Wedding photos

[Disneyfreak92]

OK, I have just learned that I am going to be taking pictures at my sister-in-law's wedding in April. She can't afford to pay a photographer. I have taken photographs at friends' weddings, but never as the primary photographer, although the friends I photographed last year did order quite a few prints from the CDs I gave them. So, any tips would be greatly appreciated!

I have done the Canon tutorials for the Canon Rebel XT. I think I will be getting Understanding Exposure later this week. Any other suggestions on resources for learning? Also, any suggestions on equipment needed? I have the 28-135mm IS lens w/ a Hoya HMC Pro UV filter, tripod and shutter release. The more affordable the better at this point considering I just bought the lens, filter, and shutter release.

 

[Anewman]

You need to do some RECON.

for starters
1. Does the church/chapel allow flash?
2. If not how dark is the church/chapel?
3. Will/where you be shooting portraits? Hall?

If they allow flash you will need a decent one and should be able to do the job with your lens(may be too long).

 

[Kelly Grannell]

you'll need tripod for groups pictures and use burst mode (to lessen the chance of someone blinks while you pressed the buton)

definitely a shutter release cable

flash that can tilt AND swivel with a diffuser (I strongly recommend Gary Fong diffuser)

a lens WIDER than 28mm and FURTHER than 128mm

But that's me.

 

[Disneyfreak92]

OK, my DH tells me that the church is well lit and that if the weather is nice, the whole thing may be outside.

I do also have the 18-55mm lens that came with the camera, so that is a little wider than my 28-135mm. I am currently reading Understanding Exposure by Bryan Peterson, and I am learning about Paint Shop Pro X. After that, I am going to look for some information on potrait photography specifically. I am also hoping to get the 430EX Speedlite and a Gary Fong diffuser at least a couple of weeks before the wedding if it is in the budget. (DH pay involves commission. )

Does it sound like I am on the right track?

 

[Kelly Grannell]

My following recommendation is obviously can't be really followed.

I use one camera body for 18-125 f/5.6 lens and another body for 70-200 f/2.8 IS lens.

My concern is that with 18-55 plus 28-135 you'll end up needing to change lens very often within a session.

 

[manning]

I use to do this in the days of film (a long time ago) here is a check list of shots you should consider.

When doing mirror shot focus on the image in the mirror.

http://www.usabride.com/wedplan/w_photolist.html

Hope it helps

 

[WillCAD]

Forget the tripod and remote.

Get the flash and diffuser! Even if you are taking pics outdoors, you will need a flash to get rid of the shadows on your subjects' faces. And pics indoors will need a good light source. "Well lit" is entirely subjective; one person's "well lit" is another person's dark, dank dungeon.

Pics during the ceremony will mostly be of the procession, i.e. the wedding party coming up the isle. You may think that people move slowly when coming up the isle, but when you're trying to compose multiple photos of them, they will seem to be moving much faster, so be prepared.

Posed pics in the church after the ceremony will require privacy. Get everybody out! If you are the photographer, then there is no need for Aunt Marge and her instamatic to be clogging up the works; the official photographer must have priority, or the official photos will suffer.

Assign a bridesmaid to look after the bride's gown. The train will need adjusting and there needs to be just one person to take care of it.

Make a list of exactly which posed shots you will be taking after the ceremony so that there will be no fumbling about, trying to decide. If you have a plan, and stick to it, everybody else will be more likely to get with it. Speak to the bride and groom days ahead of time about all of this and find out exactly what they expect of you, and tell them what they must do to make that happen.

Snap, snap, snap. Any time you take a shot, take 2 or 3 of them. This way you'll be more likely to get at least one without somebody blinking or sneezing.

Once you've read Understanding Exposure, hopefully you will understand what the histogram means. Turn it on in your camera's Review settings, and look at the histogram to check each shot's exposure - only look at the thumbnail of the pic to see if you composed it well.

Mostly, keep it simple. Since this is your first "official" wedding, keep your shots to the simplest type that you are confident in taking. Don't try anything fancy, don't look to do any trick shots or effects, just take pics of what you see and compose them the best you can.

No, I've never shot a wedding, although I have videoed quite a few, but my best friend is a wedding photographer, and I have picked up a few pointers from him over the years.

Good luck!

 

[Disneyfreak92]

OK, well first of all, thanks for all the advice! It has been very helpful. I wanted to give an update on my progress and see if there are any more suggestions.

I have read Understanding Exposure. I loved it! I do have a much better understanding of how to use the manual setting on my camera now! I also purchased the 430EX and the Gary Fong diffuser! And I got a book specifically on wedding photography - Wedding Photography:Art, Business, & Style by Steve Sint, that I am currently reading (very good so far), and I have been experimenting with everything. I am trying to get a friend or two to volunteer for me to take their pictures outdoors with fill flash so I feel more confident about using it before the wedding. I think I have the indoor flash thing down pretty well. Both my sister-in-law and mother-in-law are coming over Sunday to talk to my husband and I about various wedding-related details including photography. I will be getting answers to a lot of my questions then. And I will be making a list of pictures to take. I know that my husband will be assisting me at the wedding, and I am going to see about bringing someone else along with to help as well.

So, that's where I am at. Any more suggestions? And thanks again for all your help!

 

[DisGirlPal]

OK, who wants to help me spend money? I am buying a few more items before I photograph sister-in-law's wedding next month. I am down to the last part of my purchase, and I'm having trouble deciding between a flash bracket or a battery grip for my Canon Rebel XT. Does anyone have any suggestions or thoughts? Anything specific I should consider here? Thanks for all your help!

Oops! Posted under the wrong sign-on.

 

[Anewman]

What flash unit do you have?


Look at this

http://store.garyfonginc.com/liiido.html

 

[Kelly Grannell]

Great minds think alike. I was about to suggest Gary Fong too.

 

[Disneyfreak92]

I posted under the wrong sign-on before. Oops!

I'm sorry. I should probably have mentioned I have the 430EX Speedlite, and I do have the Gary Fong diffuser. I know the diffuser will help (I love it by the way! Thanks for the suggestion ), but I wasn't sure about vertical shots. So, the diffuser should be enough to keep me from needing to worry about the flash being directly over the lens? Is that right?

And does anyone know if the battery grip has a thread on the bottom for a tripod? I have only seen it online, and I can't tell in the picture.

 

[manning]

doesn't the 430EX Speedlite have a swivel head?

 

[Kelly Grannell]

1. To use the Gary Fong diffuser properly (so you don't need a bracket) you'll need a flash that can swivel so when you take the pic vertically, the flash head is facing upwards

2. Yes, any battery grip will have a thread so the camera can be mounted to the tripod.

 

[Magix]

The nice thing with the battery grip is that (at least on the one for my 10D) it has a trigger for shooting veriticals. makes holding the camera and snapping the shutter a million times easier in vertical. You can also switch that trigger on and off, so you don't accidentally hit it when you're shooting horizontal. Really, really handy! I love mine!

I have the same flash you do and I don't believe it has a swivel head. It adjusts angle, but doesn't swivel side-to-side.

 

[Kelly Grannell]

If you don't have a swivel flash head, you can't use Gary Fong diffuser properly.

 

[Disneyfreak92]

My flash does have a swivel head. So, if I swivel with the diffuser on, in a vertical composition, it should be diffuse enough not to have to worry about shadows/red-eye? If so, then I probably don't need the flash bracket. Does that sound reasonable?

Yes, the Canon battery grip for my camera does have the vertical shutter button, which is one of the main reasons I am considering it. I thought it would make verticals much easier.

 

[Kelly Grannell]

red-eye will be reduced by using any diffuser, shadow will be GREATLY reduced (to the point of almost non existent). Ask you subject to move AWAY from the wall as much as they can and the shadow will be completely eliminated.

 

[manning]

There shouldn't be any red eye problem with that flash unit. The flash and lense should be far enough apart to prevent it. At least I have never had that problem.

 

[tchan03]

Hi everyone...

I just wanna share my disney wedding photos.
I put them on my website which is shown in my signature below.
(There are many of them, so if it takes your computer more than 6 seconds for the photos to starting showing up one by one, then please let me know. )

Hope you'll enjoy them. Let me know of any particular one you like !

I may also upload 30+ honeymoon photos taken in theme parks later on.

Terence