JoAnn

need a little help. Going to be shooting my first wedding. I have a cannon rebel 3 camera. What will be the best settings for the church. AV,TV? Can't shoot in raw because I don't have the right software for my puter. It' old. Really nervous!! Help!!

skidooman Loc: Minnesota

I'm afraid you are asking for trouble here JoAnn. You will no doubt get responses ranging from "If you have to ask these type of questions, you should not be photographing a wedding" to the good hearted "you have to start somewhere, good luck". There are so many things to say here,,I will only touch on a couple.

Understanding this is your 1st wedding,,,I'm going to ask you a couple of questions.

Have you ever been a second shooter at a wedding, so you have at least some experience shooting a wedding?

Are you charging a fee for doing this?? If you are, you should not have to ask questions like these.

If this is a freebie for friends or family,,,are they aware of your inexperience?? Are they ok with the possibility they may not get what they are expecting from you?

You mention a rebel 3 camera,,,pretty low end to do any wedding work with. What kind of lenses, lighting, spare equipment do you have. Doesn't sound like any,,and you need spares, lights and lenses to do the job correctly.

I don't mean to sound harsh, but based solely on your post,,you should not be doing a wedding. At a minimum, you need to know your equipment better (so not to ask such fundamental questions as these),,have better equipment to include lighting and lenses. And finally experience,,gained through OJT as a second shooter and/or assistant.

A more thourough disclosure of equipment and experience may get you a more endearing response,,but I doubt it.

I'm saying these things to you as a wedding photographer myself. I know from experience what can happen to equipment, the stresses involved and the knowledge needed from equipment use and posing to successfully do a wedding, not just to be unkind.

Festina Lente Loc: Florida & Missouri

This is good advice from skidooman.
Consider the consequences if you innocently end up ruining the couple's special day with less than perfect images and options.
Good wedding photographers have a lot of experience, carry spare everything (most importantly a spare camera), and plan ahead with a list of photos needed, etc.

This is not as easy as it seems or sounds. If this is your first time, well, I suggest you seriously reconsider being the main photographer.

Jay Pat Loc: Round Rock, Texas, USA

Listening in....

roger2012 Loc: Chichester West Sussex UK

My advice don't do it you have not got the experience and if it is family and they turn out rubbish you will never live it down. After all it is a memorable day and cannot be repeated leave it to the professional's

jjestar Loc: Savannah GA

You should be nervous!! If you cant work with raw files your in trouble. If you have to ask Av or Tv your in trouble. If you do not have any off camera flash your in trouble.
If you are charging them, they are in trouble. The list goes on, Trouble, Trouble, Trouble.

zneb240 Loc: New South Wales - Australia

As a photographer with more than 40 years experience, I'm afraid I have to agree wholeheatedy with everyone else. Wedding photography is not like snapshots of folks down at the local church with a few shots in the park beforehand. What if it rains etc. etc. etc. Wedding photography it is a very specialised genre requiring many well developed and practiced skills, not only technical but people skills, organisational skills, problem solving, blah, blah, blah. Not being rude or anything, but bringing lasting peace to the Middle East would be easier for the totally inexperienced shooter. Best advice I could give would be fess up to the folks you probably committed to and tell them you sought advice and now have some misgivings. Nothing wrong with that. (my mantra: when in doubt - tell the truth). By way of support, why not print off these replies and show them to convince them if necessary, then turn up and enjoy the day. If you decide to go ahead - good luck. Just hope the bride's mother is happy at the end of the not to be repeated day!!(gulp). :shock:

smc

have to reply, good for you for having the ----s to try, however do study and read tips before you do it and if possible go to the venues if you can and practice shooting to get the lighting just right. Do go the same time of day so you have a better idea of what to expect. Good luck!

hlmichel Loc: New Hope, Minnesota

Not to be mean, but pretty much every topic you have started has been a question on the basics of your camera.

You also mention in another post that you have to use a monopod as you have a bad foot and can't stand for very long.

I've been asked to shoot weddings and I've always said no.

PNagy Loc: Missouri City, Texas

You didn't say what lens you are using, and if you have a good speedlite flash unit. I will assume you do, without which your images will suffer. Below is a list for guidance:

1. Bounce the flash off the wall or the ceiling. Direct flash will give you harsh shadows which are difficult or impossible to remove.

2. Avoid blurring random gesture people make by setting the camera to 1/160 sec. shutter speed.

3. Go the location early to practice settings on your camera to make sure they will work. For many of the shots you will have no second chance, yet your clients will want them. Especially be sure not to miss the exposure and focus on the posed shots immediately after the wedding.

4. Shoot many shots of the bride and groom and the people most closely related to them.

5. Try to shoot all the guests, including some shots of them during the ceremony, but especially during the reception. Get them to look at the camera during the reception, otherwise the shots will often look too dull.

6. Meet with the bride and groom before the event and draw up a list of shots they absolutely have to have. At the event make every attempt to include all those shots.

7. Be sure you have plenty of battery power for your camera(s) and flash unit(s).

I didn't say anything about the lens, because it appears you are going with whatever you have. It is best to have two: a 24-70mm and a 16-36mm both of them F2.8. That assumes carrying a second camera body. It is best also to have a second shooter. I also did not mention the need to hire a second shooter for the most crucial part of the event; the ceremony itself through the posed pictures immediately afterward. Good luck.

sidney Loc: London.Eng.

If it.s for a friend.thats the best way to lose him/her.
ADVICE: Do not do this wedding judging by your
information..they will not be happy...

EstherP

I have also been asked to "do" a wedding - that of our step-granddaughter's. I am very much looking forward to it.
Right now, I am trying to read everything there is to be read about wedding photography and am taking notes of those items that I absolutely have to remember.
The wedding is not till August, so I have lots of time to discuss with the bride: What images HAVE to be taken: beside the obvious, I'm also thinking of what family members need to be included.
The wedding will take place about 750 km from our home, and for that reason we will be going there at least several days before the wedding, so that I can visit the church, the reception hall, the park, etc. hopefully around the same time of day as the events themselves. And also hopefully with similar weather. I'll then be taking a number of test-shots, with different lenses and at different settings and check them out on my laptop. If necessary, I can go back a second time to try other settings.
Hiring a professional is not an option for this couple, and the bride has seen some of the pictures I took at other family weddings, but as a guest.
I am very excited about this assignment, and plan to do the very best I possible can.
I will post a few pictures afterwards, in August!
EstherP

big-guy Loc: Peterborough Ontario Canada

I disagree with this response. I say go for it BUT be brutally honest to the families beforehand. Again, BE BRUTALLY HONEST BEFOREHAND! Tell them of your inexperience as a wedding and photographer. I shot my first wedding of my best friend but he was fully aware of my limitations and accepted the oh so less than perfect photos I produced. Yes we are still best friends more than 40 years later. I did learn from the experience and decided to take a p/t job at a local studio. After 2 years of shooting second I had the knowledge and confidence to shoot as first. It's been a fantastic experience over the years. I'm glad I did it. No regrets.

CaptainC Loc: Colorado, south of Denver

Surely, after asking those questions you are not charging for this. You can not ask for "settings" on a forum and expect to have any answer have any bearing on your specific session.

If this is just a lark for friends, well....fine.Go have fun. If they expect great images of their special day, you are most likely the wrong choice. You don't need "settings" you need some training and experience, a better camera and an up-to-date computer.

skidooman Loc: Minnesota

It's nice of you to photograph your step-granddaughters wedding and I'm glad you are looking forward to it. I'll just say that it's unfortunate you won't be able to truly enjoy the event by relaxing, visiting and just have fun,,,since you will be working. And from the sounds of your post, you will be working hard for her to provide a quality product.

I ONCE did a family wedding for my nephew as a gift,,and vowed to never do another family wedding. Couldn't relax, visit with family I hadn't seen for some time, or just plain enjoy myself. I wish you the best :)