first time for a wedding but no experience

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conphoto76

Senior Member
this guy that I know contacted me 2 weeks ago and asked me to shoot his wedding. But I never shot a wedding b4 I recommend he talked to another photog buddy that I know who does shoot weddings. But I don't think this guy and his fiance don't know what they are in for they wanted their wedding shot in b&w and him and his fiance like my work even though I never shot one in my life. all I done is cars and outdoor stuff/scenery unless he does not care about the quality I need to sit down and talk to both to convince them that they can look for better on their special day on top of that I need to be a apprentice for some photographer who specializes in weddings and I have no proper equiptment meaning in flashes and a fast lens well wish me luck
 
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jay_dean

Senior Member
Moab Man said:
Non photographers don't understand there is an art and skill set to every kind of photography.
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Absolutely right. I've been asked several times to weddings. I like to shoot things that fly, and that's a completely different world to weddings, but people don't understand that. They think its all, buy an expensive camera, switch it on, point and shoot. I always tell people to go and find a pro. However, I am currently being sucked in by a good friend into doing two weddings, and i'm only even remotely considering it as i seem a better option than what they're proposing. That's not saying how great i consider myself, more of, how bad their plans are!
 
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conphoto76

Senior Member
this is why i need to sit down and talk to them both I think they are making a huge mistake in hiring me to shoot the wedding. Not that im bad its like putting the star quarterback on the bench and putting a rookie with no playing expirience in. its gonna be a disaster. I recommened him as said a photographer who not only shoots cars but weddings too and is very good at it he has the equiptment, but the guy was sold on me doing it. I think they both fell in love with the black and white pics that I put up but thats their deal. I dont think this is what i should be doing without proper training and proper equiptment. Im only getting paid $500 if I go ahead and do this.wedding photographers the good ones get paid a good amount. thats why ppl give money to newlyweds at weddings to cover everything honeymoons,this and that.
 
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rocketman122

Senior Member
as moab man pointed out, wedding photography needs specific skills that photography areas dont use. sometimes its not even about photography. a lot of humane skills are involved and a lot of psychology as well.

wedding photography is extremely stressful at times and immense pressure to get shots. people stand in front of you and you need to arrange them, and guide them and make them look the best without any hesitation or fumbling with gear. youre extremely constrained with times and people are late many times where you have to keep your cool and still get stellar images under a very short time.

I did a wedding recently when the groom came late to pickup the bride and then we usually go do an outdoor studio shoot of the BG. usually I need an hour because the bride needs her time more to adjust her dress and walking from an area to an area, she needs to lift her dress and it just takes time to pose people for pictures. you cannot rush it. people are emotional that day and you need to do it gently while inside you want to scream "HURRY THE FEK UP I HAVE NO TIME! IM LATE TO SHOOT THE FAMILY FORMALS!" and you need to stay cool. dont even get me started on spolied brides who think (they arent though) their princesses and they just complain and dont cooperate. I said wow theyre going to have some shetty images. 20 minutes to shoot. I need time to create nice images. loe and behold, I transfer images in the evening to HDD and damn some nice images I was able to produce. some that are going to my website. and thats because of experience and knowing how to work under stress.

wedding photography IMO is one of the most demanding and time constrained photography out there. and a good wedding photographer is good at many other photography areas as well. we shoot under low light, we shoot with fashion photography in mind, we shoot portraits, we know flash and how to use it to its best. we shoot architecture we shoot like sports photographers. we are urban photogs, we know how to shoot still life, we shoot in the heat and cold and are on our feet for 12-15 hours. we have peaks and lows throughout the day and you go home fatigued. it takes me a full day to recoup from a wedding.
 
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conphoto76

Senior Member
rocketman122 said:
as moab man pointed out, wedding photography needs specific skills that photography areas dont use. sometimes its not even about photography. a lot of humane skills are involved and a lot of psychology as well.

wedding photography is extremely stressful at times and immense pressure to get shots. people stand in front of you and you need to arrange them, and guide them and make them look the best without any hesitation or fumbling with gear. youre extremely constrained with times and people are late many times where you have to keep your cool and still get stellar images under a very short time.

I did a wedding recently when the groom came late to pickup the bride and then we usually go do an outdoor studio shoot of the BG. usually I need an hour because the bride needs her time more to adjust her dress and walking from an area to an area, she needs to lift her dress and it just takes time to pose people for pictures. you cannot rush it. people are emotional that day and you need to do it gently while inside you want to scream "HURRY THE FEK UP I HAVE NO TIME! IM LATE TO SHOOT THE FAMILY FORMALS!" and you need to stay cool. dont even get me started on spolied brides who think (they arent though) their princesses and they just complain and dont cooperate. I said wow theyre going to have some shetty images. 20 minutes to shoot. I need time to create nice images. loe and behold, I transfer images in the evening to HDD and damn some nice images I was able to produce. some that are going to my website. and thats because of experience and knowing how to work under stress.

wedding photography IMO is one of the most demanding and time constrained photography out there. and a good wedding photographer is good at many other photography areas as well. we shoot under low light, we shoot with fashion photography in mind, we shoot portraits, we know flash and how to use it to its best. we shoot architecture we shoot like sports photographers. we are urban photogs, we know how to shoot still life, we shoot in the heat and cold and are on our feet for 12-15 hours. we have peaks and lows throughout the day and you go home fatigued. it takes me a full day to recoup from a wedding.
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you couldn't have said it any better this is what they need to realize its easy to shoot a car event but a wedding i'd lose my mind literally i still need to talk to them but I have been so busy with car shoots lately and going to events.I know people want me to shoot different stuff outside of cars but they have to know they everybody cant shoot other types of photography
 
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Love Nikon

Banned
Well you would be advised to shoot it in colour and convert to b&w later ..you are not only shooting for the B&G but the guests who will think it and you very strange if its in Black and white only.
You need to be totally organised in every respect ..equipment ..no lens changing,no primes ,flash flippers ,two cameras and preferably another photographer to shoot casuals and requested groups.Build up the groups 2-4-6-8 dont have people running in and out of groups ..takes too much time...
A full but flexible shooting list and enough time to do the photos.
You need a big mouth because that is what makes the pictures the camera ony takes the picture whatever rubbish or not you put in front of it
Best way to loose friends......
 
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