Photography Info & Reviews.

Comment from Tom
Time December 16, 2008 at 1:48 am

A digital camera with a good flash is essential, since many of the pictures will likely be indoors…

Comment from Johnny B
Time December 16, 2008 at 7:22 am

Just have a good quality digital camera and use a tripod so you don’t move the camera as much for the still shots. If you want moving type pics use a 35 mm film camera.

Have a few reliable people taking heaps of shots so that way you can pick between the lot.

Comment from Nancy C
Time December 19, 2008 at 9:10 am

Hold the camera steady and take pictures from many different places in the church, outside in the open, at home, at the reception, etc. Always put the object you are photographing in the center. Look through the lense and shoot. Ask your dad to get you a digital camera so you can take lots of pictures and it’s easy to delete the not so good ones. Have fun!

Comment from Nibblet
Time December 19, 2008 at 8:48 pm

tell them to hire a photographer (I AM just kidding)… I would just take lots and lots of shots… make sure the sun is shining in their eyes… well is behind you, and that there isn’t any shadows in the way… It is difficult taking perfect shots, so you must take a lot of them… not all of them will come out great. Get shots of the family together in different poses, just in case the other ones you thought were good, weren’t. Be creative! Good luck

Comment from anand harsha from jodhpur
Time December 22, 2008 at 2:05 am

You must going to take pictures of this event it makes you and them happy, before you started ask your self some question then you can make it easily,
1. For what occasion you are taking pictures, and who are the most important people.?
ans. Wedding, bride-groom and their closed relatives.
then you got the object for which you must concentrates more.
2. May this occasion will repeat?
ans. Never, so you take all the happy unforgettable view in your camera.
3. Focus your camera to the object you are working.
For eg. If they are going to wearing rings to each other and their is no photo of any wedding ring, that will not effictive.
Ok then best of good luck from my side.

Comment from Ernesto A
Time December 23, 2008 at 6:05 pm

Honestly, tell them to hire a professional ( not kidding) Its kinda a big day for your dads friends and you probably dont even know enough to know the things you dont know! And then your just in over your head….

But if your going to do it the one in the white is the bride, just make sure she looks beautiful and they will be happy…

Comment from silver fox
Time December 26, 2008 at 3:35 pm

A few pointers
Equipment- A SLR or DSLR with a 28-70mm(in 35mm terms) with a dedicated flashgun at least. Two sets of batteries for both the camera and flashgun. Plenty of film/memory. Make sure your lens is clean and any filters you might be using. Test all your equipment a week before.Make sure you know how to use your camera/flashgun.
Preparation- Find out where the church is, reception is. The time schedule for the wedding, directions , cake cutting, any special events, who the parents, immediate family are, any nice backgrounds/locations for main group photos,what style of photos are required - informal, casual or posed,practise these shots with friends beforehand, learn how to pose people.
After- What size prints,(remember ink jet prints fade quickly compared to proper photos), albums, photo books,Back up photos onto a DVD. Best to start doing practise runs of all these things so you feel less stressed out at the time. GOOD LUCK.

Comment from Ara57
Time December 27, 2008 at 12:07 am

You should advise the couple to hire a photographer. As someone stated, you don’t even know what you don’t know.

If they do have a professional and she just wants you to take happy snaps, that’s different. Snap away and enjoy yourself. You may get some images the pro won’t get.

If she wants you to be the primary event photographer, well…..That’s an awful lot of responsibility and pressure for a 16 YO. (Or a novice photographer of any age) Weddings move fast, and many things have to be gotten right the first shot in the camera. Thinking that you’ll use Photoshop to correct everything is a bad plan. A poor image cannot be rescued with software, it will then just be a poor image with a lot of ’shopping applied. Show the bride some amazing professional websites and tell her, “See these pictures? They’re what you WON’T be getting from a first time wedding amateur photographer, like me.” Then closely watch her reaction. I’m sure she doesn’t want a wedding album that looks like myspace.

OTOH, some people really don’t care about the photography. (Then again, some people THINK they don’t care and find out too late that they really do.) IPerhaps she really does just want a few snaps to remember the day and doesn’t care about quality work. You and Dad will have to decide if this is worth the possible hard feelings and perhaps a broken friendship if your pictures don’t turn out good.

If you all decide to go on with it, learn what you can about weddings and shooting them. Look at pro websites and study the poses and lighting. Find out what sort of photos she’d like to have. If she wants any formals, practice posing people. One problem you will have is people won’t pay attention to a teenager trying to give directions. So be prepared for some attitude and just roll with the flow. You can’t make a scene on the wedding day if no one will cooperate. Find out how the ceremony will happen and be prepared to get the important shots. If it’s indoors, you will have lighting problems that you aren’t prepared to handle. If it’s outside, you will have different lighting problems that you aren’t prepared to handle. Better brush up on flash technique and fill flash. Best case scenario is outdoors under bright overcast with no shadows in a beautiful garden location with no bad views. DO get a backup system of some sort, another dSLR would be ideal, and have fresh batteries and spares for everything. Don’t chop off feet in the full length shots. Get some closeups. Get pictures of the decor and flowers. Visit the location in advance and do some test shots. Here is a helpful link for first-time wedding shooters.

Read every word (several times) I hope (if you are going through with it) that the day goes great and the couple are happy with their photos. Good luck.

Comment from Thata
Time December 27, 2008 at 7:54 am

Get your dad to take long shoot pictures and you can do close up pictures or things that are more detail. So both of you get various kind of pics.

Make sure you hold the camera steadily and when you edit the picture in photoshop, you could take away the bride’s weight with liquify tool or masking and she will love the result. and bring with you an extra memory card (with big capacity) try to take pictures as many as you could!

Just have fun and let your creativity flows in you, I’m sure when they asked you to take their wedding pic (regardless your age) that’s because they like your style.

Here’s a link to a 19 years old professional photographer that makes awesome pictures, hopefully it can give you encouragement to take more pictures…

Comment from Adam L
Time December 30, 2008 at 4:06 pm

You may want to try looking at some professional’s sites to get some ideas. Start with craigslist.org to find some examples.

good luck!

Comment from LEM
Time December 31, 2008 at 6:38 am

I am sorry for bringing this analogy, but your question sounds to me, as to somebody who knows a thing or two about photography similar to this: “My friend has a toothache. I am very good at brushing teeth, flossing and rinsing. I can get my hands on some dental equipment. Can somebody offer tips on how to do a root canal”? Ok, perhaps it’s a bit of exaggeration, but it is almost as much difference between brushing teeth and doing root canal as between casual photography and wedding photography….

Do you know what is the best way to lose a friend?
You guessed it - take their wedding photos (unless you are a wedding pro).

There will be sorrow in the end, and nothing you will be able to do to fix it.

As others have said - don’t even start. Have them hire a professional photographer. You can also work on a sidelines with your dad, but do yourself, your dad and his friend a huge favor - get them a professional to do the official work.

Yes - it is expensive. But it is worth every penny! The wedding photographers know what they are doing. You don’t. And 4 months until June is not enough time for you to learn, unless you are willing to give up school and/or whatever you are doing and get a job as assistant of a professional wedding photographer, who will also teach you their craft.

You know - people go to college to become photographers. And Wedding photography is one of the most complicated tasks a photographer can take on.