What ONE Piece of Advice Do You Wish Someone Would Have Told You Before Your First Wedding?

<p>The question is - What ONE Piece of Advice Do You Wish Someone Would Have Told You Before You Shot Your First Wedding? </p>

<p>Be prepared to have something to cover your camera in a huge rain for the outdoor ceremony !!! But I did good with a plastic bag... not very professional looking but worked...<br>

Good luck ;-) and enjoy !</p>

<p>don't....by that, I mean don't do the first one by yourself....work as an assistant first. It's all the little things that happen that screw up your well laid out plans.</p>

<p>@Laetitia - Great tip! I'm thinking maybe bring a large umbrella to shoot under?<br>

@Thomas - I agree 100%! I have assisted/2nd shot at 5 weddings already so I definitely realize the importance of gaining the experience prior to going out on my own! Additionally, I will have an assistant/2nd shooter at my first wedding with me. </p>

<p>Besides have a backup everything, know how to pose formals/groups. It'll show if you don't know what you're doing! I was in Hawaii, where everything is casual, so I got away with it...but I wish I'd had some forethought or training in posing groups.</p>

<p>Simple, Relax. When you relax, they relax, when they relax, they have fun, when they have fun, the pictures will take care of themselves. Relaxing is the first link in a long chain helping things go well.</p>

<p>Become a wall street banker.</p>

<p>Measure twice; cut once.<br>

<br />-- <br />Henry Posner<br /><strong>B&H Photo-Video</strong></p>

<p>Wow! I would have to say - know how to use your flash...</p>

<ol>

<li>Research, Research, Research.</li>

<li>Know what type of photos you want to take. Know what type of photos the B&G want to see.</li>

<li>Scout your locations before-hand. </li>

<li>Lighting is more powerful than gear. Learn lighting, then figure out if you need gear to compensate.</li>

<li>Smile.</li>

<li>Have extra EVERYTHING. I only use one camera and one lens for the majority of my shots, but I have 5 cameras and 6 lenses (some EOS, some Mamiya, and some Canon FD just in case). Extra batteries, extra CF cards, and extra film!</li>

<li>Don't rely on photoshop. Do as much in-camera as possible.</li>

<li>Work efficiently, but do not work stressfully. Everyone pays attention to how the photographer behaves and judges your performance on it too.</li>

</ol>

<p>I guess that's not just one, but these are the things I taught myself before I even started, and would want others to know too.</p>

<p> EDIT: Scratch all that above. Melissa is right. Just learn your flash (which correlates to #4).</p>

<p>When you feel your head is about to explode, stop, force yourself to slow down, calm down and then proceed. Even if people are waiting for you. What seems to be a long time is probably actually seconds or a minute. You can tell people you need to fiddle with your gear or something. Either that or use P mode to get you through the 'total blank' moments, and you <strong>will</strong> have them. Good luck.</p>

<p>Don't take indoor formal pictures with your guests posed right against the wall. You can't photoshop out shadows very easily!!</p>

<p>Yes, everything in extra... at my first wedding (yes I had a lot of bad luck, it happens), my only flash broke, and did not fired at all at the dark reception ! yes, a new flash from 2 month... so eveything in twice !</p>

 

<p><strong>"Either that or use P mode to get you through the 'total blank' moments"</strong><br>

LOL Nadine that's some great advice. Stress is at maximum intensity during a wedding.</p>

<p>@Theresa, that's a great tip! Does anyone know of any resources for tips on posing groups (from the bridal party to the large family shots)?<br>

@Everyone, great tips about staying relaxed as I'm sure it's easy to get stressed out quickly on your first wedding. P mode tip is great! There's no "prize" for trying to shoot it manual if your pictures are junk, lol. I've been working to build my gear over the past year to a "double everything" scenario including camera bodies, lenses, batteries, memory, flashes, so I should have that covered!</p>

<p>Tom--here is just one thread.</p>

<p><a href="http://www.photo.net/wedding-photography-forum/00TCvU">http://www.photo.net/wedding-photography-forum/00TCvU</a></p>

<p>Don't think that just because you are the world's best photographer, you will be good at weddings. My father used to say that it was 10% photography and 90% interacting with people.</p>

<p>Keep it simple. Shoot photographs that you are pretty sure will come out. don't get fancy with lighting.</p>

Be confident. If you act nervous, your clients will lose confidence in your ability. Never show a moment of uncertainty.

<p>Have a spare camera with you.:) and have fun while!:)</p>

<p>Shoot in RAW. Might save some precious photo's or details. <br>

Have more memory cards.<br>

Always bring the recharger for your camera and flash batteries.<br>

I've done all this at my first solo wedding. :)<br>

A.</p>

<p>eat breakfast</p>

<p>Ian and Alexandru are right :)...as well as other advices...<br>

One more...check your camera settings...so you dont end-up with EV+1.7, like some people...or at ISO-3200 when using flash :D<br>

Be confident, check everything 3 times before you go.<br>

Wish you luck :)<br>

Just do it!</p>

<p>the first and Most Important thing is to know your equipment forward and backwards, then know what the bride and groom want in the way of fotos and know what fotos are called the standard shots, be-pared for something to go wrong . Expect at any moment to be ask to take this shot or this shot it will happen- after that just pray : for all to go great for the day:</p>

<p>Quality is better than quantity! <br>

Visit the venue days or weeks before the wedding (same time as wedding) to get familiar with the area and the lighting!</p>