Author Topic: Being the photographer for my sisters wedding! (Read 5685 times)

XEntity · **on:** May 27, 2012, 23:18:41 PM

Being the photographer for my sisters wedding!

on: May 27, 2012, 23:18:41 PM

My sister asked me to be the photographer for her wedding, so my girlfriend (who isn't really in to photography but have been teaching her bits and pieces) and I had a camera each.. I've been a little nervous as Photography is purely a serious hobby for me, I've never taken photos by request and it's a very important day.. But I enjoyed it and the pics have come out well.. I just need to go through them all now, as there are lots of them (50 GB @ 25MB per picture in RAW)

The few shots I've had time to process:

Leah & Kyle's Wedding by Jake Tebbett, on Flickr

Russell · **Reply #1 on:** May 27, 2012, 23:23:15 PM

Re: Being the photographer for my sisters wedding!

Reply #1 on: May 27, 2012, 23:23:15 PM

For someone who hasn't done it before you've got some good photographs there, in fact looking at them I'd say you could just about give up the day job lol!

The big question is though what does you sister think of them?

XEntity · **Reply #2 on:** May 27, 2012, 23:30:37 PM

Re: Being the photographer for my sisters wedding!

Reply #2 on: May 27, 2012, 23:30:37 PM

Cheers mate, it took a lot of preparation and reading up on it to get shot ideas, and the quiet shooting mode on the 7D was great for the shots during the ceremony.

She loved the pictures so all is good

Clock'd 0Ne · **Reply #3 on:** May 28, 2012, 00:49:56 AM

Re: Being the photographer for my sisters wedding!

Reply #3 on: May 28, 2012, 00:49:56 AM

I've seen much worse from so called 'professionals' matey, there are some great shots there, I'd be happy with them too!

addictweb · **Reply #4 on:** May 28, 2012, 01:11:39 AM

Re: Being the photographer for my sisters wedding!

Reply #4 on: May 28, 2012, 01:11:39 AM

Awesome pics, I'm sure she'll be really happy.

I found the following Lightroom pre-set pack awesome for Weddings, also speeds up post processing no end:

http://www.presetsheaven.com/2009/02/19/8-epic-lightroom-presets-for-weddings/

zpyder · **Reply #5 on:** May 28, 2012, 07:17:58 AM

Re: Being the photographer for my sisters wedding!

Reply #5 on: May 28, 2012, 07:17:58 AM

I reckon if you used those as an example on a wedding photography portfolio website you'd end up with brides and grooms-to-be throwing their money at you

I think I'm doing my first wedding in August, and I doubt I'll get anything anywhere near as good!

Clock'd 0Ne · **Reply #6 on:** May 28, 2012, 09:41:29 AM

Re: Being the photographer for my sisters wedding!

Reply #6 on: May 28, 2012, 09:41:29 AM

Quote from: addictweb on May 28, 2012, 01:11:39 AM

Awesome pics, I'm sure she'll be really happy.

I found the following Lightroom pre-set pack awesome for Weddings, also speeds up post processing no end:

http://www.presetsheaven.com/2009/02/19/8-epic-lightroom-presets-for-weddings/

I reckon it's all too easy to go over the top with things like those, I personally wouldn't want lots of black & white/sepia type shots for my wedding for instance (I could do that myself later if I wanted to play around). Tweaking levels to make the sky brighter and things like that I can understand but one's like the 'natural skin' that makes people look dead is a step too far

XEntity · **Reply #7 on:** May 28, 2012, 19:24:29 PM

Re: Being the photographer for my sisters wedding!

Reply #7 on: May 28, 2012, 19:24:29 PM

Quote from: Clock'd 0Ne on May 28, 2012, 09:41:29 AM

Quote from: addictweb on May 28, 2012, 01:11:39 AM
Awesome pics, I'm sure she'll be really happy.

I found the following Lightroom pre-set pack awesome for Weddings, also speeds up post processing no end:

http://www.presetsheaven.com/2009/02/19/8-epic-lightroom-presets-for-weddings/

I reckon it's all too easy to go over the top with things like those, I personally wouldn't want lots of black & white/sepia type shots for my wedding for instance (I could do that myself later if I wanted to play around). Tweaking levels to make the sky brighter and things like that I can understand but one's like the 'natural skin' that makes people look dead is a step too far

I've had a quick look at this and most are a bit OTT, although the B&W preset is actually quite nice.. My sister wont be doing any changes to the pics once I have given them to her.. so will have a play with all of the ones I pick out, some will be minor changes, like slight crop changes or rotation, and a few I'll spend a bit more time on. It'll take a while but worth it in the end..

Quote from: zpyder on May 28, 2012, 07:17:58 AM

I reckon if you used those as an example on a wedding photography portfolio website you'd end up with brides and grooms-to-be throwing their money at you

I think I'm doing my first wedding in August, and I doubt I'll get anything anywhere near as good!

I'm sure you'll do fine mate, just make sure you prepare with all the shots you want to take. If you've got someone who can help out and get people organised it's very helpful, if not use some of the grooms men and be prepared to shout and order people around!

I'd have liked to have had more time to take a few more of the couple in the grounds but time ran out unfortunately, as had a big list of things that would have looked good, and those shots are far more interesting than the standard group shots..

My setup was the below, but can't remember if you are still using the 7D or went for the 5D, if so I know there are some slightly better choice lenses on the full frame body:

7D + Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM + Canon 430 EX + Diffuser (Standard photos)
500D + Canon EF 100 mm f/2.8 + Canon 420 EX + Diffuser (For the longer more natural shots)
Plus spare memory cards, batteries (camera and flash), Tripod (Tripod was optional really, but I needed to be in some of the shots

)

Mongoose · **Reply #8 on:** May 28, 2012, 20:08:57 PM

Re: Being the photographer for my sisters wedding!

Reply #8 on: May 28, 2012, 20:08:57 PM

top job, the happy couple should be really pleased with those!

bear · **Reply #9 on:** May 28, 2012, 21:49:46 PM

Re: Being the photographer for my sisters wedding!

Reply #9 on: May 28, 2012, 21:49:46 PM

In wedding pics composition are more importent than picture quality IMHO and I think you did well at least the top four

Mongoose · **Reply #10 on:** May 28, 2012, 23:34:38 PM

Re: Being the photographer for my sisters wedding!

Reply #10 on: May 28, 2012, 23:34:38 PM

Quote from: zpyder on May 28, 2012, 07:17:58 AM

I reckon if you used those as an example on a wedding photography portfolio website you'd end up with brides and grooms-to-be throwing their money at you

I think I'm doing my first wedding in August, and I doubt I'll get anything anywhere near as good!

you may surprise yourself, you have a good eye for a picture. I know you'll put the work in and do your homework before hand, as someone who's done two weddings (hardly an expert, but I've been where you are now), I'd say the most important thing is to manage the expectations. Be very clear that you're not a pro wedding photographer (unless of course that's what you're wanting to become) that way when you show them a good selection of quality amateur shots, they'll be delighted that you did better than they could have rather than disapointed that you're not the worlds best most award winning wedding pro.

Dave · **Reply #11 on:** May 29, 2012, 00:09:14 AM

Re: Being the photographer for my sisters wedding!

Reply #11 on: May 29, 2012, 00:09:14 AM

Some nice shots there - I brought my DSLR to a friend's wedding summer before last - got a few of the typical wedding shots as per above but also got a fair few drunken shots later on in the evening after the official photographer had gone home - they seemed to appreciate some of the drunken ones as obv, in this case, the wedding photographer had already produced a set of the traditional photos. Taking photos at weddings is great fun though I'm not sure I'd want the sole responsibility of being the main photographer unless there was another photographer to work with...

Dave · **Reply #12 on:** May 29, 2012, 00:16:44 AM

Re: Being the photographer for my sisters wedding!

Reply #12 on: May 29, 2012, 00:16:44 AM

FWIW do you have a copy of light room or other noise reduction software? no 2 and 3 were presumably taken with quite a high ISO setting (were you using ambient light for those?) and look slightly noisy - might be worth processing them further before printing.

Mongoose · **Reply #13 on:** May 29, 2012, 07:24:12 AM

Re: Being the photographer for my sisters wedding!

Reply #13 on: May 29, 2012, 07:24:12 AM

Quote from: Dave on May 29, 2012, 00:09:14 AM

Some nice shots there - I brought my DSLR to a friend's wedding summer before last - got a few of the typical wedding shots as per above but also got a fair few drunken shots later on in the evening after the official photographer had gone home - they seemed to appreciate some of the drunken ones as obv, in this case, the wedding photographer had already produced a set of the traditional photos. Taking photos at weddings is great fun though I'm not sure I'd want the sole responsibility of being the main photographer unless there was another photographer to work with...

Agree, it's always best if there's two of you. The two that I've done, I did one with my Dad (also an enthusiastic amateur), and one with my Wife (not really a photographer, but she took my second DSLR plus a few pointers and produced some pretty good shots). The drunken shots later on always go down well too, I like to take my 50mm F1.4 for "Available darkness" photography on the dancefloor.

XEntity · **Reply #14 on:** May 29, 2012, 20:35:47 PM

Re: Being the photographer for my sisters wedding!

Reply #14 on: May 29, 2012, 20:35:47 PM

Quote from: Dave on May 29, 2012, 00:09:14 AM

Some nice shots there - I brought my DSLR to a friend's wedding summer before last - got a few of the typical wedding shots as per above but also got a fair few drunken shots later on in the evening after the official photographer had gone home - they seemed to appreciate some of the drunken ones as obv, in this case, the wedding photographer had already produced a set of the traditional photos.

Yep I've got those ones too, and some pretty nice and funny shots

Quote from: Dave on May 29, 2012, 00:16:44 AM

FWIW do you have a copy of light room or other noise reduction software? no 2 and 3 were presumably taken with quite a high ISO setting (were you using ambient light for those?) and look slightly noisy - might be worth processing them further before printing.

Good spot, yeah all processed in LR so will get those sorted when I give her the printable versions, I wasn't allowed to use a flash in the main ceremony and it was actually pretty dark in there!

Quote from: Mongoose on May 29, 2012, 07:24:12 AM

Agree, it's always best if there's two of you. The two that I've done, I did one with my Dad (also an enthusiastic amateur), and one with my Wife (not really a photographer, but she took my second DSLR plus a few pointers and produced some pretty good shots). The drunken shots later on always go down well too, I like to take my 50mm F1.4 for "Available darkness" photography on the dancefloor.

I had my girlfriend on the second camera, who I've been training up, and was quite quite good as she had the longer range and everyone would notice me going round and not pay as much attention to her, so got some more natural shots. I used the 50mm 1.8 on the more drunken shots, although used a bit of bounced flash with the power turned down a little..

Zpyder I'm sure your photos will be really good, if you don't use Lightroom it's certainly good for the post processing and a little quicker than Photoshop for the standard tweaks and doesn't change the original shots, and integrates in to PS if you want to make some more hardcore edits

Last Edit: May 29, 2012, 20:38:44 PM by XEntity #187;

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Author Topic: Being the photographer for my sisters wedding! (Read 5685 times)