susanb Posted July 31, 2005 Share Posted July 31, 2005 And I have good reason to be! My boyfriends sister and her fiance are getting married October 1st. They're having a very small wedding outside at a park, under a gazebo. A little over a month ago they asked me to do the photography. I had just gotten all my dad's old camera equipment...and thought, ok...I'll just practice alot between now and then. I told them that it's alot of pressure just for me to do the photography....and they should have another person doing it too. (Not sure if they've done that or not). They didn't want to actually hire anyone because of the expense. They immediately thought of me because they've always liked my photos. But those were with my 5 year old 2mp digital camera! I now have some great film SLR equipment. However, we moved last month and I have not had any time to practice. I have only gone through half a roll of film and that was quite awhile ago. I'll refer you to my first post here about my equipment and lack of knowledge. http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=00CLF5 I'm so nervous! I really need to get practicing. I plan on going out to the park where the wedding will be. I'm also going to read the posts here extensively. My dad has done a couple weddings with his digital....and he's given me a couple tips already...like use the flash even if it is outside. Anyone have any suggestions? Am I in over my head here?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zapped Posted July 31, 2005 Share Posted July 31, 2005 It's been two months since you posted about your inherited Pentax equipment, and you haven't found time to shoot a single complete roll. You have no experience with exposure control, handling a manual-focus system, or flash. You are in completely over your head and need to tell the couple that you can't do it. If you take a point'n'shoot digital to the wedding, you might knock of a pleasant snapshot or two. Leave it at that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
watermelon Posted July 31, 2005 Share Posted July 31, 2005 Half a roll... hmmmmm! compare your results with some of the better photos on here after at least 20 rolls and see how your doing! you are about to be told by every breathing member on this board to not do it, but if you do Good luck! (Did my first a month ago, not as bad as I thought photo wise but very stressful...) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
susanb Posted July 31, 2005 Author Share Posted July 31, 2005 I totally agree with you. I am definately in over my head. I don't know how I'm going to break it to the couple. I just don't want their priceless wedding photos to be screwed up. Maybe I could offere to help find them a reasonably priced photographer in the area. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
susanb Posted July 31, 2005 Author Share Posted July 31, 2005 By the way, I'm in the St. Louis area in case anyone knows of a photographer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattalofs Posted July 31, 2005 Share Posted July 31, 2005 You are probably in over your head, but if the couple doesn't have any money to hire a pro, you gotta do the best you can. Start practicing, today! First, run a couple of cheap rolls of film through all that old pentax equipment just to make sure everything works. Once you have figured out what works and what doesn't, take a couple of friends out to the location of the wedding (if possible) and do some 're-enactments' for practice. Repeat as necessary. Buy some good film - like fuji nph or kodak porta nc - for the day of. If the couple does indeed have money to hire a pro, I think photo.net's very own Stephen Seward lives in St. Louis. I'm also down the road a bit in Columbia. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
susanb Posted July 31, 2005 Author Share Posted July 31, 2005 Just an update here. I talked to the bride, and she understood. They weren't actually expecting me to take pro style photos apparently. All they want are some shots for the day. For some reason, they aren't placing a whole lot of value on pictures like most couples do. She said it's fine if I just take shots with my digital camera, even though they won't be able to enlarge them. I did tell her I will make a dvd slideshow for them with all the pictures since I have done alot of those. She's going to pick out the music to go with it too. She said they didn't ask me because they didn't want to hire a pro...rather they just don't think it's that important to have pro photos. I'm the complete opposite. I would need to have a ton of photos from my wedding! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
susanb Posted July 31, 2005 Author Share Posted July 31, 2005 Thanks Matt. I don't know of Steve Steward on here yet, I'll have to check him out! I'm a member of many different forums, and no one ever lives near me...loL. I will still practic with the equipment the next couple months anyways....because I want to. And I will probably take the equipment with me just for practice. I'm glad I posted this here though, I needed a big reality check! Thanks again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ben conover Posted July 31, 2005 Share Posted July 31, 2005 Hi Susan, I read your previous posts. If I were you. and as nervous, I would back out gracefully and learn from the wedding, see how the photographer works it. I have Zero experience in weddings, but if my best friend asked me to do his wedding I would, that's 'cause I love a challenge, and 'cause friends are different. However, it takes a while to get to a comfortable zone in whatever you do, so I advocate heaps of practice, that's what I need to be doing too. I think you can practice photography away from the camera too, but real live people sometimes bite, so there is no substitute for getting stuck in. Enjoy your new Pentax systems and all the best. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ben conover Posted July 31, 2005 Share Posted July 31, 2005 Well, look at it another way, you could do it, and you could learn a lot by doing it too. If I were you I would go for it. After what you wrote about your friends and the type of photos they want, it seems different. If the wedding is outside under the Gazebo it will probably be quite dark at that time of year, so you will need fast lenses. Look to your fast primes and your back-up camera too. Imagine trying to cover the whole shebang now, get really nervous now, and then you will feel less nervous on the day. Just ideas. If you burn enough film you are bound to get some keepers. I think timeing is key, it needent't take 1000 rolls of film, maybe only a few, but that is up to you. Perhaps you could practice like you said, on location, same time of day, etc. Metering for overcast days may even be easier, with diffuse light. Another thought, people often look 'better' in B+W photos. Go for it girl! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rob_m.___portland__or. Posted July 31, 2005 Share Posted July 31, 2005 Susan, I would take all the Pentax gear and go for it. Your friends aren't expecting much so it seems like a great chance to gain some experience. Take along your little digital as well, but I view this as a great opportunity to shoot your first wedding without having to feel too much pressure. Cheers, Rob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barry_davis___st._louis__m Posted July 31, 2005 Share Posted July 31, 2005 Susan, I'm in FLorissant (north st louis), and if you need a voice conversation, please feel free to email me from the claendar page. I'm being mentored by an older gentlemen for a year now, and without question having a live voice has been a godsend. I've done numerous weddings with him and now he has given me more and more responsibilities...I crave the oppourtunity! Go for it, you only learn by doing and being conscientous and you have both! my site is www.mrzphotography.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
susanb Posted July 31, 2005 Author Share Posted July 31, 2005 Thanks Barry, your website is amazing! You are very talented. I just may be emailing you in the next couple months, thank you! I am so glad the pressure is off, and now I feel even more anxious to use my equipment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bruce_rubenstein___nyc Posted July 31, 2005 Share Posted July 31, 2005 That Super Program is a pretty capable camera. The metering is very good (better than the K1000) and you can use the camera in Av or even get away for this shooting in Program mode. The one thing that I didn't like about the camera is that it has quite a bit of mirror slap and a shutter that causes vibration. I couldn't hand hold shots below 1/60 sec., with a 50mm lens, and get sharp pictures; that a stop or two worse than most cameras. The K1000 is better with slow shutter speeds. The SP will do TTL flash with the 280T, but there is no easy way to dial down the flash for fill flash. You might want to use the flash in Auto mode and set the aperture on the flash to one or two stops larger than the lens is set to for fill. You certainly have enough lenses to cover a wedding. Just make sure you run a roll of slide film through both of them to make sure they are working properly. Things could be off by over a stop and you'll never see the problems with print film. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
merlin Posted July 31, 2005 Share Posted July 31, 2005 Susan, I'm from St. Louis, I have a few weddings comming up that you could tag along as an assistant if you wanted. It will give you much needed experience, and I'd be happy to answer any questions you have. I have a BIG wedding this friday that I would absolutely love to have someone help with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerry_ Posted July 31, 2005 Share Posted July 31, 2005 One of two things will "happen." You may get through the wedding and the prints are going to be good. Or you may "suffer" something going amiss and be forever labeled a "screw up" for shooting the wedding. It is a 50-50 opportunity. Out-doors you may get by without a flash bracket, but to photograph a wedding with one (somewhat old) camera body and no equipment for back-up is not really a grand idea. Any chance you can find a low-budget wedding photographer in your area? Maybe you can go halves with your boyfriend's sister and hire a photographer? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
derek_c. Posted July 31, 2005 Share Posted July 31, 2005 Yikes.<br> Photography is a fun hobby. Seems like you are being tortured... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
todd frederick Posted July 31, 2005 Share Posted July 31, 2005 I was going to suggest that you find a friend who could help you, but Stephen's offer is great. That could get you up to speed and you might be able to take a bit more than just a few snapshots. Operating the equipment is not all that hard and you could get the idea in a couple of weeks with help from Stephen. What you also need to know involves what typical wedding photo events need to be photographed, and how to work with people. You need to be gently assertive to get people to cooperate. Go for it with Stephen. Who knows? You might even start a business and retire rich! (^O^) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephen_kruft Posted July 31, 2005 Share Posted July 31, 2005 Since you are not expected to "do" the wedding I agree with those who say go ahead. Read postings and books on wedding photography. But if they expect anything at all, you do need to be sure all the equipment works and then shoot a lot with it, in the field, with and without flash, to familiarize yourself. Send it to the cheap processor for single prints and see what happened. Try to shoot many 24 exposure rolls and practice reloading. It is easy to make a mistake like not having the film wind, if you don't. I use that example because at least twice in my life I have had that happen with an unfamiliar 35mm camera. Both were times when I could easily shoot it over though. Once it was with a camera I had never used before, once with one I just hadn't loaded in a few years. And that also gets you accustomed to bringing everything you need like batteries. As someone else said, shoot more at the wedding rather than less. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david_schilling___chicago_ Posted August 1, 2005 Share Posted August 1, 2005 Definately take Steve up on his offer.....and altho the bride has indicated that the photos aren't that bid a deal,....watch out for the B/G's mom. In fact, my guess is that it's probably 50/50 that a parent will spring for a professional shooter before October 1st. Oh, and please for heavens sake....take lots of photos of the grandparents. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scott ream Posted August 1, 2005 Share Posted August 1, 2005 Practice with the prime lenses so you won't have to worry about zooming. Take a test roll with each intended camera to make sure the metering is accurate. Practice focusing...a lot! Use a good color print film like NPH or HP5 for black and white. Go to your local Barnes and noble and look at all of the 'Best of' books in the photography. Make a list of the shots you want to get. Try to shoot at least one roll each week and you should be pretty confident by October. Try to double or triple each important shot to make sure you 'get it'. And did I mention focusing? Good luck, Scott Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Gardner Posted August 1, 2005 Share Posted August 1, 2005 Sue...have one or two glasses of wine...one 5 ml gram valume...put the camera in auto mode, and shoot like crazy!!! Oh one more thing...have fun. Everyone will tell ya think ahead...and be in the right place. Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
susanb Posted August 1, 2005 Author Share Posted August 1, 2005 That wine and valium sounds good :) Thanks everyone for your tips!! David Schilling, I am suprised that a parent hasn't mentioned a pro yet. The groom was just recently married two years ago and divorced...so maybe they don't mind this not being a big deal. I dunno. I will definately take lots of pics of the grandparents too. Stephen Kruft, thanks for tip on practicing loading and reloading. I definately have to get more accustomed to that. Stephen Steward, thanks for your incredible offer. I'll send you an email here shortly. Thanks again everyone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timcorridan Posted August 1, 2005 Share Posted August 1, 2005 disable modeling flash, although at home, i pushed it by accident and thought, that would suck at the wrong moment... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timcorridan Posted August 2, 2005 Share Posted August 2, 2005 might help if i were in the right post Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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