Some Unplanned Shots

Well this is my first post into this scary section! I am by no means a wedding photographer, but the pro left before the cake cutting, and my the bride and groom "heard I like photography and had a big camera". So after a quick trip back to the girlfriends house I just tried to catch a few candids, never done anything like this before!

Any feedback would be wonderful, I wish my camera would handle ISO 1600 a bit better, but I have managed a little reduction using Lightroom 3, as Lightroom 2 didn't seem to do quite as good of a job. I also regret not using a faster shutter speed and trying to push it more in RAW, or even opening up to 2.8, but I was worried about DOF.

Thanks,

Matt
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Beautiful series. The cake scene is wonderful.

isophotostudio wrote in post #10290181
Beautiful series. The cake scene is wonderful.

minus in the individual in the background

The "Pro"?? left before the cake cutting??!?!?!
Drop that title and say the ""other guy" left before the cake. Nice job, I'm sure the bride and groom appreciate your efforts.
IMO, a "Pro" would never leave until all events are complete.

Dude, these are good!!

images by Paul wrote in post #10291208
The "Pro"?? left before the cake cutting??!?!?!
Drop that title and say the ""other guy" left before the cake.

Actually that's pretty standard some places

If the bride and groom don't hire the pro for the cake cutting/reception, there's no reason to question the "pro".

kja wrote in post #10291857
Actually that's pretty standard some places

If the bride and groom don't hire the pro for the cake cutting/reception, there's no reason to question the "pro".

lol.. no kidding. If they aren't paying the extra 500 for reception coverage, you won't see my face there... period.

kja wrote in post #10291857
Actually that's pretty standard some places

If the bride and groom don't hire the pro for the cake cutting/reception, there's no reason to question the "pro".

I guess I'll have to change my contract to be specific about pictures. Do you want me to take pictures of the cake cutting??, the toast, maybe you might like some pictures of your first dance??
Come on, you're a wedding photographer!! Cover the wedding! If I leave a reception early (and that's a pretty big "if"), I go to the dj to ask if we've covered all events. Then I go to the bride and ask if there were anymore important pictures she wanted.

Thanks for some of the kind words folks! Yeah I am not sure whether the pro was being paid for the cake cutting etc I think it may have been extra….who knows!

images by Paul wrote in post #10294623
I guess I'll have to change my contract to be specific about pictures. Do you want me to take pictures of the cake cutting??, the toast, maybe you might like some pictures of your first dance??
Come on, you're a wedding photographer!! Cover the wedding! If I leave a reception early (and that's a pretty big "if"), I go to the dj to ask if we've covered all events. Then I go to the bride and ask if there were anymore important pictures she wanted.

If you don't have specific number of hours of coverage, then of course you stick around til all is done. But if you are hired for 3 or 5 or 9 hours and they cut the cake or have the reception or bring in the clowns outside of those hours then it's not reasonable to expect the professional to be there out of the goodness of said professional's heart.

Every pro I know checks to see if more coverage is required before leaving at their allotted time. Not only is it polite, but it is good business.

Don't think that everyone sets up their coverage time and options the same way - there are many ways to skin a cat.

/OT

kja wrote in post #10300086
If you don't have specific number of hours of coverage, then of course you stick around til all is done. But if you are hired for 3 or 5 or 9 hours and they cut the cake or have the reception or bring in the clowns outside of those hours then it's not reasonable to expect the professional to be there out of the goodness of said professional's heart.

Every pro I know checks to see if more coverage is required before leaving at their allotted time. Not only is it polite, but it is good business.

Don't think that everyone sets up their coverage time and options the same way - there are many ways to skin a cat.

/OT

So, we ARE on the same page. This photographer ("pro")apparently didn't do the polite thing and ask about coverage...he left. That's all I'm saying.

Oh, I didn't see that he left without talking to the couple or before his contracted time was up in the original post. That, of course, is different.

I think these are all nice. I would probably pull up the exposure on some of these just a smidgen but that's just personal preference.

I usually stick around until the reception begins to wind down...

these are al beautiful shots and i agree with nicksan the exposure needs to be upped a little, the cake is a beautiful shot but its dark so up the exposure a bit and it would really shine

images by Paul wrote in post #10294623
I guess I'll have to change my contract to be specific about pictures. Do you want me to take pictures of the cake cutting??, the toast, maybe you might like some pictures of your first dance??
Come on, you're a wedding photographer!! Cover the wedding! If I leave a reception early (and that's a pretty big "if"), I go to the dj to ask if we've covered all events. Then I go to the bride and ask if there were anymore important pictures she wanted.

If they sign a contract to have you there for "x" amount of hours I can understand why you wouldn't be there for the whole thing. I shoot 2-3 weddings a weekend typically, and business is business. Now that being said, I stayed 45 extra minutes at a wedding last Friday because they were in the middle of toasts and moved directly to the cake cutting. I wasn't going to leave just right in the middle of it. Now if your time expires and they are still eating and have no indication of toasts or cake cutting soon, then head out.