Help! Newbie shooting wedding pics!

[rlynn5]

Hi, Everyone! I haven't been to this site in a while, but I'm back now to beg for any and all advice that you have to offer. I've been asked by some family (family to be actually, my fiance's cousin is getting married) to take pictures at their wedding. They are trying to keep the cost down, so they didn't want to hire a professional. I am a COMPLETE amateur!!! I love to take pictures, and like someone else here with a similar problem stated "I sometimes get lucky" and get a good shot. I'm happy and excited to do this for them, but I'm also terrified!!! I thought I would just be able to take my camera to the ceremony and get some good shots and call it good. I had no idea there were so many things to consider, such as lighting, flash distance, and film speed (I've mistakenly always used the highest ISO I could find...now you have an idea of how much of an amateur I am!).

I'll be using a film camera, a Nikon N80. I haven't been to the site yet, but I hear that it doesn't get much natural light and the ceremony is taking place in the evening, at 6:30. At this time, I don't have an additional flash, but I may consider buying one if I absolutely have to.

I need your help with everything: flash considerations, what type of film to use, do I have to have a tripod, lenses, filters, etc... Also, if anyone can recommend some good books or authors so that I can do some additional research on the technical stuff, that would great! I would also love to hear any tips you can offer on how to make sure I get some fun pictures of the bride and groom, because I think that's what they really want.

So, I realize this is a broad question, and I hope that's okay. I'm just trying to soak up as much information as possible before the big day.

Thank you!!!

[WesternGuy]

rlynn5, I was asked to do a similar thing a number of years ago and came across an article on Essential Wedding Pictures I put the list in a Word document for future consideration. If this is of interest, I can post it here. You will need a tripod for all of the formal wedding pictures, but a lot of the informal ones were just done with hand-held and a flash.

You might try using Google and doing a search on wedding pictures or some other relevant keywords.

Hope this helps. (a bit)

WesternGuy

[another view]

I put the list in a Word document for future consideration. If this is of interest, I can post it here.

Hi and welcome. If this is a published article then it's under copyright so please don't post it here. If you have a link that would be very helpful though.

The subject of weddings comes up from time to time. Check this recent thread which is a good starting point but also search for wedding in this forum and you should find more.

[Ronnoco]

Find a location near to the wedding or the reception to grab the traditional couple and family shots. Use a tripod and make sure that you are in the shade with no shadows.
Watch the background for interference like branches coming out of the head of someone in the wedding party. Flash is really helpful for almost all shots.

Make a list of all the required shots such as cutting the cake, garter and bouquet toss, and ethnic wedding customs, and make sure you get them.

Good luck!

Ronnoco

[WesternGuy]

Hi and welcome. If this is a published article then it's under copyright so please don't post it here. If you have a link that would be very helpful though.

The subject of weddings comes up from time to time. Check this recent thread which is a good starting point but also search for wedding in this forum and you should find more.

I do not have a link. This was probably before the days of links. I do not have the article, only the small list that I made from the Photo mag that is probably ten years old, or older. Upon checking, the list was put together in June of 1996. I do not even remember which magazine it came from. I suppose, if rlynn5 wanted it, I could send it to him, privately.

WesternGuy

[rlynn5]

Thank you all so much for the suggestions! I have been frantically searching the internet as suggested and I have spent some time at the bookstore, but haven't been to the library yet. I did do a search for "wedding" in the forums and that was helpful also. I'm just starting to panic a bit as the big day gets closer, so I'm looking for all the help and encouraging words I can find.

I need to decide which film speed to use because the groom's mother is going to purchase that soon. I was thinking 400, since it will be dark and my equipment and skill are really basic. Any thoughts?

Thanks again!

[another view]

I'd stick with only ISO400 film, one less thing to worry about. Most ISO400 films are very good in terms of grain, but be sure to test out a roll of it in as close to "real world" conditions as you can - and have it developed by the place that will develop the film after the wedding.

I used to use Kodak Portra 400NC, exposed at ISO250 (2/3 stop overexposure) and had it developed by a local pro lab. Great results but finding the best lab and film combination can take some time. For example, they didn't like working with Fuji so even though it's good film the results may not be as good.

[rlynn5]

Thank you so much!!! This is very helpful!!!