beansbaxter

It never fails... about once a month, people ask me if I do wedding photography and I try to turn down weddings because I dont want to be responsible for messing up pictures that are for such an important day.

Well, at the end of this month, some friends of mine are getting married and dont have the money for a better wedding photographer, so they've asked me to do it and I have a fair amount of anxiety going into it.

What kind of advice can anyone give me about taking wedding pictures? I suck at taking portraits, let alone of multiple people. What lens recommendations? How do I get those sentimental shots?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

__________________
“The camera’s only job is to get out of the way of making photographs.”
-- Ken Rockwell

beansbaxter.com is my blog.

jezterr

stop taking pictures of the wedding car.

and "stuff" in general.

take pictures of people.

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Killermondodude

Get drunk and nail a bridesmaid

The stars of the wedding are bride and groom everyone else are bit players treat it like that and you should do good

Motorcycle Man

And here I thought you were getting hitched.

To bad.

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All images shot using Olympus E500 Evolt, 8mp, kit lenses.

Robusto

say sure, I will do it.

you won't charge for it, and they 'take' what they 'get'. They just pay for photo developing.

then read a bit and practice and then shoot.

Perhaps start with the couple by shooting "engagement" or "couple" shots first, see what they like and don't like.

SeattleVet

Be careful! Doing wedding photography for a friend can sometimes lose you that friend.

A wedding is a very stressful event for all involved. It's usually not the time or place for someone who has not at least worked alongside a wedding photographer as an assistant to be taking on the responsibility.

I have done a few weddings, and while none turned into total disasters I really don't feel that I was able to do the best I possibly could, or what the couples really deserved.

At a very minimum, make sure that you know your camera and lighting equipment, inside-out. If it's a church wedding, attend the rehearsal and talk with whoever is doing the officiating to see what their restrictions are. Nothing screams "amateur" quite like someone hanging on the altar to get a shot, or having flashes going off at inappropriate times. Have a backup for *everything*... spare batteries, borrow an extra flash, take along another camera body if you can. If something is going to break, it will do so at the most inopportune moment.

Sit down with the couple and a few wedding photography books and go through them, selecting the types of shots that they would like to have in their album. Make a shot list as a reminder, so that you don't forget one that they really want.

The formal group shots are the most fun - make sure you get the right groups, with every relative. Bride's family; groom's family; wedding party; parents of bride/groom in multiple variations of groupings. If you leave out Aunt Ethel you'll hear about it later.

Know how to handle people - you'll be doing a lot of directing, arranging, posing... and dealing with others. There will almost always be an "Uncle Frankie" who just bought himself a super-duper digital SLR (and tossed the manual). He'll be the one standing right next to you most of the time, grabbing duplicate shots. He'll also be the one that's constantly asking you for advice, or telling you what you should be doing. Unfortunately, the camera he just bought is probably the top-end from a manufacturer you are not familiar with, so you will have no clue as to which button or switch he should use for what he is trying to do. You're just going to have to deal with him. (Things can get *real* interesting after he gets tanked up at the reception.)

You will have to make some time available between the ceremony and the reception - an hour is usually about right - for the formals of the wedding party and family. If you have your shot list, setting these up can be pretty easy, as long as you follow simple, standard portrait techniques. If you're not too good with portraits, get yourself (yet another) book and start practicing posing and lighting.

Get a decent book, and start going through it NOW. I understand that "Digital Wedding Photography: Capturing Beautiful Memories " by Glen Johnson is a good starting point.

Is it fun? Well, that might not be the *exact* word for it. It can be rewarding when things go right, though.

Would I do it again? Well, if I were given the choice of (1) shoot another wedding; (2) have my face eaten off by a marmoset; or (3) undergo the ancient circumcision rites of the Incas, as performed with a flat rock and a dull rock....

The I might consider it.

Good luck!

__________________
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WARNING: Do not look into laser beam with remaining eye!

You can see some of my images at http://seattlevet.smugmug.com

beansbaxter

I think I'm going to need more than luck - wanna come shoot the event with me??

__________________
“The camera’s only job is to get out of the way of making photographs.”
-- Ken Rockwell

beansbaxter.com is my blog.

ciao998

Do your best Daniel, make them understand you are not a professional wedding photographer. If they are upset with your best efforts, then they were not your friends anyway..............JOhn

Killermondodude

and dont forget to get drunk and nail a bridesmaid

SeattleVet

(headed out to the yard to look for a dull rock....)

__________________
--
WARNING: Do not look into laser beam with remaining eye!

You can see some of my images at http://seattlevet.smugmug.com

kungfu jesus

Just take as many pics as you can early on while people still look good. then as suggested above get drunk and nail a bridesmaid. Weddings are way over rated anyway.

Photohog

Take as many pics as you can. Some of the best are the ones that are not quite so staged. Just how fancy is the wedding - full church or rental hall? Wide angle lens so you can crop to your hearts content. Better safe than sorry. I'm terrible at taking portraits, I don't envy you at all!

Robusto

Most excellent words of wisdom, and well written.

well done!!!