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06/03/2005 09:52:27 AM · #1 |
I have today been offered £400 to do a Wedding in August. I haven't done anything like this before and was looking for advise. They were getting 40 images for £450 before they looked through my prints and asked me if I could do it. I said yes but I am now wondering if I can. I am also fealing a bit guilty for the other photographer. Any advice welcome
Justin |
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06/03/2005 10:56:30 AM · #2 |
get a book on shooting weddings.
hang out at //www.fredmiranda.com on the wedding forum.
you should have:
expereince (screw this up and they are NOT going to be holding the wedding again for you to take pics...)
flash - metz 54, canon 550, sigma 500DG and PRACTICE with it. learn to use the AUTO mode of the flash., ettl on the camera will get confused by a white wedding dress (and everyone else dressed darK0 and give inconsistent results
get a lightshere or omnibounce or similar falsh diffuser
get a flip flash bracket so the portrait shots come out OK
get 3Gb of memory cards
get a back up for everything - camera, flash, battery, etc. There is NO time the day of the wedding to get a replacement. this is where a fellow photog can be your assistant and bring his camera - help and backup at no cost!
find an assistant! ANYone can be helpful in organizing the guests for photos, watching your gear, carrying the list of wanted photos, etc. This is your FIRST day on the job - your brain will be working overtime trying to remember everything and get it all 100% right.
Preview ALL the sites for the photos -the churtch, the reception hall, etc, preferrably at the same time of day as the wedding, preferably on a sunny day. ask the preacher abot restrictions - some make you stay in one place, others restrict flash, etc
learn to use RAW for the church and formal pics
learn custom WB on your camera
Lenses...canon's 17-40L is very popular, the 24-70 2.8 (tamron has one that is nice and pretty popular). I just got the Sigma 18-50 2.8 EX DC for weddings. You need fast lenses for low light work. you need wide angle for the close spaces you will be in.
other helfpul lenses..50mm 1.8, a macro lens for some of the detail shots (can be done with the 50mm as well). Some folks like a 70-200 IS or 2.8 type lens for some shots, others don't use them at all.
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06/03/2005 11:16:15 AM · #3 |
Don't have guilt, unless they've already booked this other photographer. In which case, if there's a contract they sort of have to stick with it. Otherwise, they're free to shop around. Sounds like they're paying you roughly what they were going to pay this other pro...except you have no experience. That's a lot to deal with. It's up to you to judge your level of competency.
As for wedding books, I hate those things but if you can gain any knowledge from them - give 'er.
P.S. I also say decide whether or not you can legitimately do this job well before stressing over gear.
Message edited by author 2005-06-03 11:17:52. |
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06/03/2005 11:54:55 AM · #4 |
Originally posted by GoldBerry:
As for wedding books, I hate those things but if you can gain any knowledge from them - give 'er.
P.S. I also say decide whether or not you can legitimately do this job well before stressing over gear. |
A book or two will open his mind to the work involved...and they do provide lists of photos neeed, shceduling, what an assistant is good for, lighting options, etc. Not a substitute for expereince, but a good place to start none the less.
I am working on the last bit. I have looked at websites and many photogs results are crap. I know i can do better. Others are amazing and I am not sure i would ever reeach that level of art. One of these is //www.storybyphoto.com . Wow.
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06/03/2005 02:44:15 PM · #5 |
Just thought I'd chime in and agree with Prof_Fate with regards to equipment. I'm sure if you don't have everything listed you can still do well, but the equipment, and practice with it will help, and may give you a little extra confidence. Difficult lighting conditions is a dangerous thing, so a reccie is highly recommended.
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06/03/2005 02:54:40 PM · #6 |
Another pretty cool wedding photographer (a friend of mine had him do her photos and they are *so* lovely) is at David Beckstead. Check out the Italian wedding photos.
Good luck with this endeavor. |
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06/03/2005 03:02:02 PM · #7 |
I recently did a wedding with Utro here in Ft. Worth. The wedding was in an old mansion with dark wood walls. For anyone who thinks you can do a wedding without the proper equipment, we would have been up the creek if I had not had my strobes with wireless transmitter/receiver. A flash would have not illuminated enough of the scene for it to be any good. Best advice I have is go see the venue, and determine what you will need. Most things can be rented, so instead of dropping a lot of money for this one wedding, rent it.
Wedding Photos with external strobe
-danny |
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06/03/2005 03:06:03 PM · #8 |
Originally posted by marmalade1121:
Another pretty cool wedding photographer (a friend of mine had him do her photos and they are *so* lovely) is at David Beckstead. Check out the Italian wedding photos.
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I remember when I shot my first wedding which happened to be for my cousin another photographer her site she sent me the link to his work as a joke - saying if I could get some shots like that she'd be pleased. So now it's really cool to know someone he actually did work for. I love his stuff.
Message edited by author 2005-06-03 15:07:10. |
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06/03/2005 03:07:07 PM · #9 |
Really also depends on what the going rate is for a wedding in that area. around here people frequently charge $2000 for a good photog and $400 for someone who shoots about 400 shots hands them the unfinnished rolls and hits the road (sometimes cause they dont want to be around when they are developed)
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06/05/2005 01:55:01 PM · #10 |
Originally posted by GoldBerry:
Originally posted by marmalade1121:
Another pretty cool wedding photographer (a friend of mine had him do her photos and they are *so* lovely) is at David Beckstead. Check out the Italian wedding photos.
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I remember when I shot my first wedding which happened to be for my cousin another photographer her site she sent me the link to his work as a joke - saying if I could get some shots like that she'd be pleased. So now it's really cool to know someone he actually did work for. I love his stuff. |
Her site is lovely.
Did you get the shots? |
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06/05/2005 04:40:15 PM · #11 |
If you don't have any experience shooting weddings, you might consider looking for some work as an assistant to an established wedding photographer BEFORE you commit.
Make sure they are aware of your experience level shooting weddings as well.
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