brainwood
Registered Film User
I've been a bit quiet on RFF recently as my latest project has taken up so much of my free time but as its Rangefinder related I thought it was worth sharing.
A few months ago my niece asked me if you would photograph her wedding. She knows my work and she also knows I'm not a wedding photographer but she was quite persuasive and I agreed. As she asked because she liked the look of my film work the decision was already made to shoot on film in black and white using the two Leica bodies I have - the IIIg and M2.
On the day keeping a mental track of two meter less bodies often with different speed films and different focal length lens proved a taxing test. I'm used to working at my own speed but this something you can't really do at a wedding otherwise you just miss so much . Luckily I had only 1 roll out of the 10 rolls I shot that I managed to expose at the the wrong speed but as thankfully I realised before the end of the roll I just carried on and pushed the whole roll from 100 to 400. The guests were very tolerant of the eccentric uncle with his funny little film cameras, in fact many were intrigued by whole idea of shooting on film.
Most of the wedding was shot on APX100 as much of the reception was outside plus Formapan 400 for the interior of the church and later in the evening, with a roll of Delta3200 for the first dance.
From the rolls I shot I selected about 120 shots for scanning , these were then edited down to 86 which I printed into a 36 page Hahnemuehle A4 book which documents the day.
In addition I shot the formal shots on my old Canon D60 and managed a few formal portraits on Portra 160 with a Fuji GS645 by the end I was knackered and much everyones amusement fell asleep at the end of the reception
My niece and her husband are very pleased with the results which is great reward. I am not intending shooting any more weddings like this it was very much a wedding gift to them
Understandably they don't really want to make all their wedding photos public but heres 3 of my favourites to give a flavour of the book
Chris
A few months ago my niece asked me if you would photograph her wedding. She knows my work and she also knows I'm not a wedding photographer but she was quite persuasive and I agreed. As she asked because she liked the look of my film work the decision was already made to shoot on film in black and white using the two Leica bodies I have - the IIIg and M2.
On the day keeping a mental track of two meter less bodies often with different speed films and different focal length lens proved a taxing test. I'm used to working at my own speed but this something you can't really do at a wedding otherwise you just miss so much . Luckily I had only 1 roll out of the 10 rolls I shot that I managed to expose at the the wrong speed but as thankfully I realised before the end of the roll I just carried on and pushed the whole roll from 100 to 400. The guests were very tolerant of the eccentric uncle with his funny little film cameras, in fact many were intrigued by whole idea of shooting on film.
Most of the wedding was shot on APX100 as much of the reception was outside plus Formapan 400 for the interior of the church and later in the evening, with a roll of Delta3200 for the first dance.
From the rolls I shot I selected about 120 shots for scanning , these were then edited down to 86 which I printed into a 36 page Hahnemuehle A4 book which documents the day.
In addition I shot the formal shots on my old Canon D60 and managed a few formal portraits on Portra 160 with a Fuji GS645 by the end I was knackered and much everyones amusement fell asleep at the end of the reception
My niece and her husband are very pleased with the results which is great reward. I am not intending shooting any more weddings like this it was very much a wedding gift to them
Understandably they don't really want to make all their wedding photos public but heres 3 of my favourites to give a flavour of the book



Chris
texchappy
Well-known
Very nice. Glad they were happy. I'm not sure I'm brave enough to be a wedding photographer. Fortunately I'm usually otherwise occupied during weddings.
brainwood
Registered Film User
Thanks texchappy. Theres certainly a lot of pressure I had not anticipated to get the key moments
Chris
Chris
Bill Clark
Veteran
Nice job.
Your niece will love the photographs you made.
Your niece will love the photographs you made.
Gabriel M.A.
My Red Dot Glows For You
Thanks texchappy. Theres certainly a lot of pressure I had not anticipated to get the key moments
Outside of the family/group shots, weddings are not "ooh! do that again!" territory; once it happens, it happened.
My first wedding I actually shot with film. You learn a lot from mistakes (and I was lucky as I was one of three when I made them).
It is much better to learn what you can and cannot do (or how to do it). It's like learning how to add without needing a calculator: the calculator is always nice, but if you don't have it, your life won't come to a halt.
Good job.
brainwood
Registered Film User
weddings are not "ooh! do that again!"
Completely agree gabriel. I insisted that I did not change events or get in the way of the day, after all its a wedding not a photo shoot, but I have been to several weddings as a guest were the photographer takes over in order to produce a series of choreographed pictures of the key moments while everyone else stands around waiting.
The calculator analogy is good one but by the end of the day my brain was fried.. I guess thats just inexperience
Chris
dave lackey
Veteran
Hey, that was good, really good! I like these types of wedding shots and you did well with LTM cameras! Bravo.
bfffer
Established
very nice work.
brainwood
Registered Film User
Thanks Dave - much appreciated
ray*j*gun
Veteran
I did the exact same thing for my old Marine Corps buddy when his daughter got married. I used a IIIc and my M2 and shot available light through out. For color shots I used my c220 and Ektar 100. It would not have been possible without my fast primes (1.2 Canon and 1.5 Zeis Sonnar. I would not do it again. Too much pressure.
brainwood
Registered Film User
I would not do it again. Too much pressure.
Hmmm think I'm with you on that...though I would love to my daughter's should they get married but that's not going to work is it
ironhorse
Joe DuPont
Don't even think about shooting your daughter's wedding. It is such a whirlwind day just being the father of the bride you will miss too much. It is much better to entrust the task to another professional so you can enjoy the day.
paulfish4570
Veteran
well done, well done. the joy is obvious ...
brainwood
Registered Film User
ironhorse - message understood , I know you're right
Paul thanks not sure I could get that joy with anyone else, the personal relationship is event in the photos I think
Paul thanks not sure I could get that joy with anyone else, the personal relationship is event in the photos I think
Borghesia
Well-known
Very good work. I like the second shot, which is very atmospheric.
I've done a few film-shot weddings, and I remember to putted in so many hours in the post processing to compose a nice album, that I never do that again. Actually I spent weeks working on it (besides my regular job).
It's quite special to record that special day with a LTM camera and real B&W film.
I'm sure your skills, effort and results is an (vintage) enhancement of that day.
I've done a few film-shot weddings, and I remember to putted in so many hours in the post processing to compose a nice album, that I never do that again. Actually I spent weeks working on it (besides my regular job).
It's quite special to record that special day with a LTM camera and real B&W film.
I'm sure your skills, effort and results is an (vintage) enhancement of that day.
jesse1dog
Light Catcher
I had wondered what had happened at the wedding. Glad to have this update. Thought it was going to be a bit of an undertaking because I had seen the general situation the semi-pro had produced for my daughter's wedding.
Love the expressions on the faces in the first photo.
jesse
Love the expressions on the faces in the first photo.
jesse
brainwood
Registered Film User
John
Yes it was a bit of an undertaking but well worth the effort. I take my hat off to all the wedding photographers out there - it looks easy ...but its not !
Chris
Yes it was a bit of an undertaking but well worth the effort. I take my hat off to all the wedding photographers out there - it looks easy ...but its not !
Chris
Richard G
Veteran
Well done Chris and beautiful shots. I like the expression in the first one, a little nervous and still being 110% responsible for everything. The second is great too. I did a wedding when I was about 30, two Leicas, a 50 and a 90 on Tri-X and Kodacolor 400. I can't believe it now. It was the wedding of a good friend of mine. Fortunately I gave them the negatives so can't now check what a terrible job I might have done after all. I often read the wedding forum on photo.net. Some of those guys are such pros. Scared me off weddings well and truly. Took some under no pressure at my nieces's wedding. It's tempting to try it if someone insists. I hope I resist.
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