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01/07/2004 06:07:05 AM · #1 |
Hi all!
I have a bit of a situation on my hands.
My brother is getting married in april and he and his fiancee want me to take photos of the church ceremony. The problem is that they know very little about photography and they just see my "fancy" camera and they have full confidence in that I will shoot good pictures at the ceremony.
I am an amateur photographer, and it is strictly a part time hobby for me. As you can see in my profile I have a Nikon Coolpix 4300, which is a fine camera for what it´s worth, but I have strong reservations about shooting a wedding ceremony with it.
How can I explain to them that this is not a good idea and they would be better off getting an experienced photographer with proper equipment?
They are trying to save money so they thought it was a brilliant idea to have my with my Nikon to shoot their ceremony, me thinks not :(
Any advice? |
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01/07/2004 06:14:58 AM · #2 |
Think I'd be tempted to explain it on monetary value. IE.
"My camera cost $x hundred/thousand dollars.. Pros equipment costs $x thousand dollars"
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01/07/2004 06:36:20 AM · #3 |
Hi paul, I feel for you.
Fyunnily enough I had to turn down my best friend yesterday after he too aked me to do his wedding pics.
My reason was mainly that I didn't want the huge resposibility, and just said to him that I couldn;t guarantee they would be ok, or even come out well. And cameras can get lost, images can be deleted etc.
To much a risk for me. A pro take 2-3 cameras and does it all year every year so knows more than you or I so not so much a problem. He/she also isn't emotionaly attached to the bride/groom so that makes a big difference if anything were to happen.
That's what i told my friend, he was dissapointed but hope he understands.
Also worth noting that you want to actually enjoy the day yourself, and being behind the camera you won't as much as you'll be nervous and worried somewhat. Also who takes your camera when your needed to be in the picture!
Hope that helps.
JP |
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01/07/2004 07:14:20 AM · #4 |
I'd say if you don't mind the responsibility part of it, go for it!
My hubby and I have together and separately shot quite a few weddings - not at all professional, but the folks we've done pix for didn't have the money to shell out thousands (or even hundreds) for professional pix. We managed to get quite a number of great shots - and my Uncle (another non pro) did our wedding as well. To be brutally honest, once the pix are in an album, they very rarely get brought out to look at again. I think the candids we have from our own album mean far more to me than they would have had they been all slick and glossy and beautifully done by a pro.
Just an opinion from the other side of the coin ;-)
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01/07/2004 07:28:39 AM · #5 |
Have them get a professional and you can also take shots also. Candids are usually more fun to look at.
For one of my friends weddings I was part of the wedding party. So I could take pictures that the professional could. Mostly candid shots like: prewedding fun and hijinks, behind the scenes, and my favorite was the carrying over the theshold shots.
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01/07/2004 07:31:42 AM · #6 |
I agree with Faidoi, take your cam, and keep behind the scenes getting loads of candids. people always love them. For proper shots you can also just stand next to the pro and take his compositions.
Then print them up nice and get them mounted in a veru high quality album and that makes a superb suprise wedding pressie.
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01/07/2004 07:49:43 AM · #7 |
It's your brother's wedding.
Explain that you have a choice - you can be at the wedding, or you can be the photographer, it isn't really possible to do a good job of being the photographer while enjoying the wedding as well. I'm sure they'd prefer you to be part of their wedding and enjoy the day. And take lots of candids, you'll probably get better 'other' shots than the official photog can get - then make them a present of those pictures instead... |
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01/07/2004 07:57:55 AM · #8 |
I've shot weddings before and there really is quite a difference between what professionals can do vs an amateur. The wedding photographer usually has talked to the priest or pastor or rabbi before hand and knows what the limits are. For example, often they say that there is to be no flash during the ceremony and sometimes they don't care. (One priest told me he didn't care if I stood on the alter, just get the pictures!) A professional usually has one or more assistants. A professional usually has radio-controlled slave flash units which are invaluable in candid situations. They've got backup equipment, batteries, and plenty of film. Sometimes they have more than one photographer if it's a big wedding.
I've also seen some enormous failures on the professional level. I would encourage you to turn down the assignment unless it's a VERY informal wedding and your friend would understand if things didn't work out. Also, if they REALLY can't afford a photographer and understand that you're not promising them anything, then go for it. Make a list beforehand, with the couple involved, of exactly what shots they want ... it will help them and will help you know where you are supposed to be and when! PM me if you need such a list. I think I've still got one or two laying around somewhere in my files. |
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01/07/2004 08:15:51 AM · #9 |
Originally posted by rmahan:
I've also seen some enormous failures on the professional level. |
Any interesting horror stories? :-)
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01/07/2004 08:34:29 AM · #10 |
I shot my friend's wedding with my fuji MX-2900Z three years ago. The photos are fine.. In fact, here is one I keep in my portfolio.
It is more about your comfort level.
A wedding is really a series of portraits. If you are comfortable with that, tell them you will do your best and go for it. If not, tell them - maybe - that you'd be happy to do some, but that they should have one other person doing it as well. But you also have to be comfortable getting out into the isle, and quietly walking around the other side (if permitted) to get the shots they would be looking for (first kiss, exchange of rings, etc.).
They certainly cannot have a multitude of people flashing cameras during the ceremony.
It is nice that they have given you this pat on the back - they obviously have confidence in you! ;)
Originally posted by rmahan:
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I've also seen some enormous failures on the professional level. |
Originally posted by PaulMdx:
Any interesting horror stories? :-) |
My sister's "professional photographer" - back in 1986 - developed the film in the wrong chemicals, or perhaps fixed them first instead of putting them thru the developer. Whichever- it turned all photographs orange! - and didn't even compensate her! Disappeared off the face of the earth!
Message edited by author 2004-01-07 08:38:17.
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01/07/2004 08:45:14 AM · #11 |
Two horror stories. The lab I was working at messed up the development of the film from the wedding of a very high-profile client. The best they could do was to print some B&W prints from the film. They finally paid for tuxedo rentals, hairdressing, air fare, flowers, and "church time" to reshoot some of the pictures (without all the guests). It just wasn't the same but was the best they could do.
The second one was my stepson's wedding in Hawaii at the end of 2002. The photos from the professionals didn't turn out well and the ones I got were far better even though I was just photographing a life event and not taking shots as a commissioned photographer. Even then, I lost about 30 minutes of pictures when they didn't transfer properly to a mass storage device and I reformatted the card before checking the transfer. Won't make THAT mistake again!
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01/07/2004 08:47:22 AM · #12 |
Originally posted by KarenB:
In fact, here is one I keep in my portfolio. |
Nice shot - professional looking.
Originally posted by KarenB:
My sister's "professional photographer"... |
Wow, that's pretty bad.. Hearing that, I'd be less worried about hiring a non-pro! :-)
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01/07/2004 09:21:01 AM · #13 |
Thanks for all the replies!
They have helped me quite a lot.
Even though I am thankful for them to trust me for this project. I think it will not work out well having me as the primary photographer at the wedding ceremony. I´d rather be in the background shooting misc. photos.
Thanks all! :) |
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01/07/2004 09:43:10 AM · #14 |
//www.pbase.com/crabappl3/terry_wedding are shots from my first wedding I did. Although I went in as an amature, and the bride and groom knew I'd never done one before, I at least went in prepaired. I was fortunate enough to have 2 - D100's to shoot with, I had a 20mm or 50mm on one and my 24-85 on the other. Being the informal location of the wedding, I was allowed to use my flash throughout the ceremony. I also had with me a friend how shot with his D100 and a 24-85. The two of us combined with an 'assistant' to help gather groups and make sure everyone was looking good, made the formals move along nicely.
I was nervous prior to the first shot, but as we got going, you loose that fear and just shoot, shoot, shoot. After a while, my fear wasn't missing a shot, it was taking too many shots. I think the beauty of digital is that you can snap 3 shots off quickly and get the best of 3 for any given moment. I usually took 2 shots for each formal and several close in sequence for the candids. Between the 3 cameras we shot over 700 images. Of those 700 images I worked up 204 that I felt best showed the day. Of the other 500, I probably trashed a couple dozen due to blur, or other reasons. The ones that remain are not bad shots, just had someone doing something odd, a background element that was distracting, or just boring.
I think if you are interested in wedding photography as something more than a hobby, then you'll need to think about a dSLR or 2 and an assistant or second photographer. My experience was very enjoyable, and have a quote to put together for a wedding in May. The biggest thing I've learned is don't undercut your price. The post processing is time consuming and you should be compensated appropriately.
Good luck in whatever you decide.
-danny
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01/07/2004 09:43:40 AM · #15 |
Originally posted by Ivar:
I´d rather be in the background shooting misc. photos.
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A wise choice in my opinion. Relax and enjoy the day! |
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01/07/2004 09:54:44 AM · #16 |
| Just one more comment to add about not enjoying the ceremony if you are photographer. I recently shot a surprise birthday party. The birthday girl is someone I know well, but most of her friends I did not. I actually enjoyed being behind the camera instead of wandering around trying to make small talk with people I didn't know. However, I don't remember anything of the party and I actually relived it through the shots when I post-processed. I took almost 200 photos that night. By the end I had that 'I've worked hard' tired feeling. |
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01/07/2004 10:34:46 AM · #17 |
I would highly recommend that they get a good pro photographer. The pictures are the biggest reminder of the day that the couple will have. My wife and I do look at our album from time to time and are always glad we had such a good photographer who put so much work into documenting our wedding.
I would offer, as others have suggested, to bring your camera and take some candid shots, but leave the burden of documenting the event to someone who's paid to do it. I would explain that while you appreciate their confidence in your abilities, you want to enjoy the day along with them as a guest/particpant and to do a good job shooting the wedding will not allow that.
You can also help them to select a good photographer, by helping them review the work of photographers that are available.
Message edited by author 2004-01-07 10:36:44.
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01/07/2004 10:43:34 AM · #18 |
Thanks for all the great responses!
You have all been a great help to me! :) |
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01/07/2004 10:51:47 AM · #19 |
Not everybody really cares about getting great shots at their wedding. When we got married in '91, we had asked my uncle to shoot it for us. He's a very good photographer, but he wound up getting his gall bladder removed a couple days before the ceremony.
Obviously it was a bit late to try to find a pro, which we couldn't afford anyway, so we just asked a variety of friends to shoot it for us. We have enough "good" shots that we got a few blown up, but most of the shots are rather so-so. But we have never really cared! Everyone had a good time... we're still married 12+ years later... all is well.
I'd say go ahead & shoot it! I am sure they understand that you're not a pro -- they simply want to save some money. Just go and shoot as many shots as you can fire off. You'll likely surprise yourself by finding out how many of them really are just as good as a pro would have done, and your brother will be thrilled.
And, thanks to digital, you won't have to sweat out those moments while your film is being processed -- you'll know right away that they're coming out just fine... and you can make adjustments on the fly if something is going wrong. |
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01/07/2004 11:05:24 AM · #20 |
Originally posted by alansfreed:
Obviously it was a bit late to try to find a pro, which we couldn't afford anyway, so we just asked a variety of friends to shoot it for us. We have enough "good" shots that we got a few blown up, but most of the shots are rather so-so. But we have never really cared! Everyone had a good time... we're still married 12+ years later... all is well.
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What? You didn't have a professional photographer at your wedding, and you are still married 12 years later? Wow!
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01/07/2004 11:26:27 AM · #21 |
| Hehehe! My Aunt and Uncle took our pix as well - and we're going on 14 this year! It's kind of amusing - my uncle is very tall, my Aunt was quite a bit shorter - so we can easily tell who took which pix. They were done on 35mm film and all were crisp and clear even without a tripod, LOL. My Aunt died in a freak accident two years ago, so that makes these pix even more memorable. |
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01/07/2004 11:33:16 AM · #22 |
I just want to follow up and say that should you decide to do it, please help them to understand what your capabilities are and what kind of results to expect. Some people expect results that are beyond what is possible.
Good luck
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01/07/2004 12:12:12 PM · #23 |
I've read everyone's responses, and I can say, having done my aunt's wedding last January (second one for her & the husband), that you should do it if:
1. You don't mind being out of the "social" part for at least 50% of the time.
2. The real reason they want you is they don't want to spend money on "the professionals."
3. You go to the sites ahead of time, with them or without them, and get a handle on the lighting, the floral arrangements, the layout and sight lines. Take sample pictures, and look at them the night or morning before the event, and learn from the errors, however slight they may be.
That said, I enjoyed it, and most of the pix came out good - I was loading them onto a slide show as the reception played out, and people crowded around to see themselves!! It actually got me talking to some of the folks from "the other side" more than if I hadn't been doing it. That said, it was like I was working!
One more good point is that the bride & groom have complete control over the photos they want at regular retail cost for as long as they keep their digital files intact.
Here's a shot from the practice day, which I put in my portfolio here:
Message edited by author 2004-01-07 17:19:05.
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01/07/2004 01:04:53 PM · #24 |
Many people says to you: Don´t go, you are not a pro...
But my question is... Why a Pro get his experience? Doing your first wedding shots!
The only thing you need is an external flash unit, preferable with head lift angle. To take away the motion blur of the exposures under 1/60, that are commom in churches low lights.
Try to shot the people in natural way. Walk among they as they don´t exists (despite of family relations), don´t worry to be in front of some people angle of view to shot your brother by few moments. Walk very much around the scenes. Every shot is a new experience. Put a computer or notebook in some hidden, but easy access place to free your memory card when its full. A good place is the last seats of church. Mantain a 2 baterries full charged with you, taking out that is in the camera. And remenber to direct the flash near, not direct, to the people when taking pictures very close.
Do it as a lesson to a photography course. And prepare some greating cards to distribute! Wellcome to the professional team!
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01/07/2004 01:19:02 PM · #25 |
We got a professional photographer to shoot our wedding and part of the reception. Their building (same photobusines had been there since 1880s) burned down before we could get our negatives. They could have produced pictures from our proof book. We ended up handing copies of a picture of us dancing to all our families. It was taken by a family friend with a cheap 35mm point and shoot camera. Been married almost 4 years. She's still tolerating me.
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