That First Wedding - I DID IT!!

[NathanJD]

Well, it is done 😀 my first wedding is over and all I can say is what a buzz!! That was one of the most amazing experiences of all time! Although I was only there for 3 ½ hours I feel like I’ve been there all day. I’ve been through the shots and they’re very promising! Out of everything the hardest thing to do (and something I haven’t done incredibly well this time around) is to get eye contact from everyone in a crowd. I don’t think I missed out on anything because I took a lot of shots of the same set.

The bride was looking beautiful and I have some great shots of her and the groom – I have a helluva lot of bad photos of them too but one thing’s for sure I understand now how no one can describe quite what it’s like to shoot a wedding! It’s exciting and nerve wracking and fast paced and well.... yeah to quote a poster in my last thread – like herding cats 🙄

I’d like to say thank you once again for those who showed support on the forum and for everyone’s contributions big or small as you have all helped me in one way or another 🙂

Cheers Fellas – expect photos shortly :angel:

 

[Dave Wilkinson]

Nice going, Nathan!.....NOW you can get drunk! 😉

 

[nikon_sam]

Glad to hear you actually enjoyed the experience...I always thank God for people like you who are willing to do them...
If I never do another I'd be happy with that...
Don't get rid of what you consider bad shots...later you can show the newlyweds and they can decide if they are something they may want...
And again, Congrats on the wedding...

 

[pesphoto]

sounds good! Glad it was a positive experience for you. Learn from it and stay positive and you'll be fine if you decide to do more of it. Look forward to seeing some pics.
Good luck with the processing, it can be time consuming. It s ok to have some clunkers, everyone does. Thats why its important to shoot shoot shoot.

 

[vdonovan]

It's funny how a few hours of being on the ball and dealing with people can wipe you out. I shot 39 portraits in two hours at a senior center and then went home and fell asleep.

 

[NathanJD]

Thanks guys! Dave, some of my best editing is done over a fine scotch whiskey and i happen to have aquired a bottle of Grants family reserve recently that's calling me from the cabinet as we speak!

I can easily see how a wedding can be a real hasstle if the wrong type of people start ordering you around - luckily everyone in this wedding was really nice and helpful 🙂

 

[NathanJD]

A small selection of images as promised 😉

 

[SolaresLarrave]

Nice job, Nathan... It makes me want to do it myself!

Forget it. I no longer have friends getting married. 🙁

 

[NathanJD]

Thank you 🙂 i don't have any that show any sign of getting married! This couple was passed my details from the advert for my very limited offer of photographing occasions for free. i now have a portfolio!

I have one more freebie due in January - a full church wedding with 100 guests and 2 venues. that's going to be the real teaster, it was actually my first booking and then when this simpler and smaller wedding came foreward I thought it very wise to cut my teeth there instead.

here's to the next one!! 😎

 

[Nokton48]

Looks great, and I've done over a hundred of these, myself. Nice job, and keep going with it, if you enjoy it overall.

One small suggestion; A flash bracket (I used to use Stroboframe Medium Format Brackets on my Hasselblads), the point being, to place the flashtube about -twelve inches directly above- the camera lens. That throws the shadow from the flash -below and behind- the subject, rather than stretching it out behind them. That slight improvement can sometimes make a big difference, and you will never get the dreaded "red-eye", as well. You don't have to go with it, it's just a suggestion.

Best of Luck to You,
-Dan

 

[NathanJD]

Thankyou for the advice Dan! I had planned to use my flas off camera on these shots but the practicality of doing so with a speedlight isn't as great as the idea it's self so something like that would be brilliant! thank you for pointing it out - i'll look into it 😉

 

[vdonovan]

It always helps to have a dynamite bride.

 

[SolaresLarrave]

May I suggest a flash diffuser? I can't recall exactly what equipment you're using, but if you have a flash with a tiltable head, the bracket will work wonders, and you'll see even more wonders with a diffuser. A relatively cheap plastic affair that you place on the flash head can soften the light and distribute it evenly.

I'm glad you have another gig. If you do one more freebie and get this good shots, it'll be time to start charging! 🙂

 

[jan normandale]

Nathan, this is a thread I've not noticed until today. I recently got a call to help out a couple getting married. Their photographer decided to cancel on them on the Friday evening prior to the wedding on Saturday. I got a call at 10.00pm.

I showed with a friend to help shoot the wedding. I'm glad I had a back up. My own experience was probably similar to yours. Typical problems encountered were

• Family asking for specific shots during the actual shoot thereby taking up time for the wedding shoot itself.
• Competing for the entourage’s attention with family members and guests who were amateur photographers using P/S’s

If I was to ever do it again I’d tell the couple that I wanted 2 full hours with them and their entourage, plus family, totally separated from distractions. I found the biggest problem was inability to maintain the subject’s focus on the camera. People wandered out of the shot, people began drinking in the shot, people waved at friends in the shot… you get the idea. End result was a lot of photographs of cut off heads, people looking all different directions etc.

I’m sure you experienced some of this hopefully not too much. I’m in the process of scanning now and this takes up considerable time. I have had one thing confirmed to me by doing this. Pro’s use digital for very obvious time saving reasons.

 

[kxl]

Nice job! Congratulations!

I've been asked by several friends to shoot their weddings, but I have always declined -- I just don't want the pressure. The advice I have always given them is to get a seasoned pro as a primary (and have offered to help them find the perfect photographer for what they want). Of course, I always volunteer to be a secondary photographer (gratis)

Anyway, this one's from Saturday:

 

[NathanJD]

It always helps to have a dynamite bride.

You're not wrong 🙂 it does make life a lot easier

May I suggest a flash diffuser? I can't recall exactly what equipment you're using, but if you have a flash with a tiltable head, the bracket will work wonders, and you'll see even more wonders with a diffuser. A relatively cheap plastic affair that you place on the flash head can soften the light and distribute it evenly.

I'm glad you have another gig. If you do one more freebie and get this good shots, it'll be time to start charging! 🙂

I have a defuser Dome on my SB-800 that was attached for the day and on most shots i had the head angled up although on the shots taken in the doorway of the venue the arch above the doorframe was cutting the light that would otherwise have bounced. i need to do lots more experimentation i think to get things just right.

i'd love to have the flash off to the left on a tripod with an unbarella. maybe as time goes by i'll set something like that up on a seperate flash head unit. we'll see 😉

and thank you for the compliment!! i'm thinking of putting the word out about my services as a mobile photographer doing shots at people's homes with christenings and weddings in there for good measure - it'll be something for the evenings and weekends for now and we'll see how business turns over 🙂

Nathan, this is a thread I've not noticed until today. I recently got a call to help out a couple getting married. Their photographer decided to cancel on them on the Friday evening prior to the wedding on Saturday. I got a call at 10.00pm.

I showed with a friend to help shoot the wedding. I'm glad I had a back up. My own experience was probably similar to yours. Typical problems encountered were

• Family asking for specific shots during the actual shoot thereby taking up time for the wedding shoot itself.
• Competing for the entourage’s attention with family members and guests who were amateur photographers using P/S’s

If I was to ever do it again I’d tell the couple that I wanted 2 full hours with them and their entourage, plus family, totally separated from distractions. I found the biggest problem was inability to maintain the subject’s focus on the camera. People wandered out of the shot, people began drinking in the shot, people waved at friends in the shot… you get the idea. End result was a lot of photographs of cut off heads, people looking all different directions etc.

I’m sure you experienced some of this hopefully not too much. I’m in the process of scanning now and this takes up considerable time. I have had one thing confirmed to me by doing this. Pro’s use digital for very obvious time saving reasons.

Yes that's very much the sort of think i was experiencing. i was getting requests from family memebers and was lead in a few different directions for shots of immobile relatives and everyone else with cameras were creating a paparazzi style pack over my shoulder. but i think i was coming into my own as the wedding went on and i learnt a helluve lot!

As for film, i don't think there is any way i could keep on top of things and change roles with every 36 exposures :O as well as the uncertinty of not knowing what you've produced until you get them developed! you're a braver man than I!

i have read that a good wedding photographer should be able to wrap up the formals within about 30 mins and that if he goes over this then expect those people who had some patience and interest to lose rapidly there after so i was mindful to keep it short. at the end of the day we're there to capture the wedding not comendeer it 😀

Nice job! Congratulations!

I've been asked by several friends to shoot their weddings, but I have always declined -- I just don't want the pressure. The advice I have always given them is to get a seasoned pro as a primary (and have offered to help them find the perfect photographer for what they want). Of course, I always volunteer to be a secondary photographer (gratis)

Anyway, this one's from Saturday:

That's a lovley shot! weddings are definately not the easiest assignments and it's not for everyone. i think you're advice is sound. although it is also down to what the couple can or will pay as to how seasoned a photographer they get and i've seen some pretty aweful results from some very well seasoned 'pro's'.