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Question: Wedding pictures HELP!!?
I'm taking pictures for my uncle at his wedding next week!. Just all around shots of the ceremony etc!. any advice would be greatly appreciated!! Www@QuestionHome@Com


Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:
It can be a pressure as there is no chance to retake the shots!. But if you have experience with other shots you can pull this off!. First of all go to the churck or at least call it and find out what their policy is on photographs during the service!. In some places its a NO NO !. Even if you are allowed to shoot during the service you probably cannot use a flash there so bump the ISO ( maybe as high as 400 or 800)up and if you have VR use it!. Some people do use programs like Noise Ninja (from PictureCode!.com ) to help with this!.

Get a list of the pictures you need after the wedding from the bride and groom and family for before during and after the ceremony


1 day prior to the wedding date
Charge all camera/flash batteries and make sure you have more than enough batteries on hand!.
Format all memory cards!.
Remove dust from camera body imaging sensors!.
Clean lens elements!.
Pack camera bags/cases with all needed gear!.
Review all your information that you have (hopefully written)!.
Make sure you have accurate directions (if needed),any written information about the details, group shots, etc!. packed in your bag!.
Get a good nights sleep!.

Wedding day, 2-5 hours before the ceremony
Eat something, you may not get a chance later!.
Pack all gear into car!. Double check to see that batteries and memory cards are there!.

Get to the church early and do some scouting!. Take some readings and get a rough idea what white balance setting you need!.


If you are shooting with a flash for these get the flash off the camera if you can, also you can use diffusers to soften the shadows!. Even outdoors flash can be used for fill light so don't forget it there!. Gather everyone togehter that will be in any shot right from the start!. While they’re all sitting there, shoot the formal bride and groom portraits first!. Next shoot the largest groups of people , and then once you’re done with a group (like the grandparents for example), send them off to the reception!. For the large groups remember depth of field and set your aperature to give you the depth you need!. If you have problems with people blinking when you’re ready to shoot the shot, have everybody close their eyes, and then on the count of three have them all open their eyes and smile!. For full body shots think about camera height Standing, Full-Length Portrait: Position your camera on a good tripod at the bride’s waist height Keep your lens straight don’t aim up towards the bride’s face!. 7/8 Shots (from the calf or knee up) - Putyour camera at the bride’s chest level and shoot with your lens straight from there!. For head and shoulders shot put your camera at the bride’s eye level or slightly above!. Be aware of objects behind the people that can look like its growing out of thier heads!. Position the people close in the portraits, if you let them stand where they are comfortable they are usually too far apart!.
If you can sneak some shots in here from a higher vantage point that can be interesting additons to the portraits




At the reception take lots of candids of everyone you can but remember THE BRIDE IS THE CENTER OF ATTENTION!. Oh did I say that too loud !.!.!.!.!. Again have a list of shots they want there!. Cutting the cake, first dance, throwing the bouquet etc!. At the reception your feet are your best zoom!. using long zoom lenses can give you a depth of field that is too shallow, flatten features of the subject, put you out of range of your flash and feel impersonal!. So use a lens long enough that you are not intrusive but not so zoomed out that you have these problems


Bring lots and lots of memory cards
Bring extra batteries
A good tutorial and list of posible shots to take is here
http://www!.dpchallenge!.com/tutorial!.php!?!.!.!.

Another good site to read over is here ( please don't get upset by the word amature in the title no insult was intended )
http://digital-photography-school!.com/bl!.!.!.

Go to your local library now and read some books out there on wedding photography
I hope this helps
Www@QuestionHome@Com

Stay calm, this is a fun thing to do, although it may seem a bit nerve racking!. First off look at some wedding magazines check out poses, look online too at wedding photographers, this is a great way to get ideas, make a list of the shots you NEED to get like the kiss, exchanging of rings!.!.!.and the family shots you need to get like father of bride with wife, grooms family, brides family!.!.!.ect!.!.!.(there can be alot of those) but they are rather easy, that will be the bulk of your posed images, and take time with the bride and groom for their pics, this is where you want to get some good candid ones also, make them act like you aren't even there, as for the guests!.!.!.just random pics of people interacting can always be fun, also pay attention to the dance floor you will get some great shots from that, and when the majority of the people are eating take that time to take detail pics, people don't usually like images of them with their mouth wide open eating food!.!.!.ick!.!.!.but take pics of the decorations details details details and have fun!Www@QuestionHome@Com

1!. Get a list of must have shots from the bride
2!. Check out the lighting before the ceremony
3!. You will probably have to use a higher ISO during the ceremony
4!. Use a medium tele photo lens ( 70-300 works great)
5!. Watch for color casts from stained glass windows
6!. Stand where you have a clear field of view( back of the sanctuary during the ceremony) Front of the sanctuary at the grand entrance( Father walking bride down the aisle)
7!. Figure out how to be 3 places at once! LOL
8!. Use a flash bracket so you can get flash off to the side of and above the lens
9!. If the bride is wearing a white gown- close down 1/2 to one stop ( slightly under expose) to keep the details in the gown and from blowing pout the highlights
10!. Most important- have fun! Weddings are a blast!

http://www!.montezucker!.com/content!.html!?!.!.!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

- Try using black an white not just colour, it can create a really romantic look!.very classy
- Take both posed shoots and natural, by this i mean take photos where everyone is posing but also shots when people are just naturaling talking, you 'll find thatthesee natural shoots will have a fun look to them!.

just take loads of photos, then later on filter out the betteroness!.

hope this helps, remember to have fun when your doing it!.

Siobhan

XXWww@QuestionHome@Com

from my past experience of covering the shoot for 2 weddings::

1!. Charge Properly the batteries!.
2!. Must take some picture of the bride and groom seperately!.
3!. Try to catch the couple moments with their close ones!.
4!. Try to use different colors to get the fill properly!.
5!. Monochrome colors can be used for specific moments!.
6!. Try to focus on the couples eye!. They speak most than anything else in the ceremony!.
7!. Look out for the special smile that couple share together!.
8!. Catch the moody guests reacting to the ceremony!.

Hope it helps you!.Best of Luck!.
Www@QuestionHome@Com

after all the good advice you have had and taken some wonderful shots, check out the web site at www!.jessops!.com where the details can be found of making a book from selected pictures!. a faux leather book XL costs £29!.99 You need to find out the important people to keep in focus !!! keep calm and take pictures which are natural andunusual!. Good luck!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Take photos of EVERYTHING!.

Any shot is worth something, this event is can't be redone!.

Try to bring extra batteries if at all possible!. The worst thing is when you come to a photo shoot with dead batteries!.

Always ask if you think someone doesn't want their photo taken!.

And have fun!


-SarWestMayWww@QuestionHome@Com

take as many as possible not to miss something great

get a lot of just the two fo them, hands, rings, ect!.

close ups of flowers, decor and such to remember the day

candid shots of guestsWww@QuestionHome@Com

Candid, candid, candid!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Excellent answer from Jt C !.!.!. I wholeheartedly agree!Www@QuestionHome@Com