When your photography skills reach a certain level, a family member or friend is going to ask you to shoot their wedding. They might even offer to pay you, which could be your first real gig. Score, right? You’ve made it. 😉 Of course, later when you realize the challenge ahead of you, the pride fades to anxiety, and, googling Continue Reading
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There’s really no question that wedding photography is one of the most common forms of professional photography and if you’ve recently become the owner of a DSLR odds are sooner or later someone you know might ask you to photograph their wedding. Though this might be a tempting offer, I want you to think long and hard before saying yes, because photographing a wedding is a lot more than pointing a camera and capturing the moments. To help drive home this point I’m telling a bit of a story today.
My story is about why, even though photographing this wedding was the best experience of my photography life, I more than likely won’t be photographing another wedding anytime soon.
I don’t want you to think that I’m here to tell you that it’s a bad idea to get into wedding photography, or even that my first (and last) time as a wedding photographer was a bad experience. Neither of these are the case – in fact I quite enjoyed photographing this wedding, but there are some things that I learned about myself which would make me hesitate if I were asked to do it again.
Like most new photographers these days I created a website, set up a Facebook page, and started sharing my photos on a daily basis. Over time I noticed that my page was growing with not only my immediate friends, but friends of friends, and even people I didn’t know – I guess you could say I started attracting a following.
After a couple of years of sharing landscape and wildlife shots from around the New England area, one of my sister’s friends reached out to me and asked if I’d photograph her wedding.
My first instinct was to say “I’m not a wedding photographer – why are you asking me?”. So I sort of brushed it off as a random thing, but she insisted that she liked my style and wanted to work with someone she knew and trusted. If there’s anything to my credit – I’ve always been a hard worker. So, as this post requires that I photograph a wedding, you probably won’t be surprised to hear that I eventually did commit to the job.
And I mean months!
The bride-to-be was extremely organized and prepared, having everything booked months in advance – in fact – the photographer was one of her last jobs to tackle. After accepting the job I had nearly a full year to learn as much as I could about photographing weddings and that’s exactly what I did. This three part series here on dPS: Wedding Photography 101 (Part 1), Wedding Photography 101 (Part 2), Wedding Photography 101 (Part 3) should be on every prospective wedding photographer’s reading list. But a quick search for “wedding photography” on dPS will yield dozens of other great reads.
However, all the reading that I was doing, really couldn’t prepare me for the real thing. Emotions, stress, time crunch, uncontrollable problems, and anything else that you can pack into the ten hour day – you simply can’t read that, so I enlisted the help of a professional. I reached out to a local photographer, who worked closely with a friend of mine, and he was kind enough to allow me to shadow him, and even second shoot for him on a couple of occasions.
This experience gave me a huge boost of confidence going into the event, and I highly recommend reaching out to your own local wedding photographers prior to photographing a wedding on your own for the first time. The experience is priceless.
The final bit of preparation was gear related – I was being paid for this shoot and as a landscape/wildlife photographer my ultra-wide angle and telephoto zooms were not ideal for the task at hand. So I spent a little of the money that I was paid for the wedding to rent a second camera (you can never be too prepared) and a 24-70mm f/2.8 lens which would be my workhorse for the night.
Due to my preparation and my commitment to wanting to provide the best possible photographs that my ability would allow, I’d say the wedding was a success. The bride and groom got photos that they will enjoy for the rest of their lives and I learned more than I could ever have imagined in a very short amount of time.
The day of the wedding I was at my wits end, running on pretty much pure adrenaline at that point. I had a list of ‘must have shots’ which I was able to check off throughout the day and night. It’s hard to imagine that the event lasted as long as it did, as it all went by so quickly, with barely a break for food or drink. All said and done, I left the reception after the last dance feeling confident that I had done the best that I could. So why never again?
There’s no question that this was a valuable experience. I learned more about myself as a photographer photographing this wedding than I had in the nearly 3 years of photographing landscapes, but I’d also learned that it wasn’t for me. I enjoy the peace and quite of nature and the ability to go back to the same location to fine tune the shot over a period of time and lighting conditions. Weddings are a one shot deal – you get the light you get – you get the weather you get, and you get one shot to make it happen.
You have to be a people person – something I am not. Going around to get various people that I didn’t know together for photographs was hard enough when there were actually a handful of people that I did know at this wedding (sister’s friend remember?). I don’t think that I could do this on my own, without help, and without a lot more practice. So I urge anyone who’s thinking about photographing a wedding to not take it lightly. It’s an important day for a lot of people – not just the bride and groom – but their parents, extended family, and friends will want to remember this day as well so you MUST get it right.
The moral of this story is that wedding photography can be a very rewarding experience, but you have got to put the work into it. If you are thinking to yourself that it will be an easy job – think again. Oh and please – don’t ever do this for free – being paid to shoot this wedding was what motivated me to find help, rent gear, drive to their location and process hundreds of photos – the experience was a bonus.
Editors note:Â
Having done somewhere in the neighbourhood of 250 weddings in my time, I can concur that everything John has said is absolutely true, and some of the same advice I give people considering doing one for the first time. Being prepared is the number one thing I can say also. I remember wanting to throw up the entire first year I did weddings, the pressure is THAT intense. These are people’s memories and not something to take lightly. I too, like John’s mentor did carry such an emergency kit and can tell you I’ve used deodorant, men’s black socks, nylons, clear nail polish to stop runs in nylons, safety pins, After Bite for bug bites, Visine, allergy meds, Stain remover (get the stick, takes grease right out of a wedding gown), nail glue, bug spray, sunscreen, Â and more. John gives great advice from his experience – heed it well.
The post The Story of Photographing my First Wedding also Likely my Last by John Davenport appeared first on Digital Photography School.
As photographers struggle with the slumping economy and an ever-increasingly competitive landscape, wedding photography seems to be one of the industry’s steadier income streams. People continue to get married and most hire photographers to capture their special day. And there are a handful of helpful mobile tools to help you run your business more effectively. Learn more
News: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
Destination wedding photography is hard work but certainly has its rewards. If you can adapt quickly, can thrive on the new and different challenges, and are naturally resourceful this niche may be for you. There are some additional considerations if you are thinking about becoming a destination wedding photographer. It typically requires more planning and expertise. Because the location is Continue Reading
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Getting married but unsure of what kind of wedding photography you want? Flicking through various online galleries, websites, and blogs for inspiration? Never dealt with a professional photographer and not sure of what questions to ask? We profile the top ten wedding shots every Bride should have. From the wedding morning excitement, to when you finally say ‘I do’. We Continue Reading
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There are many wedding photographers (or people who merely think they can shoot weddings), but there are also many who could brush up on their skills. That’s putting it lightly. We believe that wedding photography is basically a category onto itself because of the high degree of skill and specificity required to pull off shooting any wedding successfully. We’ve covered Continue Reading
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As a photographer the time will come that you are asked to shoot a friend’s wedding for free or for payment. Most photographers baulk at the idea, citing the importance of the day and fear of failure as the main reasons. In this article I want to look at what it takes to shoot someone’s wedding to help you decide if it is your lack of self confidence that is preventing you for taking one on, or a honest reflection of your abilities coupled with a moral obligation telling you not to ruin the day.
This is clearly subjective and to a certain extent determined by the visual literacy of the bride and groom. What are their expectations and do they match what you are technically able to do? From your perspective, before you can even entertain the proposition, you should be competent, technically, with a camera. This means being able to use it comfortably in full Manual mode with an understanding of how shutter speed, aperture and ISO work together to give the correct exposure. If you currently work in Program ( P ) mode, although you may get okay results, you should probably decline the opportunity.
The above may seem harsh so let me explain my reasoning. If you do not understand the principles of how to nail exposure fairly accurately in Manual mode, then chances are that you will not be well versed in composition or the use of light, both of which are integral to creating images the bride and groom will love. You may ask at this point ask what does it matter if I shoot in Program mode – I spent a lot of money on my camera and I get well exposed images. Well, the problem is that you are not in control. Wedding photography is about translating what is in your mind’s eye into a photo, and you need the technical know how to do this, at the same time as capturing the couple’s and guests’ emotions. In short you need to control the depth of field which means shooting in Manual or Aperture priority mode (the latter in fine as long as you can do it manually as well and know about exposure compensation).
If I shoot a wedding I take at least three bodies with me (often five) so as not to miss a special moment while changing lenses, and to act as back up. The latter is incredibly important. You do not need a top of the range kit – in fact a good photographer could shoot a wedding very well with an entry level DSLR, but it does help. Do you have fast glass (f/2.8 or faster) or are you using a kit lens? If you have a kit lens, is it fast enough to give a sufficient shutter speed to capture the ceremony? The last thing you want is to ruin the proceedings and romance by using a flash. A 50mm f/1.8 can be purchased very quickly and are ideal as they all come with a built in zoom – your feet!
Even photojournalists will usually take portraits of the bride and group and arrange group shots, so being able to pose people is really important. It is an area that most photographers struggle to get right though and this shows up in the final images. They look awkward and unnatural, which is the last thing you want. It is something you can learn before the wedding and practice to get right. You really don’t want to be doing this on the day and lining the family up like a firing squad.
Even if you are covering a wedding for a friend you should still have insurance in case something happens. Your bride and groom may be forgiving, but suppose staff member at the venue trips over your bag, which you momentarily put down, and hurts themselves? You do not want to be sued!
They may have expectations of a grand album. Can you provide this, design it and deliver it? Do you have the time to do this or would you prefer to just hand over a disk of images?
A wedding is a serious thing and if you decide to take one on for the first time it is important to be very honest with the couple. Tell them that you are nervous and that it will be your first time. Unless they are very misguided, they will likely have asked you to cover it because you are either free or inexpensive, or they simply want a record of their day and you have a flash camera which works better than a camera phone.
You may be an excellent photographer, but can you handle your nerves? Can you think straight and logically if something goes wrong? Can you work to a strict deadline, like when the meal is due to be served. Are you comfortable shooting in bright sun, rain, snow or dark conditions? You need to ask yourself these questions, and ideally do a complimentary engagement shoot with the couple to ensure they like what you produce.
The above hardly touches the surface, but if you have the self belief and confidence that you can shoot a wedding, then go for it. Just be honest with the bride and groom, and set expectations. From their point of view they may not have a budget for a professional and would prefer that you got something for them instead of none. It is hard work. Your brain will ache and you really need to do your homework first, but if you do, then chances are you will love every second.
The post Are you Ready to be a Wedding Photographer? by David Pearce appeared first on Digital Photography School.
There are many challenges to successful wedding photography, and it can be a hectic day, even for skilled photographers.It includes the photography of activities involving the wedding and photographs of the family members, friends and couple before the marriage, as well as coverage of the wedding day and post wedding. It’s a viable endeavor that supports the efforts of many Continue Reading
The post All That You Need in Your Camera Bag for a Successful Wedding Photography Shoot appeared first on Photodoto.
As a wedding photographer, one thing I’m always curious about is what makes people choose a particular venue for their wedding. Of course cost is a big consideration but that aside, what else? When I used to live in London, I always got the impression that for most, it was what the hotel (as it […]
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We shot this image at a wedding at Wotton House, a classic old country-style house in Dorking in the middle of the Surrey Hills (where the Olympic Road Race took place last year). As a portrait it’s a little different from our usual style (which is quite relaxed) but we wanted a classic, formal portrait […]
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