My freind wants me to photograph her wedding! What do I do?

Question: My freind wants me to photograph her wedding! What do I do!?

I just play around with my SLRs!. Nothing really serious!. What can I do to get ready for this wedding!? She has money problems so that is why she isn't hiring a professional!.

How do I know what to do during a wedding!? Is there anything I am supposed to shoot before!? After!? Help please!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:

Generally, these are the things a photographer is responsible for at a wedding:

-Taking photos while members of the wedding party are getting ready, like the bride having her makeup done, the groomsmen hanging out, etc!.
-Taking photos of the entire wedding party (including pictures of just the bride and the maids, the groom and the men, bride with parents, bride and groom with parents, the entire party all together!.!.!. etc) either before the ceremony or after the ceremony before the reception (depending on when the ceremony is scheduled for and whether or not the bride is ok with the groom seeing her before the wedding)
-Taking photos during the ceremony of the wedding party assembling and completely assembled, of the bride walking down the aisle, of the father handing over the bride, of the couple saying vows, of the kiss, of them leaving the ceremony site!.
-Taking photos during the reception of guests, people having fun, the band or dj, the first dance, the cutting of the cake, the wedding party at their table, etc!.

Look at wedding photographers' portfolios to see what they have photos of!. Discuss with the bride what she expects and what schedule she has planned for the wedding day!. Explain to her that you are not a professional but you will do your best to capture the memories of the event, because that's usually what people want!. Since you're not a pro, you might try more for capturing moments and spontaneous portraits rather than trying to stage everything!. also, for arranging people for formal photographs, be sure to look at other photographer's work!.

Here are some good wedding photographers:
http://www!.kelley-photo!.com/ - more artsy type photos
http://www!.amaples!.com/ - more traditional photos

You could also check out wedding planning sites!. They will have lots of photos of weddings and links to wedding photograhers!. Here's my favourite: http://www!.theknot!.com

Hope that helped and good luck with your photographic endeavours!Www@QuestionHome@Com

It's rough as an amateur to be asked to shoot a good friend's wedding!. I know, I've been there!. It's an incredibly important occasion and its easy to fill up with self-doubt!. The best thing to do is to be up front with your friend from the beginning!. Find out exactly what it is that they're expecting and make sure that both they and yourself know your limitations!. They should at least cover your costs if not a little extra for the time and stress (and believe me, you will get stressed)!.

As a wedding photographer you will typically take only a handful of shots during the ceremony, mostly catching the highlights such as the procession, the kiss, the signing of the license and the recession!. Afterwards you and the wedding party will probably go to a location of their choosing to have some formal portraits taken (usually in a park, garden or some other such pretty place)!. At the reception you can shoot some candids of the guests, the toasts and the cutting of the cake!.

Basically, communication is key!. Talk to your friend and find out exactly what they want to capture so that there isn't any ambiguity on the big day!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Ok, breathe!. My sister hired a photographer who was really reasonable price wise, and she was really good!. I'll try to remember most of the things she did before, during, and after the wedding!.

She showed up early and went in to take pictures of everyone getting ready, like bride, bridesmaids, groom, groomsmen, and also the parents helping with the bride and groom!.

During the wedding she had the bridesmaids, groomsmen, and bride and groom pause at a particular place coming in the church for her to take pictures of!. She stayed at the front of the church and took some pictures during the ceremony, but you also have afterwards to stage shots!.

After the wedding she had posed group shots of the bridal party which you can do while guests go to the reception!. After that, she spent time just hanging around the reception doing more candid shots of the guests and bridal party!. Hope this helps!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

You should suggest that she invites all her friends to help with photographs!.

Take moment to sit down and ask her what she wants you to capture!. While you are chatting tell her you are not a professional photographer but you would like to help!. Make a list, laminate it and attach it to your tripod for reference on the day!.

Weddings are very difficult to shoot for professional photographers who are expected to provide flawless images of every key stage of the wedding and reception!.

If I didn't have money and this was my wedding I would ask all my friends to come armed with cameras and pick from a broad spectrum of photographs!.

This is the best way to get everything covered with the least amount of stress and not having to place all the responsibility for the wedding photographs on on just one friend!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

dont do it
it takes training and experience to do it properly and if you muck it up you will lose a friend, remember its the one shoot you cant repeat a few days later if things go wrong!. imagine if you can an average of one hundred people all emotional, usually drunk and you have to control them and still do a quality job, i kid you not, that is the average wedding party!.
any good wedding photographer will only charge the bride and groom at cost and make their profit from the guests, find someone like this for your friend and you will be doing them a big favourWww@QuestionHome@Com

I agree with tom, tell her to hire a pro!. and then you can practice and if she likes your then awesome, and if your don't turn out then its not a big deal!. I would recommend reading "The Digital Photography Book" by Scott Kelby it has a great section about wedding photography!! also I am sure they have books just about how to photograph a wedding so I would read some of those too!! also make sure to not only capture the action and the main events but also the little things that most people miss!. The shoes the bride is going to wear, the flowergirl before the wedding, the guest!.!.!. the little detials!!Www@QuestionHome@Com

You're going to need two cameras and two off camera strobes, lots of batteries and!.!.(is this film or digital!?) media!. You need to have your flashes on a bracket over the lens and the cord that syncs them OR a couple of Gary Fong Light Spheres!. (my favorite!)

Catch her getting ready and with parents, do formals and Candida!. Zoom in on some details and get the flowers and invitations close up!. Do the bride alone and in limo!. Talk to who is officiating the wedding and learn when and where you will be allowed to shoot!. Bring a tripod for non flash exposures if you do not have image stabilization lenses!. Do every one of the wedding party entering church as well as bride and grooms mom's being escorted in!. Get father kissing bride and ceremony!. Then first kiss!. Do all exiting and groups, bride and groom and groom alone as well as with family and grooms men!.

At the reception do the entring, first dance, parents dance, parties dancing, garter, bouquet and cake stuff!.

My best piece of advice, insist she go to a studio for a few formals that day JUST IN CASE!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Go to http://www!.adorama!.com and click on AIRC - Adorama Imaging Resource Center and you'll find tutorials on wedding photography!.

I hope you have an off-camera flash that allows for bounce flash!. If not, buy a diffuser like the ones offered by Gary Fong!.

Attend the rehearsal if there is one!. That way you'll know where to be and when!. If there isn't a rehearsal then check out the church anyway!.

Just relax as best you can and hope for the best!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Go for it! It will be fun and I am sure he/she will greatly appreciate it!.

Ok!. Well you want to get to her house early!. You need to get some shots of her getting ready!. (putting on her veil, with her bride's maids, putting on her shoes!.!.!.!. etc!.) If you can get the groom getting ready too!.!.!. that would be great but if not !.!.!. don't worry!. The bride is more important!.!.!.jajaja!.!.!. Those would be considered the prep pictures!.

You then want to follow her to the ceremony!. Make sure to get all the bridal party!. Don't worry about getting perfect poses!. Get natural poses!. Those are the best and they capture moments were people are relaxed!. They are truly the best, believe me!.

Make sure to get the bride walking down the isle! Very important!!!

During the ceremony capture important moments like the vows and the first kiss!.

At the reception!.!.!. don't worry!. Like I said get natural pictures!. They are the best!.!.!.!. they capture emotions and not poses!

Hope this helped! Good luck!.!.!.and just remember that you are helping out your friend on the most important day of his/her life! Priceless!Www@QuestionHome@Com

i think you should decline her offer and tell her that you would rather that she finds a professional or tell her that you can supplement the pro photographer; while you are there you check out the equipment that the pro photographer uses, learn what shots are essential, and pick up some hints that can help in your photography!. who knows, maybe you'll get some great shots that the photographer might miss!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Make sure to get her entering the church, during the church while the priest is talking, saying their vows, the kissing of the bride and groom, them running out of the church, cutting the cake, ect!. You pretty much have to capture everything to make sure you get the perfect shots!.!.!.good luckWww@QuestionHome@Com

There are so many websites that give you tips!.!.!.too many to list!.!.!.browse through and pick a few based on your experience level: http://www!.google!.com/search!?hl=en&q=how!.!.!.

This is a good gift for your friend, since she cannot afford a professional!! Have fun; maybe you will be great and end up with a part time career on your hands!!Www@QuestionHome@Com

Well if your going to do it first make sure they know your skill level and if their cool with it then this link (1st link) should help guide you through the ceremony!. Another suggestion would be for you to look at wedding photography (2nd link) in the mean time to get an idea of how they are shot!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Perki knows her stuff!.!.!.!.listen to her!
also - go to the rehersal!.!.!.it will give you a chance to:
Know where to be!.!.!.
Understand the lighting!.!.!.
Know who all the family members are!.!.!.
Get others in the wedding party comfortable with you around!.!.!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Say NO!.
She needs to hire a PRO!.
But you can also play with your camera while there,
That way if your pics suck, she won't be mad!.
If your pics are Better, she'll be thrilled!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Pass!. But do offer to shoot the honeymoon!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

I have to agree with the first answer, it may be best if you pass!. Weddings are a once-in-a-lifetime thing, there's no do-over if you had a camera setting wrong, your memory card becomes corrupted, your film becomes damaged, or you just don't get the shots that she wanted!. If you accidently shoot the the wife and groom at the altar with your focus incorrect, that image will always be an out-of-focus shot and everyone will have to live with that!. Seriously, there's nothing wrong with passing, a serious photographer knows their capabilities, and if you have not had any training in weddings, I would not advise taking the job!.

If she hires a photographer, what you could do is act as the "Second shooter!." This person basically covers what the main photographer doesn't and offers a new style in the images as well!. As an example, if the photographer is focusing on the bride and groom, the second may turn their attention to the family and friends during this time!. Of course, you'd need to talk to your friend and the photographer, but if you've no experience, taking a secondary role may be best for everyone (And you'll get some great experience in wedding photography at the same time)!.

I apologize that I couldn't really give a step-by-step guide of what to do if you took the job, this really isn't my area of expertise and don't want to mislead you into thinking that it is, just a second opinion on Tom's answer is all!. One parting piece of advice is that an amatuer photographer is better than none at all (but seriously, try to avoid it), and that if you must take the job, take a lot of pictures, and save at least one version of each image in RAW if using digital!. A lot can mean thousands; if you don't have a memory card(s) that can allow you take that many, then get one!. If you're shooting film, ensure that you have enough money to buy multiple rolls of film!. I know that's a lot of photos, but I may take 900 shots to get one or two that are what I wanted, I would imagine that the same would apply to weddings!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Tell your friend that as a novice wedding shooter, your photos will not likely be what she is picturing, and might not be very good at all!. Urge her to try to get a professional, at least for the ceremony and formals!. It may be that is impossible for her, though, but make sure you control her expectations!.

If you're determined to give it a whirl, here you go!.

http://www!.rokkorfiles!.com/Wedding101-pa!.!.!.

Great first wedding tutorial, but it assumes you are a somewhat advanced amateur!.

If you don't know how to shoot manual, this is not the time to start!. Shoot on Program and alter your exposure comp as needed!. Learn how to read your histogram and keep checking it for blown highlights!.

also go to www!.photo!.net!. Check the archives in the "Wedding and Social Event" forum for beginner and first timers and you will have quite a bit of reading to do!.

Get a backup camera of some sort, even if it's a point & shoot!. You say SLRs, as plural!. If you have a film SLR, I'd use Portra 160nc or 400nc and shoot the formals with film!. Film is more forgiving of exposure and highlight capture!.

Browse a lot of wedding photographer sites and get an idea of the kinds of shots that are being done by the pros!. Make note of the poses and practice posing some friends for formals!. Get lots of people pics, including many of the B&G together, hopefully outdoors in great light!. If inside ceremony, take a tripod!. You may not be allowed to flash during the ceremony!. Take more film/memory/batteries than you think you'll need!. Shoot lots of frames, but edit a lot!. 200 to 400 edited images is plenty to cover a wedding, if you're digital you'll probably shoot more than that, but take out the poor ones and only present the better ones to the B&G!.

Good luck!. Many people can't afford thousands of dollars (or even several hundred) for a wedding!. Lots of wedding pros and semi-pros shot their first one under similar circumstances, (including myself about 30 years ago!) Study up, practice, keep your wits and sense of humor, and wear comfortable shoes!. Hope it all goes well and everyone is happy with the result!.Www@QuestionHome@Com