jmcgloth Loc: Ocean Park, WA

I've been asked to be the official photographer for a friend's wedding
I've never done a wedding before. Need suggestions.

BebuLamar

Check out the lighting condition of the locations ahead of time. Take test shots ahead of time. These are something you can do but the pro doesn't want to do.

twowindsbear

Do your friend a favor - HIRE A PROFESSIONAL to photograph the wedding.

Shellback Loc: North of Cheyenne Bottoms Wetlands - Kansas

I recommend you post this question in the Wedding Photography section so those folks see it...

BBBruce77 Loc: Eureka, Montana

How many bodies do you have ? I never did a wedding with less than three. Get the couple to give you a list of must have photos and the people needed in those photos. If you are not familiar with the church or the setting where the ceremony will be held check it out ahead of time for possible lighting problems but also for pathways of movement so that you can move about without being a distraction. The wedding is not about you. It is also helpful if you have an assistant to help with equipment and posing people for the formal shots. Shooting a wedding can be quite exhausting even with a good helper. If this is new for you check out examples of posing techniques. Double and triple check all of your equipment ahead of time. Good luck.

Photocraig

Find an excuse and offer to contribute to the cost of a qualified pro as your gift to the couple. As an amateur who has shot "The Uncle with the big camera" candids at a few family weddings, I will tell you that the pros have extensive experience, better equipment, usually a 2nd Shooter and or assistant, back up lighting and radio triggered background flashes and more than you'd ever think about. And they've solved significant exposure challenges like details on a white Bridal gown while lighting a portrait and Bride and groom (details on the Black Tux etc) that the regular advanced amateur doesn't confront daily. And there ARE NO MISSES ALLOWED.

I once made a flippant remark comparing sports photography in a superior light to Wedding photography in a casual conversation with an accomplished pro. His reply went something like this: "In sports, there's always another Home run, Single, Double, First Down, Field Goal, Basket made, backward Dunk NEXT WEEK!! Miss it this week and you can shoot it again, no real harm. Try that reasoning on a Bride, her Mom, Grandma and 6 aunts. Plus the Groom's Mom etc. The Wedding Pros, bless 'em, have labelled these ladies as Bride-zilla, Mom-Zilla and Aunt-zilla." Few friendships even with the groom survive a wedding with failed photography that evokes the Zilla-ization of the entire female contingent.

But, DO volunteer to take some candid shots and minor groups who do not fit the hierarchy of the Pro shots like visiting cousins team mates school friends who should be remembered but don't make it into the formal group portraits shot at the Church, etc. Coordinate and subordinate yourself to the Pro. Be SURE to stay outa their shots. I tell them that they're in charge and never to waste politeness on me. Just wave me away. Stay away from shooting the ceremony, except from your seat. AVIOD flash. Pay attention to the kids, they are charming and all dressed up and the boys' hair seems to stay combed longer, so shots with them eating cake as only kids can do and girls dancing with dad or the groom may be the winning keepsake for the Bride and groom, or Grandma. Make them available to all, and perhaps, if you can, print one that the pros didn't get and frame it for them. Your shots could help create the sense of place in a destination (even a park) Wedding.

I would offer this advice to even a trained pro in another genre of Photography. Just as I would advise a Bride and Groom to never hire an inexperienced photographer for their wedding. I'm married 51 years and we still look at our small Black an White album and wonder at how very young we were. Don't YOU be the guy to put that in jeopardy. My experiences as a peripheral shooter have built my respect for the pros to the highest level.

Good luck and be gracious and appreciative of the complement. Discretion and self knowledge is the winning play here.
C

G Brown Loc: Sunny Bognor Regis West Sussex UK

download or compile a list of what your friend wants you to take pictures of....signing, rings ceremony,bridesmaids, in laws, speeches etc then look at where you can get those group shots and who is going to organise people(you do not know them) Go talk to the vicar etc and find out what they will let you do and don't want you to do during the ceremony. Go look at the reception venue and pick which areas you can use, Cake, table settings, etc. you will end up with a starting list (Important shots) then you can add to this the informal shots throughout the day.
Work with the chief bridesmaid and Best Man IF they are family and know who is who. The Mom's and Dads will probably be too hyped up to be much use. Identify people who know 'everyone' that is important to your shooting list and get them to organise the group shots. Make short lists lists of names for each group shot.....

The more you are organised and planned the the less obtrusive you can become. It is not your day in the spotlight!

Don't forget the posed 'candid shots' of individuals (Individual bridesmaids, the flower girl, usher etc Mom and Daughter, Father and Son, brothers/ sisters etc)

Now do you see why you need lists....!

It is not your day to have fun....'Scalded cat' is what you will feel like.

ppage Loc: Pittsburg, (San Francisco area)

If you have any fast lenses, bring them. Most common lens for this is a 70-200 f/2.8 Rent it for the wedding. An 85 mm 1.8 can be useful too. Bring a lens that is wide enough to get the whole scene and participants. The available light can be unpredictable at weddings so as another hogger wrote, case the site first at the time of day the wedding will be.
If you have speed lights and light stands pre-stage them where people will be dancing. Try hard to use off camera flash
Get the bride walking towards the groom
Get the rings before hand, hands wearing rings
GET THE KISS
Get the Bride and groom getting ready
Get the maids of honor, best man,groomsmen.
Get the dress
Get the priest
Get the bride and Grooms Mom and Dad, family and guests
Shoot from behind the priest or minister to get the approach
Shoot from the audience side to get the ceremony and kiss
Explain to your buddy you have to be able to move freely around
Since it's a one chance kind of thing, consider some auto modes, aperture priority, shutter priority, auto iso because you're moving into different light constantly, Consider using continuous mode on the crucial shots to improve your chances of getting THE Shot
Your taking on a job that pros spend years perfecting. Good luck!

rpavich Loc: West Virginia

Suggestion; Forget it. Politely refuse and offer the suggestion to hire a person who does this for a living.

Kmgw9v Loc: Miami, Florida

If you value the friendship, and this would be your first wedding; just say "No!".
Take some pictures---don't take the responsibility.

boberic Loc: Quiet Corner, Connecticut. Ex long Islander

Here is another "get"' Get the flu so you can't do the wedding.

DavidPine Loc: Fredericksburg, TX

Neither one of you will be happy.

mcveed Loc: Kelowna, British Columbia (between trips)

You have already made your first mistake by not declining immediately. Unless this is a very small civil wedding you are asking for trouble by accepting. Unless you can accumulate, at lightning speed, the skills and knowledge that wedding photographers spend years at, you are likely to seriously disappoint your friend and, more importantly, his bride. The best thing you can do now is tell him that you have looked into the details and, although you are honoured to have been asked, you feel that you simply do not have the skills or experience to do justice to this important job.

TriX Loc: Raleigh, NC

Best advice is don't do it (it is harder to do well than you think, and doing it badly can make for long term regrets and bad feelings). If you insist, listen to the above advice (and do a search for this subject for a number of long threads on the topic) including:

Use fast lenses (70-200 f2.8, 85 F1.8, 50 f1.4, etc...)
Have two of everything plus extra batteries and cards
Preview the venue and practice your lighting
Have a conversation with the clergy that's officiating regarding what's allowed
Make (or download) a list of must-have shots
Assign a family member to assemble the subjects for the obligatory group shots

And finally, again, decline and suggest hiring a pro to do this. You can take some candids at the reception and learn some valuable lessons (and how hard it is to do well) from watching a pro.

mrpentaxk5ii

Wedding photography is unlike any thing you will ever have done. Lots of questions some were covered. #1 is the wedding in a place of worship such as a church or will the wedding take place at the venue? most times if it in a church you can't use flash during the wedding so you will need several fast lens, like the one poster stated you will need more than one camera body thats to start. I am not any thing close to a pro photographer but befor I shot my first wedding, I shot 4 Memorial day events at the correctional facility that I work at. Weddings were for co-workers and I have done three to date. If you think you can pull this off their are online camera rentals that you can get extra lense or body. spend time going through wedding sites to get ideas for group shots and others that you will have to make. you will end up taking around 1000 photos so you would need extra cards for your camera also extra batterys. good luck. The weddings that I have photographed so far have all taken place outside, this gave me the freedom to move around to get diffrent angles. If you need to rent equipment it will cost you some, also a good macro lense of 70 -100mm comes in handy for ring and flower shots.