have to rely on P mode then your not ready. second shoot for someone if you want to continue shooting weddings and get a better understanding of the basics

i think the OP'er realizes this and is right to take a step back.

i agree . weddings are risky business . if you screw up then you could actually get in big trouble . untill you know your camera , dont shoot weddings, once you stop worrying about your gear. go out and shoot a wedding ( second shoot ) and have the photographer coach you .

****, even after you know your gear like the back of your hand, I'd say it probably still isn't time to jump into weddings. Just the thought of having to shoot a wedding with my 40D puts me in a panic. In most types of photography, the gear isn't all that important, but with weddings it absolutely is. You only get one chance for most shots and you're usually working with the worst lighting imaginable.

:shudder: