Reluctant Wedding Photographer

My niece has asked me to be her wedding photographer, and it is giving me
nightmares.

You know the screnario, two very young kids, in love and in trouble, and
are getting married on a very tight budget.

I visited her father last weekend, and she saw a handful of photos I took
throughout the weekend and decided I was her man.

Under the circumstances, there is no possibility of refusing, and I would
only want to because I doubt my ability to make it special.

As you may know from my very few posts here I am new to the digital arena,
and my film experience is severely limited and dated.

I think I know the very basics about what to take with me, (Extra
batteries, memory, etc.) but would appreciate any free advice.

My very short list of available equipment is as follows:
Cameras:
Canon D400
Canon Rebel G (I would probably not take this, unles someone convinces me
otherwise)
Lenses:
18-55
55-200 (From the old Rebel G)
Kit lense from the rebel G (I forget exactly what that is at the moment)
Flash
Canon 430EX
Tripods (One large and one mini.)

Is there anything I absolutely must have besides what is listed here?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Dan

__________________________________________________ _____________________*
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In article , Juan Moore Beer
wrote:

I think I know the very basics about what to take with me, (Extra
batteries, memory, etc.) but would appreciate any free advice.

A clue would be helpful.

Mr. Strat wrote:
In article , Juan Moore Beer
wrote:

I think I know the very basics about what to take with me, (Extra
batteries, memory, etc.) but would appreciate any free advice.

A clue would be helpful.

Having a bad hair day Mr Strat?

It seemed like a pretty reasonable post. I'm sure that many
amateur photogs get asked to do weddings. If you don't
get asked, perhaps that's a reflection on how people
perceive your abilities.

frederick wrote:
Mr. Strat wrote:
In article , Juan Moore Beer
wrote:

I think I know the very basics about what to take with me, (Extra
batteries, memory, etc.) but would appreciate any free advice.

A clue would be helpful.

Having a bad hair day Mr Strat?

It seemed like a pretty reasonable post. I'm sure that many amateur
photogs get asked to do weddings. If you don't get asked, perhaps
that's a reflection on how people perceive your abilities.

It's very simple.

1. Don't listen to people telling you that you won't know what to do.
2. Take more photos than you need. You never know what expressions
you'll get on people's faces, and you can't redo a wedding.
3. It is important to make the bride and the bride's mother look good.
No one else matters.
4. Scout the location out in advance.
5. Bring two flashes and about 40 AA batteries.
6. Bring two camera bodies. Have someone else use the other one if
possible. (I let my 10-year-old daughter use one at the last wedding I
did, and she ended up with a batch of eye-level photos of the kids there
that we would not otherwise have had.)
7. Use the two to three lenses you're most comfortable with, preferably
with wide apertures.
8. Bring two or more memory cards, and shoot in RAW.
9. Talk to everyone in advance to find out what shots they want from you.
10. Elbow the hell out of everyone to get to the position you want. Make
sure it's OK to move discreetly around the ceremony, and get the best
angle.
11. Don't stuff shrimp into your jacket pockets.
12. Don't wear a Miami Dolphins mesh half-shirt.
13. Don't try to catch the bouquet.

On Nov 5, 3:45 pm, Cynicor wrote:
frederick wrote:
Mr. Strat wrote:
In article , Juan Moore Beer
wrote:

I think I know the very basics about what to take with me, (Extra
batteries, memory, etc.) but would appreciate any free advice.

A clue would be helpful.

Having a bad hair day Mr Strat?

It seemed like a pretty reasonable post. I'm sure that many amateur
photogs get asked to do weddings. If you don't get asked, perhaps
that's a reflection on how people perceive your abilities.

It's very simple.

1. Don't listen to people telling you that you won't know what to do.
2. Take more photos than you need. You never know what expressions
you'll get on people's faces, and you can't redo a wedding.
3. It is important to make the bride and the bride's mother look good.
No one else matters.
4. Scout the location out in advance.
5. Bring two flashes and about 40 AA batteries.
6. Bring two camera bodies. Have someone else use the other one if
possible. (I let my 10-year-old daughter use one at the last wedding I
did, and she ended up with a batch of eye-level photos of the kids there
that we would not otherwise have had.)
7. Use the two to three lenses you're most comfortable with, preferably
with wide apertures.
8. Bring two or more memory cards, and shoot in RAW.
9. Talk to everyone in advance to find out what shots they want from you.
10. Elbow the hell out of everyone to get to the position you want. Make
sure it's OK to move discreetly around the ceremony, and get the best
angle.
11. Don't stuff shrimp into your jacket pockets.
12. Don't wear a Miami Dolphins mesh half-shirt.
13. Don't try to catch the bouquet.

Rule #1, don't get drunk.
Rule #2, don't drink at all.

Take the 2nd camera, load it and get it read, just in case the first
camera dies. Bring some film.

Go to the rehearsal and rehearse. It's for you, too. Go over the
ground rules.

Get a bracket and get your flash off of your camera. You'll need a
cord, too. That's a must.

Bring lots of batteries. They'll overheat before they go dead, and
that will ruin them.

Did I say, get a bracket and cable. It's a must.

Take off of your batteries out of the package and wrap them in rubber
bands in groups of whatever your flash uses -- probably 4. Throw out
the old ones as you use them or stick them in a pocket. The rubber
band is your signal that they are good to go.

Put rubber bands around your memory cards for the same reason.

Get a flash bracket and cable. You'll never regret owning one.

Take charge. Don't be timid. All brides and grooms are like little
kids and you have to tell them what to do. They are looking for you
for direction.

Stick a water bottle in your bag and hand it to the bride as soon as
the wedding/receiving line is over. She'll be appreciative and it
makes it look like you know what you're doing because you planned
that.

Tell the bride and groom how to dance. They don't know. Tell them to
face the same way as the other person, not the "normal" opposite way.
That way you can get two faces instead of the back of a lot of heads.

Tell the best man and maid of honor to hold the darn glass up as they
are giving the toast -- the whole time -- so people can get pictures
instead of a quick raise at the end.

Don't be jealous. Let other people take pictures of your set-ups.
But get yours first.

Don't drink.

Don't over-pose people and make them look stiff.

Get a flash bracket and a cord. Did I mention that.

Get pictures at the tables. tell people to stand up and move to the
other side if the back of their heads are showing. You don't want
backs of heads.

Go introduce yourself to the DJ right in the very beginning and make
sure you're coordinated with him/her. If he, too, hasn't done a
wedding before, get a book to go over what you do and when.

Anticipate the throwing of the bouquet. Get it in the air. Think of
it as a football.

Don't panic. Don't drink. And don't think of doing it without a
flash bracket and cord. Have fun.

"Juan Moore Beer" wrote in message
...
My niece has asked me to be her wedding photographer, and it is giving me
nightmares.

Good advice from Cynicor. I would add, regarding his 4th point:
4. Scout the location out in advance.

Go to the wedding rehearsal, and take large numbers of images. Use bounce
flash or available light, and have a set of standard poses rehearsed and
ready. Bride going down the aisle with father, kiss at the altar, cutting
the cake, first dance, etc. Also have several group shots ready. Each of
these should, ideally, be written down and gone over with the principals at
the rehearsal or even earlier. Bring extra batteries, and a spare camera if
possible. Be bold, and get in people's faces until they start ignoring you,
which is when you'll get the good "candid" shots.

For printing, it's hard to beat one of the online services. Upload all the
images, and send the best 50 percent of the images as 4x6's to the families.
They can then order larger prints, as necessary, online.
--
Mike Russell - www.curvemeister.com

On Nov 5 2007 3:04 PM, Mr. Strat wrote:

In article , Juan Moore Beer
wrote:

I think I know the very basics about what to take with me, (Extra
batteries, memory, etc.) but would appreciate any free advice.

A clue would be helpful.

That is what I am hoping for. I tried to explain that I did not have one.

__________________________________________________ ______________________*
: the next generation of web-newsreaders : http://www.recgroups.com

"Mike Russell" -MOVE wrote in message
. net...
"Juan Moore Beer" wrote in message
...
My niece has asked me to be her wedding photographer, and it is giving me
nightmares.

Good advice from Cynicor. I would add, regarding his 4th point:
4. Scout the location out in advance.

Go to the wedding rehearsal, and take large numbers of images. Use bounce
flash or available light, and have a set of standard poses rehearsed and
ready. Bride going down the aisle with father, kiss at the altar, cutting
the cake, first dance, etc. Also have several group shots ready. Each of
these should, ideally, be written down and gone over with the principals
at the rehearsal or even earlier. Bring extra batteries, and a spare
camera if possible. Be bold, and get in people's faces until they start
ignoring you, which is when you'll get the good "candid" shots.

For printing, it's hard to beat one of the online services. Upload all
the images, and send the best 50 percent of the images as 4x6's to the
families. They can then order larger prints, as necessary, online.
--
Mike Russell - www.curvemeister.com


All very very good advice! DO NOT BE TIMID! YOU have been given a job to
do.

On Nov 5, 4:06 pm, "Mike Russell" -
MOVE wrote:
"Juan Moore Beer" wrote in ...

My niece has asked me to be her wedding photographer, and it is giving me
nightmares.

Good advice from Cynicor. I would add, regarding his 4th point:
4. Scout the location out in advance.

Go to the wedding rehearsal, and take large numbers of images. Use bounce
flash or available light, and have a set of standard poses rehearsed and
ready. Bride going down the aisle with father, kiss at the altar, cutting
the cake, first dance, etc. Also have several group shots ready. Each of
these should, ideally, be written down and gone over with the principals at
the rehearsal or even earlier. Bring extra batteries, and a spare camera if
possible. Be bold, and get in people's faces until they start ignoring you,
which is when you'll get the good "candid" shots.

For printing, it's hard to beat one of the online services. Upload all the
images, and send the best 50 percent of the images as 4x6's to the families.
They can then order larger prints, as necessary, online.
--
Mike Russell -www.curvemeister.com

To clarify (I hope) what Mike said, doubt if meant "standard poses"
but instead meant "standard shots". You really don't want to pose
things like that, for a number of reasons.

Mike also suggested using a bounce flash or natural light, if
possible. That is good advice, but I'm not sure you'll want to do
that on your first wedding. For a novice, I don't think it would be
out of line to shoot straight on with a flash (on a bracket) with no
diffuser, no nothing.. He has too many other things to pay attention
to.

As for an on-line service, only use one that uses Kodak (and
preferably Kodak professional) processing. It's that much better for
portraiture.

On Nov 5, 4:24 pm, Pat wrote:
On Nov 5, 4:06 pm, "Mike Russell" -



MOVE wrote:
"Juan Moore Beer" wrote in ...

My niece has asked me to be her wedding photographer, and it is giving me
nightmares.

Good advice from Cynicor. I would add, regarding his 4th point:
4. Scout the location out in advance.

Go to the wedding rehearsal, and take large numbers of images. Use bounce
flash or available light, and have a set of standard poses rehearsed and
ready. Bride going down the aisle with father, kiss at the altar, cutting
the cake, first dance, etc. Also have several group shots ready. Each of
these should, ideally, be written down and gone over with the principals at
the rehearsal or even earlier. Bring extra batteries, and a spare camera if
possible. Be bold, and get in people's faces until they start ignoring you,
which is when you'll get the good "candid" shots.

For printing, it's hard to beat one of the online services. Upload all the
images, and send the best 50 percent of the images as 4x6's to the families.
They can then order larger prints, as necessary, online.
--
Mike Russell -www.curvemeister.com

To clarify (I hope) what Mike said, doubt if meant "standard poses"
but instead meant "standard shots". You really don't want to pose
things like that, for a number of reasons.

Mike also suggested using a bounce flash or natural light, if
possible. That is good advice, but I'm not sure you'll want to do
that on your first wedding. For a novice, I don't think it would be
out of line to shoot straight on with a flash (on a bracket) with no
diffuser, no nothing.. He has too many other things to pay attention
to.

As for an on-line service, only use one that uses Kodak (and
preferably Kodak professional) processing. It's that much better for
portraiture.

if you knew more about what the landscape was like and how the wedding
would go would that would help you