ok, so I'm shooting my first wedding tomorrow. Totally in control of course. Not worried at all :cry:

firstly, I'll be shooting the bride getting ready. I see this as important, as I'll be the only person doing this, and it should provide some good examples. any advice on this? Obviously lighting is an issue, hopefully I'll be able to use my 50mm 1.8, otherwisw it'll be 24-105 and upping the ISO.
Any tips for this section?

Shooting the rest I'm more confident about, but any tips on shooting a large group would be welcome - photographers don't still say 'Say cheese' do they?!!!

Also, what about printing? I'll be providing the images electronically for the couple, but I want some good prints to use as examples. I have a contact who may well get me some work, if I have a decent album to show.

any tips welcome - no 'Don't do it!'s please!
And yes, I have a backup of everything.

cheers guys

Can't contribute anything useful, so I'll just say that I hope it goes OK and you have a successful day. :thumb:

John.

I have no experience of this, so sadly no advice to offer.

However, good luck, and I will be interested to hear how you got on and what you learned, what challenges you met (and over came ;) ) and what advice you will then be able to give others!

Geezer

cheers,
I'll post some results if I dare!
I may be cheeky and give cards to guests, so they can view photos on line, and have the option to buy them. After all, I've to drive 100 ish miles at my own expense.

I've done a couple of weddings but not using the photojournalistic approach with the bride getting ready etc. although you should be fine with your 50mm and slightly increased ISO speed -- remember to shoot in RAW as that's going to give you your best chance of recovery should light levels not be ideal.

Regarding large groups you've got to get their attention -- they'll be jabbering incessantly so you need to control them. When shooting, a fast frame rate is your friend here as inevitably you will get someone closing their eyes/blinking just as you are firing the shutter so go for the fastest burst rate you can get (my F5 had 6fps and my D2H 8fps which is really helpful). I found that using fill flash for smaller group shots was also useful as after the first couple of shots they'll try not to blink until after the flash has fired.

Not much advice I'm afraid but as I've said I've only done a couple of weddings -- the bride and groom shots are easy but groups...not easy, but you really must take control.

thanks

I always try to run off a few frames to avoid those blinking moments
I'll take a speedlite, but I haven't had much practice with really.

the 5D only does 3fps, but is a pretty good bet for a wedding anyway (it better be, that's why I bought it!)

Done a few and I find having someone to work with you to be invaluable, especially for the groups (my wife in my last one) they can help with the organising while you concentrate on the shooting. I had a list of shots the couple wanted and worked down it (for the formals of course) that way you don't forget anyone :)

Have fun.

Done a few and I find having someone to work with you to be invaluable, especially for the groups (my wife in my last one) they can help with the organising while you concentrate on the shooting. I had a list of shots the couple wanted and worked down it (for the formals of course) that way you don't forget anyone :)

Have fun.

I've got a list of group shots (my diploma course covered weddings quite well really)
I was going to take my wife, but we can't get a baby sitter. I've asked if the best man can be use round folk up, as I think it's best if someone who knows some of the guests does it. hopefully they woun't be too drunk by then!

yes, I'll try and have fun - I reckon the results are much better when you do, as it relaxes people

Weather tomorrow is meant to be not too bad so fill flash will help you outside if it is going to be bright. For the bride getting ready I use a lot of bounce flash if it is a white ceilinged room like a hotel. If you aren't too confident with your flash then see if she can be made up near the window. A make up artist may choose to do it near a window anyway. Be prepared to leave the room if asked, but some brides are quite happy to prance around in their skimpies! Use mirrors for more creative shots - putting on earrings etc - but obviously make sure you don't appear in the reflection. There is always an angle. Take pics of shoes and jewellery too before they are put on. Also photo flowers whilst they are at their freshest.

Bride being strapped into the dress by mum or bridesmaids makes a nice pic. Call out her name to get her to look at you and smile whilst dress is being put on. Also worth doing some portrait shots of bride at this point when she is ready and everything is pristine. Let me know your e-mail address and I will forward you a PDF of a recent album which is a good example.

At church you can usually take photos from the back on a tripod with no flash. There may even be a gallery. If it is a civil in a hotel say, then you can usually stand at the front in a corner and take some photos with flash during the ceremony. If you are facing the guests with the wall behind you are usually best to be in the left corner then you will have best view of the bride.

For group shots you will get better results using a longer lens like 70-200. Only problem with this is that if other guests are milling around distracting people and you are working on your own, you may have to go in closer on a wide to keep their attention. For bride and groom shots get them away from the guests so you can be in total control and they can relax.

Try and appear as calm relaxed and confident as possible at all times as this will help to relax your subjects.

Good luck!

As regards crowd control and organisation having someone to help can be a Godsend, ideally someone who knows the senior members of the families involved, especially if you don't know the families that well. I've asked one of the Ushers to help in this situation, and its worked well. You will often find the people won't stray too far away as they will be watching the photographs being taken, or trying to take some themselves.

As regards attracting attention, if you don't have the voice of a Sergeant Major, then a refs whistle or even a joke bird whistle will always attract attention, and raise a few smilies at the same time.

If the group is really large then use an airhorn --- this can have the disadvantage of reducing the younger bridesmaids/pageboys to tears, and causing older family members involuntary bowel movements, but this all adds the excitement :D :D ;)

Hope it goes well.

Gareth

PS - just to clarify, the whistle was a serious suggestion (just don't imagine you are at the FA Cup Final). I will deny all liability for the airhorn suggestion, unless the outcome is hilariously funny :D

Some excellent advice here, especially re crowd control. You should really think hard about an assistant. You do not have eyes in the back of your head and old Uncle Jim, who's still a bit handy with his Pentax Spotmatic, will be a pain in the ar5e ;)

Gareth's airhorn suggestion is a good one, but I find fireworks much more entertaining :D :lol1:

Good luck,

Richard.

PS Edited to add, Photoshop is a gift from God for wedding photographers, swapping smiles for blinks etc. I think it's pretty much common practise now.

thanks for the tips
I have a 'getting lost in the Lakes' whistle, so I might try it!

Forgot to add best to speak to vicar or registrar before ceremony about what they will allow. Try to get the formals done as swiftly as possible to allow time to get some candids during the drinks reception.

And don't touch a drop until you've finished working....you know it dulls the senses.

well, I survived the wedding

heres the 'folio I put together, to save posting on here

Richard & Sarah Wedding (http://bestside.photium.com/portfolio15742.html)

quite a good wedding for a first attempt, as they wanted informal, with only 5 specified formal shots.

Lessons?

memory memory and memory
I took 7Gb of cards, but hadn't really figured on the 5D creating RAWs nearly twice the size of the 350D
Thank god I took the laptop - I had to go and download the cards to free up space to keep shooting. Risky, but didn't have much choice.

know your kit! goes without saying, but I managed to knock the exposure comp down 2/3 of a stop, and couldn't figure out how to get it back up. Had to wait for my wife to get home, and get her to read out parts of the manual. 2/3 of the shots were underexposed, but not disasterously.

I had a mad panic when it seems the batteries had gone, and the 2 sets of AAs I tries were also somehow dead. just as I was about to get the spare out, I checked the screw which keeps the (non-Canon) battery grip on, and Bob's your uncle. 2 batteries lasted all day and 700+ shots, which was impressive.

some shots would have gained from a grad filter (I darkened the skies in PS later), but I was shooting into the sun quite a bit, so opted for the lens hood instead (plus polariser). you can't do everything can you!
quite pleased overall. I did prepare, but I knew some things wouldn't go right, and that I'd learn from it. Hopefully I'll get some work from it...

Looking good. :thumb:

BTW, you should update your watermarking script... all the photos I clicked on to look at are watermarked "(c) Paul Whittle 2006". Oh, and it's clipped off at each side on the portrait format pics.

HTH.

John.

Well done mate :) but that is one wierd wedding...