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

[savagesax]

Bring film or CF cards?

[ron_steedman]

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<p><a href="../photodb/user?user_id=5197496">Tom Collins</a>:<em> "What ONE Piece of Advice Do You Wish Someone Would Have Told You Before Your First Wedding?"</em></p>

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<p>The vendor meal at that country club is a fried chicken sandwich drenched in mayo with french fries on the side--remember to bring a backup meal so you'll actually get a chance to eat!</p>

[bob_bill]

<p>One thing, you're not in the studio any more, Dorothy. Its a 3 ring photo circus. If shooting alone, know the must have shots and how, when and where to get them. My first was a week ago. Outdoor, 5:30 pm theme wedding. Had a rehearsal 5:30 pm prior day. Got all lighting and positioning dialed in. Guess most photographers dont have to set up for shotguns and colt 45s being shot as groom is dragged from a barn. Arrived early wedding day and setup lighting for formals in ball park exposure, All had to do was raise boom, 2 clicks and was there. 10 groups in less than the 20 minutes given. Learn ttl. with SB900, 3 clicks to adjust, auto zoom. Got many shots only because I had it. Most precious shot, as often, the unexpected: bride tearing up in carriage as the meaning of it all sunk in. For you studio guys like me, most enlightening, there is genuine emotion going off everywhere. Dont have to work to evoke it, but have to be ready to get it. Burst mode, 2 bodies. Shot crop with 16-35 and flash, ff 70-200. iso 400. Bob Bernardo and Nadines ladder/hand truck made the foot bridge formal possible from the gully on ladder to get best of bg. Their softar produced some dreamy images. Again, for you studio, plodding, methodical shooters like me, get in there and shoot. More a right brain, free flowing thing. More than one thing Im glad pnetters told me.</p>

[ben_s2]

<p>BE PREPARED. Know the venue inside and out, and meet with the B&G at least once beforehand to figure out what they want. Otherwise, this thread has some excellent advice, including "eat breakfast". Bring snacks, too, there's no guarantee that you'll get to enjoy your reception food! Having two cameras (one with a prime lens and one with a zoom) helps, having two photographers is a miracle.</p>

[matt_needham]

<p>Wear dark underwear and keep a spare change of clothes in the car. I've had 2 pairs of pants blow out on me! Back up gear means back ups of everything you need to shoot a wedding. You don't think about it, but you need pants to shoot a wedding. :)</p>

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[sd_woods]

<p>Don't capitalise the first letter of every word you write, people will think you're doing all of it from an internet cafe in Nigeria.</p>

[mark_loader]

<p>I think Ben S nailed it...preparation and planning is most of it. That way you are less likely to be caught out....Ok, I gotta ask...Matt N...what the Canon (hell) is a "pants blow out"? Especially since you had a double? Was it just for the ladies...or what?</p>

[lonnie_mecham]

<p>Be confident and relaxed, as previously posted this is about shooting people, and they need to know that you have things under control. They have enough to stress about and if you can help them relax it will pay off in the quality of the photos, as well as in repeat business for you.</p>

[mark liddell]

I can't keep it to one!

 

Have a rain plan, an overcast plan and a bright-mid-day-godawful-light plan

 

Your plan will probably get shot to pieces so expect it and don't panic when it does

 

If conditions are less than ideal when you are shooting formals and it isn't working don't be afraid to say so and move the couple asap rather than battling on worrying they will think you incompetent if you do

 

Set up lighting and get the settings dialed in *before* you get groups/couple involved and it will run much quicker and smoother. People don't understand it takes a few test shots or metering - they are used to point and shoot photography.

 

Gauge the level of intrusion the couple/guests are comfotable with and don't overstep the mark, it's their wedding day and maybe sometimes you can have 2hrs at sunset but often you have to deal with the time allocated and the light that comes with it.

[booray]

<p>I had already studied and committed to memory most everything on this page before my first wedding as I'm sure you will too. Therefore, I will impart to you the piece of advice that no one gave me that I really could have used from the minute I showed up to shoot my first gig.</p>

<p>Bring a small towel. </p>

<p>Do you remember Albert Brooks in "Broadcast News?" That will be you within 5 minutes of showing up. :)</p>

[rafael_s]

<p>I don't think anyone's mentioned this yet, but keep a mental note on some good clean jokes. It helps to lighten the mood when there may be some awkward silence, which can happen right after the ceremony and you are doing bride and groom shots with the family. They will sit waiting on you and between shots I've learned that a few good short jokes keeps a little laughter in the room and makes guests feel a little more at ease with the photographer.</p>

[bob_bill]

<p>Booray, I always carry a small dark towel in the back of my vest. Used to keep a mouse pad there for kneeling on rocks etc, but the towel does that, is lighter and is great for wiping spray, rain, sweat, spilled drink and can be used as cushioning around a lens.</p>

[dmcgphoto]

<p>To rely and trust the other vendors, they were hired by the same client, they are not your competition, they will save your butt if you are in a jam for time (and anything that affects it)<br>

Remember to be courteous and professional towards them.<br>

Everyone else pointed out some goods ones too!</p>

[theresa_skutt]

<p>You asked for one, so I didn't mention food. Energy bars and frozen water bottles that thaw as the day goes on (=stays cold) help you keep your strength up. I've almost lost it due to no nutrition from 10am-6pm! It's hard work--stay fueled and hydrated. <br>

Re: posing, just look a lot around on the internet, and photo.net should have some good information/advice as well. =)</p>

[fotografz]

<p>All of this has been about the actual shooting of a wedding ... and I second what Nadine said ... "P" on the camera dial stands for "Panic" ... which can happen to anyone at any experience level whether they'd admit it or not. Just remembering that (even if you never use it), knowing it's there can have a calming effect in "blank out" situations. It's like someone took a fire hose to your brain on occasion, especially when first starting out ... LOL! </p>

<p>My additional advice is really plan out how to get there in time. Map Quest and Google maps aren't to be trusted 100%, so give yourself enough time. Nothing can freak you out more than suddenly discovering that you made a wrong turn 15 minutes ago. A GPS or Turn-By-Turn is a nice piece of photographic gear for wedding shooters IMO.</p>

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[fuccisphotos]

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<p>Don't capitalise the first letter of every word you write, people will think you're doing all of it from an internet cafe in Nigeria.</p>

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<p>Didn't notice that in the OP at first, but that is very funny.<br />My added suggestion I haven't seen on here yet, is to have a gear check list. Make it with 2 columns, check out and check in. Use this to pack up your bag the <strong>DAY BEFORE</strong>. Don't leave it until the day of, even if you think you have time because it's a night wedding, your nerves will likely result in you forgetting something. Then, at the end of the wedding, go through and check back <strong>IN</strong> all your equipment to make sure you have everything before you leave the location. I put things on this list that aren't even camera equipment, things like my wallet, my phone, my blackberry, my keys, bottle of advil, etc.</p>

<p>Also, have with you some pieces of fabric. I keep a piece of folded off white muslin in my bag in case you are doing outdoor shots with the bride. If you want her to sit on a swing or a bench or anything like that, it takes out anxiety about messing up the dress. Also, have a fairly lux piece of fabric to shoot the rings in, in case the flowers aren't there yet and there is nothing in the surrounding area that makes for a good background. I try to find out what the wedding colors are in advance so I have a piece of fabric that matches the general wedding theme.</p>

[tom_collins3]

<p>Wow, great advice everyone! I've been shooting outside the last few days and have been very much in need of a towel to dry off from the heat, so great tip on the towel! <br>

@Marc, so funny that you say that because I just ordered a GPS a few days ago!<br>

I just ordered Master Posing Guide for Wedding Photographers by Bill Hurter, so hopefully that will give me some ideas and build my confidence in posing. </p>

[amber_emerick]

<p>WHAT ARE 'FLASH ' BATTERIES??</p>

[picturesque]

<p>Don't know where in these posts you saw 'flash batteries', Amber, but they are usually the batteries you put in your flash unit. Normally AAs, normally 4 of them.</p>

[tk3foto]

<p>Wear confortably clothes, get more information about the reception venue, and the class of people you are going to shoot. Do not experiment doing an actual wedding shoot.<br>

Good luck. Have fun.</p>

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[bob_bill]

<p>Tom, if you shoot in rain, mist or fog, or kneel on sharp rocks in shorts for a low pov, or want to get one good look at the lcd outdoors. that towel is a real multi tasker and near weighless. I keep it in the back of my pheasant "shooting" vest as non sweaty cushioning between my back and a reflector there. </p>

[karen_irvine]

<p>My first wedding, I clicked away to the tune of 800 photos. Figured I was bound to get something good out of it! And I did. Only problem is, about 600 of them are good!! Now it's narrowing them down! lol</p>

[shirkwolfe]

<p>Get the bride and groom away from everyone else at some point in the day and get some romantic shots. (This one was not on my list way back then.)</p>

[mystic]

<p>Know who is in charge. </p>

<p>I have shot a few weddings where the couple was very laid back, and placed all their trust in my artistic abilities. I was very happy going into the event knowing that the bride and groom were allowing me to direct the creative juices.</p>

<p>...Nothing can turn a well planned wedding event into a stress-laiden event like a power-hungry mother-in-law that thinks they know exactly what you should and shouldn't be doing...</p>

<p>Make sure you have the BG (or whomever hired you) let you in on the cast of characters you should be looking to please. Just asking the question before the day of the wedding may bring to mind an event in their past, with regards to certain individuals, which could be just the heads up you need to keep things moving smoothly.</p>

<p>My $0.02.</p>