want to try wedding/event photography, don’t want to be in the way?
i would like to try wedding and event photography, but the last time i tried taking photos at a conference for my univ.’s PR dept, i got blasted for “not getting in there enough” (and my boss said i wasn’t assertive, which isn’t true). i feel weird about getting all up in people’s faces when their doing something important. i don’t blend in–i’m 5′10″ with long blonde hair (this is my hubby’s avatar)–and i don’t know how to blend into the background, or not be too cautious about getting in people’s way. any suggestions?
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Posted: January 3rd, 2009 under Wedding Photography.
Tags: People Faces, taking photos, Wedding Photography
Comments
Comment from matt
Time January 7, 2009 at 1:53 am
At an event/ wedding there are set photos to be done and when it comes to them you need to be telling people were you wont them. A tip for this is to have it planed and wrote down what photos you wont and the groops that need doing then you can tick of when you have them.
Is you wont to get natural ‘candit’ photos you need to find a way you blend but unfortunetly camras tend to stand out, i find that is you sit down people notice less and also shooting from the hip.
Top tip to avoid blink in big photos is to get everyone to shut there eyes and open them on the count of 3, after 3 count 1 more secand and then shoot.
hope this helps matthew
Comment from Yailizabeth C
Time January 10, 2009 at 12:29 am
it doesn’t matter if your different, if your not, ur plain & not unique and you wouldn’t be ur-self but you could be more focus & notice ur cerounding to not get in peoples way by notice wat their doing & making an inference if their busy or not
Comment from DigiDoc
Time January 11, 2009 at 5:49 pm
It’s important to blend in as much as possible, but at the same time get closeup photos. Event and wedding photography are a little different from each other, but basically you will have 2 different types of moments. Those moments when a crowd is looking upon the main subject(s), and when you are in amongst the crowd. Each one will require a different lens, or a good zoom.
I’ll often work with 2 cameras, one with that long lens and one with the shorter lens. I stick the long lens on a tripod and hide in the back getting close up shots. At the same time I’ll take the shorter lens and get wide angle shots.
If you are working with one camera, it’s best to get a lens that will go fairly wide angle to telephoto with a powerful flash.
Event photography (like a conference), often calls for candid shots, however “candid” to a photographer and candid to them means 2 different things. Corporate candids are people standing together, posed, looking at the camera. These are shot with a wide lens generally since you are pretty close to them.
I also recommend dressing in comfortable black clothes as well.
Having an assistance helps a lot too. They don’t have to be a photographer, just someone to carry (and watch) your stuff, and gather people together.
Comment from cabbiinc
Time January 14, 2009 at 7:24 pm
When talking about weddings, you have to remember that the photography isn’t the most important part of the ceremony. The ceremony itself is, and if your a distraction you may get banned from the church for the rest of your life. So not wanting to be in the way is really the right way to think. Your on the right track.
The first answerer stated they use a wide range of lenses, and this gets you closer than people realize. But you need to get the wide aperture versions of those lenses to be able to shoot a low light situation like a wedding in a dimly lit church. If flash is allowed (sometimes it isnt and you should be prepared for that as well) you will need a good TTL flash for your camera. Something with a guide number of more than 100 feet. Since most affordable constant aperture zooms have a max aperture of f/2.8 then at ISO 100 you would need to be no more than 35 feet away. Upping the ISO lets you get further away but you probably already know about how quality degrades when you up the ISO.
Wearing black helps to blend. Dont overdo what you wear, if you dress like your looking for a date, you will be noticed. If you dress like just another guest you wont be nearly as much. Wear comfortable clothes, you will probably need to squat to get that shot, or stand on something later for another shot. Looking like your in pain or uncomfortable will draw attention to yourself too.
My wife is 5′11″ and I am 6′3″. There are taller that blend in. If you can, find a wedding photographer to train with. You will learn alot from doing.
We cant quite comment on your pics that your boss is upset about without seeing some examples.
Edit~~~~~
Get obnoxious and you WILL get kicked out. There are proffesional wedding photogs that are banned from churches just because they used flash when told not too or moved when they were given instructions not to after a certain point. Dont listen to those that tell you otherwise. They are as naive as I was when I told people the same thing and just didnt know any better.
Comment from amelia.camelia08
Time January 16, 2009 at 7:48 pm
Photojournalist Robert Capa said: “If you’re photographs aren’t any good, you’re not close enough.” You should probably forget about photography if you’re worried about being conspicuous or in the way. Yes, you could use a long lens but it’s not the same. Good luck. Get obnoxious. I often see something and think that it wouldn’t be nice to shoot it. I also know that that reaction means to shoot it quickly.
Comment from Erudite true American
Time January 6, 2009 at 11:20 am
I do that type of work all the time. My lens are from 16mm to 300mm. I can be 60 feet away and when I take the pictures it looks like I am 4 feet away. Works great with 200 to 300 mm lens.