[NLAlston]

No, it hasn't happened yet - but is scheduled to take place this July. A very good friend of ours is getting married then, and mentioned to my wife about how she didn't know what she was going to do about a photographer. They wanted one, but knew that finances wouldn't really permit it. Now, this young lady has always been so very helpful to us, and I couldn't hold myself back from blurting out "I'll shoot it for you". She was SO happy that she would actually be able to have photographs of her very special day, and was nearly in tears when I stated that her wedding would be shot for free (my wedding present to her). She just wants the resulting photo disk, and will have their selected choices professionally printed.

But now I've begun to question myself; will I be able to really do a good job of it? Will they be made to regret that they didn't try to amass the additional funds needed for a 'pro' phototographer? I sincerely hope that the respective answers will play as follows - yes & no. The one good thing about this is that I have approximately three months to hone up on more reading & experience.

I do want her to be proud of the photos I take, and just wanted to share this with you all. I will be shooting this wedding with my K10D, my Tamron 18-200 and my Pentax 360. I also have the Pentax 50mm f1/4, but don't know if that lens might serve a purpose there also. At any rate, I would appreciate it if anyone might have some helpful info for me.

[pentaxshooter]

Welcome to the world of Wedding Photography. I do this as a "side business/part-time-gig" and I use the K10D.

My advice to you assumes you are going to do this wedding, regardless of people telling you not to. Just make sure you have an honest discussion with your friend about your abilities.

There are several things I would advise:

1. get someone to help you round up people for the group shots

2. look at a LOT of wedding photographer's sites between now and then, practice with your camera on family and friends....try to perfect your ability to get 5-10 nice shots of a couple.

3. At the wedding there will be MANY people with digital cameras, shooting photos like crazy...talk to them and ask them to agree to send you their photos (email, disk or whatever) so that you can add them to yours (make sure you are able to identify which ones YOU took). The fact is that there may very well be numerous candid photos shot by people which will look nice in an album. Since you're doing this as a friend, it's not like your violating any professional ethics or anything.

4. Relax

5. Focus on the bride. get lots of closeup shots of her...best to use the fastest lens...the bokeh really seems to please people, especially in wedding pics.

6. Try to get a bunch of shots of the Bride and groom getting ready on wedding day.

7. Visit the church in advance

8. Research as much as possible....

9. Visit digitalweddingforum.com and WPPI sites.

I've skipped over a jillion things, but as long as you're doing this as a friend and they understand, you should be OK, unless you're well off enough to give them a Professional wedding photographer as a wedding gift.

[Aanund]

In this thread

https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-dslr-discussion/5712-wedding-photo-help.html

Jenness got several great responses, much like the one from pentaxshooter. you might want to check it out.

Being quite the amateur myself, i`m prone to the -take as many photos as you can approach-. I think people also appreciate good photos of the less formal settings of the wedding, showing family members old and new, and the important persons having a good time.

Weddings are fun though, I`m going to three this summer trying not to get volunteered as the photographer

regards

[Arpe]

I would have thought that the 50/1.4 would be useful at the after-party. It will probably be dimly lit, but maybe enough light to do some no-flash shots. And maybe if it's a dim church (or whatever) it may also be useful.

---

Last edited by Arpe; 04-19-2007 at 01:07 AM.

[NLAlston]

Thanks everyone.

Already - I am as nervous as heck, about this matter . Yes, I did indeed explain my photographic skill level to her, but I think that she was thrilled at the prospect of having her wedding photographed at all. As I have been given to understand, the event will not take place in a church, and it will only be attended by family members. Wherever it is to take place (I am sure it will be in some sort of 'hall') I do plan to make a prior visit there, to kind of get a feel for the place (and its lighting).

As I have already stated, this young lady is a very sweet person - who has always been more than willing to help us out if ever there were a need, and that is why I didn't mind offering whatever abilities I may have . Besides, I am really of the mind that she was skirting closer and closer to her desire to issue a direct request for me and my sidekick (the K10D), as she explained matters to my wife. She's a proud young woman, and I can understand the position that she took - as well as her elation over my offer.

So, keep your fingers crossed for me. It is yet a little ways away, but I will be sure to come back with some photos & expressions, in the aftermath of this wedding.

[MRRiley]

Since this is your first time doing this I would advise the following...

- Take a quick trip to the church or facility well ahead of time (weeks).

- Take some test shots under lighting conditions as close as possible to what you expect on the wedding day.

- Find out where the bride and groom will be getting ready and check out the lighting there as well.

- Look for interesting places inside the church and on the grounds for posing individual shots of the bride or groom as well as places suitable for couples shots and group shots. Take test photos there too.

- A helper is essential. You will not have time to round up people for photos and take them at the same time.

On the wedding day...

- Keep in mind that you are there more as a photographer than as a guest. You volunteered for this so act accordingly. Skip the toasts and the cake. You should be taking pictures, not eating and drinking. You can get your cake and punch after the bride and groom leave.

- Insure that everyone present knows that YOU are acting as the official photographer and are doing it as a wedding present for the couple. This will help make sure uncle Bob doesnt interfere toooooo much with your shots. Don't be pushy or rude but be firm. Enlist the help of the mother or father (of the bride for her family or friends and of the groom for his) if someone is too unreasonable.

- Take pictures of everything and everyone, lots of pictures. Back in the film days, this was a very expensive proposition but with digital you can shoot 2-3 times what a film-based photographer would without significant additional expense.

- Carry twice as many memory cards as you think you will need.

After the wedding...

- Download your shots to your computer as soon as possible. Download a second copy to a different hard drive.

- Download copies to at least 2 CDs or DVDs (I know this sounds paranoid but you cannot afford to lose these images)

- As you process each photo that will make it into the "album" add a very discrete signature and copyright mark. Just because you shot the wedding for free is no reason to give up your "ownership" or not take credit for the photos.

- Package your gift as professionally as possible. Make up a fancy CD/DVD label rather than just writing "Tim & Beth's Wedding" on it.

- You might want to consider asking the bride and groom not to distribute copies of the album CD willy-nilly. Consider making additional copies of it available to family and friends for a nominal fee. Your gift was to the bride and groom, not to all their friends and relatives.

Of course there are lots more to it, but these are the rules I lived by back when I was doing this for a living (except the digital parts).

Good luck!

[MRRiley]

Looks like I was posting my advise at the same time you were posting your last answer... LOL Take it as you will...

[NLAlston]

MRRiley,

WOW, you also provided some very helpful information - and I really do appreciate it. I hadn't even thought of some of the tips you offered, and they will prove to be of very great value to me. I will admit that this is quite a big 'bite' for me, but I am not too fearful of getting my feet wet. I just want to make her happy & proud (over this) - and give her many many years of viewing pleasure, on this very special day for her and her chosen.

And you are so right about storage concerns. I not only save them (photos) on my computer, and external hard drive, but also on two different DVD-R disks. Some may say over-kill - but I say 'peace of mind' .

Thanks again, my friend. It was very considerate of you.

Since this is your first time doing this I would advise the following...

- Take a quick trip to the church or facility well ahead of time (weeks).

- Take some test shots under lighting conditions as close as possible to what you expect on the wedding day.

- Find out where the bride and groom will be getting ready and check out the lighting there as well.

- Look for interesting places inside the church and on the grounds for posing individual shots of the bride or groom as well as places suitable for couples shots and group shots. Take test photos there too.

- A helper is essential. You will not have time to round up people for photos and take them at the same time.

On the wedding day...

- Keep in mind that you are there more as a photographer than as a guest. You volunteered for this so act accordingly. Skip the toasts and the cake. You should be taking pictures, not eating and drinking. You can get your cake and punch after the bride and groom leave.

- Insure that everyone present knows that YOU are acting as the official photographer and are doing it as a wedding present for the couple. This will help make sure uncle Bob doesnt interfere toooooo much with your shots. Don't be pushy or rude but be firm. Enlist the help of the mother or father (of the bride for her family or friends and of the groom for his) if someone is too unreasonable.

- Take pictures of everything and everyone, lots of pictures. Back in the film days, this was a very expensive proposition but with digital you can shoot 2-3 times what a film-based photographer would without significant additional expense.

- Carry twice as many memory cards as you think you will need.

After the wedding...

- Download your shots to your computer as soon as possible. Download a second copy to a different hard drive.

- Download copies to at least 2 CDs or DVDs (I know this sounds paranoid but you cannot afford to lose these images)

- As you process each photo that will make it into the "album" add a very discrete signature and copyright mark. Just because you shot the wedding for free is no reason to give up your "ownership" or not take credit for the photos.

- Package your gift as professionally as possible. Make up a fancy CD/DVD label rather than just writing "Tim & Beth's Wedding" on it.

- You might want to consider asking the bride and groom not to distribute copies of the album CD willy-nilly. Consider making additional copies of it available to family and friends for a nominal fee. Your gift was to the bride and groom, not to all their friends and relatives.

Of course there are lots more to it, but these are the rules I lived by back when I was doing this for a living (except the digital parts).

Good luck!

[Mike Cash]

This may be a totally stupid suggestion....

If you have any friends nearby who are also ardent shutterbugs and would like to try their hands at a wedding shoot on a no/low pressure basis, ask if it would be alright for the friend to also come along and try his hand as well.

It is possible that what one of you may flub the other may capture well. It would improve your odds of getting a good bundle of successful shots for the happy couple, remove a bit of the pressure on you, and provide a buddy with a golden opportunity.

[MRRiley]

My pleasure Nathan... Mike Cash's idea is good too. You can get double duty out of someone like this. Good as a helper for rounding up folks for group photos and capable of taking candids of the action during the pre-wedding preps, in-between wedding & reception times and at the reception.

Of course in your situation this could be overkill and somewhat unnecessary since you said this was going to be a very small wedding, but if you end up becoming "the go-to guy" then larger weddings will follow and Mike's suggestion could be more important.

Mike

[Ole]

And remember to bring those extra batteries...

[NaClH2O]

No, it hasn't happened yet - but is scheduled to take place this July. A very good friend of ours is getting married then, and mentioned to my wife about how she didn't know what she was going to do about a photographer. They wanted one, but knew that finances wouldn't really permit it. Now, this young lady has always been so very helpful to us, and I couldn't hold myself back from blurting out "I'll shoot it for you". She was SO happy that she would actually be able to have photographs of her very special day, and was nearly in tears when I stated that her wedding would be shot for free (my wedding present to her). She just wants the resulting photo disk, and will have their selected choices professionally printed.

But now I've begun to question myself; will I be able to really do a good job of it? Will they be made to regret that they didn't try to amass the additional funds needed for a 'pro' phototographer? I sincerely hope that the respective answers will play as follows - yes & no. The one good thing about this is that I have approximately three months to hone up on more reading & experience.

I do want her to be proud of the photos I take, and just wanted to share this with you all. I will be shooting this wedding with my K10D, my Tamron 18-200 and my Pentax 360. I also have the Pentax 50mm f1/4, but don't know if that lens might serve a purpose there also. At any rate, I would appreciate it if anyone might have some helpful info for me.

Hi Nathan, I have only one thing to add to all that has been said. That is practice a lot with your flash, so that using it becomes second nature. Since this is going to be a somewhat "low budget" wedding, I'm assuming that the hall or where ever it will be held in will have fairly low ceilings, practice bouncing your flash off the ceiling. I'm assuming the 360 has high speed synch capabilities, practice with those settings too so you can do them comfortably w/o flipping thru the manual. Above all, relax and have fun. You'll do great.

NaCl(who knows, maybe you have found your "true calling" )H2O

[NLAlston]

Thanks fellas.

You know, I wish that I did have someone (another photography enthusiast) who wouldn't mind entering the upcoming arena with me. But, as it turns out, I don't. This entire wedding-shoot will rest solely on my shoulders, and I will have to do my best to wade through it . I am sure, though, that everything should come out all right - especially after getting all of this very helpful information from my fellow Pentaxians.

You all are super (and I really mean this).

[Mike Cash]

Lacking an assistant of your own, then, ask if there is going to be a teen who is being "forced" to come to the wedding. If there is one, enlist him to be your people herder and general assistant. You'll have at least some help (who recognizes the key players/relatives by sight) and he'll be gratified to have something to alleviate the boredom. Win-win.

[Arpe]

It's a good idea to have a family member for the "rounding up" as they know everyone and where they fit in. Maybe one from each family's side.