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Minnie the Minxtress
Joined: 07 Feb 2007
Posts: 766
Location: Kent
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 Posted: Thu Apr 17, 2008 11:57 am Post subject: Hello Hello.. photographers in here.. or anyone.. help.... |
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I've gone and done it.. determined to get as much photography experience as possible I am booked to photograph a wedding on Saturday.
I advertised my services for free (they get the pics on cd.. I get to use the best pics on a website and in my portfolio).
However.. I have just got back from the church (with my NOT exactly professional camera and it's little baby flash), as I went down there to check the layout.. the lighting.. the parking.. blah blah.. and I thought I might die of fright.. with all the variables and expectations.
Speaking of expectations.. the bride is not paying as I've already said.. and yet given me a list (inspite of me saying that I am not doing a huge list for her) of pictures she wants taken. Am feeling a tad lightheaded and my stomach is turning to jelly.
Do any of you photographers or enthusiasts out there have any soothing words of wisdom.. before I go up in a puff of smoke? 
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Minnie The Minxtress xxxx
"I speak two languages... Body and English" ~ Mae West
http://www.flickr.com/photos/lookingglassimages/
http://www.myspace.com/minnietheminxtress |
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ladytwiglet
Joined: 10 Feb 2008
Posts: 112
Location: North West England
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| Posted: Thu Apr 17, 2008 1:57 pm Post subject: |
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try searching on deviantart for inspirational images, and then have a think about how you could achieve a similar look, camera settings etc. borrow a friend or two and visit the venue again and take some practice pics to see what its really like to shoot in there. use a reflector! dead cheap and they help loads!
DONT use on-camera flash unless you have no choice. its unflattering and i have no idea why people use them, ugly ugly things! hotshoe flash is much much better but they can be quite expensive
with regard to the shots she has asked to be taken, once you get what you think is 'the shot', take three more of the same, if you dont you are guaranteed to get home and realise that one of 'the shot's is blurred or someone is blinking-you cant always see those details on a little screen
can i ask what camera you are using? and, without sounding patronising, what you do or dont know about aperture/shutter speeds/iso etc?
hope some of that helps, feel free to PM me if you need any more help! |
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Pieman
Joined: 08 May 2007
Posts: 494
Location: Reading
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| Posted: Thu Apr 17, 2008 2:20 pm Post subject: |
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Although I wasn't the 'professional' photographer I took my camera to my cousin's wedding and the bride said that she preferred my pictures as they were of more people, and I also went around and took pictures of people doing their normal things as well as the posed ones that were arranged. So my advice would be get lots of 'casual' shots as well as they show off the mood far better, and probably tend to be the preferred pictures in the album even if they don't end up on the wall.
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Ivy Wilde
Joined: 09 Nov 2007
Posts: 222
Location: Manchester
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| Posted: Thu Apr 17, 2008 2:40 pm Post subject: |
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I concur with Pieman, me and Tim asked for all reportage style ones for our wedding with posed shots kept to a minimum, the really captured the day and every photo has a story or a memory of a feeling, I still well up when I see them. If you want to see the kind of thing I mean a copy of our pics are here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/joineestaceyg/sets/72157594546335112/
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Warren
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Joined: 21 May 2007
Posts: 2432
Location: Newcastle Upon Tyne
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| Posted: Thu Apr 17, 2008 3:09 pm Post subject: |
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The phrase "be careful what you wish for ..." springs to mind 
And believe me ive put myself in many predicaments similar.
Act confident when you're taking the pix, try not to be nervous or they wont have faith in you.
My worst nightmare if I was taking the main pix at a wedding would be that I got home and found none of the pictures had saved (or whatever the technical term is).
Im shit at anything to do with photography tho.
Im sure you'll do fine....
x
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Minnie the Minxtress
Joined: 07 Feb 2007
Posts: 766
Location: Kent
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| Posted: Thu Apr 17, 2008 5:48 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks for all your helpful comments lovely peeps..
Ladytwiglet.. thanks too, will PM you at some point (am whizzing out now to yoga - for some deep breathing and de-stressing LOL)..
I'm near the end of my 2nd year of a fine art degree and I've concentrated on photography... however - the whole ISO, shutterspeed and aperture thing is relatively new to me this year. I actually love using the camera on manual - but it's like driving a car.. you know how when you first start driving you think 'will I ever change gear without thinking about it etc?' well that's a bit like how I feel.
I have had virtually no training at college.. the course is very conceptual based and the tutors are like 'if you take fab pics on automatic then just carry on doing that'... which has sent me off on my usual search to teach myself and get out of it what I want.
I have a Sony A100 dslr which will soon be my spare camera once I get some money and can invest in decent new one with some foxy lenses.. I don't have a hotshoe flash but so far have hated using the flash on this camera, I much prefer to change ISO settings etc.
I'm sure I'll be fine.. and it's good experience and a learning curve.. but I'm having a wee wobbly moment today, nonetheless.  
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Minnie The Minxtress xxxx
"I speak two languages... Body and English" ~ Mae West
http://www.flickr.com/photos/lookingglassimages/
http://www.myspace.com/minnietheminxtress |
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Minnie the Minxtress
Joined: 07 Feb 2007
Posts: 766
Location: Kent
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Stuart the photographer
Joined: 21 Feb 2008
Posts: 122
Location: Manchester
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| Posted: Thu Apr 17, 2008 5:51 pm Post subject: |
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Format your memory card before you do the shoot, should reduce the change of errors on the memory card.
The tips people have mentioned about getting some more informal shot are very true, people love that kind of stuff at weddings. The 15 minutes after they get out of the church door can be best for this, everyone mills around, you can stand far enough away not to disturb people and every one look happy (unless your couples day goes spectacularly wrong).
If they have an epic list of formal shots cut it down a bit. Its not just you hardware they are 'paying' for, but your talent in knowing what will and won't work photographically. If the shot seems pointless it probably is.
Good luck and the fact you have already taken a look at the location means your on the right track!
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Ivy Wilde
Joined: 09 Nov 2007
Posts: 222
Location: Manchester
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| Posted: Fri Apr 18, 2008 10:49 am Post subject: |
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| Minnie the Minxtress wrote: | | Ivy thanks for the add on flickr lovely girl... your pics are great! |
aw cheers, pratting about with a camerahas it's advantages
good luck with the wedding, let us know how it goes xx |
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Minnie the Minxtress
Joined: 07 Feb 2007
Posts: 766
Location: Kent
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Stuart the photographer
Joined: 21 Feb 2008
Posts: 122
Location: Manchester
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| Posted: Fri Apr 18, 2008 4:24 pm Post subject: |
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| Quote: | | I don't get any errors... |
This is very general advice, but the memory card contains information on how to fill it with data, plus the data its-self. Over time the system for writing the data (which is commonly the FAT file system) can mess up. When it does, and you try to open the image, your PC or camera will just say that it can't and that image or group of images is there but unreadable. Formatting the card will reduce the chance of you getting such an error.
I have only ever had a bad memory error once out of the tens of thousands of photos I have taken. But you certainly wouldn't want it to happen on your first wedding shoot. Hope that explains things better, but I am a useless teacher so let me know if I haven't!
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Minnie the Minxtress
Joined: 07 Feb 2007
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Location: Kent
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Stuart the photographer
Joined: 21 Feb 2008
Posts: 122
Location: Manchester
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Minnie the Minxtress
Joined: 07 Feb 2007
Posts: 766
Location: Kent
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| Posted: Sat Apr 19, 2008 8:32 pm Post subject: |
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Well, I'm back from the wedding.. I have never been sooooo cold (it was bitterly cold and raining) but it all went well..
I had a few moments where I thought "I'm going to faint with nerves in a minute" but I got through it and actually really enjoyed the whole experience. Thanks for all your helpful advice everyone.
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Minnie The Minxtress xxxx
"I speak two languages... Body and English" ~ Mae West
http://www.flickr.com/photos/lookingglassimages/
http://www.myspace.com/minnietheminxtress |
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Warren
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Joined: 21 May 2007
Posts: 2432
Location: Newcastle Upon Tyne
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