Wedding advice

[sabbath18]

I have been asked to take some pictures at a friends wedding this weekend,not as the main photographer as someone else is covering this role(not pro). I would still like to make the best job possible though. i will be using my Nikon D5000 with kit 18-55 & 55-200 lenses,plus only onboard flash. could anybody give advice to:

best settings for outdoor pictures :- M/S/A/P or AUTO to be safe.

how to get the best results indoors at reception from my flash without ending up with those horrible shadows you always get from onboard flash.

As i say i am not the main photographer so not quite so much pressure, but i still want to do the best i can.

many thanks in advance.

[Davidd]

I've been where you are Clive, and have since graduated to being main photographer. There has been lots of discussion and advice here in the past, in archived threads. Briefly, I would recommend playing safe, as this is the biggest day of that couple's lives and there's no second chance. If you're worried about settings then this suggests Program or Auto mode to me. At least you'll get some safe pics on the card and you can modify later to your heart's content (assuming you shoot in RAW, which is the way to go). As you say, the onboard flash is going to create those shadows. You may well find that you can raise the ISO on your D5000 (I have one myself as my back-up camera) sufficiently for you to get decent shots using just the interior lighting, especially if you have daylight through windows, though it will help if you have a tripod or monopod .... You'll get some noise but that can be reduced in processing, shadows would be more of a problem. If you do this, don't use auto as the flash will pop up automatically - use Program or Aperture Priority.

Good luck!

[RonH]

I have been asked to take some pictures at a friends wedding this weekend,not as the main photographer as someone else is covering this role ....

Lets hope that the main photographer turns up
Some months ago, I attended a friend's wedding. I took along my Nikon D3000 hoping to get the odd good pic for our album but horror of horror's I ended up in the photo hot spot ... no official photographer. Couldn't 'hide' my camera fast enough (everyone else had 'pocket camera's) so I ended up with a 'responsibility' to do my best as the 'official'. Did OK by virtually using up my battery but would not like to repeat this experience. Was a rather busy day and a lot of hard deleting & editing afterwards

Good luck at your friend's wedding

[Geoff F]

This has been discussed previously, many times, so you may find these answers useful

Oh, help - wedding photog request.

[The Blue Boy]

Hi Clive, welcome to CiC.

Since your not gonna be the main 'tog, this will allow you to take a few shots "outside the box". I find that nowadays nearly all the guests have cameras anyway and most of the shots you'd normally take are exact doubles as ones showing up on facebook a few days later. I've shot quite a few weddings in my time and all the formula shots bore me to death. So, a few tips that have really worked well for over the years. It's the brides day and she is the only person to please. So here's a top tip, shoot all her bridesmaids and keep a look out for some killer candids. Here's one that made the bride in question cry. In a good way, 'o'course.



Hope this helps.

[sabbath18]

davidd.............thanks for the tips.

Ron H........... i dont even want to think of that one.

The Blue Boy........... this is what im hoping for,candids and the unexpected.(great pic by the way).


as i said i wont be the main photographer so no real pressure.

again many thanks to you all.

[Davidd]

Make sure you enjoy yourself anyway Clive - despite all the warnings, when else do you get the opportunity to take photos of people all day when they're looking their best and they don't mind?

[Wirefox]

Wedding advice

Its best not to introduce her to the Wonder Woman outfit and the handcuffs on the wedding night. Oh and remove you socks before your trousers. Other than that have fun and don't let her mother watch

I do have some serious advice but I have to dash...Wonder Woman is demanding her dinner

[Wirefox]

Clive, you have a great opportunity to shoot journalistic/documentary style shots. At the wedding breakfast particularly. I used a 28-200 and flash bouncing off the ceiling and using a half snoot to get more accurate bounce. If you have a fast zoom so much the better. These shots were taken from about 25ft and the couple (my brother and his wife) were never once conscious of the camera. This is a great opportunity to get the candid shots that the couple look back on with far more affection than the staged shots. You will be able to make a far better job I had only had a DSLR for a couple of months

Heres a LINK to the homemade modifiers (including half snoot). You can also use white magifoam to form a bounce card using self-adhesive velcro (it comes off the flash unit very easily when you no longer need it)

[Katy Noelle]

Oh, pure joy! (but, I was wondering how in the world that first dude could be your brother - he doesn't look a thing like!)

[Davidd]

Yes, the reactions to the speeches - can't beat 'em! This is a bride and her Dad and Mum and sister falling about to the best man's speech. I managed to get them with faces separated out. A gorgeous bride is a great asset of course! Just to mention that I took this using just the natural light from the south facing window opposite the top table - I recommend checking out the location of windows and promising light sources as soon as you get to the venue, Clive - you'll be able to plan ahead a little.