Very nice photos David! Your sentiments are right on also. Even after
having done many, many weddings, the stress factor is still there for
me. I think it was someone on this list though that said being nervous
is what keeps you on your toes and produces good photographs. If you
ever get too confident and easy feeling with the whole thing, then your
photos will suffer. And yes, people do not realize how HARD it is to do
really good wedding photography. Make yourself a really good album to
have to display for future clients. People need to SEE what they will
be buying, and that it is far superior to the "average" point and
shooter.
Steve
www.parrottimaging.com
On Apr 27, 2007, at 4:23 PM, David Mitchell wrote:
Hi all,
From time to time someone on this list is asked by a friend to
photograph their wedding, and then they come to the list and ask for
the lists advice. Frequently the list essentially says: 'tell them to
hire a pro, the responsibility is huge and you could ruin your
friendship'.
While this is true, and probably wise, I went ahead and photographed
my friends' wedding recently. I was relatively confident in my
abilities, and having been to a wedding a couple of weeks before I was
able to really think about what I wanted to do.
So here are my experiences of wedding photography:
1) It is stressful - I was rushed off my feet all day. I was knackered
by the end of the day, and I had that constant worry in the back of my
head that my flash would pop or I'd melt a CF card.
2) It is an awesome experience - I was always right in there with the
couple, and was able to fully feel how excited and happy they were to
be getting married. Photographically it is exciting also - you have to
know your camera inside out, and when you pull off the shot it's most
exhilarating.
I found that the stress was all worth it - the most beautiful shots
you see in magazines tend to be from the photographs of the bridal
party after the ceremony, and this is by far the most laid back time.
Time constraints are quite loose, you have the freedom to direct the
bridal party as you like, and you can take the time to control the
light if you need to (having a large silk was absolutely priceless).
The hard parts were getting enough light inside the church (bounce
flash ain't so hot off a 25foot dark wood ceiling) and directing the
family for the formal group photos immediately afterwards.
In all though, I would do it again. I understand now why wedding
photographers charge so much. And for anyone thinking of photographing
for a friend, I would say if you are confident in your abilities then
go for it, I think it has actually helped our friendship. I found
going to the rehearsal a tremendous help as it allowed me to do some
metering and test shots before the big event. Also, scoping out the
venue for bridal photos before hand is equally valuable.
Well, I've gone on long enough. I've picked out a handful of my best
shots. These haven't had the full treatment yet, but they are close,
only a few minor adjustments remain I think. You can see them here -
http://www.bmphoto.co.nz/lightroom_galleries/Weddings/ (comments and
critiques welcome)
Cheers
David
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