Comments on: Note to Self – 3 things I wish I’d done differently in my last wedding http://www.digital-photography-school.com/note-to-self-3-things-i-wish-id-done-differently-in-my-last-wedding Discover how to use your digital camera with our Digital Photography Tips. We are a community of photographers of all experience levels who come together to learn, share and grow in our understanding of photography. Tue, 14 Feb 2012 18:23:44 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Sianysian http://www.digital-photography-school.com/note-to-self-3-things-i-wish-id-done-differently-in-my-last-wedding/comment-page-2#comment-209703 Sianysian Fri, 16 Sep 2011 11:59:25 +0000 http://digital-photography-school.com/?p=15615#comment-209703 This has to be one of the greatest pages ever. Thank you so much to EVERYONE for the advice but mainly for the words.'.what I got wrong was.'. It has put me at ease that even the really good photographers don't always nail it on the day. I have done 3 weddings so far and I find the light in the church sooo hard to get right. However, I practised over and over in churches and finally sorted the light issue. I had to do this because for me, its one of the scariest things. Also, you have to mingle with the guests and say who you are and get some posed shots of them..doesn't matter who they are but it helps people get to know you. My little tip is try to smile as much as possible (not too much of a fake one though!). It eases people and they relax. If they see you are panicking they will start to worry. Congratulate the Bride and Groom when they are married. With the Group poses get them to pose formally for 1 shot and then get them to pull faces or shout out cheese as loud as possible can for the 2nd shot, and then back to a posed shot again. That third shot will show them more happier and more relaxed then the first one. This has to be one of the greatest pages ever. Thank you so much to EVERYONE for the advice but mainly for the words.’.what I got wrong was.’. It has put me at ease that even the really good photographers don’t always nail it on the day. I have done 3 weddings so far and I find the light in the church sooo hard to get right. However, I practised over and over in churches and finally sorted the light issue. I had to do this because for me, its one of the scariest things. Also, you have to mingle with the guests and say who you are and get some posed shots of them..doesn’t matter who they are but it helps people get to know you. My little tip is try to smile as much as possible (not too much of a fake one though!). It eases people and they relax. If they see you are panicking they will start to worry. Congratulate the Bride and Groom when they are married. With the Group poses get them to pose formally for 1 shot and then get them to pull faces or shout out cheese as loud as possible can for the 2nd shot, and then back to a posed shot again. That third shot will show them more happier and more relaxed then the first one.

]]> By: jef nolan http://www.digital-photography-school.com/note-to-self-3-things-i-wish-id-done-differently-in-my-last-wedding/comment-page-2#comment-207080 jef nolan Wed, 07 Sep 2011 14:28:44 +0000 http://digital-photography-school.com/?p=15615#comment-207080 Lots of good information here, so I will try not to be redundent. Thing I do well, preparation. 1. the interview. Gets all expectations, plans and for-seeable contingencies covered. 2. a very important inquiry: Is there a wedding coordinator? If yes, then get to know her/him. They can be invaluable for getting groups together for pictures. If no, then you may need to remind the wedding party that you are the photographer and not a wedding coordinator. 3. definitely scout out the wedding location and the reception location. Take pictures, look for backgrounds. 4. Absolutely know where the bride and groom changing rooms are. The last wedding I did, the bride had a large room for her and her 4 maids of honor. The groom had a 2 stall bathroom. My assistant took the brides preparation and I got the grooms. Quit the contrast. 5. Finally, be flexible, be patient, be early, and if a picture is in doubt, take it and you can delete it later. Lots of good information here, so I will try not to be redundent.

Thing I do well, preparation.
1. the interview. Gets all expectations, plans and for-seeable contingencies covered.
2. a very important inquiry: Is there a wedding coordinator? If yes, then get to know her/him. They can be invaluable for getting groups together for pictures. If no, then you may need to remind the wedding party that you are the photographer and not a wedding coordinator.
3. definitely scout out the wedding location and the reception location. Take pictures, look for backgrounds.
4. Absolutely know where the bride and groom changing rooms are. The last wedding I did, the bride had a large room for her and her 4 maids of honor. The groom had a 2 stall bathroom. My assistant took the brides preparation and I got the grooms. Quit the contrast.
5. Finally, be flexible, be patient, be early, and if a picture is in doubt, take it and you can delete it later.

]]> By: Philippe http://www.digital-photography-school.com/note-to-self-3-things-i-wish-id-done-differently-in-my-last-wedding/comment-page-2#comment-206683 Philippe Mon, 05 Sep 2011 16:33:03 +0000 http://digital-photography-school.com/?p=15615#comment-206683 I'll take you and your article as an example and will do such an analysis more often. Having shot many weddings easily leads to doing a standard job. So I think it's important to realize, that such analysis is important for everyone! Thanks for sharing! I’ll take you and your article as an example and will do such an analysis more often. Having shot many weddings easily leads to doing a standard job. So I think it’s important to realize, that such analysis is important for everyone!
Thanks for sharing!

]]> By: Amanda http://www.digital-photography-school.com/note-to-self-3-things-i-wish-id-done-differently-in-my-last-wedding/comment-page-2#comment-162561 Amanda Sun, 13 Mar 2011 08:46:11 +0000 http://digital-photography-school.com/?p=15615#comment-162561 Lej, My best advice would be to split the formals up. Do as many as you can before the ceremony. As you may know after the ceremony the Bride and Groom are in a hurry to get to the reception. It's always a crazy day. Make a list of the shots you HAVE to get. Details, Groupings. Then determine which ones you can get before the ceremony, and which ones can wait until after. Your formal shots list should be as short as possible after the ceremony. Your main concern will be to get photos of the Bride and Groom together after. A list always helps me stay focused on the task at hand as well as keeping things short enough to where I don't have to think of poses or the next grouping. I just go with my list. I hope this helps. The last wedding I did the Bride was drunk before she even put her gown on. She wasn't in the mood to take photos after the ceremony, but I pulled the bride and groom aside and got some shots of them together, and afterwards when she sobered up she thanked me for "Forcing" her to get those photos taken. Also sit down with the bride and groom and discuss photos they would like to have prior to the big day. This way on the hectic day they don't have to try and think of what other photos they want. Trust me when I was a bride I was so scattered. No matter how small the wedding, the photographer will run the photos. It's our job to make sure the bride and groom gets every photo they dreamed of for this day. It will be easier with a small wedding. Not as many people, but like I said before make a list for yourself of all the photos you want to get before the end of the day. You can google Wedding photo lists to give you a start, and add from that. Good luck and I hope this helps you out. Amanda Lej,
My best advice would be to split the formals up. Do as many as you can before the ceremony. As you may know after the ceremony the Bride and Groom are in a hurry to get to the reception. It’s always a crazy day. Make a list of the shots you HAVE to get. Details, Groupings. Then determine which ones you can get before the ceremony, and which ones can wait until after. Your formal shots list should be as short as possible after the ceremony. Your main concern will be to get photos of the Bride and Groom together after. A list always helps me stay focused on the task at hand as well as keeping things short enough to where I don’t have to think of poses or the next grouping. I just go with my list.
I hope this helps. The last wedding I did the Bride was drunk before she even put her gown on. She wasn’t in the mood to take photos after the ceremony, but I pulled the bride and groom aside and got some shots of them together, and afterwards when she sobered up she thanked me for “Forcing” her to get those photos taken.
Also sit down with the bride and groom and discuss photos they would like to have prior to the big day. This way on the hectic day they don’t have to try and think of what other photos they want. Trust me when I was a bride I was so scattered. No matter how small the wedding, the photographer will run the photos. It’s our job to make sure the bride and groom gets every photo they dreamed of for this day. It will be easier with a small wedding. Not as many people, but like I said before make a list for yourself of all the photos you want to get before the end of the day. You can google Wedding photo lists to give you a start, and add from that.
Good luck and I hope this helps you out.

Amanda

]]> By: LEJ http://www.digital-photography-school.com/note-to-self-3-things-i-wish-id-done-differently-in-my-last-wedding/comment-page-2#comment-161309 LEJ Sun, 06 Mar 2011 20:09:16 +0000 http://digital-photography-school.com/?p=15615#comment-161309 I have shot weddings but am always nervous to do so. I will be shooting my brother's wedding in June and started the research now. I only have a Nikon d200 with a 28-300 lens so will have to be creative. The good thing is that it will be a small wedding at a house. My usual "style" has been almost paparazzi style shots at parties but I want to be more elegant and creative for the wedding. I was thinking of going over the day before and taking a few of the more formal shots (maybe getting them to a pretty place like a park or the lakefront). If I can get them to dress formally early! (they are casual people). The funniest picture I took was at the wedding of a coworker. The brother of the groom had just lifted his arm and it looked like he was smelling under it. The bride and groom found that funny. Any tips anyone can give to me will be gratefully accepted. I have shot weddings but am always nervous to do so. I will be shooting my brother’s wedding in June and started the research now. I only have a Nikon d200 with a 28-300 lens so will have to be creative. The good thing is that it will be a small wedding at a house.

My usual “style” has been almost paparazzi style shots at parties but I want to be more elegant and creative for the wedding. I was thinking of going over the day before and taking a few of the more formal shots (maybe getting them to a pretty place like a park or the lakefront). If I can get them to dress formally early! (they are casual people).

The funniest picture I took was at the wedding of a coworker. The brother of the groom had just lifted his arm and it looked like he was smelling under it. The bride and groom found that funny.

Any tips anyone can give to me will be gratefully accepted.

]]> By: victor martinez http://www.digital-photography-school.com/note-to-self-3-things-i-wish-id-done-differently-in-my-last-wedding/comment-page-2#comment-129794 victor martinez Mon, 30 Aug 2010 01:46:17 +0000 http://digital-photography-school.com/?p=15615#comment-129794 I also regrets some events during my last wedding, the groom was having a bad afternoon his tux was a size to big and did not wanted to be photograph lol like its my fault right. so i just kept with the bride. but the regret was not taking control and managing a few shots and make it clear that its there day. my lens of choice is a 50mm 1.8 lens and a 85mm 1.8 lens for that low light no flash days I also regrets some events during my last wedding, the groom was having a bad afternoon his tux was a size to big and did not wanted to be photograph lol like its my fault right. so i just kept with the bride. but the regret was not taking control and managing a few shots and make it clear that its there day. my lens of choice is a 50mm 1.8 lens and a 85mm 1.8 lens for that low light no flash days

]]> By: Jeanette http://www.digital-photography-school.com/note-to-self-3-things-i-wish-id-done-differently-in-my-last-wedding/comment-page-2#comment-127506 Jeanette Sat, 14 Aug 2010 16:00:16 +0000 http://digital-photography-school.com/?p=15615#comment-127506 Is it just me, or is the photographer more nervous than the Bride??? I get sooooo nervous under all the pressure, but it always works out fine. Most of the time, you know much more of the mistakes you made than the B/G, so I'm thinking if they are truly happy with what you deliver, then it's been a success, and the mistakes you made are just ways to help you learn what not to do next time, right? Is it just me, or is the photographer more nervous than the Bride??? I get sooooo nervous under all the pressure, but it always works out fine. Most of the time, you know much more of the mistakes you made than the B/G, so I’m thinking if they are truly happy with what you deliver, then it’s been a success, and the mistakes you made are just ways to help you learn what not to do next time, right?

]]> By: Amanda Louw http://www.digital-photography-school.com/note-to-self-3-things-i-wish-id-done-differently-in-my-last-wedding/comment-page-2#comment-121814 Amanda Louw Tue, 20 Jul 2010 04:48:40 +0000 http://digital-photography-school.com/?p=15615#comment-121814 Great stuff really good points to remember. I am new to photography but would love to know more about wedding photography and learn as much as I can before my first wedding shoot. Looking forward to your next wedding photography post. Great stuff really good points to remember. I am new to photography but would love to know more about wedding photography and learn as much as I can before my first wedding shoot. Looking forward to your next wedding photography post.

]]> By: Amanda Guilfoyle http://www.digital-photography-school.com/note-to-self-3-things-i-wish-id-done-differently-in-my-last-wedding/comment-page-2#comment-120971 Amanda Guilfoyle Thu, 15 Jul 2010 21:00:42 +0000 http://digital-photography-school.com/?p=15615#comment-120971 One thing I would like to add. An idea I had thought of since my own wedding. All my getting ready shots turned out candid per say other then specific ones of my mother putting my necklace on and specific things to that nature eve though I had a photographer in the room the whole time. My idea especially when the ladies go to the saloon to get their hair done is have the best man/bridesmaid have their own cameras. Whether it be two small ones of your own or have them take theirs. If the cameras belong to you then you will beable to make sure you get the cameras back along with photos, this way you are able to get photos of the getting ready part without being there, and it gives more involvement to the bridal party in making sure the Bride and Groom get desired photos. One thing I would like to add. An idea I had thought of since my own wedding. All my getting ready shots turned out candid per say other then specific ones of my mother putting my necklace on and specific things to that nature eve though I had a photographer in the room the whole time. My idea especially when the ladies go to the saloon to get their hair done is have the best man/bridesmaid have their own cameras. Whether it be two small ones of your own or have them take theirs. If the cameras belong to you then you will beable to make sure you get the cameras back along with photos, this way you are able to get photos of the getting ready part without being there, and it gives more involvement to the bridal party in making sure the Bride and Groom get desired photos.

]]> By: Amanda Guilfoyle http://www.digital-photography-school.com/note-to-self-3-things-i-wish-id-done-differently-in-my-last-wedding/comment-page-2#comment-120969 Amanda Guilfoyle Thu, 15 Jul 2010 20:54:21 +0000 http://digital-photography-school.com/?p=15615#comment-120969 My first wedding I actually shadowed the primary photographer. Which was great for me because I was able to take mental notes of what not to do that the photographer did. I was very unhappy with how he ran things. The photographer was disorganized had no CLUE what he wanted to take a picture of next when we were doing the family photos. There was a point in time where I took charge, and gathered the family groupings. By the time we were done with the family and Bridal party photos after the ceremony the bride and groom where ready to get to the reception! and the photographer LET THEM GO!!! We hadn't even gotten one photo of the Bride and Groom alone! I was very disturbed. Later when I asked the photographer about getting them out of the reception and get their photos his exact words were, "Sometimes they just don't happen!" WHAT!!! I couldn't believe my friend was paying for this photographer and he wasn't even concerned about making sure the Bride and Groom got their photos. I ended up grabbing the Bride and Groom who were drunk by this time and dragging them out to get their photos. Because of their intoxed state they were not in the mood for anymore photos and just wanted to party. I think a total I got maybe 6 different shots with the Bride and Groom by them selves. I was very upset. But even as bad as the wedding seemed on my end of things, I was able to learn what not to do from the experience. I have my first wedding on my own coming up in a month and I am beyond organized and ready to knock it out!! My first wedding I actually shadowed the primary photographer. Which was great for me because I was able to take mental notes of what not to do that the photographer did. I was very unhappy with how he ran things. The photographer was disorganized had no CLUE what he wanted to take a picture of next when we were doing the family photos. There was a point in time where I took charge, and gathered the family groupings. By the time we were done with the family and Bridal party photos after the ceremony the bride and groom where ready to get to the reception! and the photographer LET THEM GO!!! We hadn’t even gotten one photo of the Bride and Groom alone! I was very disturbed. Later when I asked the photographer about getting them out of the reception and get their photos his exact words were, “Sometimes they just don’t happen!” WHAT!!! I couldn’t believe my friend was paying for this photographer and he wasn’t even concerned about making sure the Bride and Groom got their photos. I ended up grabbing the Bride and Groom who were drunk by this time and dragging them out to get their photos. Because of their intoxed state they were not in the mood for anymore photos and just wanted to party. I think a total I got maybe 6 different shots with the Bride and Groom by them selves. I was very upset. But even as bad as the wedding seemed on my end of things, I was able to learn what not to do from the experience. I have my first wedding on my own coming up in a month and I am beyond organized and ready to knock it out!!

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