First wedding 6-16-2007

A friend of my brother called me on Tuesday and asked if I would be the photographer for the wedding on Saturday. After informing her that I was amateur and really had no experience in wedding photography she still insisted she would like for me to do it, so..I did.

Heres my input on my experience.

1- Why do some wedding photogs (many on here I have read stories about) get so stressed out? I felt no stress levels what so ever.

2- Try to go to a rehearsal or something:p I was unable to attend due to a "short notice" factor. Im not 100% sure there was a rehearsal anyway but no big deal I was able to do the job well.

3- Get to know all the people there, mother's name, cousin's name etc etc. Again no idea who everyone was so I just kind of had to point to people.

4- Make sure you bring plenty of batteries. Luckily I had brought some spares for the flash. If not then the reception would of had to be taken with the new Canon 1 nV (Thats the new night vision camera they havent invented yet:p )

5- If all possible have a backup. Luckily my Xt didnt crap out on me but this was probably the only thing I was nervous about.

And Im sure everyone knows this or should know this and I couldnt care less if its already neen stated.

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i feel that weddings are very stressful as it is - and while you are thre, some of that stress carries on to you, the photog. everyone is rushing around and you hve to be there to capture EVERYTHING. you only get one chance. if you blow it, you can blow your reputation - if this is your livelihood - than your done. that is why it can be so stressful.

to the joe/jane who picks up a camera and shoots for friends every now and then, it doesnt mean the same to them.

If you shot a wedding with one body and werent very stressed about what would happen if it died on you then sorry but I dont think you care enough or understand the improtance of the day and capturing it to shoot weddings.

Its one day, its one of the most special days there is for most B&G's, you quite often get split seconds to grab the shot and if you miss it then youve missed preserving a memory forever.

Everyone handles stress differently and I dont consider myself someone who gets stressed very easilly but I always (ive only shot 6 weddings so far) feel a nervous kind of stress when shooting a wedding but thats the rush that I enjoy and thrive on and if I didnt feel that I dont think I would want to shoot them.

1 - what Banbert said :: no stress = no responsibility and you can't place much importance on the images. I'm not sure how many weddings i've shot, a few dozen or so, I still get a little stressed and nervous. I want to knock every one out of the park, not just do a decent job.
3 - I call people "Mum" and "Dad", it's just easier.
4 - There's no excuse for a pro to ever run out of batteries. I have maybe 10 BP511s (I use about 1/2 of four usually) and maybe 30AAs (one set in each flash, one set in CP-E3), 3-4 sets in the bag.
5 - Backups are essential, I once had two cameras fail at a wedding, so i'm tempted to get a third.

thekid24 wrote in post #3395472
1- Why do some wedding photogs (many on here I have read stories about) get so stressed out? I felt no stress levels what so ever.

Is this a serious question?

If you are getting paid to do a FANTASTIC job- then you better be able to do it- everytime!!= stress.

You should not feel too bad about these pics as you may improve over time.

In the first one the bride looks a little sad (or mad) and the light is dim. That along with the muted colors and the grooms pose give it a certain vampire setting .. interesting. Maybe try for a lighter & happier feeling next time.

The second one could benefit from better framing as I'm not too sure if you're trying to emphasize the couple or the bed & breakfast sign. I'm thinking probably the couple as you cut off the first part of the sign and this is of course a wedding. But always best to leave no doubt on these type of things.

But keep on posting and look at some of the images here for inspiration & ideas.

Funny thing about the stress .. a musician friend of mine tells me that whenever she feels no stress before a concert she usually gives a crappy performance. Oh well, that's musicians for you.
Mike

mmahoney wrote in post #3396381
Funny thing about the stress .. a musician friend of mine tells me that whenever she feels no stress before a concert she usually gives a crappy performance. Oh well, that's musicians for you.
Mike

So far, there was only one wedding where I didn't feel stressed (for an ODD reason; I'm usually a nerve wreck! ). It ended up being what I refer to as my worst wedding. The shots turned out ok, but none of them will be in my portfolio

This experience really put things in perspective for me and if I feel a bit less stressed/motivated for a given wedding, I remind myself of this wedding and of the results, and that's enough to engage the "full stress" mode So far so good!

It's weird, but I actually enjoy the stress.

Actually, its not really stress, it's more a case of nervous energy. I get a bit edgy and I like it.

I'm glad things worked out so good for yoU! I really like the first image!

mizuno wrote in post #3396437
It's weird, but I actually enjoy the stress.

Actually, its not really stress, it's more a case of nervous energy. I get a bit edgy and I like it.

exactly.

mizuno wrote in post #3396437
...it's more a case of nervous energy. I get a bit edgy and I like it.

It's the same for musicians - performance buzz is great : ) And I definitely play better for it, I find it really heightens your awareness of what you're doing and what's around you, which has to be helpful for shooting weddings.

(not that I'm a wedding photographer, I'm hanging around the wedding forum these days to pick up tips on working with a photographer at my own wedding)

I find weddings terribly stressful until things start rolling and I kick into photographer mode and then I'm in another zone, and the reception starts and the wedding party is in another zone. The bride is always stressed, she has either gained weight or lost weight because of it. she is worried about uncle eddy getting drunk and falling in the soup (EVERY family has an "uncle Eddy".) She is worried about her divorced parents being in the room together. Everyone in the bridal party has fought with SOMEONE during the pre-wedding months. AWWWKK!!!!!! It bites and I find myself having to be the voice of reason, reassuring and calming the bride, giving her the "what's important is that in one hour, NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS, you will be Mrs. Smith...." speech. BUT, once the doors open, and they start to walk down the aisle, they realize that as far as the wedding itself goes, they have no control and what will be will be and that is the first time they begin to relax. It is smooth sailing from that point on. It is just rough sometimes getting to that point.

Some weddings flow at a relaxed pace, everyone loves each other and the weather is great. I love those. I had one like that two weeks ago. I always get nervous, but days like that the stress is totally minimal.

Then there are some days that are taken right out of a horror novel. Outdoor ceremony with hail in the forecast, hair/makeup disasters, bride and maid of honour not on speaking terms (oh gosh those are fun), parents do NOT approve of the wedding, people screaming at each other all day etc etc etc... and all amidst a whirlwind of people so you can barely even move around, and EVERYONE around you is stressed, tired, and horribly irritable, and your primary body has failed and you dropped your flash onto concrete. Can you still deliver 100% quality? The best pros can. Many cannot.

Gosh there are some weddings you wish you never were a part of that make you seriously reconsider doing wedding photography. You get the whole spectrum in this field which is why it is high stress. I'm glad that you experienced one of the good kinds for your first!

tlc wrote in post #3395655
i feel that weddings are very stressful as it is - and while you are thre, some of that stress carries on to you, the photog. everyone is rushing around and you hve to be there to capture EVERYTHING. you only get one chance. if you blow it, you can blow your reputation - if this is your livelihood - than your done. that is why it can be so stressful.

to the joe/jane who picks up a camera and shoots for friends every now and then, it doesnt mean the same to them.

Oh well that makes sense.

tim wrote in post #3395983
1 - what Banbert said :: no stress = no responsibility and you can't place much importance on the images. I'm not sure how many weddings i've shot, a few dozen or so, I still get a little stressed and nervous. I want to knock every one out of the park, not just do a decent job.
3 - I call people "Mum" and "Dad", it's just easier.
4 - There's no excuse for a pro to ever run out of batteries. I have maybe 10 BP511s (I use about 1/2 of four usually) and maybe 30AAs (one set in each flash, one set in CP-E3), 3-4 sets in the bag.
5 - Backups are essential, I once had two cameras fail at a wedding, so i'm tempted to get a third.

No doubt, I did bring many spares batteries. Had a second little shoulder bag full of them. Ive got a second body on order now. LIKE it was stated in #5 I was nervous about the camera shutting down. Missing the shot because I wasnt in the right spot wasnt a problem, for those that wanted to throw a blanket statement without even knowing the conditions, it wasnt a huge place. Very small so I was more worried about missing the shot due to camera failure rather than not being in the right spot. And I have heard some stories about both cameras acting up. That would raise the stress levels for sure.

radiohead wrote in post #3396072
Is this a serious question?

Sure is , are you gonna answer it seriously?

mizuno wrote in post #3396437
It's weird, but I actually enjoy the stress.

Actually, its not really stress, it's more a case of nervous energy. I get a bit edgy and I like it.

Exactly, I know what I feel/ act like when Im nervous, this wasnt quite it. I couldnt explain it really but you have summed it up perfectly. I liked the rush of things, I even liked the three day window to get everything ready. Loved it even. That is why I had so much fun.

kathy.patterson wrote in post #3396438
I'm glad things worked out so good for yoU! I really like the first image!

Thank you, as stated it does have a somewhat depressing feel to it, I do have a vibrant colored one.

Redser wrote in post #3396539
It's the same for musicians - performance buzz is great : ) And I definitely play better for it, I find it really heightens your awareness of what you're doing and what's around you, which has to be helpful for shooting weddings.

(not that I'm a wedding photographer, I'm hanging around the wedding forum these days to pick up tips on working with a photographer at my own wedding)

Performance buzz, thats it.

See some people deal with stress differently, the idea of stress was there, sure, my namesake was on the line, sure, the possiblity of failure was high, sure, it was done on a short notice without any kind of rehearsal or planning,
but once I was there, the photographer mentality kicked in and I didnt have time for stress. Noone has seen all the photos I took, or fully know the conditions I was under, so making a suggestion that I was a average joe....or didnt care just because I didnt act nervous/stressed are just plain foolish. Feeling stress before and during the wedding are two different things, make sure you all know that. I never said I wasnt nervous at any point and time since the call, I sure was, but being stressed during ( which is what my post refered to) , well that wasnt the case. The bride and groom are pleased and I believe, if Im not mistaken, is the entire purpose. Pleasing them. The photos I submitted here are not necessarily the final photos I will give them, merely getting input and feedback.

So everyone smile and have a hug, its a beautiful day....*looks outside*.....well its raining here

Edit: My assistant was asked to be the DJ as we were walking up the stairs to the brides dressing room. His job was to merely change tracks during each portion of the ceremony. Well, after the kiss he was supposed to switch songs so the bride and groom can walk back down the isle together, and he got STRESSED and couldnt find the song they wanted (despit it being written down for him). I asked him afterwards what happened and he said and I quote, "Man, I got stressed out on WHEN to push the button, I didnt know."

That is what I see stress as, something that can/does directly affect a job at hand.