areej Loc: Atlanta,Ga

Hi everyone,
I am new here and I love taking pictures here and there and have fun with them my friends and family like my photos and they always wait on my albums posts on facebook, recently I had a phone call from a friend who wants me to be her son's wedding party(small celebration for her son) photos and told me she is going to pay me I was so faltered by her offer but I am really scared I have never done something like this before and tried to say NO but she insisted and kept on telling me how much she loves my pictuers and how much she always brag about me infront of her friends , I kept on telling her I have limited equipment (Cannon 60D with 18-135 mm , 50-250mm lenses and an external flash )and no experience except for having fun with taking pictuers for the past couple of years ,
What do u think ?
should I take the job?
How much should I charge her?
Am I qualified?
I don't know If I will do a good job espacially now i am getting paid for it.

Erbin Loc: Poquoson, Virginia

Do you have a flash bracket and remote cord for your flash? Looks like you have everything you need as far as camera and lens.

If you can get your flash about ten inches above the center of the lens you can get great pictures without distracting side shadows.

Old school saying: "Set the camera and flash at f:8 and be there" You should get acceptable pictures of the party.

areej Loc: Atlanta,Ga

Thank you, But I am still new to Manual mode and sometimes I am having trouble shooting at night indoors espacially the party is going to be on january 7th and most likely NO outdoors photos which I love taking.

chapjohn Loc: Tigard, Oregon

I am excited that I am not the only one who takes pictures of Dandilions in seed. I have no advice on wedding pictures, except to ask the person officiating about flash photography during the ceremony. They may not like the distraction that flash can cause. If the person officiating gets flash in the eyes he/she may not be able to see very well. Remember the wedding is not about the photographer.

robertperry Loc: Sacramento, Ca.

Friendship is one thing, the business of photography is another. It might be a good idea to put it in writing that you are not a professional photographer but would like to take pictures at your wedding as a friend. If they hire a professional, let them do their job. Make sure everyone, especially the Bride and Groom, knows what your level of experience is. You are a friend of the family, not a hired professional. Back in the film days, I photographed weddings as a part time job. All professional wedding photographers started out by shooting a friend's wedding. This could be the beginning of a new career for you. For starters, get a flash bracket. Talk to a pro in your area, I'm sure they will be glad to give advice. Enjoy the stress, it could lead to a very lucrative business :D

Jwilliams0469 Loc: Topeka, Ks.

I'd have to agree! Very well said...

Francis M Loc: Hawaii

Do all of the above and check out the venue before hand to get some ideas of interesting shots. And make list of shots you want (mother and groom, bride and mom etc) Terrible if a tthe end of the day you realize the father of the bride never had a photo with his daughter

dpullum Loc: Tampa Florida

I have shot two weddings charging 500 for 5 hrs of shooting. Typically young do not have $ for big deal. I always advise them to get a commercial photographer to do their work. J WILLIAMS ADVICE: "in writing that you are not a professional photographer" AND add your choreographing of what photos you plan to shoot if possible and may add others. Ask their expectations ahead of time and write it and get their signature.

Your equip is much better than mine. I do the candid approach and consider my self as invisible during the ceremony and go where I think it is an advantage for the shot. Lighting has not been a problem since the stage is well lit. I take lots of aunt sally was there pictures before and after the event,,, reception.

I do my edit mostly a auto-adjust and crop. Certain photos are in a 8x10 file. the rest go onto become a DVD ... I have found that Ashampoo Slideshow 2, to be the best; I did trials on as many slide show programs,,, most failed some where,, many classic great ones had burn to disk problems. I have two P&S loaners for their best friends to use. 79$ each is all I paid,,, PS take good photos for slide shows. They play well from DVD on a 52" TV. Be modern, it is a different world now every thing is either 52 or on phone!!

I incorporate their photos and those of friends. I typically take 100+ and narrow to 50, then add 50 taken by others. (you can not be everyplace at the right time). I also give phone, email etc formats. They send off for their 8x10s to a lab of choice. oh yes, music track of their choice if they supply. And wait 3 weeks before finishing, since friends will keep sending to them and you will have to do over to add if you do not wait.

Be sure to take second camera, extra memory, batteries and use all. If you are reluctant to take $ from a friend, then have them buy equipment needed.

Flash... I use flash on a stick. 1/4inch dowel with 1/4 - 20 tpi connectors epoxied on ends. you are taking photo and holding flash to the side or above. I made 7' flash stands for stage from PVC plumbing parts (sections 18" all painted black, base gallon bucked with concrete.

Go to the church and take some pre photos,,, oops there is a window and at the ceremony time the sun is horizontal blazing in OUCH. Had that happen. That is also why manual is good advice that back lite will mess you up.

If you decide to do some for $$$ ask if you can use your friend as an example. Have a firm contract and get $$ up front and do not give final product. You can give a contact sheet so they can chose but have a big water mark across all. oh yes,,, also,,, take all at horizontal orientation since it make better show and contact sheet. People do not notice lots of stuff you as a photographer would be ashamed of,,,, at worse it is better than they take and they are use to and they are caught up in the moment.

BE BRAVE,,, d/p

Chris

All good advice above. If this is indeed a friend and you would have been invited to the wedding anyway, offer to take the pictures as your wedding gift and either give them a cd or tell them you'll charge them for what pictures they want

lindysuewho

I guess I disagree with just about everyone here.
First thing: do you think you can do it?
If your answer is yes then do it. Make this your gift with the understanding that you then share ownership of the images to build your porfolio.

While an off camera flash is nice, it is not necessary to shoot a wedding. What is necessary is an external flash. This is a flash (about$300) that attaches to your camera. Why? You can control the strength of the light and the direction of the flash.

Put your camera on P (program) and let the camera do the work. Be sure to limit your focusing points down to one point (check your instruction manual) and always put that dot on the eyes of the main person.

Some people just have a gift fior capturing moments. If you are one of those people then go for it. For ideas go look at other photographers work online.

Check mine out too LOL. Feel free to steal posing and candid ideas :) www.towerphotography.info

dpullum Loc: Tampa Florida

Yes LindySueWho, right on about contract and portfolio. yes, a bracket bound flash is good advice. more handy than the flash on a stick, but that is handy in some settings where hi flash angle is useful such as a crowd that could block flash. indeed, cameras are amazing brains that think so quickly. Memory is cheap and on can take 1000 on one chip. If shooting in raw, 40/gig or 320/8gig. still a lot of photos. And shoot lots of photos and then cull and/or combine in Montague. Shooting candid weddings, which fits the young style of life, anticipate and capture the moment,,, ANTICIPATE is the key. And take children at the wedding and moms and children. Those couples that arrive early are willing to smile for the birdy. be sure to take the ministers photo. Limo along fender to make it looooook loooong. and when they are going to leave be inside to take their photo you will note that there are lots of people taking the rice photos,,, so pass out your cards with EMail big and bold. "please send your photos to,, so they can be included as a cherished memory." Lots and lots of shots, diff angles, shoot shoot. Again I liked your poses. The heart made by arms is great Idea and can include rings fingers. I still feel that all horizontal is best. I find I really prefer vertical but practical is horizontal. Thanks for the tips LindySueWho. d/p Don

digital_photog Loc: New Hampshire

I have backed up professional photographers and my best advice is to have them get a "PRO" and you OFFER only to provide snapshots of the wedding and don't charge them a penny. If they insist on payment allow them the privilege of taking you out for dinner in due time!!I have done weddings for friends (and we still are friends) but be aware that a botched job could end a friendship quickly. If again they insist you take the pictures just be up front and tell them I am not a “PRO” and I will do my best without any guarantees.
JMHO

Fred

areej Loc: Atlanta,Ga

Thank you everyone for your valuable replys , I apreciate it , I am going to do it cuz as some of you said it has to start sometime somewhere sooner or later and I will charge but not too much plus the cost of printing as a start and probably have a meeting with the lady and her son/ daughter and make it clear to them what I can do and what do they want me to do and if they like it will keep going and if they don't (No harm done) espacially I'v done a lot of albums in the past for my friends and family (baby shower, small gatherings ,Birthdays, ...etc) and I never charged for anything and I am getting a feeling sometimes that people are taking advantge and we all know it is not just taking pictures also the time after the event with editting and spending hours on the computer and getting busy away from my husband and kids , I think now it is the time for me to start charging and there is nothing wrong with that.
If any one has any more suggestions please do.
Thanks again

Randyb1969 Loc: Armpit of California

If you are concerned about taking money and then having them get upset, maybe try charging per photo. Shoot the wedding for free and have them pay you on a per/proof basis. That way the couple saves some money you can feel better about offering quality work. Obviously they don't have the concerns you do as they came to you so this really is more about making you more comfortable with doing the project.

dpullum Loc: Tampa Florida

Hay, Areej, your going to do fine. Relax, have faith in self. Practice shooting and critiquing self. One error common is not taking a wide area compared t cutting off the head or feet. You can always crop, but hard to add.

And thank you for the start of this forum, I have picked up some good hints. It has also forced me to self evaluate.

thank you d/p Don