Shooting a wedding for the first time - advice?

[jscoles]

I'm in charge of a small photography club at my University, and our

club recently got a request from two students getting married for a

"budding photographer" to shoot their wedding for a lot less than what

professionals would charge. They say their experience so far in

looking at professional wedding photographers is that they charge a

huge amount for a lot of cheesy photos. They offered $200 plus film

costs (negotiable).

 

They say the wedding will be fun, simple and relaxed, and that they

only need someone there for a few hours to shoot the ceremony and a

few portraits afterwards. I'm intruiged by the idea, I've never had

the chance to make much money with my photography, but I don't have

any wedding experience. I think the equipment I have will work well

enough (D70, kit lens, 50mm f/1.8D, 105f/2.8D macro, sb-800).

 

I am hesitant about jumping into something like this with no

experience. I guess I'm looking for a little advice on subjects like

these:

 

I assume I should make some sort of contract, but I'm not sure what

kind. Would it be appropriate to request payment up front? Should I

just sell them prints, or turn over the digital images? Is there a

way to protect myself if for some reason the photos turn out horribly

exposed, or something else goes wrong?

 

I was also wondering where I should look for, well, instructions.

Where do I stand during the ceremony? What are all the "traditional"

wedding shots? Should I risk using autofocus at critical moments or

pre-focus manually? What else should I know? I'm sure there are

loads of good books out there, can you reccommend any?

 

I have a few days to respond, so any hard-earned wisdom would be

greatly appreciated.

 

Thanks,

Jonathan

[sauerwine]

I did a wedding under the same circumstances and with the same experience, from what I can tell, as you had. I hated it. A few years later, another one. Then another. Now I'm generally comfortably booked, (doing as much as I really want to in my free time.)

 

I remember WELL what it is like in that position. It's really not as easy as it sounds, because you've got a reputation as a good photographer; not a good *wedding photographer.* There really is a difference. This isn't to say that you can't make an excellent wedding or event photographer, but it takes experience. My shots improved 300% after I was finally well aware of where to be, what to do, and so on.

 

You'll undoubtedly find a lot of books on the subject, but there are a few things you need to run-through in your own mind well before the ceremony begins.

 

Contemplate the entire timeline of the wedding. Be sure you're as aware as possible as to what's going on and when. How much time will you have? What kind of conditions will you be shooting in? (Will the officiate let you use flash, no flash, flash at certain times? Will he/she deny you photographs except after they are pronounced a couple?) Don't let the clients dismiss the importance of this information by simply stating that the wedding will be "short" or "simple." They rarely seem simple, when your in your shoes.

 

Contemplate how you'll command people to the altar after the ceremony for formal pictures. This really can be an art, as it generally becomes chaotic right after the recieving line is over, and all the relatives escape for their first shot of Rum or to have a cigarette.

 

Know the order of things. Know your conditions. Communicate with the officiate. Have an idea how to pose relatives and other shots. Have a list of photographs the couple wants, and do everything you can to fulfill it. Be ready to take control of every situation you want a shot of, from the formals to the reception. Having a helper can be a big plus, if only as a "safe base" for you to retreat to without feeling awkward standing around during those rare slow periods. (Certain recieving line formats, parts of the reception, etc.)

 

It's my inclination to tell you to avoid a formal contract. The reason for this is simple. If you have a contract, so do they. If you don't fulfill your end of the deal, and you haven't taken the time to properly word it; the contract can screw YOU if your equipment breaks, etc.

 

Here's how it usually goes with me. I shoot most of my weddings as an overflow photographer for another studio. Because of this, I rarely have contact with the Bride or Groom before the event. This can be a really awkward situation to be in. This is the basic routine:

 

I show up early enough to get an uncluttered picture of the outside of the church; without a bunch of people going in. Look around and make sure I'm not missing a bulletin board with their wedding announced on it.

 

I grab the equipment, and look for the first person in a tuxedo. I introduce myself and start asking for the information that most photographers would have gleened from the interview with the bride and groom.

 

I ask questions about the parents; whether both sets are still alive, still married or now divorced; whether they were remarried again. With the right person, I can ask whether or not there'd be an issue with divorcees interacting together on the altar, or whether or not the ex-wife wants to kill the new stepmom.

 

I have this person show me where the groomsmen are getting ready. I do this because the men are usually much, if not all, dressed; before the bride and bridesmaids. I briskly shoot the men. Getting their boutineers (sp?) put on, groom with mom, groom with best man, and groom by himself. This is minimum.

 

Then I have one of the men show me where the women are getting ready. Be sure, especially if you're a man, that the bride is comfortable with you starting to shoot. Even though she's dressed, she might need a few minutes to rest her mind and get ready for the more official parts of the day to begin- and you are the first part of that. If she's not ready, or needs time, I go to the church and check out the conditions. Chances are good that the officiate won't be easily found until about fifteen minutes before the ceremony begins. (Some are at the church from the time they open the doors in the morning, though.) I take readings if necessary, look at possible shooting positions, and try to hook up with the officiate to find out how I'm allowed to shoot.

 

Whenever I can, I start shooting the women. DON'T forget the bride and her mom. I try to fit parents and siblings in shots with both the groomsmen and the bride and bridesmaids. I usually shoot the bride next to a soft window, or a mirror. Be real observant when you're moving about, as the difference between a decent position and a great one are subtle in these places.

 

By the time I'm done with the women, it's time to get ready in the church. I tell the women that the next time I see them they'll be coming down the aisle at me. I remind them to take their time, and keep a good amount of steps behind one another. (This is critical when shooting with AA powered flash units...you can't be rushed by people running down the aisle: you'll be bound to miss a shot because your flash didn't recycle in time.)

 

I head to the church, load a NEW roll of film. You do this because you have to really hustle from the moment the first person walks into the church until the pastor begins his lesson. There may be things like the mothers lighting the unity candles, good shots of relatives coming in, all sorts; and you need to avoid reloading. This is especially true in my case, as I have no idea what kind of ceremony it is until I get to the job. (I usually pick up a program to make sure that there's nothing special, like the placing of a rose on the Virgin Mary or some special presentation to the parents during the ceremony. You need know this so you can properly position yourself.)

 

I keep myself well behind the "honorary pews," those that host the family members. They frequently decorate the front three or so pews with a bow or extra decoration. It's in your best interest to stay behind these rows, otherwise the bride and groom will hear direct criticism about your being there.

 

I shoot with a telephoto from that distance- on a tripod unless there's no way around it.

 

Don't neglect giving directions like, "when you kiss her, make sure I can see your faces, then relax and do your thing after you hear the click..." Stuff like that can make all the difference, but you have to guage whether or not the particular couple is ready for that kind of direction, on a wedding-to-wedding basis.

 

NEVER EVER break or infringe on the officiate's rules! I know of one couple who did, and the officiate embarrassed them badly- by stopping the entire ceremony to correct them.

 

Stay clear of the altar. I know people who go there if they have permission, but I find it an awkward spot, and mostly unnecessary. In addition, though the official, bride, and groom are o.k. with this, it's a distraction for the audience.

 

This should give you a quick idea of how I, in my twisted way as an individual, approach it. There'll be many other twists added by others. Good luck! Educate and think things out ahead of time, as much as you can!

 

-S

[steve_hovland]

Think about adding a Lumiquest Softbox ($35) to your flash. It will improve the light quality significantly.

 

If you are worried about exposure, practice!

 

If you use the flash all the time in Program mode you will probably be OK. With ISO 400 or so the recycle time will be faster. Take spare batteries and change every 50 shots or so.

 

Your autofocus should be OK if you are comfortable with finding an edge to use before composing. Again, practice.

 

If you use a higher ISO plus flash then you will have enough depth of field to reduce focus problems.

[picturesque]

Your equipment is fine if you also have full backup gear--especially body and flash.

 

I would look at every thread in the First Time section of this forum. Answers to many of your questions are there, as well as the addresses for some websites that you will find helpful.

 

You should, of course, talk to the couple and find out from them exactly what they are willing to pay for. Your involvement after the wedding will depend to some extent on what their expectations are. It would seem that they expect to have control over the final images, so I don't think they will go for your selling them prints--but I could be wrong. And, since there is no film, you'd have to consider your post processing time--whether or not you are going to do post-processing on all the images (that's a lot of work for $200) or just the ones they want. These are all things you'll have to figure out with them--what you are willing to do and what they will accept. All of these aspects of the "deal" should be clear from the start. I would draw up a simple agreement form based on what you verbally decide upon. I would ask for at least 1/2 of the total payment before the wedding, after the agreement form has been signed (which should detail the money issues). Since you are digital, you should be able to monitor your exposures, and as far as something else going wrong--that's why you have back up gear (including batteries) and a liability clause in your agreement form.

 

If you've never shot a wedding before or assisted at a wedding, I would think twice about taking this job. What is your motivation for doing the job? If it is just the money, believe me, without prior experience, there are easier and less risky ways of making $200. If you are after the experience, there are easier and less risky ways of getting that too (like assisting). If there were other students in your club who have had prior wedding photography experience, I'd turn the lead over to them. Still, if you want to try it, do all the research you can and practice a lot. There are many photographers who have just plunged right into wedding photography without prior experience and not only survived, but did very well.

 

Where you stand during the ceremony varies on the "rules" of the church and the location--church as opposed to a very casual or very small wedding. It's impossible to give you an answer without knowing the circumstances. The traditional shots can be found in most books about wedding photography. Go to Amazon and you will find a number of good books. One is Steve Sint's "Wedding Photography--Art, Business and Style". It is somewhat dated and slanted toward traditional coverage but gives a lot of basic information. This topic has also been covered in this forum. Autofocus vs. manual focus has been covered on this forum as well. Basically, if your camera has fast autofocus and you are good at working it, you can use it to photograph the processional. If not, pre-focus is safer.

 

What else you should know is a huge topic. Without knowing more about your specific experience with weddings in general, photography, and even your personality, it is impossible to hit upon just the right information appropriate for you. Do the research, and things should be clearer.

[latham_portous]

Hey Jonathan, I was in the exact situation as you several weeks ago.I am not a pro and my people photography experience is portraits of my own children. These were friends of friends that needed someone on short notice. It was a beach wedding. I bought a friend along to act as a back up should my equipment fail (he also helped out with carrying stuff). I have 10D, 50 1.8 and the 100mm macro similar to you. I brought my film camera too just in case. You know, Murphy's Law.I also have a 17-40L so I was able to go wider. This in not really necessary, I think you will find the 50 will do most of the time and the 100 will give you heaps of distance. This really helps them be at ease and I really underestimated this effect of being further away and not in their faces. The only problem with being far away is during the ceremony all the "paparazzi" get in the way with their cameras too. I did not take any deposit but will charge them when they get the prints. I will basically cover all my expenses and did the job for the experience. It was a lot of work and my legs ached for a couple of days later. You have to have a plan for what sort of shots they want and what you would like to do with them. I scouted the area first to get some ideas. It turned out a little different than expected because of the rain we had. The "shelter shots" turned out well anyway. You need to get official shots like aisle walking, vows, rings and the formals with parents, family etc. When you do the "love shots" of the couple I did some with the bridal party as well. Mostly casual stuff of them walking around and some posed shots too. You can get some nice background blur and selected focusing with your lens which can be nice and romantic. The hardest part is to get the couple to act relaxed when they are waiting to be told what to do by YOU! I find that you really do have to become a pro pretty fast and have some ideas that look good.I looked on the net, there are so many wedding photography sites if you google search the topic. I didn't copy any shots exactly but I got a few ideas of what sort of shots would look good. All the best mate!

[pazellisphoto]

Thank you for your post! I am in the same boat.... Friend came over saw the pictures on the wall and wanted to know who my photographer was.... told her friend and I am now shooting a wedding next month. I have a few more questions to add:

since this wedding will be indoors, at an old mansion and it will be at 7pm.. it will be dark. Lighting there is dim, plus some candles on tables... Do I need anything else besides flash? I have a flash bracket, prime 50mm 1.4, 28-135mm 3.5-5.6, canon speedlite 550ex flash, oh, and my Canon 10d. Bride wants lots of candid shots, black and white with colorization on flowers, etc.. and just some formals for the parents. I will be taking a tripod as well.

-Do any pro wedding photographers ever shoot in Program mode for speed? Or what do you suggest in that lighting situation? I am doing this for free. Just thought it would be fun and the bride really wants me to do this. My experience is mostly of my kids, national parks and people/street photography. so, I am a bit nervous. Thanks in advance to all & to Jonathan for the great question!

 

Yve

[picturesque]

Yvelisse, try some artistic shots at high ISO, like 1600 (with the 50mm fast lens) to preserve the candlelight ambiance. Not all, but some--especially during the ceremony and for some of the shots of just the couple. You'll probably have to use noise reduction software. For the rest, your flash should be fine. If the mansion has low white ceilings, you can bounce, but if not, direct flash with maybe a diffuser would work fine. Be sure that your 550EX/10D combo gives you good exposures. There has been a lot of discussion about that ever since the 10D came out, with many people experiencing either flash underexposure and/or inconsistent flash exposure. Program is OK but you'll probably get a lot of dark backgrounds because Program will automatically put your shutter speed at 1/60th or 1/125th. A better method would be to drag the shutter, using manual mode on the camera and letting the flash do it's E-TTL "thing". Using manual mode, choose a slowish shutter speed so that some of the background is exposed. Flash duration should freeze your subjects. Do a search on this forum for William Au's "Dragging the Shutter" post. But practice before using at a wedding.

[pazellisphoto]

Nadine, Thanks! that is great advice. I actually have never used my flash. I have not needed it til now. I was at Graceland this fall and since they don't allow flash, took a few in that very low-light house, and they came out pretty good, but with photoshop I was able to "brighten things up a bit",,, so I think I could pull it off, but am a bit leary.... anyway, thanks for the help!

[latham_portous]

Yvellise, shoot in RAW to make sure you have some post shooting exposure control in case the photos are underexposed, etc. Shoot in Manual mode with a shutter speed of about 1/60 sec and take lots of artistic shots with candles in foreground with open aperures to focus on foreground and have out of focus backgrounds which may look really nice. I hope you can bounce off a white ceiling. Don't forget to post them here when you are done. All the best.

[harris_goldstein]

My view - from the other side of the lens.

 

My wedding (many years ago) was shot by a National Geographic photographer who was a friend of my wife's family. The wedding was held in a home, so certainly not a traditional wedding.

 

He succeeded (at least I think he did) because he did not try to duplicate typical wedding shots. If he had tried to do that, I'm not sure he would have been successful given NO experience with the process/structure/procedures of formal shots.