Wedding Photography

[Ian]

Re: Wedding Photography

Hehe, that's questionable. I'd put myself in the 'not too bad' category.



That's great advice. I should probably get them to write a list of which images they want - which groups of people, whether they want me to take shots of the bride in the morning, etc.

To complicate things further - and this is where I know you're all going to yell at me not to do it! - it's my brother in law who's getting married, and my young daughter is going to be a flower girl. It's going to be a stressful day, I think!

I should probably buy an off-camera flash too, and get used to using it prior to the event. They have said they'll pay for any equipment I need (a D3x, perhaps? ).

The last wedding I went to was last December and the photographer set up a studio with soft boxes in one of the large rooms in the venue. You may not need this for a summer wedding, but it would be very handy if the weather was bad on the day.

Ian

[Patrick]

Re: Wedding Photography

Woah! I put a half joking comment on Facebook about venturing into wedding photography, and that's led to me being asked to do one for real! That's a lot of responsibility. Does anyone have any experience in this area?

My Advice is don't do it, it is a great responsibility unless you can get some opportunities to act as assistant to an experienced wedding photographer before going solo.

But if you have to do it anyway.

First make a running list of shots that both the Bride & Groom want, including the less obvious shots of old fiends and so forth.
Start with the big group, guests get fed up and wonder off so if these are done first then it doesn't matter, then drop of the guests for the next shots off family and close friends, then the family, then down to bride and groom with maids, flower girls ushers and best ban. drop the ushers then shoot the B&G with just best man then just with maids & flower girls then down to just B&G together giving these shots the most attention and imagination.

Some shots of ushers & best man can be done on arrival rather than after the ceremony.

Shots of the Groom arriving and also the bride arriving.

If it a church wedding check what shots are allowed inside (each church have their own rules) Have a flash with you for the signing of the register and if its bright contrasty light to use as fill in.

This is advice for the formal shots.

Oh Lord Lichfield used a whistle to get everyones attention.

Patrick

[ryme-intrinseca]

Re: Wedding Photography

My Advice is don't do it, it is a great responsibility unless you can get some opportunities to act as assistant to an experienced wedding photographer before going solo.

But if you have to do it anyway.

First make a running list of shots that both the Bride & Groom want, including the less obvious shots of old fiends and so forth.
Start with the big group, guests get fed up and wonder off so if these are done first then it doesn't matter, then drop of the guests for the next shots off family and close friends, then the family, then down to bride and groom with maids, flower girls ushers and best ban. drop the ushers then shoot the B&G with just best man then just with maids & flower girls then down to just B&G together giving these shots the most attention and imagination.

Some shots of ushers & best man can be done on arrival rather than after the ceremony.

Shots of the Groom arriving and also the bride arriving.

If it a church wedding check what shots are allowed inside (each church have their own rules) Have a flash with you for the signing of the register and if its bright contrasty light to use as fill in.

This is advice for the formal shots.

Oh Lord Lichfield used a whistle to get everyones attention.

Patrick

Thanks Patrick, that's a really good basis for me to work from.

I feel like I can't say 'no' really, so I suppose I have to do it. Part of me really wants to do it, part of me is worried stiff! The wedding is in January, so the light isn't going to be great. Also, (apologies to anyone who lives in this area) it's in south Wales, and having lived in Swansea for ten years, I can predict with almost complete certainty that it will be raining!

[kennykodak]

Re: Wedding Photography

let's not concern ourselves with the equipment right now except to make sure that we have the following:
plenty of cards (pre-formatted in the camera)
a good safe storage case to keep them together
a spare battery for the camera
and a flash with at least 2-3 sets of batteries.

i would like to give you a simple (but not stupid) assignment.
find a large public building and take a couple of friends.
towards the backof the room, preposition a tripod (out of your camera's view).
have one walk towards you to meet the other friend at the end.
photograph this person at about 10-12 feet with flash on camera.
turn, and when the two people meet, take another exposure.
have them stand there facing each other while you attach your
camera to the tripod and take several existing light photos of them
from wide-angle to close-up.
take the camera back to the hand held flash mode and photograph
the couple returning back towards you.

sounds simple
sounds stupid

1. what exposure did you use with the flash?
2. what exposure did you use without the flash?
3. did you change lenses?
4. if you changed lenses, did you remember to turn the camera off?
5. did you remember to reset the camera for the return flash exposure?

if you are not completely satisfied with the results, do it again.

[Caz]

Re: Wedding Photography

Kenny - thank you for your advice, much appreciated.

I'll contact the bride and groom this weekend... they're both teachers, so won't be at work. If they want me to do it, I'll practice on them!

As I said, I've already had a quick scout round the venue... and I can see me having fun positioning everyone on these stairs:

http://flickr.com/gp/carolpgh/76K3ac

[kennykodak]

Re: Wedding Photography

suggest shooting stairs as bride approaches from the right side.


One Pose

the "Prom Pose"
have a couple stand next to each other with the bride on the groom's right.
have then turn towards each other.
have then place their inside arm around each other.
bring their outside forward about six inches.
have groom bend his knee slightly,
have the bride bend her knee even more but in the direction of the groom.
if groom has nothing in his outside hand, have make a loose fist.
have the bride bend her outside elbow and present her bouquet towards you.
have the couple tilt their heads towards each other facing you.

tips:
1. arms around each other in back
a. no fingers visible around waist
b. anytime someone places his arm around a bride, it's under the veil, if not it will pull it off.
2. remove flowers and try the same pose with the couple holding a cake knife between them cutting the cake. position so that the groom is on the far side of the bride. (don't want the his arm in a dark tux cutting her in half.) shot one, look and me and show me the teeth. shot two, cut the cake.
3. remove flowers and try same pose with toasting glasses raised up in outside hands. touch glasses and kiss.

[Stephen]

Re: Wedding Photography

Oh boy.............................I hate this sort of work Which is one reason I don't do it of course

There is a skill to doing good wedding photography and IMHO it should be left to those that have it.

[kennykodak]

Re: Wedding Photography

the steps aren't as bad as they sound, try it. after a couple of goes, it's simple.

[Jordnadms]

Re: Wedding Photography

not competing. i did teach the national course on wedding photography one year for the Professional Photographers of America. if you would like for me to give a few tips, i'd be glad to.

I would be thankful to you, if you can provide me few tips on wedding photography poses.

[kennykodak]

Re: Wedding Photography

every good pose begins with the feet for standing subjects. if your subject is a couple, have them stand next to each other, turn towards each other and have the gentleman place his inside arm around the the lady. most guys will put an arm across the shoulders of someone next to them and in the case of a bride this not only looks crude but it will tear for veil out. all hands go underneath the veil in the beginning. make sure that his finger tips are in the small of her back so they do not show at camera (gremlin reaching around). next have the couple step slightly forward with their outside (show foot). bend the man's knee slightly for a casual break. pivot the lady's knee in towards the man to create a feminine "S" curve with her body. tip the head slightly towards each other, the assumed height difference between men and women is the the lady's eyes would be about on the same level as the man's mouth. if she is holding flowers, she should have a slight bend in her elbow and they showed be no higher than her belly button. (any higher and she's hiding behind them unless you choose an appropriate pose otherwise.) a quarter inch of cuff on the man's shirt and his making a loose fist such holding a roll of coins. (no gangster fingers) have them lean slightly towards you and raise their chins slightly. roll the bride's outside shoulder out a little and wrap a little veil over the outside arm if it's sleeveless. (sleeveless dresses make the average lady appear one dress size larger.) looking at camera which is chest height, shoot a few full length, and some three quarter. next without moving the subjects, have them look at each other and kiss.

[Ian]

Re: Wedding Photography

Hi Kenny, an interesting read and I'm most grateful for you in responding to the last poster. Unfortunately, he was a spammer promoting a wedding photography business, so his question about poses was clearly bogus and his account has been deleted.

But in a way, I'm grateful to the spammer as it has provoked a great response in your post

Ian

[ash]

Re: Wedding Photography

Go for it, you'll be fine, bit of research ont tinternet and get yourself a fast wide to mid zoom and you will be sortid. Helps if your good with people.
cheers
Ash.