I got thrown into this type of photography last year... it was hairy at best but it certainly taught me a lot.
Here's what I learned: "standard" shots are basic. Most of the time the bride and groom already have it in their head what they want and who they want in their "standard" photos. If not, I group as follows: Bride and Groom Bride and Groom and Wedding Party Bride and Groom and Brides Parents Bride and Groom and Grooms Parents (etc. etc. etc.) you get the idea Get the WHOLE gown.. head to toe and leave enough room above and below the bride's head - they've spent HOURS getting ready and getting into that dress so the whole dress should be photographed in my opinion :) I try to (if I have one available) shoot these on a medium format camera (last year, it was the Pentax 645n - this year, it may be a used Hasselblad 500 C/M) The "Oh my God that's a photo op" shots I usually do on 35mm because it's easier to handle, quick to shoot and has a longer duration between reloads (36 shots vs 12 for the Hassy with a 120 back) ASK ASK ASK the couple what they like/prefer/want - especially if you're doing this as a "friend" of theirs for little or no cash - I know that there are definite pros out there that charge upwards of $4,000 CDN for a wedding - I'd expect they already have well laid out packages and a paid assistant to load/reload etc. If you're like me, it's you, your cameras and your film :) If you are in doubt of any shot, take it 2 or 3 times to be sure and bracket as much as possible. Don't hesitate to use fill flash if you're unsure as long as the sync speed is decent. I was lucky in a test run this year with the LX (which seems to somehow get great exposure due to the OTF exposuring) and even the 1/75 sync worked "ok" (ideally, in daylight, 1/250 - 1/500 would be better depending on film I would think). The couples liked the stuff I took.. they also liked the fact that I could enjoy myself while snapping away - the last thing couples want is a stressed out, flippant and upset photographer... like anything else - your attitude comes out in the final product. Good luck :) Cheers, Dave -------------------------------------------------------------------- mail2web - Check your email from the web at http://mail2web.com/ . - This message is from the Pentax-Discuss Mail List. To unsubscribe, go to http://www.pdml.net and follow the directions. Don't forget to visit the Pentax Users' Gallery at http://pug.komkon.org .
