Wedding photography need advice.

[catchlights]

I don't really recommend newbies shooting wedding with available light, these are the following pitfalls;

inconsistent white balance, give extra work for post production,

unable to handle situation in back lighting,

unable to see unwanted highlight/shadows appear in frame,

poor camera handling in slow shutter speed,

noise issue


if you don't have the knowledge, skills, hardware, and software in photography and post production to handle all the issues,
it is better to get a flash, keep in simple, give your couple sharp sharp clear clear photos.

 

[daredevil123]

For this post/inquiry, i just need some advice out of my kit lens. If someone has a previous problem with 2nd shooter/uncle bob or whatever it is, please do not treat all amature or newbie thesame. I promise i will not get in the way with the pro photographer, and besides its my bros wed i dont want to ruin it. Im a friendly guy, i dont see any problem with other shooter. I just sit on ine corner to get some candid shots and change to other corner if the angle is not good. I think candid shots is more fun. Cheers

Sounds like your problem is your lack of skills and technical know how. Gear is not the restriction here. If you need anything, it is a flash gun and tons of batteries. The problem is how to shoot a wedding. It is no small feat.

About getting in the way, most of the uncle bobs or family shooters will try to avoid the pro photographers conscientiously , but in the end still get in the way. This is because of the inexperience of the wedding flow and angle placement as well as the fast moving nature of a wedding. Even with experienced 2nd photographers, sometimes they will accidentally get in the way. How can amateur photographers not get in the way? And if you fire flash, there will be some frames in the main photographer cam that will be affected by your flash. I know, because it happened to me many times.

In the end, we still deliver what we promise to deliver. Because that is what we do. If some of the moments are not there, or destroyed due to blocking, or flash from another photographer, or another photographer is always appearing in the frame... it is the loss to the wedding couple, not the main photographer.

 

[sjackal]

Here is a important read about how newbie messed up:

http://www.clubsnap.com/forums/newbies-corner/1113673-ad-wedding-video-problem-react.html

 

[Chasers]

hi all...

im in the same spot as acbidua, the only difference is im the MAIN photographer..my kit is Canon 60D with 17-55mm F2.8 IS and 17-40mm. need advise on which set up is more suitable for Ballroom and outdoor after the solemnization. and should i put on AV or manual, if im not asking too much whats the recomended setting for AV and Manual under those circumstances..

thanks, appreciate shifus advice...

 

[Octarine]

im in the same spot as acbidua, the only difference is im the MAIN photographer..my kit is Canon 60D with 17-55mm F2.8 IS and 17-40mm. need advise on which set up is more suitable for Ballroom and outdoor after the solemnization. and should i put on AV or manual, if im not asking too much whats the recomended setting for AV and Manual under those circumstances..

If you need to ask this question .. sure you are up to the task? Are you the paid main photographer or does the couple just want some snapshots from you as a friend for a small token?
The above thread and many others (just search for 'wedding' here, tons of threads with people in your shoes) clearly show that the main focus is not the gear - and yet you ask a question about a baseline equipment topic. Do you understand what both modes do? Have you done any prolonged shooting using both modes to understand the pros and cons of both? Do you understand the implications on camera metering and the impact / side effects when using flash?
There are no recommended settings for ballroom or outdoor. If you are looking for a magic formula or short cut: there is none. Exposure settings will vary depending on light conditions, flash used or not (here the Flash Exposure Compensation comes in as well), many other variable factors and last but not least the intended (or rather: requested / expected / paid for) outcome. In a wedding, you have no time to ponder about these things, you have to shoot and deliver what is ordered and paid for.

 

[JasonB]

hi all...

im in the same spot as acbidua, the only difference is im the MAIN photographer..my kit is Canon 60D with 17-55mm F2.8 IS and 17-40mm. need advise on which set up is more suitable for Ballroom and outdoor after the solemnization. and should i put on AV or manual, if im not asking too much whats the recomended setting for AV and Manual under those circumstances..

thanks, appreciate shifus advice...

Hold your enthusiasm first. Instead of asking what lens and what camera suitable, why don't we ask what kind of photographer suitable?

1) A newbie hobbyist who had been joining photowalks shooting flowers, stray cats and homeless people?
2) Tiko uncles and young fashion photographer wannabes joining $30 weekend photoshoots shooting xiaomeimeis and models wannabes?
3) Advanced hobbyists shooting sunrise sunset landscapes and cityscapes?
4) Advanced hobbyists shooting macro, insects, birds and wildlife?
5) Professional product/commercial/interior/architechural photographer?
6) Professional fashion/editorial/glamour photographer?
7) Professional events photographer?
8) Professional portrait photographer?
9) Professional wedding photographer averaging 40-50 weddings a year for the past 5 years of good track record and awards?
10) You?

Where do you belong? Wedding photography had evolved over the years into a highly specialized and difficult genre. Even the professionals from other genre generally do not cross over because they knew very well they lack the proficiency in some areas. An experienced events or portrait photographer can handle a wedding but a portraitist might lack the skill of speed and fast moving events, and an events photographer might lack the art of the portraitist, a fashion photographer accustomed to controlled environments and support from professional models and art directors may not be able to handle rowdy groomsmen. A still life professional may not be a people's person nor know how to pose women beautifully (not forgetting the men, not forgetting the old women and old men, plus the uncooperative screaming children). A wedding professional is one who had evolved over the years to deal with all this and still make art.

Please, don't do it. If you have to ask, you are totally not ready. It takes years. Even the budget wedding photographers from bridal studios operating at the below $1000 category are experienced shooters shooting weddings every weekends.

Read this thread about how another wannabe like you mess up the wedding video:

http://www.clubsnap.com/forums/newbies-corner/1113673-ad-wedding-video-problem-react.html

 

[Chasers]

hi Octarine, JasonB..

Thank you for heads up...it has open my eyes to a different perspective, nevertheless, im given this opportunity and determined to give it a go....Its not abt the money but the exposure and experience's that counts. PLease feel free to share tips/techniques on how not to be a BOBO SHooter...

cheers

 

[catchlights]

hi Octarine, JasonB..

Thank you for heads up...it has open my eyes to a different perspective, nevertheless, im given this opportunity and determined to give it a go....Its not abt the money but the exposure and experience's that counts. PLease feel free to share tips/techniques on how not to be a BOBO SHooter...

cheers

Keep it simple.

Think ahead,

Be ready at all time,

know your tools,

don't try new stunt, unless you can afford to fail.

 

[acbidua]

Hi to all, thanks for the tips that u gave.

Hi chasers, i just want to share what i experience on the wedding day of my bro.
Most of the time i use AV mode, i just use Manual if i use a flash (pop up flash). There is no magic settings, it only depends on the weather and location.
1st on manual setting, i adjust the settings with a flash that correspond on the existing light and weather, so i do trial and error first since i still have time. I did this since wedding is a fast pace and you cannot flash back the occasion. I shoot first on AV mode then if its dark i switch to manual with a pop up flash then shoot.
I am married and i know some important part of the wedding.
I admit that some of the pics that i take are not good but most of the pics are good and nice. But as a newbie it was a good experience and get some memorable moment with my family.
On that experience i learned a lot. Dont be afraid to have mistakes, mistakes is a best teacher.
On that day i just use jpeg format so i cannot adjust the exposure. Just shoot in raw so you can adjust the exposure that u want.

Thanks to all who give advice.

 

[Octarine]

Thank you for heads up...it has open my eyes to a different perspective, nevertheless, im given this opportunity and determined to give it a go....Its not abt the money but the exposure and experience's that counts. PLease feel free to share tips/techniques on how not to be a BOBO SHooter...

It does not matter how determined you are .. what matters is that you are able to deliver what is expected. You will serve, this is not your paid lesson to gain experience. Would you like to have a newbie driver in the bus or in the truck with 10t of bulky load but 'determined to give it a go'? Learn to walk before you run, a wedding is at least a 6h run.
Since you will use flash (the absence of flash with its disastrous results has been nicely shown in the linked thread), do read up about the usage of flash on Canon systems (here). Important is to note the different methods of metering for exposure and flash. Do compare this with your camera, certain settings in some newer camera models are not considered there and you need to extrapolate for yourself. Read up about flash diffusers and bounce flash. Take several days to shoot innocent bystanders in your family to get an idea, there you can play with modes and stuffs. During the wedding you'll have zero time for funky trials.
It is not a shame to admit that one does not know / is not able to perform a certain task. Or as others wrote it here: it's better to underpromise and overdeliver.