First off, let me apologize to whomever the last person was to post in the other thread. Today was my Monday and I wasn't in the mood for the shit so I deleted the thread since I deleted the thread.

My purpose for the previous thread was to find out which lens may work better for a wedding. Some had posted that lighting was more important, which was definitely helpful and more or less common sense to an able photographer. However I wasn't in the mood this morning to hear for the 100th time that it would be much better for the bride to have seasoned and skilled (agreeably much more so than myself) photographer shoot her wedding and this was a bad idea for me to shot it.

I didn't post to ask if this was okay for me to shoot her wedding. The bride said she would be happy with snapshots left of each table with disposables in lieu of paying a photographer since in her last wedding she had a photographer and did nothing with the pictures through the rest of her previous marriage unless her mother asked her to show a photo which was a rarity. Knowing this, and the bride confirming that she knew my lack of skills and equipment is the only reason I agreed to do it in the first place.


Michael stepped up and made an awesome offer which I urged the bride (via the wifey) to take yet she still declined.

Now here's the thread to cover why a newb shouldn't shoot a wedding. To those who didn't read into the thread and tried to help me out, I sincerely appreciate it and to those who felt the need to tell me how bad this was going to suck, don't worry, with the few braincells that I do have, I know and knew my lack of equipment and more importantly experience and my artistic eye and skill was and is lacking.

I'm done bitching like a little girl now.

 

I'm going to be the first one to jump into the snake pit lol

First off let me say that everyone has to start some where...period. Whether it's with weddings, portrait, cars...whatever. But usually that person who decides that they are going to shoot weddings has either assisted a wedding or at least shot portraits.

I don't care who you are but you can't shoot a wedding with an xsi a kit lens. Well you can, but we know what the results will be. Most churchs don't allow flash, so therefore, most photos will only result in high noise due to high ISO. Also you are limited to ISO since most pro-sumer cameras only go up to 1600, some at 3600 just depending on what you have.

This isn't targeted at you since obviously I missed something after I made my initial comment but this is just as an "in general" comment. Michael made an awesome offer and it sucks that she didn't take it. I think she will enjoy her photos a lot more having someone that is a wedding photographer.

Who the hell knows, you could of gone in there and done an awesome job and found your calling...hard to say but as a bride (once and never again) you only get one shot at getting those pictures. There's no repeat of that day so having Uncle Bob with a camera shoot my wedding, wouldn't of even been an option.

 

I understood your thread but couldn't give any insight as I have yet to shoot a wedding. I can tell you this though, if I was given the opportunity I would do so. Its the only way your going to learn. For someone to tell me that its best for me not to do it and for a more "professional" that has done weddings to do it is plain ol' crap.

I take any opportunities I am given to expand my photography and not one person here or elsewhere will take that away from me. Your thread, which I read when you first posted it was more of inquiring about what lens would be best for wedding photography. The lighting comments that I saw in the beginning I could agree on. After that I don't know what else took place in your thread. Now the nonsense of you shouldn't do it, I find to be a bunch of bull. You should do it and the fact that the bride herself is aware of you being a novice and still okay with it doesn't give anyone the right to question it. Take the opportunity, take it serious, learn and enjoy!

Like I said, you start somewhere. A lot of photographers won't let you shadow, so one can only learn by doing. I posted a thread on here when I first started out and only one member here was nice enough to approach me and give me tips/pointers as well as advice. The rest I've been on my own besides reading/finding info on the Internet.

 

I agree and trust me, I would have never offered to do this. I was asked and even then I told her that I was lacking in... well pretty much everything but as a last resort I would.

I understand exactly what you are saying, and what YOU would do, and I agree. She however, offered her only other viable option was to leave disposables on the tables at the reception and whomever brought their cameras and call it a day.

Yeah, I think that's a given

This really is no where close to my mind set. I don't or haven't thought that I could do a great job, hell I expect almost total failure and will be thrilled if I get one okay (to me) shot. I mean I do hope for better and will do the best that I can but you get the idea. I tried to get this across to her.

As for what she wants for her wedding, well I've tried to talk her out of not getting a photographer but there's no changing her mind. She really doesn't care... I mean at all.

Once again, mad props to Michael for the offer.

 

Why are we making a new thread for the same topic?

I think you're getting upset because you got more advice than you bargained for. Weddings are serious business and there are no make-ups, and you may not realize it but people were looking out for you.

With that being said, this is all just advice. Only you know all of the details and only you can make your decisions. No need to get upset, just let it go.

 

Long time posting in this forum!

O.P. Take it for what its worth but I shoot weddings for a living... Sorry if I "pissed" you off this morning (with the other thread) but it was the truth... And I gave you a tip; Buy a flash.

On with the fun! There isn't "one" reason in particular "why beginners shouldn't shoot weddings"... The lack of knowledge/ equipment is the issue! One can only read so much on the Internet! Experience is what will keep you head above water during a wedding! As I posted in your last thread; I'll list a few more questions/ circumstances that could happen during a wedding! Its easy to SAY that you perform under pressure and its another thing TO perform under pressure!

1. Do you have a back-up camera? If No, You shouldn't photograph a wedding!
2. Do you have a flash; besides an onboard flash? If No, You shouldn't photograph a wedding!
3. Do you have Photoshop? If No, You shouldn't photograph a wedding!
4. Have you photographed a person? If No, You shouldn't photograph a wedding!
5. Do you know positions/ All "typical" wedding portraits desired? If No, Learn them now!
6. Do you have a website of some sort for wedding guests to view the pictures? If No, You're losing money...
7. Does the couple prefer Candid, Posed, or Both?
8. Are you allowed to stand in the isle? If so, when is it appropriate?
9. Are you allowed to use the flash? If so, when can you?
10. Do you know the layout of a wedding?
11. The "Official" says "You may now kiss the bride" And your camera malfunctions... What do you do when your other camera has the kit lens on it? Still use it? Re-shoot the shot?
12. What do you do with a "Bride-Zilla" type of Bride?
13. How do you handle out-of-control wedding party parents?
14. What do you do if you are shooting a wedding when "Uncle Bob" has a D40 and "has to have every-shot" b/c he used to be a photographer for the newspaper?
15. What do you do when the alcohol starts flowing and guests start to get out of hand?
16. What do you do if it rains and your equipment gets wet?

Your circumstance is a little different seeing the Bride doesn't care about photograph quality! But, there are reasons wedding photographers get annoyed with amateur photographers. Lets say Amateur X Photographer gets the opportunity to shoot a wedding! He then misrepresents himself as a professional wedding photographer and messes up the pictures! Guess what; the guests of the wedding will eventually want to see the pictures! Bride X then tells the guests "He messed up and all of the pictures look like garbage! I got ripped off and I knew I should have just used the disposable cameras on the tables!" It puts the thought in their heads that "professional photographers" are pointless and not worth the money! Thus in-turn taking money out of my pocket... Thats why amateur photographers shouldn't shoot weddings!!!

Figs: You're lost... Sign up to photograph a wedding with that mentality. And when you sink, guess who will look dumb? Not the members on an automotive forum that didn't give you tips/ pointers/ advice about wedding photography. You said "A lot of photographers won't let you shadow, so one can only learn by doing." Its kind of like looking for a job! If an employer tells you "Not at this time" are you going to crawl into a hole and live your life in the dark? Surprisingly, it actually works out to your advantage! You will learn 100X more if you are patient and continue asking! You will network and meet MANY photographers! The type you will want to work with in the future, the type you will stay away from, and when you become Florida's top wedding photographer you will tell your potential clients who to stay away from! Lisa "ALMOST" had the opportunity to shoot a wedding with me but I was able to make the wedding on-time... Typically, photographers are "worried" that you might take over clients! I think of it this way; If Im doing my job to the best of my ability and someone takes a client away from me, they deserve it and vise-versa!

I hope this short novel helped at-least one person that was interested in shooting weddings! This is not meant to deter someone from shooting a wedding (photography is awesome if done correctly) but more to make sure one is prepared!!! "Preparation: The key to success!"

 

Well if getting more advice than I bargained for consists of someone not giving advice exactly like you did (or not in your case) and who obviously did not read or misread my original post and only posted that it was a bad idea is more than I bargained for then, well yeah, you're right.

You apparently have not read the first post in this thread either since you still are way off. One more time for the reading and comprehension impared: She does not care. She's not expecting anything... at all. Are you starting to understand or are you that daft? Seriously dude? Critique my skill, artistic ability, knowledge and experience or lack of, I'm sure I could use it, and welcome it but how far down do I need to break this for you to get it? We're not talking about a girls first marriage who actually wants a true photographer.

Is this thing on?

 

Well going by your logic or rules, I should just tell my wife's friend "Sorry 'bout your luck hun, I have a beginners camera and skill so I wont take any pictures at your wedding so you'll have none". Sorry to hurt your feelings but that's not going to happen. I will help out when I can regardless of which photographer I may piss off.

Also, no sweat about this morning, like I said, it was my Monday and just wasn't in the mood.

As for the advice, well I can definitely see some of your points, but again only under more typical circumstances. Others, I can admit that I may not totally get them since I do not do this for a living and the lack of knowledge is immense.

The rant was more to do with me trying to get info to help my wife's friend out and was tiring of the ignorant responses. It's comical to think after my repeated acknowledgments of my lack of (everything) that you think I'd give you or other wedding photographers a bad name or try to take your business. If you knew me, or if you were to have read my posts, you would understand that I obviously don't try to act like I am something I am not. With that said, it would be nice for the elitist's to back the fuck off and check the ego and actually read (and understand) a post before replying.

 

Why bother man? You either shoot the wedding with what you got & call it a day or invest in some glass...

I love using the 24-70 and my 70-200 but neither of those you have, I'm sure its out of budget for you so heres a simple fix.

Buy a 50 1.8 & use the glass that you have...Buy a flash, work with what you have rather then what you don't have.

The amount of time your wasting posting in this thread look on youtube for tips how to bang out the wedding....Don't waste your time asking for what lenses to use because you can have all the best glass in the world and still take shitty photos and screw it all up...

Learn the basics & learn fast! Look on youtube & look on the web for basic wedding tips and I'd say start brushing up on your composition of framing; quickly!

 

I hear ya! Like I said, you have an exclusion considering the Brides wants (which are very minimal!) I understand! You are doing this as a favor! Im not incompetent.

I didn't mean to piss your Cornflakes!

Just look at a few Wedding sets and jot-down some portraits you like and try to replicate them!

After viewing the title of this thread and reading your original post, it appears this thread is not only a slight rant but also a thread asking "why a beginner shouldn't shoot a wedding" which is why I replied to the thread and not you in specific.

-Elite Club