Advice Needed: Friend's Quinceañera…

Not really a wedding, but I think the issues involved here are likely to be very similar to those of a wedding, so I figure this is the closest to appropriate category available on this forum.

A friend has asked me, on short notice, to photograph his daughter's Quinceañera.

I should point out, I'm not a professional photographer, I'm not Catholic, I'm not Mexican, and up 'til now, I was only vaguely familiar with the whole Quinceañera tradition. I just knew that among those of Mexican heritage, it's a very, very big deal when a girl reaches the age of fifteen.

I have a sense, so far, of about three phases that I am to photograph:

1. The girl being prepared for the day's festivities, at her home.
2. A religious ceremony at a Catholic church.
3. A dinner reception.

I'm assuming that is is going to follow, more or less, the Mexican tradition described here… https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quinceañera#Mexico

My main concern is about how to strike an appropriate balance between moving around as I think I need to to get the best pictures, while avoiding becoming a distraction or a disruption to the proceedings. And I am mostly concerned about this in regard to the second phase, at the church. As I've said, I'm not Catholic, and I don't think I've ever before even set foot inside a Catholic church, much less attended a Catholic religious ceremony. I have to admit that I am not entirely certain how to conduct myself in that setting. If I was there as a regular guest, I'd be safe just sitting quietly in a pew, watching the proceedings, but I expect that doing so would give me a very poor vantage for taking the sort of photographs that they'd want me to take. I'm not sure what to expect, as far as how the location will be laid out, how other people will be positioned and moving, and where and how I can move without creating a disruption. Hopefully, it will be more clear when I am there, but I could certainly use any advice and guidance from anyone who is familiar with this sort of ceremony, at this sort of church.

I'm much less concerned about the two other phases. I imagine the first will be pretty informal, with the girl having her hair done, makeup applied, and whatever; and that the reception, while somewhat structured, will not be so structured that I can as easily imagine it being nearly as subject to being disrupted by a photographer moving around taking pictures, as I can a formal religious ceremony.

Bob Blaylock said:

Not really a wedding, but I think the issues involved here are likely to be very similar to those of a wedding, so I figure this is the closest to appropriate category available on this forum.

A friend has asked me, on short notice, to photograph his daughter's Quinceañera.

I should point out, I'm not a professional photographer, I'm not Catholic, I'm not Mexican, and up 'til now, I was only vaguely familiar with the whole Quinceañera tradition. I just knew that among those of Mexican heritage, it's a very, very big deal when a girl reaches the age of fifteen.

I have a sense, so far, of about three phases that I am to photograph:

1. The girl being prepared for the day's festivities, at her home.
2. A religious ceremony at a Catholic church.
3. A dinner reception.

I'm assuming that is is going to follow, more or less, the Mexican tradition described here… https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quinceañera#Mexico

My main concern is about how to strike an appropriate balance between moving around as I think I need to to get the best pictures, while avoiding becoming a distraction or a disruption to the proceedings. And I am mostly concerned about this in regard to the second phase, at the church. As I've said, I'm not Catholic, and I don't think I've ever before even set foot inside a Catholic church, much less attended a Catholic religious ceremony. I have to admit that I am not entirely certain how to conduct myself in that setting. If I was there as a regular guest, I'd be safe just sitting quietly in a pew, watching the proceedings, but I expect that doing so would give me a very poor vantage for taking the sort of photographs that they'd want me to take. I'm not sure what to expect, as far as how the location will be laid out, how other people will be positioned and moving, and where and how I can move without creating a disruption. Hopefully, it will be more clear when I am there, but I could certainly use any advice and guidance from anyone who is familiar with this sort of ceremony, at this sort of church.

I'm much less concerned about the two other phases. I imagine the first will be pretty informal, with the girl having her hair done, makeup applied, and whatever; and that the reception, while somewhat structured, will not be so structured that I can as easily imagine it being nearly as subject to being disrupted by a photographer moving around taking pictures, as I can a formal religious ceremony.

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As a recovering Catholic I can tell you the religious ceremony you will be attending is called a Mass; and generally speaking, the Mass is a pretty solemn affair. If I was being asked to do this particular shoot I'd want to speak with the Priest who will be performing the Mass as soon as possible and feel him out on the whole thing. Take your guidance from him.

My suggestion is to check with the church where the ceremony will be performed. Some churches have restrictions for photography (such as no flash and no moving around) so it will help you to know ahead of time if any restrictions are in place.

What a day it was!

I spent a good part of it in a crowded, noisy “party bus”, with a bunch of high-spirited teenagers. I don't usually do well in noise and crowds, but for some reason, I was able to tolerate it quite well most of today. The general sense of fun seemed to be very contagious.

The bus had first picked me up near my home, around 11:30, and with me as its only passenger at that point, took me to the home of the chambelán de honor, where I took pictures of the damas and chambelanes, while we waited for the guest of honor—the Quinceañera*—to arrive. She finally arrived with her hair and makeup done, but in casual clothes, and went inside to change into her formal dress. Once she was ready, we took a few more pictures, and then piled into the bus, to head to the church.

There was about an hour-and-a-half service at a Catholic church in the heart of Sacramento, followed by about another ten minutes of various combinations of friends and family posing for pictures with the Quinceañera inside the church. The priest was pretty cool, and was able to describe some simple and rational boundaries for me to observe, and I think that phase, which was the one that concerned me the most, went quite well.

Back into the “party bus” accompanied by a convoy of vintage cars, into Old Sacramento, where the Quinceañera and her court† posed for pictures in and around the cars.

After that, the bus headed off to El Dorado Hills, some distance away, minus the entourage that followed us to Old Sacramento. At this point, it was just the Quinceañera, her court, the driver, a woman whose function I wasn't ever quite sure of, a cute little girl (perhaps seven or eight years old) who I think was that woman's daughter, and myself. We landed at a park in El Dorado Hills, where we took more pictures, including one that was elaborately arranged and staged by the woman whose function I don't know, and one of the damas.

The reception was supposed to begin at 17:00 back in Sacramento, but we were quite “fashionably late” returning from El Dorado Hills, arriving, I think, around 17:30 or so.

By about 20:00, or so, I think all the photographable events had happened, and both my camera and I were very much used-up for the day. The party was still going when I left, but I think it was definitely winding down.

I started the day with three full batteries for my camera (the stock 1030 mAH genuine Nikon battery that came with my camera, and two 2300 mAH Vivitar batteries) and an empty 32GB memory card. At the end of the day, all three batteries were nearly empty, and the memory card was nearly full. I took a total of 850 pictures this day, by far the most I have ever taken in a single day.

I've just now finished copying them all to my computer, and performing some basic organization of them. As far as processing them to produce the final, finished pictures, I think that will have to wait. Right now, after a long day, I just get overwhelmed when I look at the huge mass of raw pictures, waiting for the best ones to be picked out and postprocessed.

Perhaps I'll post some of the pictures here, after I've processed them.


* The term “Quinceañera”, I have learned, refers both to the occasion and accompanying celebration, and to the girl whose occasion it is.

† A group of couples, each consisting of a chambelane and a dama plus a chambelán de honor who is the Quinceañera's escort.

Bob Blaylock;556433 said:

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These are my favorites.

The photos look terrific. Nice job.

On another note, I'm officially a dirty old man.

I think, that for your first time, you did very good. Some very nice shots for sure. Actually very good if it had been after some previous experience. I assume that they were happy with your work. I think they should have been.

Needa said:

These are my favorites.

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My favorite is this one, a rare, beautiful moment that I just happened to be fortunate to catch, between a father and daughter. Just look at the expression on her face.



Second favorite, I think, is this one, though I'm annoyed that the “party lights” caught her on the nose at this moment.

Great shots.