First Weddings Approach; Preparations

[Rhyth]

I’ve been requested to shoot some weddings upon displaying some work recently and after some thinking I’ve gone and said… (maybe foolishly) yes. Now it’s said and done, so I don’t want to be drilled on what I’ve let myself in for, I’ve said yes and that’s that. To begin with I need a little guidance please. As you will see I’m going to have to make do in some areas.

Now, I can't afford to be fussy, so I have some questions. I could purchase x1 40D and use my 400D as backup + new lens to add to my current kit (see below), Such as a Canon EF 70-200mm f4L IS USM

My current selected wedding lens kit.

Tamron 17-50mm 2.8
Sigma 30mm 1.4
Sigma 10-20mm 4-5.6 EX DC HSM

As you can see, I intend to add to this, either by hiring or buying based on some decisions.

Does anyone know a good place to hire lens? I could hire certain high end lens and put the available funds to other lens?

I could use a 400D body with another borrowed 400D body + around £1200 new lens/kit. However I don’t think doing this over getting a better body is the way to go if I have the funds.

Can anyone suggest a cheaper setup? Always good to know

Or you guys may have some other different yet helpful suggestions?

[IBM]

Don't know if these guys are any good, but I've seen them around a lot over the last few months.

Lenses For Hire Ltd.

I was going to suggest picking up a 20D or a 30D second hand through fleabay, but I'm sure Bob will be along in a while to say the 40D's tone priority settings are worth their weight in gold, and are perfect for weddings.

How much are they paying you, out of general interest. And do you know the number of hours you're going to have to put in for PP? No pressure, but doing a wedding would scare the crap out of me....if you've not done one before, have a look around some wedding photographers sites, and get an idea of what kind of photos work, how group photos are arranged, and what makes a good backdrop.

Have a plan on the day for what kind of photos you'd like to take, and when the best time to catch people would be. You don't want to be outside taking pictures of the kids running around when the bridge and groom are cutting the cake.

Are they going to have another photographer on site, or is it just you?

[Rhyth]

How much are they paying you, out of general interest. And do you know the number of hours you're going to have to put in for PP? No pressure, but doing a wedding would scare the crap out of me....if you've not done one before, have a look around some wedding photographers sites, and get an idea of what kind of photos work, how group photos are arranged, and what makes a good backdrop.

They are free essentially, just expenses and prints. I'm promising low and aiming high. I do most of my pp in Lightroom and can batch process using this plus my own "actions" in CS3 other than some special pp ones. Indeed I've given and continue to give a lot of thought to what you've mentioned, including contract and workflow/picture list etc. I appreciate your response though.

I will have a secondary photographer with me to scout venues before and they will be present on the day.

Thanks for the link ibm.

[IBM]

Well, it's a good way to get into the industry. Indeed, most of the portraiture I've done to date has no session fee, just making a few quid on production of prints on canvas of framed. But I know that I'm working to a loss, especially when you factor in the time spent working on the prints, time spent with the customer, depreciation on equipment, cost of setup etc. etc.

But it's great experience, and they can't shout at you too much if the photos aren't up to scratch, since they're not paying you anything in the first place

Find the sites of several celebrity photographers, or even pick up a couple of back copies of Hello magazine and put together some shooting styles that you like.....A couple of excellent shots can really pay for themselves as you'll get numerous orders from other family members looking for a momento of the day.

[Rhyth]

Well, it's a good way to get into the industry. Indeed, most of the portraiture I've done to date has no session fee, just making a few quid on production of prints on canvas of framed. But I know that I'm working to a loss, especially when you factor in the time spent working on the prints, time spent with the customer, depreciation on equipment, cost of setup etc. etc.

Indeed the experience will be priceless.

Find the sites of several celebrity photographers, or even pick up a couple of back copies of Hello magazine and put together some shooting styles that you like....

It's funny you should say that as I have a secondary role at Crewe Hall, that was in the Missuses OK! mag (I just happened to be flicking through it on the bog...honest) with some celeb's photo's in and I have noted some key areas within the venue etc

I have amassed a lot of books, work-flows, shooting heavy brides etc.

[Imperator]

Rhyth

I am sure you will do a great job.

I once took the photo's for a mates wedding some years ago. Scared the crap out of me. But the feeling is great afterwards when it all pans out. As everyone has said, just plan what you want and do the leg work in advance (plus don't forget to make sure you ask what the bride and groom (+family) want.)

Impy

[Rhyth]

Yo Impy! long time no...message! To think it was 3 years ago we were The Hexus Horde! on wow. Oh, how my gaming days seem but a distant memory lulz I remember you telling us you were getting married on GGreen!

Thanks fella

[Imperator]

Rhyth

Hope the day works out great - for all.

As for gaming, think your kids are taking your time up I know our nephews and neices dominate us when they come round Hope the band is still strutting tall.

Impy

[Bobster]

sorry i didn't reply to this yesterday, too busy shooting a wedding

i just spotted that you're not getting a dime! cos i'm sure that the B+G won't pay for any of your kit to be repaired if it breaks on the day..

go for a Sigma 70-200 2.8, f4 just doesn't cut the mustard in a dark church

also a 17-50/55mm 2.8 would do well as well for wide shots

Well, it's a good way to get into the industry.

word will spread like wildfire by word of mouth by the B+G+Family that they got a free wedding tog, this will be a hard mold to break when booking your next gig that they refer to you..

[IBM]

Or you do the wedding for free, then charge them a fortune for the prints....not many people who will walk away from their wedding photos. Do a bulk discount. If they buy then charge them £150 per print. If they buy 50 charge them £50 per shot. Incentives abound.

[Bobster]

got to be carefull with that m8, i recently had Bridezilla, shot their wedding last year, we discussed that they'd get a digital album of 20 sides and that was the done deal. (we actually gave them 6 x 9x6in prints for free as well)..

i had an e-mail from her asking for the rest of the images to be put onto disc and her husband would be round at the weekend to pick them up..

so i gave her a quote of just under £6 per image for the rest of the photos as high res on disc, thats when things went waaaaay out of the window..

anyway i reminded them of the contract that they'd signed . i don't think i'll be receiving anymore contact from her or her family and i'm pretty sure she's spreading the word of what a bad photographer i am..

[Rhyth]

I suppose at some stage a Bridezilla is inevitable I have all that to look forward to. Although, I recently had a couple request my services who had seem some of my portfolio another couple had shown them and I arranged a meet up.

I quickly deduced that this bride to be was a nightmare from the off-hand way she approached the whole thing. She implied that neither of them particularly like photo's, which is fair enough and that if they could, they wouldn't have any at all, were it not for the family expecting to see some. They wanted a specific amount of shots of certain groups etc and gave a time slot of 30 mins. I could see straight away the guy was biting his tongue and when he finally decided to try and express a view she cut him off. I can totally understand shy clients but her whole demeanor was negative and her mind closed to any others thoughts, even her own fiance'!

Now, at first I though "Easy money"; then I thought more. I'm running a business and offering a service to others, who, most of which, have a lot of expectations toward the service I'm offering and if I'm going to do it well then I really need to be true to myself about my art. I said no and I believe saved myself what to some may have been a seemingly small and easy job, turn up organised, do the list and go etc, but what to me was a potentially easy job but a boring one, with a negative Bride who had no real interest in what I would have been doing but who you can bet would have had a lot of opinions about. Other than that it wouldn't have contributed to my portfolio in any way that I believe would have been relavent to what I'm about as a wedding photographer. And ofcourse I would never go into any wedding no matter how big / small, easy going, etc and think "this is going to be easy.