cambriaman Loc: Central CA Coast

Given what you describe as your experience, skills and equipment I can only forecast a big family disaster. Don't do it. Remind the family that there is a lot of truth in the old adage: "You get what you pay for."

jwjensen356

In 2003 I attended a wedding that was being serviced by a photographer using a MF camera (SLR Rollei? Hasselblad?) that was making so much noise that the priest stopped the service, telling the photog to go outside. I was on the inside side of the church with my then new Olympus C2100 bridge camera (with a fantastic long zoom lens) and snapped away. Those photos saved the day. The professional took all the exterior shots.

fotoman150

I photographed weddings off an on for 10 years on auto out of ignorance and no one complained. I would never do that now.

You can rent the proper equipment and charge your family member to reimburse you. Rent an extra camera body and two off camera flashes and set them on TTL (auto). Get a 70-200 f2.8 lens.

If you show up with your camera and there is no pro you will become the pro because you have a long lens and you did a good job with the dogs.

Good luck either way. I would do it but I am the type of person that if you say don’t do something I do it just because you told me not to. I am an extreme risk taker.

There is a reason why everyone is saying don’t do it.

Glenn Harve

Some people assume to know what they dont (perhaps the bride and groom in this case). Others with more life experience know there reasons for professionals. There is no substitute for experience.

2666loco

Funny you should ask. I just shot the wedding of a friend yesterday. I used a Nikon D700 FX camera and a Tamron 28-300 mm. I used the built in flash and a Newer 750 XII flash. I used natural light for most of the photos including the cerermony. It was an overcast day on a house boat whit a white cloud sky, which was good for natural light photos. I shot over 200 photos, many with available light at ISO 800, some with the flashes when needed but not during the ceremony. It was a causal affair so flash was OK. Ask the couple if they mind the flash during the ceremony. I forgot the awning was red and will have to compensate for that in Elements. Since the camera is on auto ISO and can go up to ISO 6500, the built in flash is quite capable. I haven't shot many weddings either.

Lessons after looking through the photos: shoot LOTS of photos because things happen so fast you don't have time to look at them on a 3 inch monitor. I shot 200+. If your lucky 25% or more will be really good. Many shows somebody's eyes closed, a moron mouth shot, and other things you don't see until later. I shot matrix metering. Some came out a bit dark probably because of the overcast sky. All are fixable in Adobe Elements, but it takes a lot of time. I think center metering might be good in this situation. Remember extra camera and flash batteries. I didn't have to change my batteries at all. I had a 16GB card and was shooting 12 MP. Women have an extra wire in their head that makes them close their eyes during 80% of photos. Guests usually turn their head away. 212 photos are 1.4 GB at 12 MP.

Since the situation permitted, I took a panorama of where the ceremony was held on the boat.

Good luck. It's all free and can be written to disc when done.

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pappleg

I did weddings as a side job for 35 years to support my desire for photo/darkroom equipment without touching my regular paycheck which belonged rightly to my family not my hobby. The first five were unpaid gigs for friends/family who could not afford a professional otherwise so it was understood that I was not "a pro" but that I would do my best; and I did but I learned some very valuable lessons in those first few. Were I you, in this given circumstance I would decline. If you do, however, choose to do it I'd highly recommend the following: 1-insist that it is Gratis (consider it a wedding gift) and you are going to give it your best shot but you have never done this before and cannot guarantee very good results; 2- Go to the rehearsal so you know what is going to happen when and make certain to introduce yourself to the Celebrant, explain who you are and what you are doing and ask if any restrictions-listen carefully and follow them to the letter; 3-Do the same at the reception with the Host/Hostess and Band/DJ-they will frequently queue you as to what is happening when 4-From a technical standpoint stick with the 18-55 and absolutely rent if you cannot afford the most powerful TTL enabled flash that is compatible with your camera from a knowledgeable dealer and practice using it before wedding day-usually you can get it for a one day rental for a Saturday on friday and return it on monday. Finally, consider this a full workday, work fast and shoot only the formal poses planned in advance and then candids for the rest of the day- I averaged 300-450 shots per wedding deleting only the obvious terrible ones and give them everything on CDs or DVDs at full resolution (JPEG Fine largest file size). Do not agree to put together an album for them-that can be a nightmare!! Good luck regardless of your choice. Pat

ccook2004 Loc: Rockledge FL

I did this once years ago. My husband's niece was getting married in a small ceremony on the beach at sunrise. My husband shot with his camera with color film and I shot with mine in B&W. The photos were very nice and everyone was happy. BUT it was a very small ceremony and hard to mess up a sunrise on the beach. Even after all these years I would not photograph anyone's regular wedding ceremony. We were lucky once.

BHC Loc: Strawberry Valley, JF, USA

On you mark............Get set............NOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!

TFH

Wedding pictures are such a treasured remembrance of one's wedding that it should be left to someone with experience. A less than quality set of wedding pictures will be very disheartening to the married couple.

IDguy Loc: Idaho

Right.

Too bad 99% of the posts do not answer the OP’s question.

Many of us don’t think wedding pictures are such a big deal as to not help your friends out. We think the committment and having your friends enjoy it with you are what weddings are about. Too bad so many people seem to have friends that aren’t.

I’d do it. But I’d now go elsewhere for advice on it. I’m sure that there are a few tips that would help anyone take better wedding pictures; e.g. how to properly expose for images where a lot of white fills the screen. And at least to shoot in RAW (which you usually can’t do with Auto) so you have a better opportunity to adjust exposure and white balance.

IDguy Loc: Idaho

Nah. I had one instamatic wedding picture. My wife and I enjoyed 50 years of happy marriage and never missed a wedding picture.

IDguy Loc: Idaho

Finally someone actually answering the question!

IDguy Loc: Idaho

Ah...another helpful response.

sirlensalot Loc: Arizona

Normally, I would urge you to shoot it. However. In this case, unless it is an outdoor wedding and reception, you are ill equipped. Camera aside, you will need at least one fast lens and one flash. At a minimum, suggest buying a 50/1.8 lens and a manual or dedicated flash. If that is not an
option, suggest politely declining.

hbbozsr

Run, do not walk. Don't do it! Let's stop and think for a second, ask your self a silly question, would you go skydiving without taking any lessons.