Doing my 1st Wedding!

[AMD Photography]

<p>So I'm excited to be a 2nd shooter this weekend coming up for a friend's wedding! I wanted to get some tricks, tips, and anything else anyone would like to share?<br /><br />Anything would help. Even suggestions for equipment and what not?<br /><br />The wedding is taking place at Canoe Club Ballroom right in Westbridgewater.<br /><br />The type of gear that I have so far is:<br /><br />Nikon D3200 DSLR<br />18-55 mm lens<br />55-200 mm lens<br />Built-in Flash<br />Uv and CPL Lens Filter<br />Tulip Hood<br /><br /><br />What would you recommend? And for gear, how many battery packs would be useful?<br /><br /><br /><br>

Thanks!<br />:)</p>

[john_h.1]

<p>An additional camera for back up, two to three fast lenses, two bounce swivel flashes (one for back up), multiple batteries. multiple memory cards. So basically thousands of dollars of stuff even if used. </p>

[william-porter]

<p>Anne,</p>

<p>There are lots (LOTS) of old threads here that respond to the same question as it's been asked many times in the past. You might want to poke around — although you hardly have enough time to make any changes. Common advice given in the past: Have a backup camera. Use fast lenses (f2.8 or better). Know how to use your flash in a variety of situations. Be prepared. And more.</p>

<p>•</p>

<p>Your 18–55 and 55–200 sound like kit lenses — probably good but not outstanding optically, and probably not fast. (The 18–55 typically has a variable aperture of f3.5 or so at the wide end — and you'll mostly be shooting in the middle or end of the zoom where max aperture will be something like f4.5 or 5.6. Doesn't mean they can't take great photos in good conditions, but one of the reasons wedding pros use high-end equipment is that the shooting conditions at weddings are often NOT good. But you use what you got.</p>

<p>Think carefully about your shots though. (That's the essence of wisdom anyway.) Be aware of your shutter speed in particular. Since your lenses aren't going to gather as much light as fixed aperture f2.8 or wider lenses, you'll need to lower shutter speeds and/or boost ISO. But there's a pretty hard limit to how slow the shutter can be and you ought to know what it is for your camera and your own abilities. So if you're limited to f4.5 and you don't want to go slower than (say) 1/125th sec (which is probably a good idea, even if the subject is pretty still) you may need to use auto-ISO and let it wander up into the big numbers if necessary. I have never used the 3200 but most camera nowadays can take very usable photos at ISO 1600 and even higher. A little bit of noise is not a big problem. But having a noise-free shot is worth nothing if it's blurred by too slow a shutter.</p>

<p>You aren't going to need the filters. I'd say, leave them at home. When you ask "How many battery packs?" are you asking about the battery that goes into your camera? Or your flash? You ought to know your equipment well enough to have an idea how many batteries you'll need. The answer is: Take more than you'll need. I take 3–4 freshly charged camera batteries to a wedding. That should allow me to take close to 1500 photos. I hardly ever take much more than half that many. Same thing for batteries for flash at the reception. I'll usually have 8 or 12 spare Eneloop batteries on hand; that's three or four battery changes for my flashes. I've never run out and I've never worried about it. Be sure either to use a high capacity SD card (16 GB should do it although I shoot with 32GB) and even with a high capacity card have spares.</p>

<p>•</p>

<p>But you say you're going to be a second shooter. I assume this takes a lot of the heat off you. It may also exempt you from the rule that you should have a second camera. I assume that, if your camera dies on you, you can just stop shooting. Anyway, have you talked to the first shooter to get guidance from him or her? That's what I recommend.</p>

<p>Good luck.</p>

<p>Will</p>

[michaelmowery]

<p>You should be asking the first shooter these questions. On the job training beats asking for advice on a forum any day. </p>

[john_h.1]

<p>I missed the second shooter part. The priority of what you need depends on the circumstances of the arrangement. Hopefully that has already been established with the first shooter.</p>

[Marcus Ian]

<p>As you are a second, the primary should have already gone over this with you... but, your most obvious shortcoming is a flash. Your built in flash is the easiest way to ruin a perfectly good picture.</p>

<p>You need a bounceable, swivelable, diffusable flash - you need to learn how to use it.</p>

<p>You have no need for a UV or CPL in this role. and a minimal need for a hood. </p>

<p>Get more batts for camera and flash. having to many is not really the same type of problem as having too few...</p>

[peter_simpson1]

<p>I got roped into shooting a friend's wedding. Here are some things I was glad I had:</p>

<p>Mount your flash off the camera on an L-bracket to minimize red-eye<br /> Backup batteries for camera and flash (four each, new ones -- I used two of my four). <br /> Inexpensive flashes can't handle high usage. Buy good quality and have a backup with you.<br /> An external battery pack for your flash can save a lot of battery swapping, I was glad I had it.<br /> Backup memory cards, formatted and tested. Numbered to avoid confusion. Blank cards in one pocket, used cards in another. Buy high quality cards from a reputable source (your primary shooter may provide these)<br /> A backup, backup camera - just in case. I took my Canon S90 - reasonable quality and weighs very little. Didn't need to use it (because I had it)</p>

<p>Test everything, not just once, but at an event, so you know you've stressed all your gear and it holds up.<br /> Watch your gear, or have a trusted associate watch it for you. Don't leave your bag with all your backup gear unattended.<br /> Good luck!</p>

[craig_shearman1]

<p>"You have no need for a UV or CPL in this role. and a minimal need for a hood."<br /><br />You don't need the CPL. But a UV filter on each lens will protect them against flying champagne, rice, birdseed, cake icing, fingers of child guests, etc. And a hood will help safeguard against flare from the mirrors, chandeliers, wall sconces etc. that are common in catering halls.<br /><br />BTW, I vote for Anne as the smartest person to post the "I'm shooting a wedding this weekend, what lens should I use" question on here in quite a while. That's because she is going as a second shooter, where she can learn from a professional and not ruin someone's wedding by claiming to know more than she does. All too many of these posts come from people who think they are a wedding photographer just because they own a DSLR and take money from unsuspecting brides. Working as a second shooter is the best and smartest way to learn the business. Anne may is doing it right.</p>

[AMD Photography]

<p>Everyone that has replied here thank you SO much. You all have been very helpful.<br /><br />This is what I gathered so far:<br /><br />I recently just bought some extra batteries for my camera.<br />I bought a camera external flash: DBK-DF-400 Speedlite Camera Flash<br /><br />I'm looking into renting/borrowing a lens at borrowed lens.com. And as for lens,<br />would a Nikon 50mm f/1.4G AF-S be a good choice? Do you specify another lens? I have used a 70-200mm f/2.8 for dance photography in the past and am considering that, it's just a bit pricey. Then again I am doing this last minute so should I be complaining! ;)<br>

Also, my memory card is 16gb. My camera already has 540 photos on it so I will probably just back those up and clean out my camera.<br /><br />As for me talking to the main shooter of this wedding I have not. This is pretty much as simple as it gets where I was told I will be following the main photographer around and he will be guiding me. I am just trying to prepare for this. I have been busy and planning this last minute is definitely not what I wanted but I have no choice right now.<br /><br />So, what do you think?<br /></p>

[William Michael]

<p>I would like Anne to more clearly define <strong><em>“2nd shooter”</em></strong>.</p>

<p>Specifically: have you been employed or contracted directly by the Lead Photographer?</p>

<p>It occurs to me most odd that if you have been contracted by the Lead Photographer directly, that they have not instructed you more than "just follow me around."</p>

<p>It also occurs to me that maybe the term “second shooter” may be predicated on something like – ‘my friend is getting married this weekend and she has a Photographer booked but I am also taking some pictures for her too.’ – i.e. there is NOT a professional relationship between the “Lead Photographer" and the “Second Photographer”.</p>

<p>I mention this, because we have had this confusion before on this forum – basically many responses on this forum assume that the phrase “second shooter” means that the Lead Photographer has employed the Second Photographer, but used outside the parlance of Professional Photography, in lay terms, many who have not shot a Wedding before state that they are the “Second Shooter” as a matter of course and as a result of being asked by the Bride or someone else to take some additional photos.</p>

<p>The clarification is important because, I suspect it may change the emphasis and content of some of the responses thus far.<br>

<br /> WW</p>

[william-porter]

 

 

<blockquote>

<p>Everyone that has replied here thank you SO much. You all have been very helpful.<br /><br />I recently just bought some extra batteries for my camera.<br />I bought a camera external flash: DBK-DF-400 Speedlite Camera Flash</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Both sound good.</p>

<blockquote>

<p><br />I'm looking into renting/borrowing a lens at borrowed <a title="" href="http://lens.com/" data-skimwords-word="lens.com" data-skim-creative="500005">lens.com</a>. And as for lens,<br />would a Nikon 50mm f/1.4G AF-S be a good choice? Do you specify another lens? I have used a 70-200mm f/2.8 for dance photography in the past and am considering that, it's just a bit pricey.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Yes, a 50 f1.4 is an excellent choice, because these lenses are almost uniformly excellent and because of the wide aperture. But your camera isn't a full-frame is it? On your camera the 50 will be a mild telephoto lens. Will be great in the ceremony (where the light is probably worst and you can't use flash) but a bit long for the reception. Still not a bad choice.<br>

RENTING is a smart idea. I wish I'd thought of that more often.</p>

<blockquote>

<p>...My memory card is 16gb. My camera already has 540 photos on it so I will probably just back those up and clean out my camera.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>ABSOLUTELY! Go to the wedding with an empty, freshly initialized card. Be sure you initialize IN THE CAMERA. Don't initialize on your computer.</p>

<blockquote><br />As for me talking to the main shooter of this wedding I have not. This is pretty much as simple as it gets where I was told I will be following the main photographer around and he will be guiding me. I am just trying to prepare for this. I have been busy and planning this last minute is definitely not what I wanted but I have no choice right now.<br /><br />So, what do you think?</blockquote>

<p>Well, I'm confused. Who has asked you to do this? I mean, you really DO need to talk to the main photographer before the wedding.</p>

 

 

Will

 

<p><a name="pagebottom"></a></p>

[william-porter]

<p>William's (typically) excellent reply came in as I was writing my own last response and I want to emphasize what HE said. </p>

<p>I don't see how you could be involved in this if you have NOT already talked to the hired photographer. Trust me, if you've arranged this with the bride or groom and the main photographer has not already agreed to it enthusiastically, well, there's a real potential there for problems. </p>

<p>A proper second shooter is hired or selected by the main photographer and serves as his or her assistant. In this case, obviously, the two are communicating with one another and the second shooter regards the first shooter as boss. This is what we all thought you were saying — which is why we recommended you talk to the boss and see what he or she says.</p>

<p>A photographer who's been given permission by the bride to shoot but who hasn't gotten the ENTHUSIASTIC agreement of the hired photographer, isn't a second shooter. She's a guest with a camera who runs the risk of ... well, let me just say that most photographers have a clause in their contract prohibiting this, and for good reasons.</p>

<p>Not trying to scare you. We are all, I think, a little unclear about what your status is, and perhaps everything is okay. I hope so.</p>

<p>Still, if you want the best advice from us, please clarify your status. But above all, get in touch with that main photographer and make sure everything is okay there.</p>

 

Will

[john_h.1]

<blockquote>

<p>"My camera already has 540 photos on it so I will probably just back those up and clean out my camera."</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Probably? That's somewhat like saying you are going to be a limo driver for the first time, your gas tank is nearly empty and you'll "probably" get gas before heading on a road trip where there are no gas stations. Your current one and only card isn't storage enough to have on hand even if it IS empty.</p>

[AMD Photography]

<p>William,<br /><br />Maybe a silly question but how can you tell if this is a full frame camera or not?<br />I will try and actually see about getting that 50mm f/1.4 lens then!<br />And, I was told by the bride of the wedding that I am allowed to follow the main photographer around. He is fine with having me next to him. I was not hired by him or anything either. The bride and groom have hired some professionally and know that this could be a good learning experience for me. Sorry for not clarifying that better before.</p>

[twmeyer]

<p>You need to talk with the photographer. ASAP... t</p>

[william-porter]

<blockquote>

<p>Maybe a silly question but how can you tell if this is a full frame camera or not?<br />I will try and actually see about getting that 50mm f/1.4 lens then!<br /><br /></p>

</blockquote>

<p>Anne,<br /> <br /> Well, what size sensor is in your camera is something that some folks would expect you to know. It's kind of like how many cylinders are in your car engine. If you were a professional driver, this is the kind of info some would expect you to be aware of. But it's okay. It doesn't really have much to do with the quality of the photos you take.<br /> <br /> I had a very strong hunch but I didn't know for sure off the top of my head because I have never shot Nikon digital and can't remember all the models. So I too 2 secs and looked it up. Yours is an APS-C or "DX" or "crop-frame" camera.<br /> <br /> http://www.dpreview.com/products/nikon/slrs/nikon_d3200<br /> <br /> This has various implications. The main one that matters for you is that, as I said, that 50mm lens is going to be a weak or near telephoto lens. On a full-frame camera like the Nikon D3, a 50mm lens is generally regarded as capturing the scene kinda sorta the way our eyes actually see things. So 50mm on a full-frame camera is sometimes called a "normal" focal length, where our eyes are the norm. On an APS-C camera, that 50mm lens will be more of a portrait lens. You'll still be able to use it for a lot of shots, but it probably won't be terribly helpful (say) if you shoot inside the bride's dressing room (unless it's a big room).<br /> <br /> The other disadvantage of the 50mm f1.4 is that it's a prime lens — that is, it has a fixed focal length. So no zooming. In the church during the ceremony this will be fine if you can quietly "zoom with your feet" (i.e. move yourself and the camera closer to or farther from the subject). But I wouldn't suggest that you use it at the reception. I shoot a lot with primes but it takes practice and a certain mindset to make them work. You'll probably be better off at the reception with your 18–55 zoom or, if you're trying to capture a scene across the room and if the light is good enough, that 55–200.<br /> <br /> •</p>

<blockquote>

<p>And, I was told by the bride of the wedding that I am allowed to follow the main photographer around. He is fine with having me next to him. I was not hired by him or anything either. The bride and groom have hired some professionally and know that this could be a good learning experience for me. Sorry for not clarifying that better before.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Sorry myself, because it's still not quite as clear as, for your benefit, the photographer's benefit and the bride's, I hope it becomes to all of you.</p>

<p>How do you know that the photographer is fine with having you follow him around? You said you hadn't talked to him. Is it that the bride has talked to him? Even if that's the case, I still think you should call him right away and have a five minute chat with him, for at least two reasons.</p>

<ol>

<li>It's a courtesy that he will appreciate.</li>

<li>Doing so very possibly will prevent certain problems from arising.</li>

</ol>

<p>What kinds of problems? Too many possibilities to itemize them. But as I said, there's a reason that most pros have a clause in their contract requiring that they be the SOLE photographer for the event.</p>

<p>Some cynics here would say that it's because a lot of pros don't like competition: They're afraid that the second shooter will get better photos. There may be something to that. A second shooter who is free to roam ends up with very few actual responsibilities, and so is not working under pressure, and for that reason may get a really good candid shot that the pro wouldn't have had time for.</p>

<p>But it's also the case that a second shooter not working for the pro can be a distraction, or worse, an annoyance. That was the case for me one time, when early in my inglorious career as a low-end wedding photographer I acceded to the bride's request that a friend of hers be permitted to shoot. I asked the friend to talk to me before the wedding, which he did. I proposed some guidelines for cooperation that I thought were fairly clear. They were agreed to — and then ignored. It made my work at the wedding harder. For example, during the group photos in the church, this FOB with a camera had — without asking me — pulled the bride aside to do a little portrait. This delayed us and caused confusion. Later on as I was more experienced I wouldn't have agreed to the request, or if I had, I would have been more assertive and shut the guy down. But it still would have been annoying to have to deal with.</p>

<p>•</p>

<p>So I urge you — as I said, for your benefit, for the photographer's and ultimately for the bride's — to make contact a.s.a.p. before the wedding with the photographer and let him tell you in advance what his guidelines are.</p>

<p>And a second tip, with two parts.</p>

<p>You said you were going to follow him around. I'm not sure I see the point of that. I mean, if he's there, why are you there. If you want to <em>learn by watching</em> — which is great — then leave your camera at home and offer to carry equipment for him. I've done it myself and fairly recently. It's educational.<br /> <br /> But (second part) if you are going to follow him around and shoot, and if you're going to be shooting the same subject he's shooting and at the same time, then <em>turn off your flash.</em> Your flash has the potential to mess up his pictures, by causing people to blink at the wrong time, or by accidentally overexposing his scenes, etc.<br /> <br /> Will</p>

[craig_shearman1]

<p>"I was told by the bride of the wedding that I am allowed to follow the main photographer around. He is fine with having me next to him. I was not hired by him or anything either."<br /><br />That's not being a second shooter. At best -- with the full endorsement of the photographer -- it's being a guest who is perhaps helpful to the photographer by helping carry equipment or finding guests who are missing from a picture, etc. At worst, it's being an annoyance to the photographer trying to do his job and, under some photographers' contracts, grounds for the photographer to leave if your picture taking interferes with his picture taking.<br /><br />The bride does not have the authority to say it's OK for you to follow the photographer. That is up to the photographer.<br /><br />But all is not lost. Contact the photographer today and tell him exactly what is going on. Let him know you're interested in learning the business and willing to do whatever you can do to be helpful to him. If he takes you up on the offer, great. If he says the most useful thing you can do is leave him alone, respect that and leave your cameras at home. Do not wait until the wedding day and put him on the spot once you're both already there.</p>

[peter_simpson1]

<p>I will second the suggestion that you offer to carry the main photog's bag for him. You may make a valuable friend. It's a really good way to see what goes on from the photog's point of view.</p>

<p>When I shot my first and last wedding (long story, covered elsewhere, came out fine), my wonderful wife carried my bag. And wrangled guests into shots. And suggested shots I wouldn't have thought of. I was able to work harder, because I knew someone trustworthy was keeping an eye on my gear, so I could devote more energy to doing the job.</p>

 

[AMD Photography]

<p>So I am pretty much ready to go for the wedding! I have spoken with the main photographer. He is ok with me taking aisle shots and so-called dining shots! However the formal gathering he wants to do by himself so I will respect that! If anything I am a little nervous but excited at the same time.<br /><br />I was not able to borrow a lens so I will be using my 18-55mm lens and 55-200mm lens. Plus my external flash which seems to go nicely.<br /><br />I want to thank everyone for there advice and will let you know how it goes<br /><br />FYI, the main photographer was pleased that I contacted him before-hand:)</p>

[William Michael]

<blockquote>

<p>I have spoken with the main photographer. . . FYI, the main photographer was pleased that I contacted him before-hand:)</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Good, very good.</p>

<p>Do good work and learn. Good Luck.</p>

<p>WW</p>

[AMD Photography]

<p>The wedding went well and although I did not take too many shots. There were times where I had two respect the main photographers orders and let him shoot only. But other than that I think these photos came out nice. Feel free to check them out on my page here. I did add them into a folder on this site.<br /><br />Again, thanks so much for all the help everyone! :)</p>