First Wedding!!!

[Carterofmars]

Need advice.

I was just asked to photograph a wedding for a family member that takes place in two weeks. I have nil experience shooting weddings.

What's taken the edge off a bit is that the groom has seen my photography and really likes my "snapshot aesthetic" approach. In other words, he doesn't want conventional photography, but photo-journalistic pictures.

No problem. That's right up my alley.

So... I have a Nikon d-40 with 18mm-70mm and a SB600 flash with a nice Gary Fong diffuser. An M8.2 with 90mm, 50mm, 35mm, 28mm. with a crappy leica flash that doesn't pivot. A Mamiya 7II with 50mm and 80mm with no flash.

Any suggestions/advice? What should I bring, what should I leave? What pitfalls should I be aware of?


Thanks in advance.

 

[Vics]

Take the camera you are most comfortable shooting. Bring one of the others as a backup. Enjoy yourself, Remember to get pictures of the Bride, the Groom, all of their family members, and let the rest take care of itself. Oh, and be real nice to the mother of the bride! Don't get in the way. Best of luck.
Vic

 

[tlitody]

yeah, get a second 7II body and take an assistant to change films. Do black and white only and hand print everything to 12x8 or bigger. They'll love you for it.

 

[imokruok]

Do black and white only...

The bride and groom might not want color, but *someone* will, and will give the bride and groom grief for not having it...

Those Gary Fong diffusers are great pieces of equipment.

 

[oftheherd]

I haven't done a wedding in over 20 years. It can be both fun and stressful.

Do they want photos of the ceremony? Will the clergy allow free reign? If not, what will they allow? How much will you be allowed to roam during the ceremony. Is there a place set up for photography of all the wedding party and important guests, like newly acquired in-laws? Do they want color or B/W only (which I doubt). Are you going to the reception? Do they plan anything special they would like photographed? You know you have to get the cake before cutting, during cutting, the garter toss, any other thing they really want. Will anyone from one of the families act as your assistant for getting together all the relatives and friends that are supposed to get photographed? And hopefully that person has sufficient clout of mutual respect to really be obeyed?

Are you being paid? If so, by whom? That is the person you work for. Be respectful to all other requests, but who pays calls the shots if there are conflicts in scheduling. For posed shots, be sure everyone can be seen, and doesn't blink (take more than one photo). I never charged, as it was usually friends or friends of friends. I first suggested they pay a professional, as if they used me they might get what they paid for.

Do a search of RFF and Popphoto for suggestions. There have been a lot of threads of people asking just what you are asking, especially at Popphoto.

Take what cameras you have, and be sure someone you trust will guard them for you, and help with film loading and retrieving what you want. For posed shots, the Mamiya will be a good idea, it enlarges better. You can expect some in the wedding party are going to want large photos of about 11x14, or larger.

Lighting is going to be a problem. Reportage photos may look good to you and the groom, but not everybody is going to like the fact they are darker than others in the photo, or have ugly shadows. Consider only small group shots.



Have fun!

 

[kxl]

I am always in awe of photographers who decide to use RF's to shoot weddings -- they are either very, very skilled or very, very foolish. Weddings are stressful events for photographers to begin wth, and to add "challenges" to shooting them successfully just adds to the stress.

The last time I was the primary photog at a wedding, I had 2 D700's, a 24-70mm/2.8, a 70-200mm, 2 SB-800's, a Quantum 2x2 battery pack and a couple of extra lenses in my Pelican case. I guess I just don't have enough confidence in my RF skills to use an RF for a once in a lifetime event AND ask to be paid for it.

You might want to ask the helpful folks on the Wedding Forum at photo.net.

 

[Roger Hicks]

I am always in awe of photographers who decide to use RF's to shoot weddings -- they are either very, very skilled or very, very foolish. Weddings are stressful events for photographers to begin wth, and to add "challenges" to shooting them successfully just adds to the stress.

Or YOU set the rules, and do it as a gift. From http://www.rogerandfrances.com/subscription/ps weddings.html:

This is not a guide to shooting weddings commercially. We have never done this, and we never want to. Rather, it's about shooting weddings for friends. This may either be because they're too young and broke to afford anything else (which accounted for the first two that Roger shot), or because they're very old friends and really, really want you to shoot their weddings: you would offend them more by refusing than you would by doing it on your terms.

Otherwise. broadly not. As a conventional wedding photographer? Certainly not, thanks.

Cheers,

R,.

 

[DNG]

It has been over 20 years for me too, shooting Weddings...
But, even though you will do PJ style... you still should some traditional posing anyway. The wedding parties in particular...Both the Brides and Grooms side. At least that with the immediate families -- (2 or 3 generations) --.IE: B/G..(any kids) Parents and grandparents family. and any other kids/adults of the parents/grandparents that may be there. This may be an important document to have way latter in their life as a genealogical record. Since they are all there and available.

Go to the church and check it out, take some test images, so you know what to expect and what you need to do achieve a good image. Walk around and look for areas that you can use as "Photo OP" area for nice angles. Talk to the Minister and find out what you can or can not do (Like use flash during the ceremony). And if you can have any time after the ceremony for a few "Formal" groupings... trust me, you want to have a few....The bride will be forever thankful...at the one I mentioned above..

To do that... YOU MUST let the Bride know that ALL members of the Wedding Party AND all family members of the B/G as far back as their grandparents if available, STAY BEHIND while everyone else (guests) go to the reception area.

Have fun, but don't get involved in any "gear talk" or anything else type of talk. You are the Photographer, with a job to do.

Have fun.

 

[kermaier]

Some things to think about:
Daylight or night-time?
Indoors or outdoors? If indoors, church or banquet hall?
Small or large? (under/over 150 people)
Are you 2nd chair to a hired pro, or are you the only photog?
Are you expecting to just work, or also enjoy the event?
How good are you with the M8.2? (I.e., can you confidently catch the one right moment with 1-2 shots, or do you bang away at it and hope you get a keeper?)

If you can answer those questions, you'll be able to decide between the D-40 and the M8.2: whether you'll be working up close or at medium distances; whether you can get in the way or not; whether good flash performance is crucial or optional; whether you need speed or stealth; high frame rates and autofocus or manual focus; whether you can spend all your time managing your equipment, position, etc. or whether you need ease of use and spontaneity.

I'd forget about the Mamiya, unless you're planning some posed shots with tripod in good natural light.

::Ari

 

[Juan Valdenebro]

Hi,

Congratulations!

Just what I'd do:

I would take the D40 with the 18-70 and the flash with Gary Fong's diffuser: I use it too, and it works very well. I'd set my camera to low contrast and natural color. I'd keep the camera on, with the flash&Fong mounted and turned on, ready to shoot, inside a small shoulder bag for it exclusively, and I'd keep the bag with me. This would be my emergency and flash kit. That DSLR with zoom is a lot more powerful and fast than changing lenses on an M8. I wouldn't bring the M8.

I would bring two bodies for black and white film and wouldn't use flash with them. The reason for two bodies is being prepared for natural light and real low light shooting... One of them must have a fast lens with 3200 film, so I wouldn't take the Mamiya for that, but an M or an SLR. I would prefer to pick two bodies with the same mount, with a wide and a tele apart from the fast normal, to be able to use all three lenses with both films... I'd bring a couple of Portra800 rolls too (lots of moths before expiring)... It's very beautiful for weddings. (Warming filters if natural light, and 80C -just one stop- for tungsten indoors).

I'd have the digital small bag hanging from one shoulder; one film body hanging from the other shoulder, and the main body on my hands or hanging from my neck. Film and third lens inside bag. This way I'd have instant access to all my gear, and the weight and volume would be real friendly.

I'd shoot a lot of rolls, and less digital.

I'd have fun with all the people forgetting the cameras for brief moments, and spend some time shooting all around without flash first...

I'd spend enough film for selective focus with the fast normal and the tele...

Good luck!

Cheers,

Juan

 

[dcsang]

I'm by no means the most experienced of the lot but I do have a number of years under my belt of shooting weddings - I'll be happy to throw in my meager tuppence once I'm at home 🙂

Cheers,
Dave

 

[kipkeston]

yeah, get a second 7II body and take an assistant to change films. Do black and white only and hand print everything to 12x8 or bigger. They'll love you for it.

If you've got the skills with the M7 to do this, it could turn out extraordinary.