My first wedding

[Matthew Mulford]

... and i am kind of freaking out. Basically i am the guy that is known as the "photographer" by people who don't actually take pictures, and i was volunteered to shoot a friend of a friend's wedding. Only being 18, i have never even attended a wedding, much less been the photographer for one. And before anyone says google... i have tried, and while i have gotten some good tips, nothing really to the depth i am looking for. I really am at a loss of where to start. I have been enlisted to do the wedding and the reception. Not a huge undertaking, but a large one none the less. I know this is a great opportunity to gain a great amount of experience, and if all goes well, gain a word of mouth referral and something to add to my portfolio. I told them i would be happy to do it, but i recommened that they still get a pro to do their real pictures, but i do not believe that one is in the budget, so we agreed on an amount that i feel i am worth.... but when i think about it i get the urge to scream in terror. I dont want to be the person that screws up their special day and i stressed this to them, but they were confident in their decision. So what i am looking for is direction.. a good place to start, some wonderful references, but i am working on a tight schedule 4/30 is the day of the wedding. So anything useful, be it personal tips, great tutorials or honestly just anything that will help me do a better job will be appreciated..

Thank you.

[BigFuzzy]

I'm not trying to be a prick (it just happens) but how about opening the search tool above, select advanced search, search thread titles only and use the word "Wedding" there are a few there in the first ten results that have a ton of info. There's a nice one where Scooter (Scott) put a nice link to tips for weddings.

My first reaction would be don't do it. And many here will say you're a dumb ass for saying yes because there's a big chance they're going to get not so great images considering (based only on your flickr account) you've never done anything remotely close to this. Do you want to have their regret on your hands?

But how about I go in a more constructive direction by asking some questions first so we can give you some better advice.
What kit do you have?

Do you have flash? If not, get one, and learn how to use it.

Do you know how to change settings on your camera? I ask because it seems all of your flickr images were shot in Auto and that won't work very well in a wedding, especially if it's indoors with limited light.

Have you ever photographed people? If not, start now. You need practice.

Learn to use your WB, don't count on auto WB to do it for you in an indoors wedding situation. Or at least shoot RAW so you can correct it later.

Learn flash. If you don't have flash, you better have some fast lenses if the wedding is indoors in not so bright circumstance.

Spend a f*ck-load of time looking at wedding photographer wesbites and wedding photos on flickr to get an idea.

Again, use the "Search" tool on this site.. LOTS of info to be found.

Learn flash.

Learn how to change shutterspeed & f/stop on the fly.
Learn exposure compensation buttons/settings on your camera.
Learn flash compensation on your camera if you're stuck using pop-up flash.


I really do hope you do well, more for the couple's sake because these are really really important images and even though they don't see it now, they'll definitely feel it if you F it up (not saying you will..but..).

You really have to do a crash course on shooting people in the exact conditions that will exist during the ceremony and reception. Learn your camera and how to adjust it on the fly, weddings are notorious for changing conditions quickly. Learn flash. I'm willing to bet that if the wedding's indoors with low-ish light, your images will suck if you don't know what you're doing. Again, you sure you wanna take on this risk?

And post results here so we can see how it went.
Best of luck, and put on a flame retardant jacket now, some folks who may reply are NOT going to be as nice as me...and yes, i was nice.

[katia]

just don't do it

[Dodge]

I'm with the others, a neighbor asked me to do her daughters wedding as they couldn't get a shooter after one let them down at short notice. Needless to say I just outright refused even though it was just a small registry affair. Some people just see a big camera and assume you're Lord Lichfield.

Thing is, you're charging, if things do go tits up you're kinda leaving yourself wide open for legal action ala : Newlyweds win court battle with £1,500 wedding photographer after shoddy pictures include missing heads and car close-ups | Mail Online

Heck, you're braver than I am. Of course, you could easily be a much better and more confident/experienced photographer than I am too.

[Chip]

I've never shot a wedding, so I'll stay away from commenting on that.

But, from the EXIF in at least one of you photos on flickr, it seems that you have the contrast and saturation presets on your camera turned all the way up? If so, while that might be OK for landscapes, it likely wouldn't produce good results for people. Better to turn those down to neutral, and then add in contrast/saturation as needed in post.

And shoot in RAW - gives a better amount of flexibility later, and lets you fix more exposure, highlight/shadow and color cast issues than shooting in JPG.

Any way to have the couple pay for a flash, assuming you don't have one - say a Nikon SB700 or SB900? Better to get one ASAP and start learning how to use it. This site is a good place to start, especially the numbered articles on the right hand side.

Good luck.

[candleman]

You haven't got a single portrait in your flickr photostream.
Dealing with crowds of people, and posing a couple, or arranging a bridal party is VERY different to plants, the ocean and animals.

How much storage capacity do you have?
I have 40Gb of CF/SD cards and I often come close to running dry.
That sort of storage capacity doesn't come cheap..

There are tons of tips I (and others) have already posted.. I don't have time to re-write them i'm sorry.
Use the search feature.

Get a couple of extra camera batteries, and make a shotlist with all the poses you want to do.
don't wing it, plan everything and visit the shoot locations beforehand to see how you can use it in the images.

[jamesev]

Just to add a bit of balance, a fair few are saying don't do it however...

You say a pro isn't within their budget therefore they should be knowing the risks of their wedding not being captured in the fairytale manner.

I think this is a matter of expectation management, when you pay the cost of a pro you pay for the piece of mind that you expect the results to happen. However this is not the case here.

If you go through with this I would have an informal chat with them and just give them some realistic expectation. You've already taken steps to this by suggesting then get a pro to do those standard shots etc. If they still want to go with you then you have done all you can to cover off any disasters, if you come out with great shots then winners all round, they have the shots you have the first wedding jitters out the way and experience.

I know this may sound a little harsh as its their big day but if you have laid down your position and made it clear to them, and they still go through with it (having you capture their big day, not actasully getting married) they the risk is on them....

If theres financials involved then thats a whole different kettle of fish....

[BigFuzzy]

Originally Posted by jamesev

I know this may sound a little harsh as its their big day but if you have laid down your position and made it clear to them, and they still go through with it (having you capture their big day, not actasully getting married) they the risk is on them....

If theres financials involved then thats a whole different kettle of fish....

Fair points James.. and if they (particularly the bride) are really ok with the risks then fine.
However, I find it hard to believe that any bride, no matter what their financial issues are, will remember the pre-talk if the photos end up crap. I've said all this more to protect the B&G than the OP.
But still, you make good points.

[SwissJon]

I'm a landscape photographer, but still, a few things strike me about this thread:

1) You appear to be shooting in JPEG.. Don't.. Immediately, now, switch your camera over to RAW and shoot in that.. Get used to it, take hunderds of photos in RAW and have a look at how to deal with that on your PC.. Because if you shoot JPEG on the day and manage to mess up their photos because you messed up the presets, then you've messed it up.. With RAW, you've room to manouvre.

2) You seem to be a Landscape photographer. Go and point your camera at some people.. Take portraits of everyone you know. Take street photographs. Do everything you can to learn about photographing people.. Reading isn't enough. You need to be your own worse critic and find something that works.

3) Tell them you won't take money for this, but you have some equipment needs, and get them to buy you the things you're missing from your kit to make this a good experience for both of you.. You'll gain word of mouth, so the "freebie" is just advertising, and anyway, you get kit. If you mess it up, you'll never get another wedding or portrait request, so take it seriously.. Spend some money, you'll make a loss on this one, but just think of it as an investment.

And no matter what, you can still tell them "no", don't let the $$ cloud your judgement.. Greed will make a real mess of your career.

[jamesev]

Originally Posted by BigFuzzy

Fair points James.. and if they (particularly the bride) are really ok with the risks then fine.
However, I find it hard to believe that any bride, no matter what their financial issues are, will remember the pre-talk if the photos end up crap. I've said all this more to protect the B&G than the OP.
But still, you make good points.

Thanks.

I guess it kinda could boil down to

1) they don't have a photographer (as its not in the budget) and you've said no = no photos, or ones from guests.
2) they have you as the photographer - photos come out badly = photos, but bad ones (and ones from guests)
3) they have you as the photgrapher - photos come out well = photos and good ones (and ones from guests) + you get kudos and a portfolio.

at the moment the advice is erring to #1. It depends on whether they want to gamble on the something is better than nowt apporach

as mentioned before this changes with any financials...

its a gamble