Wedding Photography?

Raymond Lin said:
You need to step away from the moment to see the moment.

That, I find is a key to seeing the shot. You need to be an outsider, if you are having fun with them then you are missing the shots.

Everyone is good at different things so it's all works out in the end :)
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Even if you see a shot in your mind and know how you want it to look, getting it right to be executed is the next step.

For me, getting those emotional shots or people at their best for facial expression is basically hovering my eye over the view finder, using my other eye to spot for details and be ready to capture the moment. If I move my camera away from my head or look in the opposite direction and my camera facing the other way I tend to miss the moment.
 
If I was thinking of becoming a wedding photographer I think I'd want to do a few trial runs first with an experienced photographer. It might be difficult to find one who wants to help you out though since you'd be potential competition lol

At least with an experienced guy you could get a few pointers and it wouldn't matter if some of your pics sucked hehe
 
I'm certain that I'm correct in assuming that you would take thousands of photos at a wedding just because of the law of averages, right? I can't imagine ever not having a load of "duff", "ok", "not as good as it could be" and "almost perfect" photos from a job that don't make the album(s)?
 
Dj_Jestar said:
I'm certain that I'm correct in assuming that you would take thousands of photos at a wedding just because of the law of averages, right? I can't imagine ever not having a load of "duff", "ok", "not as good as it could be" and "almost perfect" photos from a job that don't make the album(s)?
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Yeah if you take enough pics then you're bound to get a few good ones! Broken clocks are right twice a day and all day (if they're not 24hr clocks :P)

It would just be better to have no pressure to come up with decent pics of all the major events etc whilst you get to grips with what to do at a wedding! Maybe that's just me lol
 
Dj_Jestar said:
I'm certain that I'm correct in assuming that you would take thousands of photos at a wedding just because of the law of averages, right? I can't imagine ever not having a load of "duff", "ok", "not as good as it could be" and "almost perfect" photos from a job that don't make the album(s)?
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Depends on your style, I think and plan ahead more than some, taking care of composition, background distractions. I tend to too shoot wide open as I prefer more depth to my photos so minute focus errors are rarely an issue. I have only shot a few weddings (second shooter mainly, but main shooter for to last dance on a couple and the main tog for a fancy official registry ( things are a little different in other European countries)). I shot about 300-500 photos and kept 150-250, but there were relatively few straight technical failures ( mainy failed flash triggers)

I prefer not to rely on the laws of averages but maximize the expected photo quality and keeper rate.
 
No doubt, I just meant instead of taking one pic for a given shot, take 3 or 4.. even if only bracketing. :) As well as perhaps setting the camera for the lighting in a certain room, snap away like mad. The latter for the reception and party more than anything. Set pieces and important moments such as the speeches obviously will need better planning than that. :)

I'm learning here, so please do tell me if I am getting it completely wrong!
 
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group shots can be done in 2-4 photos depending on the number of people and how good they are in front of the camera.

Things like confetti throws it can be beneficial to whack it on continuous shooting and then pick the best out of them.

I tend to be quite good at spotting an upcoming event and get ready for it. A lot of it is about reading people, and having been to a lot of weddings knowing what's happening when. If you spot something coming up, raise camera, steady yourself and wait then SNAP!

Hardest part for me is the set shots, candids are easy and night do shots I can take literally all night long.

Most i've taken in a day is about 1400, the least for a small wedding was 400. Couples get 200-500 photos. There's the WOW ones, and the documenting ones.
 
Dj_Jestar said:
No doubt, I just meant instead of taking one pic for a given shot, take 3 or 4.. even if only bracketing. :) As well as perhaps setting the camera for the lighting in a certain room, snap away like mad. The latter for the reception and party more than anything. Set pieces and important moments such as the speeches obviously will need better planning than that. :)

I'm learning here, so please do tell me if I am getting it completely wrong!
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I does make sens to take several of the same instant when you recognise it is a good moment, as 'An Exception' says, it helps to avoid people blinking or pulling a strange face as they change expressions.

I don't accept focus errors or metering errors with my equipment, despite having a prosumer DSLR (D90) - I will not work with cameras or lenses that miss-focus or are not dependable. I hear some people talk about taking lots of photos because a certain lens+camera option they use wont nail the focus a significant proportion of the time, which to me a a definite equipment deficiency for the task. This just leaves more artistic concerns to worry about. For this I prefer to take a bit longer and think and observe what is happening, try to predict movements and events, to know the background, to position myself favorably for lighting or distractions, to choose focus lengths that are more appropriate, etc., etc. but always be quick to capture an event or scene as it unfolds in a blink of an eye.

When something nice happens I will often take several shots as insurance and as explained above, to minimise blinking eyes etc.

I guess what i am really saying is I wont fill memory cards with photos where a majority have to be dumped due to bad focus, bad exposure, bad composition, wrong DoF, poor lighting, distracting backgrounds, wrong focal length. Some people however seem to do just that, machine gun away and hope for a 5% keeper rate - I have that % mentioned on a forum once . He said he took 2000-3000 photos and kept the best 5% claiming that way he is providing the best of the best photos, not having to accept mediocre photos to make up the number. Not at all my philosophy.




Oh, I will also take few test photos to get a better understanding of exposure looking at RGB histograms and looking for clipping points to determine the scene's DR (don't want to blow the wedding dress). I always aim to ETTR but this is risky during weddings with so much while and black about.
 
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Heh, I come home with over 12GB of images (297 per card) which later filters down to anywhere between 250 and 400 shots for a client, if it's outdoors and a group shot then it gets bracketed or burst (7.4fps really does help here!), at least this way it serves 2 purposes, controlling exposure in PP later for bracketed shots and sorting out blinkers.

To Op: 2 weeks is very short notice! Have you found someone?
 
Lol, not sure what Phate and Tom were doing at the wedding I was at then, as they had taken 2000 before the end of the church bit and I think final count was 3000+ before they packed in for the day.
 
The more the merrier, that's what :p

I found myself to delete images during moments of pause via the camera itself that I knew were not going to be usable or desirable. Just makes my work later easier :p
 
I ran into one of my pet wedding peeves today.. strict vicars and registrars that won't let you photograph the ceremony.

I phoned a Vicar to find out their 'rules' for wedding photography.
She said no photography is allowed during the service. I asked why, is it due to the sound of a clicking shutter. She said no, it was because it was a religious ceremony and we must respect that. I then paused, I and asked her where I could stand, I pointed out that I don't use flash and am not a traditional wedding photographer. She said I can either stand at the front or at the back but can't move around and she stressed I can't take photo's during the service. I Paused again.. 'ok' I replied.
I then asked what are the rules about signing the register. She said there would be other entries in the register so we could pose afterwards. I paused again, I said well I don't pose couples because it is fake. She then asked if the writing will be visible, I said no, it won't even be in focus. She said why do I even want to take a picture of the writing on the register then.
I said because I am a documentary wedding photographer, and that I don't 'need' to be able to read the writing. I just need to document the bride and groom actually signing the register, so when they look back, they remember how they felt at that moment.

This time the Vicar paused, 'oh' she said, what we could do is put a sheet of paper over the other entry, actually if the writing isn't going to be visible you can just take pictures. Then she said that if I wanted to take the occasional picture during the service that it would be ok, she said she will inform the Church warden that I have permission to photograph the ceremony. She then said that she doesn't like hearing a camera shutter going constantly as it can be a pain. I thanked her, and reassured her I would be very respectful of the service and would stand out of the way at the back of the church.

Tbh I can actually sympathize with the strict Vicars and Registrars because it was obviously due to photographers being a PITA in the first place, that made them ban photo's during the ceremony.
 
My instincts (as someone who's never photographed in a 'restricted' capacity as an amateur, let alone a professional) would be to report back to the bride and groom/wedding planner and let them deal with that. Or is "dealing with the vicar" part of the job? :p
 
tbf, i never go as far as you do.

I simply respect their wishes as it is their church and their rules.

I cba arguing the "legal document" thus no photograph because it is data protection act. I can request a copy of it from the registry for about £20, it is a public document!

Then again, i respect their wishes.
 
My contract specifically says that if I can't get required photos due to restrictions like that it is up to the "client" to resolve, but obviously I will try my best :)

I've yet to actually have an awkward vicar/registar though, they've all been fantastic in reality!
 
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