Guys! a little' help

[Im having trouble with whitespaces on this post, so reposted it below]

Hey guys.. Long time! been busy with graduation stuff and all, so dint really get the time to touch the camera..

last year, i did a shoot for one of my cousin's at his wedding...the place was beautifully setup, and it showed in the photographs...(photos below) i just did them informally and dint really bother much. Photographed at times when i wanted to and when i thought the photos would look beautiful...

When i upload em a week later,they were "completely stunned" by the "awesome" photographs..they said they loved it coz it avoided that typical flashed-to-death feel..and overcome the typical angles and poses and things like that...everyone agreed that "it was way better than the pro hired there"..

Now, I don't even consider myself a pro, and know my limits and skill set. That said, i don't underestimate myself either, coz these photographs were taken on a 5-second focusing-lagged G2 with NO FLASH ( doesnt work AT ALL), no lights, 1/20 shutter speeds wide open at 2/2.5, and NO controlled lights...I think they came out pretty good...And that was my first wedding shoot ever...

Some of the people at the wedding liked the photographs so much (coz they were different), that they want me to shoot their wedding... like professionally...

Now i know shooting a wedding on a G2 is a joke, but what the heck, if they are happy and get the photographs that they want, who cares? So i've invested in a used 380EX speedlight, a tripod, some BP511s and borrowed a CF card or two, and am ready..(with which i've completed blown my extremely littl' budget)

I wanted to know anything and everthing about avoiding that typical zapped-with-a-flashgun feel, giving it the feel of the special moment in life that it is.. I know it as much a part of post-processing and it is of on-site work...

there is one more photographer assigned to take all those typical shots, so I don't really need to worry too much about that part..What is expected of me are those kind of "Life's turning point for the B&G" photos, those very special ones...

I'm a littl' worried here..What if its crappy tubelight-ish reception lighting and I have to zap em? what if the group shots came out like crap? What if they wanted to blow it up and print A3s from it? What if the walls are not good nuff for bouncing? Does running the 380EX at full power (for bouncing) for much time damage it in any ways?
Ive read many books in the recent days, done my homework with flash bouncing and diffusers...

So any tips to make me look/shoot as professional as possible? [Ive already told them about the equipment and stuff..And told em that if they dint like the photographs, they could have the money back..

http://www.facebook.co​m …0081&l=b05aa&id​=603316535 http://www.facebook.co​m …0068&l=c7b40&id​=603316535 http://www.facebook.co​m …0095&l=e267c&id​=603316535 http://www.facebook.co​m …0096&l=743b0&id​=603316535 http://www.facebook.co​m …0098&l=a0d82&id​=603316535 http://www.facebook.co​m …0099&l=37570&id​=603316535 http://www.facebook.co​m …0100&l=f955f&id​=603316535 http://www.facebook.co​m …7990&l=553d7&id​=603316535 http://www.facebook.co​m …7989&l=fd070&id​=603316535

So littl' help here POTN pros!

guys..can anyone help?

I really think you should have a good read through the Wedding section on the forum. There you will find some very useful info regarding the issues you mention.

As you did the firsts time just try to concentrate on capturing the interesting moments the prof. isn't able to do (of course is able but his job is to focus on the official shots). Probably leave the big Flash gun aside sometimes to be less obtrousive. People tend to change their bodylanguage when seeing a photographer aiming the camera at them. It is probably your advantage to be see only as one of the many guys with an P&S camera so the pictures may come out more authentic.

Just give it a try, talk with people give them the feeling to be 'part of the festivities' and not one who is payed for making pictures. I have done this a couple of times myself with friends and it helps a lot. If there are a lot of others taking pics it would help you as well as it helps the natural tencency of people to get used to a situation and simply forget that tere are others with a camera just because every other minute there is a flash or two form one of the cameras.

Good Luck

oh cool..
thanks..the acting-like-the-crowd thing works always i guess!

Got teh idea jut from lokking at you pictures and the encompaning storie. You were part of the family and everybody was happy with the results. So this could be the way for you to try and get some of the same. Sometimes you have to rely on instinct and don't overuse the flash gun. Some of your pirctures looked quiet good without it (no overflash). But you should get a feeling for it pretty soon after you first pics at the wedding.
Just take the time to check them after the first 20-50 or after the first hour for a couple of minutes this gives you the opportunity to make some changes if need be.