Originally posted by Wheatfield More to the point, an off camera flash. On camera flash looks exactly like what is (amateur flat and ugly light), and turning the camera vertical adds in the dead giveaway of the clueless photographer, which is the shadow to the side of the subject.
Oh hey! I resent that!
Rules are meant to be broken! Also....good flashes will still bounce upwards even when the camera is vertical.
Well, I agree with the off camera flash anyway, if possible.
I guess the bottom line is - you've gotten some good photo results that the couple, balancing their budget and your capability, thinks is good enough.
If you plan or want to get further in photography - I'd BUY the flash, and rent the lens. The reason why is, for 3-400 dollars you will purchase a good flash, and learn it months in advance.
Meanwhile, for the same amount of money you will buy a cheap lens, rent the flash on the day and realize you dont know yet how to use the flash. And then, months later, you'd regret your lens purchase and realize you want a better one. Unless, the lens you planned to buy was the 50-135....
I would ask the couple to get another friend with another camera to assist you - there must be another one of their friends willing to do it. You'll have twice as many pictures, someone would cover your mistakes, and all that.
Finally, remember that you are working here. My first wedding was exactly like this, with friends asking me to do it for them - and between myself and the second photographer, we ended up with some hundred hours of work, for free. On the day of the wedding we worked from 7am to 1am. No kidding. And then a month of photo editing. Its worse if your friends then immediately ask to see the results. Give your self time ahead. Tell them that it will take them 1, 2, 3 months before they see the results. Basically, its a nightmare if your friends asks you to do a wedding for them because *you* are *their* friend, but then ask for results that matches a pro - in terms of timeline, and skill.
Good luck though, it isnt impossible. And, if you wanted to start, there is no better place than a low budget wedding - the expectation is definitely lower than if you had the wedding at the Hilton or something.