14kphotog Loc: Marietta, Ohio

Everyone has to start somewhere. Take the short zoom and a flash and do your best. Good Luck.

Lucasdv123

Yes mom.after the wedding is over and you have put up the camera get drunk and do something wrong right,but don't fall in the water.have fun.you know the newly weds are.

Bill_de Loc: US

oregon don

maybe a row boat?

larryepage Loc: North Texas area

I always cringe when someone asks about wedding photography, because the responses are extremely predictable and always make assumptions about the poster's experience and intent. I shot one wedding 35 years ago for a couple who quite literally could not afford to hire a professional photographer and was fortunate to learn why never to agree to do it again. Our own wedding was shot by a professional in a major city who was so irritated at not being allowed to use flash during the service that he pretty well botched the job. So being a professional certainly provides no assurance of a proper job either.

Like you, I have photographed rehearsals and rehearsal dinners, including one on a boat. Since you are not the primary photographer, I would suggest that you forego trying to manage off-camera flash. Instead, get a flash bracket, like one from Custom Brackets (I love my CBJR, but I'm not sure it is still available). You will also need the remote cord that has been suggested, as well as the diffusion dome that is made for your flash. You will appreciate having everything integrated and fastened together if the crowd gets a little bit rowdy later in the evening or if the water gets a little bit rough.

I would suggest the zoom over the 50mm lens. Even though the boat seems pretty large, there will be some restrictions on your mobility, and there are going to be some cases when you want to squeeze into a tight spot. And when there is space available, you may appreciate the opportunity to use the better portrait qualities that are available near 70mm.

I'm guessing you aren't going to find this nearly as daunting as folks are trying to make it seem. Just have fun and try not to miss the wedding yourself.

Lucasdv123

This wedding will last a long long time.i have been a witness to a lot of weddings where thousands of dollars were spent on a professional photographer and a year or two later the couple is going through a divorce. I myself could not afford a professional photographer so my cousins's husband took the pictures and on September 11th of this year we will be celebrating our 45th anniversary. Mom please hand the camera to someone who will take your picture too.you will want to be in at least 1 or 2 pictures. And yes,buy the bracket and cord.i have owned one for many years.sorry I forgot to mention that earlier.

E.L.. Shapiro Loc: Ottawa, Ontario Canada

I "cringe" as well!

If there we such a thing I could write a doctoral thesis on wedding photography. Firstly, of course, I would need to learn how to type and spell correctly and if mars were deducted for poor grammar, I would certainly fail.

I started my "career" as an assistant to a well-established wedding and portrait photographer and besides technical skills, I lean the meaning of true professionalism. Many photographers consider themselves "professional" wedding photographers simply because they provide a service for monetary remuneration- they get paid. Many do not possess all the required technical skills and some are good technicians but do that have the personality attributes, such as patience, compassion, respect and strong work ethic. Nowadays, many photograher simply show up on the weddg day with no vital pre-planning and have no idea of what they will encounter and if this goes south, they have no workaround alternatives.

In yo own case, the photograher only discovered he could no use flash during the ceremony after he arrived and became flustered. He had the business to ascertain the rules of the church or institution and plan accordingly. weh I know this in advance, I can tell the bride and groom what they can expect- what I will be able to photograph and what might be impossible to capture without the use of flash. I have encounter this hundred of times and, even in the olden days, when we shot black and white with a 4x5 press camera, I would pack a 35mm camera with high-speed film and a long lens and be able to capture an entire ceremony for an anteroom or sacristy. The coarse grain adds an ethereal mood!

I have been shooting weddigs for 61 years and have never encountered some of the horror stories that folks post here. When you pla with the client, usually, everything usually goes well and if the is an issue, you just have to change gears and soldier on! Rowdy guests, etc- Well- THEY are there to celebrate, YOU are there to work and get the job done. As long as your life and safety are not in peril, you hang in there, stay on the outskirts of the "riot" looking and shooting into the action.

I detest the term "Bridezilla" that some photograher insist on using- it makes me wanna lose my lunch! It's all in the planning! I explain how and what I am gonna do at the weddings and determine the degree of cooperation I will need. I seriously feel that I can not secure some degree of cooperation, I simply decline the assignment. Not all brides are the same- some want me to be a "fly on the wall", others want me to be "the director"- most land somewhere in-between! I can accommodate most of them and everything will run well as a log as everyone is on the same page.

A for technique and equipment. If someone has to ask, they probably don't know what are doing and what they are getting involved in. Trying to suggest equipment and methodologies that are completely out of their wheelhouse is fruitless. A quick tutorial is no going to do it!

Another aspect of these questions that some folks around here do not realize is, as harsh as this sounds, the reality is that some folks couldn't give a rat's tail about their wedding pictures! They might be happy with a few snapshots made by a friend or relative. They might have a family "cellphone paparazzi" and piece together a coverage or NOT. They also may have the misconception that anyone with a good camera is a good photographer and become very disappointed or even enraged if the results are poorly crafted! These are all realities. It's 2021 FOLKS- this change. Many traditional aspects of weddings and wedding photography have changed radically- some have survived through the generations. The stand for weddg photograph varies greatly as per socioeconomic, religious, and ethnic groups and communities. A true professional knows all of this and will treat each assignment accordingly.

This is only the preface of my "thesis" if I ever get to complete it!

picturemom

I will not be cringing with this wedding. This is a celebration of marriage on a catamaran that is a 2hr slow ride.The captain will say a few words as the couple is already married, but due to covid there was no witnesses or party for this marriage. I am the mother of the groom and will take the pictures and like I said two lenses I own, I will use the 50mm 1.8stm for this Sunset cruise and all the other 20 people will have cellphone cameras to capture what I miss. Thanks for all of your help.

DirtFarmer Loc: Escaped from the NYC area, back to MA

I have said this many times: The quality of the marriage and even the wedding is not determined by the photographs (if any at all). That is entirely up to the celebrants.

The photographs are for the future, the descendants, the relatives, the friends. In that respect they are very valuable.

MrPhotog

Let me urge you to bring a ‘designated friend’ to operate your camera at a few choice moments when YOU should be in front of the lens, instead of behind it. You could do this on the beach before the cruise starts.

Pictures of:
the new family, including you.
You and your son and daughter and law.
You, by yourself or with spouse any companion or friends.

It is not a long list, but it places you at the scene and will become an important part of the pictures your son will enjoy.

Above all: Enjoy the day.

picturemom

Another couple with much better equipment than mine will be there to handle photos

DirtFarmer Loc: Escaped from the NYC area, back to MA

Problem solved

Have fun

14kphotog Loc: Marietta, Ohio

MOM, Keep your cool, enjoy the day, Between what you take and the other guests take, ALL will work out fine. I have survived over 400 weddings, some in much worse venues. Rain could be your worst hazard.

picturemom

I am cool. I am not worried one bit. All I asked for was an opinion on what one of my two lenses to use and a lot of people who wrote went kind of off key.

SteveR Loc: Michigan

Use two camera with two lenses.