Pro Bono shoot for Missionary Wedding?

<p>Hi! So, here's the situation; I am a missionary volunteer and two of my friends are getting married in June in Devon, England. Since they too are missionaries the wedding is going to be the very definition of low budget. Since that is the case the bride (Joanne) asked my friend (Amy) if she could be the wedding photographer and Amy being very kind said yes only to panic when she thought about it and realized she does NOT have the skill OR the equipment. Her emidiate reaction is to figure out what she needs and buy it... which to me sounds stupid and a waste of money since she won't have enough time to get ready and use it AND after the wedding I doubt she would use it (she's a casual photographer). We are a travelling theatre ministry- Amy and myself in Poland, Joanne is in Denmark and we won't be in Devon until a couple of days before the wedding, at the most! It is an insane situation! Honestly, I don't think Joanne knows how much goes into good wedding photography (she just asked Amy because she is good at capturing people) and Amy and I only know that we are not equipped for this.<br>

So after all of that here is my question- is it possible to find a photographer to work Pro Bono or at a reduced cost? These are not cheap people, but they are in full time ministry but that shouldn't mean that one of the most important days of their life shouldn't be a special time and captured as such(!)<br>

OR<br>

Should I try to pool our resources together (I could help with what little equipment I have and there's at least one more amateur photographer who will be there) read up on as much as I can and accept that it's just not going to be as good as proffessional?<br>

I am grateful for any advice or recomendations<br>

Ann-Charlott</p>

<p>The answer to your friends' predicament depends on your friends. You could ask local art/photo colleges if there are talented students just about to graduate who would photograph the wedding in exchange for rights to use the photos for their marketing. Or local camera stores, or Craigslist (or equivalent).</p>

<p>The problem with this approach is determining the competency of the candidates, which can be quite thorny. And there could be other issues, quite difficult, as well.</p>

<p>Or, Amy can just go for it, with the gear she has. This is if Joanne is fine with whatever photos she gets from Amy (not going to be as good as pro). The only thing for Amy to do is to arrange back up gear. This gear does not have to be expensive or ultra sophisticated--just available that day.</p>

<p>A joint effort can work well as long as you and she are coordinated.</p>

<p>What gear is available? We can help you there.</p>

Both of you should just take pictures at your friend's wedding with the gear you have.

<p>Hi, thanks for speedy responses!<br>

Amy have a Nikon D3000 with a basic kit lens but she keeps saying she wants to buy a zoom lens anyway and this is just a good reason to get on with it and as a backup camera she wants to borrow another Nikon belonging to the ministry in Germany that would come with wide angle lens. I have a Canon 60D with the basic kit lens (just got it this last christmas). And our other friend that I had in mind has a Canon Rebel T3 with basic kit lens and a zoom lens.<br>

I like the thought of contacting students, but you mentioned there would be "other issues", would you mind elaborating on that?</p>

 

<p>"Other issues" would be along the lines of the "unknown quantity" idea. If you do not know a person, you do not know how reliable they are, etc. A professional wedding photographer having successfully been in the business for a while, would most likely be reliable, technically competent, and have at least adequate people skills. You would not be taking a big chance hiring such a person (assuming they are who they say they are).</p>

<p>Then, you may have problems with acquiring the images. Most professionals grant printing or usage rights to the photos they produce at a wedding. A beginner or student may not have a working contract, which defines these things, and may not have the processing skills, etc. Any kind of photography student may or may not be competent to shoot a wedding. It is a somewhat specialized field. If you do go this route, be very careful, and insist upon a contract.</p>

<p>Based on the gear you have, I'd say you could coordinate and shoot the wedding. I would not get crazy with telephoto zooms. Unless the ceremony is in a large church and you aren't allowed to move anywhere, there are things one can do to get adequate photos. I say use what you have. Or rent one telephoto prime to be used by the person who is assigned to shoot the ceremony.</p>

<p>What you will need are external flashes, unless the entire wedding will happen in very good light. Plus you will need a tripod (the person who photographs the ceremony) if you are dealing with dim light.</p>

<p>Are any of you good with processing, and working with RAW files?</p>

<p>What is the schedule of the day and what are the venues?</p>

<p>I am off to shoot a wedding, but will be able to read your replies tomorrow morning. I think this is possible for you all to give your friends a wonderful gift if you keep things simple and teach yourselves how to recognize and manipulate bad/good exposure.</p>

<p>I see what you mean about the problems about using a non proffessional.<br>

So, I know the ceremony is going to be in small church in Exmouth. I have never been there so I have to start investigating...Thank God for Facebook! I can see if I can get the schedule of the day, maybe photos of the venue(s) so I can start planning with Amy about extra light and positioning of tripod and all that jazz...<br>

Tripod shouldn't be a problem, I can borrow one (I want one of my own, but I just recieved my visa to live and work in the US so I have to get rid of stuff not aquire more).<br>

I have been playing around with processing on a free program "Picassa". And I just started working with RAW but now I guess I have to make more of an effort, but I am the only one with any kind of experience... and I am pretty sure my camera is the only one that actually shoots in RAW...<br>

Well, good thing is: the wedding is not until June 29th!<br>

Light! Well, I think I need to get to know the venue(s) before I ask what kind of light to rent.<br>

Thank you so much for your help, Amy asked a friend (who is a proffessional wedding photographer) what to and do she has was told to buy a new camera... </p>

<p>I'm reinforcing Nadine's advice, specifically, that Joanne's expectations are the key. If she's O.K. with less than pro results (which can be quite variable in and of itself) then you can bang away and get what you get. If the camera(s) allow you to shoot RAW + Jpeg, I'd do that and if no one can edit the RAW, she has them for the future and someone else can edit them. Personally, while I think that polished lighting and camera technique is a wonderful thing, in the end many if not most people are happy with pictures that simply capture and document the moment. So paying attention, knowing who counts, interacting well, are more important than a creative camera angle or well balanced lighting. Just my two cents, or course.</p>

<p>I think you should check with your friends in the christian community, for instance the minister who will perform the wedding ceremony probably knows someone local. I'm sure someone knows someone who is willing to help out and can do a competent job.</p>

<p>It's better for you to be able to enjoy the wedding with your friends instead of photographing it, which is a full time job in itself. As a photographer you are really an observer, not a participant, and that makes a big difference.</p>

 

<p>Yes, I must repeat that whether you and Amy can successfully photograph your friend's wedding depends on that friend's expectations. If she does not expect the kind of results that pros provide, and only wants simple capture and documentation, then you will be OK. I will be happy to provide some tips, but verify that she indeed has these simple expectations.</p>

<p>Speaking of simplicity, the concept is all important in an endeavor such as yours. You do not want to be learning complex techniques in so short a time, much less in between your missionary trips. So no off camera lighting or rental of lights. Each of you simply needs an external flash. Perhaps an SB-600 for Amy and a 430EX II for you, if you both buy. If you rent, an SB-800 or 900 for Amy and a 580EX II for you. Other than that, the tripod and perhaps, rental of a telephoto prime.</p>

<p>If you do not know the schedule, perhaps you can tell me what time the ceremony is to start and where and what time the reception is to start. I do not need specifics, but just what kind of space the various activities will be in--large, small, etc. Are there outdoor elements to this event?</p>

<p>Another thing is to find out what you are allowed to do in the church. Have a chat with the officiator or person in charge of the church. Wedding photographers often have to deal with rules, such as no flash during the ceremony, and having to confine themselves to a spot at the back of the church, etc.</p>

<p>Try to find out and post here.</p>

<p>The implication here is that as missionaries your friends are paid little and have little money available to hire a photographer. Yet your missionary friend Amy is prepared to go buy lenses, flashes, etc., suggesting maybe money isn't so tight after all. If there's enough money to buy a lens or flash, I would say there's enough money to hire at least a low-cost photographer. Honestly, saying "I'm a missionary, shoot my wedding for free" isn't any more likely to draw sympathy from a photographer trying to make a living than it is from a caterer or any other vendor. It is very often the parents of a bride paying the bills at a wedding, so the career choice of the bride is not the only factor in whether she can afford a photographer.</p>

<p>Craig- My friend Amy is given money from her family, it is not something the rest of us have access to. And Joanne has NOT asked anyone to shoot it for free. I was the one asking if it even is a possibility because I have seen in other threads the mention of photographers doing pro bono work and I wanted to see what qualifies for that. I have not said or implied that the money normally charged is unreasonable. If you think it is an unreasonable request then that is fine and quite within your right but before you start trashing the very idea of it and implying that I am a liar you might want to read and see what direction the conversation have been going in. By this I am referring to the advice towards pooling resources and making it work with what we have, preparing for something that is very much out of my and my friends depth, not something one would be prepared to do if the resources to hire a"low-cost" photographer.</p>

<p>Nadine- Thank you, I have been trying to reach the bride's sister who is in Devon to get more information about the site and the schedule.</p>

<p> </p>

Devon is a lovely part of the world. I live down the road in London and have always enjoyed my breaks in Devon and Cornwall.

 

To the point.. There is so much to learn about wedding photography, including how to handle difficult lighting scenarios and dark

churches, and so on and so on. Granted the sun will only set around 9:30pm, but this isn't learnt overnight and one wouldn't want to

mess up the photography on such an important day. I would suggest trying to pool resources to muster up say £250 - £400 and

looking for a half decent local pro who can offer 2-3 hours of photography on the day. If it's not a Saturday the odds of finding

someone is higher. You will probably find someone with a hopefully reasonable portfolio who will be willing to do it.

 

To help find photographers to approach, have a look at this directory:

 

http://www.swpp.co.uk/find_photographer.htm

<p>It is a beutiful place David, I spent a summer break there a couple of years ago and I am looking forward to going back. Thank you for the advice and for the link, I will talk to Amy and share the information, but I am not very hopeful about getting my hands on that kind of money. Please don't get me wrong, I am NOT saying that the price charged is too high for the service- it truly isn't. I have been looking at the other threads talking about pricing and seeing what the money goes towards and if anything the prices could be higher. As previously mentioned Amy's family provide her money, but the money is there to go to flight tickets so she can come home once in awhile as well as for emergencies- I can't ask her to use that for this, I just can't. The wedding is on the 29th of June (I can't believe that I haven't said that yet) and I think with Joannes sister providing info on the venue I can find ways to practice, Poland does have A LOT of churches after all. But with the guidance and help of Nadine and others I think we can pull it together. In fact I am actually starting to get exited about it.<br>

Thank you!</p>

<p>Ann, I think your best option is for Amy to shoot the wedding with the kit she has, and a written agreement with regards to coverage and delivery, and of course a disclaimer about her lack of relevant experience. Your friends must understand that a novice or student is unlikely to provide merchantable images, but may be able to provide a basic record of the day. </p>

<p>The bottom line is that if we can't afford something then we don't really have the right to expect it for free. How far would that get us if we wanted a plumber to work for nothing, or a garage to service our car without payment? Why should photographers be seen as likely providers of free services? Most social photographers have some extremely high overheads and it costs us a fair whack just to walk out the door. Some photographers are able to do free work for the people closest to them, or the causes they support, so that should be the route your friends go down. And perhaps your friends can offer that person payment in kind, by way of their own skill-sets - for example if they have an IT background, accountancy qualifications or other professional skills. Then it's not quite so one-sided. </p>

<p>Lindsay<br>

Thank you for your comment and suggestion. If I may just point out that in my experience you NEVER know what people are willing to do before you ask, I have been blessed by a great number of people in my 9 years in ministry- from car mechanics to dentists. The point is- asking always means that people can say no, that is fine. But if you never speak of a need, no one can know to respond to it. In this case I must say that I have still been blessed but with encouragement rather than an action. </p>

<p>As I said, perhaps your friends can offer something tangible and useful of equal value in return. When my car breaks I can't drive it until I've saved enough to get it fixed. It would not occur to me to ask for or expect free work from my mechanic or any other service provider. I find it morally unacceptable that I should benefit when others pay, simply because of the life-path I've chosen to follow. </p>

<p>Are you/your friends expecting the other vendors/suppliers to offer pro bono work as well? Again, it may be that members of your community can help with that - but consider that professional photographers will have invested tens of thousands of pounds/dollars in building their skills, equipment, insurances etc and their earnings are now lower than ever. Photographing a wedding isn't just about a few hours work on the day - there is all the preparation and planning, the stress of the day itself, the editing and processing, proofing and delivery/design of the finished product etc. It seems Amy has realised this and understandably feels out of her depth. It is a very big undertaking and one where the photographer is unavailable to a paying client whilst he/she is working for your friends. Not many people can afford to take that amount of time out, even if they wanted to - most of the pros I know invest a good 40 hours or more in each wedding client when it's all added up. Perhaps a newcomer with a day job to pay the bills might be a better bet, since they might be able to give up a weekend and some evenings - you need somebody who actively wants to build a wedding portfolio. That way they are getting something back, but as I mentioned before there is the risk that the results may not be of a high standard. </p>

<p>It is possible to find a cheap photographer, though generally you get what you pay for. Your friends could save a little (though not much) if they ask for a disk of images which they can print themselves and make their own album if they wanted to. But that requires a decent IT system and some know-how, and it doesn't suit everyone. </p>

<p> </p>

<p>It's not about getting someone to shoot a wedding for free. It's about finding out if there is a photographer willing to donate his own time and resources to support the missionaries and their work. IMHO, if what they do is important there are likely someone willing to give a helping hand.</p>

 

<p>Lindsay- I hear what you are saying and I am truly sorry that this offends you so much, that has never been my intent.</p>

<p>Nadine! I have some answers for you.<br>

First, the church... I had my first look at it today, I showed Amy and she burst out laughing saying "we probably won't have to worry about a zoom lens" :)<br>

<a href="http://www.360cities.net/sv/image/point-in-view-church-exmouth-england#227.06,-44.98,70.0" rel="nofollow nofollow" target="_blank">http://www.360cities.net/sv/image/point-in-view-church-exmouth-england#227.06,-44.98,70.0</a><br>

Try to be subtle in that room! I challenge you :D<br>

The service there starts at 13:00 and will go for an hour. Then Joanne wants to take pictures at the beach after which we'll go to the reception.<br>

<a href="http://www.google.se/imgres?um=1&hl=sv&sa=N&biw=1280&bih=637&tbm=isch&tbnid=HuWkVfkPcMsydM%3A&imgrefurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.geograph.org.uk%2Fphoto%2F998933&docid=X_FY1y9MGrIz2M&imgurl=http%3A%2F%2Fs0.geograph.org.uk%2F" rel="nofollow nofollow" target="_blank">http://www.google.se/imgres?um=1&hl=sv&sa=N&biw=1280&bih=637&tbm=isch&tbnid=HuWkVfkPcMsydM%3A&imgrefurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.geograph.org.uk%2Fphoto%2F998933&docid=X_FY1y9MGrIz2M&imgurl=http%3A%2F%2Fs0.geograph.org.uk%2F</a><br>

And the reception will be indoors but she doesn't have pictures of that place.</p>

 

<p>OK. I will take some time to look and think, and get back to you.</p>

<p>Did you get any info on what is allowed during the ceremony, such as flash or no flash, position, etc.?</p>

<p>What's the date and time of the wedding?</p>

<p>Marten--it is June 29, ceremony starts at 1pm.</p>

<p>Nadine- Joanne says that flash is fine and there are no restrictions (other than a church that could fit in my back pocket) about where to stand.</p>

<p>Hi Ann-Charlott. Thanks for waiting. Here is the first of some info.</p>

<p>1. As said earlier, you each should get the appropriate mid-level external flash for your cameras. For Amy, that would be the SB-600. For you that would be the 430EX II. You may rent them but it would be better for you to buy them so that you can practice with them. I might research some alternative brands, such as Sunpak or Yong Nuo for less money.</p>

<p>You will be putting the external flash on the camera and leaving it there for the duration of the coverage. I recommend you buy and use only Eneloop AA batteries (with charger) and follow the directions. Have at least 2 sets of 4 batteries each. Possibly have a third set available to either of you.</p>

<p>I don't know about the SB-600, but the higher end Nikon flashes include a diffuser cap, which is similar to a Stofen Omnibounce. If so, then great, but if not, I would recommend you both purchase the appropriate model for your flash. Knock-offs are availabel for very little if you look around. More about this later on.</p>

<p>2. Here is the basic use. I recommend that you both use Program mode, NOT aperture priority or shutter priority. Then, learn how to compensate Program mode, and why (more on this later). The actual procedure for compensaton should be explained in your camera's user manual. On the 60D, it is controlled by the dial under your shutter button finger, I believe. This, combined with changing the ISO and recognizing a good or bad exposure, will be the way you operate all day.</p>

<p>So after turning on your camera, you turn on your flash and leave it on. You need to know how to compensate your flash as well. This is separate from compensating your camera. The flash comp only controls the flash exposure and not the ambient, although I believe with Nikon, comp on the camera may control both ambient and flash.</p>

<p>3. In addition to using Program mode, you will need to religiously (no pun intended!) keep changing your ISO as you go from lighting situation to lighting situation. For example, if you are outside and it is bright sun, you would have your ISO at 100. Walk inside the little church (which is bright for an interior), and I might change the ISO to 400 or 800. At the reception later, perhaps the room is dark and night has fallen. I might change the ISO to 1600. The important thing is to keep changing the ISO, to allow you to get the best out of Program mode. Teach yourself how to identify and set the ISO, as this is crucial.</p>

<p>4. Pay attention to the little line of info under the viewfinder image, not to read everything there, although the info is helpful, but to see if any of it blinks--namely either the aperture value (f stop) or shutter speed. If something is blinking, you need to change your ISO. The camera is telling you it can't find a good combination of settings.</p>

<p>5. I recommend that both of you use One Shot (Canon) and Single (Nikon) focus modes. Use the center focus point (learn how to set that). Put the focus point on contrasty areas of the subject. That means NOT a blank area with no detail. Keep it away from subject edges, such as the outer edges of a person, such as the outside edge of a person's head or arm. Keep it inside a subject, on a contrasty target.</p>

<p>6. I will be skipping to church coverage, since you provided the link. Because the church is small, I would set one of you behind the pulpit and one of you in the aisle during the ceremony. The person behind the pulpit will be 'stuck' there and won't be able to move. Her role is to get the close-ups of the couple's faces and even some wide shots of the guests sitting in the pews. Also shots of the proceedings from that angle. I would not be moving from one side to the other, since that is distracting. Either stand against one of the side walls and stay there, or sit between activities.</p>

<p>The 'aisle person' would be photographing the processional and then the proceedings during the ceremony from the aisle. For the processional, it is good to stand in the cross aisle, popping in and out as needed, and rotating as the bride and dad passes. This person may be and should be using all focal lengths. Unavoidably, the 'behind the pulpit' person will be captured in the 'aisle person's images, but that can be attended to later.</p>

<p>7. You will need to purchase extra memory cards--the more the better. Someone above suggested shooting RAW plus JPEG. It is a good idea, but will take card space. You may each also purchase a second camera body battery.</p>

<p>So--let me know that you have read and understand the above, and I will write more. Certainly, if you have questions, ask...</p>

<p>Nadine, I have read it through, copied and printed the info plus emailed it to Amy and I am about to start researching prices and such for external flashes. I don't have any questions now, but I am going to start practising and I am sure I will have questions as I encounter the different circumstances. Thank you so much for taking the time to do all of this, I don't ever want to take that for granted, it is a gift.</p>

<p>I also want to pass on Amy's thanks, she is so very thankful for all the help- from everyone posting and emailing.</p>

<p> </p>