Working with people

[Jaedon]

Recently from friends have asked me to bring my camera to their weddings and shoot only candid shots for them as their wedding present. This suits me just fine as money has been tight around here lately for various reasons.

The problem arises in that the only people I shot regularly are my kids, or kids playing sports. The rest of the time I am shooting nature and wildlife or fast moving objects (read: racecars)

I searched through the forums for a thread relating to what I am about to attempt but I can't seem to find one. How does one prepare for a shoot like this? I have a little over a year to prepare for the 2nd wedding but the first one is only 1.5 months away.

Can anyone offer suggestions on how to practice? Should I attend events and just click away at various subjects? Should I be looking for anything in particular in regards to natural poses, eyes, smiles, body language from the subjects?

Both of the weddings are going to have a lot of outdoor elements but I am wondering if I should be using a flash anyway? In shooting wildlife and race cars I have developed my skills for using natural light and for finding the light that I want naturally but I do know how to use a flash for fill lighting as well. Would the flash be too distracting and cause me to lose "the moment" I am looking for?

So many questions.... so little time. Any help that anyone can offer is appreciated and welcomed.

Thanks in advance

Jay

[jorgemonkey]

As long as you're just getting candids, thats much easier than doing the entire thing

One of the things that I did was I looked around everywhere for examples of wedding photos. I copied the ones I liked to my computer to keep in an idea folder.

In regards of natural light vs flash, for me it depends on the venue. The last couple places that I shot at either required ISO 3200 on a 2.8 or 1.8 lens, or 800-1200 using fill flash. I've found that when I'm bouncing my flash, people don't really notice. I'd also pick natural light, if that is an option.

I go into it with an idea of what type of candids I want. Do I want closeups of individuals, wide angle stuff, or a mix of the two?

[drg]

Jay,

Any of the threads about shooting Weddings applies. Sure you are not using a 'shot list' of posed, set portraits, but equipment, clothing, preparation and be aware of what needs to photographed still applies.

Try to photograph as many different groups as possible to get a broad variety of the guests. There are possibilities of those dancing, sitting at tables talking, playing with kids, etc. Try to remember all the fun stuff like 'the car' with soap lettering, and that kind of fun.

Don't forget the surroundings, the food before everyone eats everythings, cake shots, the hall if special like on a lake or fancy ballroom.

Unusual clothes, kids are always fun to photograph at a wedding, all the wedding party with their significant others (often missed by formal wedding photographers).

Have a flash, lots of spare batteries (camera too as you never know) and consider a backup camera body. Even take a point and shoot!

The biggest investment might be a flash bracket like a stroboframe though there are other units that might be better or more sutiable for you. Give yourself every opportunity to catch those truly candid shots!

Best wishes and if you more questions ask away!

[another view]

Do they have a hired photographer, and are asking you to bring a camera and shoot what you see (hopefully because they like what you see in the world ), or will you be the only photographer?

If there is someone hired, you won't need to worry about the poses. You could watch to see what they do and how they do it and they shouldn't mind as long as you stay out of their way and don't shoot their shots.

If you're the one and only, then drg's suggestion to check out other wedding threads here is a good one. Talk with the couples to see what they want, hope for, expect, etc. There's a reason that professional wedding photography costs a lot of money ('cause it's an unbelieveable amount of work!) and maybe try to keep them in check with the idea that this is your gift - that is unless you're used to giving gifts at weddings with four-digit price tags. If that's the case, then where were you at mine? :blush2:

[Medley]

I've done this in the past when there was a "wedding photographer". The tack I took on it (which seemed to go over well) was that the wedding photographer was there to shoot the wedding, the event. I was there to shoot the people. After all, I knew them (or, at least, half of them). I knew their habits, mannerisms, and quirks. THAT's what I was there to shoot. The hired guy was there to give them a nice formal wedding album. I was there to give them the snapshots that they would hand around and say "This was our wedding day. Isn't that just classic Dave?"

That's my definition of a 'candid' shot anyway.

Oh, and I always wound up with more shots of the people I DIDN'T know, simply because I had to guess at their mannerisms. They'll reject more of these than they keep, but I have almost always gotten lucky on at least a couple of shots.

Food for thought.

- Joe U.

[Jaedon]

Thanks for the comments so far everyone. To clarify a bit. At the first wedding I will not be the only photographer. They have hired a pro for the formal stuff and have just asked me to have fun and shoot candids..... I took this to mean that I can enjoy the open bar a bit as well lol.

The second wedding is a bit more confusing. I am not sure if they have hired a pro but I do know that they also asked the grooms brother to shoot but since he is in the wedding party he'll be a bit busy. I do know that they are very non traditional people and that they very much like my shooting style. The bride tells me what they want is someone they trust shooting their friends and that person is me (such a nice compliment... makes me nervous )

With the first one having a pro there I think I will be melding this advice and learn what I can from the pro by observation and shoot the fun stuff that normally gets missed by the pros.... and try to shoot a combination at the second wedding if there is no pro to be found. Preparation is definitely the key which is why I cam looking for advice before I go in.

Keep it coming if you can. I can soak it all in and hopefully spit out some nice images in the end.

[Loupey]

Since there is a hired pro (at least for the first wedding), I would add that you never hold your camera in the "shooting position" anywhere near the pro when he/she is actively posing the party and shooting. Otherwise, you can attract some eyes from the wedding party and it only takes one pair of stray eyes to kill a formal shot.

Otherwise have fun! Mingle and shoot and mingle again. People will act naturally and comfortably if they can see you and feel comfortable with you. Sure you may get a few shots from afar with a telephoto but generally people clam up immediately if they spot you shooting like that. And you can get a bad rap as a sneaky photographer. Hide in plain sight is my motto.

I recommend using only ambient lighting to capture the mood and atmosphere of the moment for candid shots. Nothing kills the atmosphere on the image faster than direct flash. Unless you have several assistants with you holding radio/infrared enabled strobes and are fast on their feet.

[another view]

Since there is a hired pro (at least for the first wedding), I would add that you never hold your camera in the "shooting position" anywhere near the pro when he/she is actively posing the party and shooting. Otherwise, you can attract some eyes from the wedding party and it only takes one pair of stray eyes to kill a formal shot.

Good advice. First off, it's "their" shot and think how you'd feel if someone did that to you - they might be trying to get print sales and could see it as being bad for their business too. As Loupey mentions, stray eyes look really strange in a posed formal shot. I went to a workshop where the pro was demonstrating how to work with a person or group, and a lot of the people attending were shooting over his shoulder. Take a look at those shots - nobody would want them, and it isn't easy to do a re-shoot.

[Jaedon]

I never thought of that Loupey. Definitely good advice. I would hate to have the same thing happen so I will definitely be on guard for that type of situation. I am always watching for other photographers and keeping my kids out of their line of fire where ever we go. They're learning... but they are kids after all lol.

I recommend using only ambient lighting to capture the mood and atmosphere of the moment for candid shots. Nothing kills the atmosphere on the image faster than direct flash. Unless you have several assistants with you holding radio/infrared enabled strobes and are fast on their feet.

Hmm and I just happen to have received a pair of receivers and a Cactus brand transmitter for my birthday as well as a Vivitar 283 to go along with my 285. I now have a year to teach my kids to stand where I tell them, when i tell them, and to point their "laser" guns at the right people for me lol.

[fx101]

Be fast, that's all there is. I've done two weddings, and the trick to candids is taking pictures before people have time to react to your camera. Don't burst because it makes people around notice you're taking pictures and then you'll have to wait a while for them to ignore you again. Just set your camera up to focus on the sensor you'll want, quickly go to the shooting position and fire. Brackets work too.