very amateur wedding photographer
Discussion
i've been roped in to take unofficially but officially take photos at a family wedding, because the bride and groom have liked some of my photos previously. I don't really take these type of photos though, and I only know a little about photography. I just like doing it. Wedding photography is far more than just adept camera operation i.e. knowing where to be and when, getting the important shots that no one asks specifically for but everyone expects etc. I appreciate being asked, but i did try and gracefully back out at one point (partly because I was concerned they wouldn't get what they wanted, and partly because it is a bit of a task really), but they kind of half persuaded me to do go through with it, and half wouldn't actually let me back out. They've said very little about what they want other than they want it to be very informal, just take some pictures. That worries me because they might actually think that, OR they might think that and want something else and don't know it yet, OR they just expect me to know. Now I don't really like weddings so I don't think about them much, and consequently I'm not really emotionally driven to catch the right shots, I have to think about it a bit, hence this thread. Plus it's going to be utterly pissing down too. Not sure what I am asking, tips maybe? Things not to miss?
Oh I have an SLR (one battery) but I bought a proper flash and diffuser for this do (cost me over a hundred quid too)
Oh I have an SLR (one battery) but I bought a proper flash and diffuser for this do (cost me over a hundred quid too)
GetCarter said:
cheers... that's broadly what i thought. I think the issue is that they seem chilled out about, and keep telling me to relax (despite me keeping how concerned i am away from them for the most part) but in a way that's worse as i'd rather know if they want X, Y and Z and for it all to be bang perfect because i would have just said no. It's quite possible it will indeed be all relaxed and fine, but who is relaxed at their own wedding??I wouldn't for a second contemplate it, unless they've got a pro in to do the main stuff. Even then you run the risk of getting in his way.
Trying to save a grand or so by getting a mate in will surely result in disappointment to some extent, and maybe resentment. I'm fairly confident with my kit, but I'm a landscape fanatic. I'm certain there's a world of difference between the two disciplines, and I'd no doubt royally
up someone's big day if I tried to jump in and shoot a wedding. Do them a favour and insist they get a pro.
Trying to save a grand or so by getting a mate in will surely result in disappointment to some extent, and maybe resentment. I'm fairly confident with my kit, but I'm a landscape fanatic. I'm certain there's a world of difference between the two disciplines, and I'd no doubt royally
up someone's big day if I tried to jump in and shoot a wedding. Do them a favour and insist they get a pro.My dad was an amateur and did a few friends weddings. They seemed to go okay, but at the time he had all the kit, and in the 80's, it took a lot more heavy/chunky kit than it does now.
My brother has done about 5-6 weddings but he doesn't like doing them, the amount of work is horrific if you want to get into it properly. (start at ~7am to get all the pre-wedding/getting ready stuff and can go on until 3am in some cases for the big bash afterwards), then you have to trim down and post process hundreds of photos and help arrange them into photo-books etc etc. It's a full weeks worth of work minimum.
He does commercial/automotive stuff now which he prefers.
My brother has done about 5-6 weddings but he doesn't like doing them, the amount of work is horrific if you want to get into it properly. (start at ~7am to get all the pre-wedding/getting ready stuff and can go on until 3am in some cases for the big bash afterwards), then you have to trim down and post process hundreds of photos and help arrange them into photo-books etc etc. It's a full weeks worth of work minimum.
He does commercial/automotive stuff now which he prefers.
Something else to think about: the competition you'll be in with other guests, making the job even harder.
JulianHJ said:
Something else to think about: the competition you'll be in with other guests, making the job even harder.
Good points made well.Avoid.
I've been asked many times before. I have the gear and some idea, but mostly landscapes and reportage. My photos are good, but
I offer to do informal/reception shots - reportage style, but would never do the main formal photos, ever, ever, ever.
You will be competing with everyone. You will need to be firm. you will need to have a plan, know how to control the groups, pull together people quickly, compose, check and shoot agin,... and to be firm...
Also... How ever good you are, if you are a friend, it will fall short of their expectations. Oh, and gear always goes wrong when you need it most. One body and battery? No way. Pros normally carry at least one spare body, 3-4 batts, etc.
Offer reception informal shots on the grounds that you don't trust yourself or your gear to guarantee them the shots they want for the biggest day of their life and you value your relationship with them too much for it to risk being soured.
I've been asked many times before. I have the gear and some idea, but mostly landscapes and reportage. My photos are good, but
I offer to do informal/reception shots - reportage style, but would never do the main formal photos, ever, ever, ever.
You will be competing with everyone. You will need to be firm. you will need to have a plan, know how to control the groups, pull together people quickly, compose, check and shoot agin,... and to be firm...
Also... How ever good you are, if you are a friend, it will fall short of their expectations. Oh, and gear always goes wrong when you need it most. One body and battery? No way. Pros normally carry at least one spare body, 3-4 batts, etc.
Offer reception informal shots on the grounds that you don't trust yourself or your gear to guarantee them the shots they want for the biggest day of their life and you value your relationship with them too much for it to risk being soured.
Blown2CV said:
Oh I have an SLR (one battery) but I bought a proper flash and diffuser for this do (cost me over a hundred quid too)
Then you had better go and do it. Possibly tell them in writing that you are an amateur and might cock up completely and if you do they will get no photos. As long as they accept that, then anything else is a bonus. If there are no expectations there is nothing to worry about.NB: I don't get shots wiped out by guest's flash but then I shoot fill-flash. And even if it was, I'd get another one in quickly. And any mug can shoot ambient
Grenoble said:
Avoid.
I've been asked many times before. I have the gear and some idea, but mostly landscapes and reportage. My photos are good, but
I offer to do informal/reception shots - reportage style, but would never do the main formal photos, ever, ever, ever.
You will be competing with everyone. You will need to be firm. you will need to have a plan, know how to control the groups, pull together people quickly, compose, check and shoot agin,... and to be firm...
Also... How ever good you are, if you are a friend, it will fall short of their expectations. Oh, and gear always goes wrong when you need it most. One body and battery? No way. Pros normally carry at least one spare body, 3-4 batts, etc.
Offer reception informal shots on the grounds that you don't trust yourself or your gear to guarantee them the shots they want for the biggest day of their life and you value your relationship with them too much for it to risk being soured.
been in a similar boat before, and totally agree with all the above. not worth the potential fall out imhoI've been asked many times before. I have the gear and some idea, but mostly landscapes and reportage. My photos are good, but
I offer to do informal/reception shots - reportage style, but would never do the main formal photos, ever, ever, ever.
You will be competing with everyone. You will need to be firm. you will need to have a plan, know how to control the groups, pull together people quickly, compose, check and shoot agin,... and to be firm...
Also... How ever good you are, if you are a friend, it will fall short of their expectations. Oh, and gear always goes wrong when you need it most. One body and battery? No way. Pros normally carry at least one spare body, 3-4 batts, etc.
Offer reception informal shots on the grounds that you don't trust yourself or your gear to guarantee them the shots they want for the biggest day of their life and you value your relationship with them too much for it to risk being soured.
JulianHJ said:
I've no idea why my posts sometimes come out in triplicate. Anyhoo, that article made some very good points, and as you can see I've binned the duplicate posts.
Are you running a Mac on ML? This happens to me on this forum as well, and I think it's down to how safari reloads a page when you swipe back on the touchpad.Simpo Two said:
But if he refuses it will be soured anyway. Death or glory I say!
Option 1: soured because our friend refused to do the shots for us, as he was worried he wasn't good enough. Strange bloke, it would have been fine.Option 2: soured because our friend tried to deliver the impossible - their vision of informal, perfect reportage style that try imagine can be casually delivered with and SLR and general kit. He's now "that so called fiend who ruined our wedding photos"
Option 3: "I'm glad he told us the limits and we got the pro in. I like his casual shots of the reception but the pros stuff is perfect."
I'd rather be in 1) or 3) with a variation of offering to pull together the guest photos all together and build a guest made Apple photo book...
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