FAQ: Amateur Wedding Photography
Karen Simmons
Amateur Wedding Photography FAQ
The purpose of this FAQ is to provide suggestions, advice, and some
professional guidance to the amateur photographer who will be
photographing a wedding in lieu of a professional. This FAQ is not
meant to be a comprehensive guide to photographing a wedding, nor will
it give anyone all the information they need to replace a professional
photographer. It will provide some tips and tricks of the trade for
those who find themselves in the wanted or unwanted position of filling
in for a friend.
"…you cannot teach wedding photography in a few paragraphs on the
Internet. Attempting to do so only gives people a false sense of
confidence which is dangerous." (Kevin Zwack)
1. I Need Help (or What Have I Gotten Myself Into?)
2. The Equipment
2.1 Cameras
2.2 Lenses
2.3 Lights
2.4 Filters
2.5 Miscellaneous
3. The Film
3.1 Film Types
3.2 Exposure
3.3 Developing
4. The Photographs
5. The Importance of Being Organized
6. Other Vendors and Other People
7. Other Resources
7.1 Books
7.2 Videos
7.3 Other Resources
8. Turning Pro (or I’m Crazy Enough To Want To Do This Full-Time)
9. Attributes
10. Revision History of the FAQ
1. I Need Help (or What Have I Gotten Myself Into?)
If you are reading this FAQ, we assume that you’ve been asked by a
friend or family member to be the "official" photographer for their
wedding. The first thing any pro wedding photographer will tell you in
this situation is: don’t do it. Run, don’t walk to the nearest exit.
Shooting a wedding is NOT for the faint hearted. Your friends may tell
you that they understand that you’re an amateur and that they don’t have
any expectations. Don’t believe them. They do. A wedding is a highly
emotional event with many expectations all around. They expect more of
you than you think they do. There are a lot of variables to shooting a
wedding and if something goes wrong (and it will) YOU, the photographer,
will be blamed – even if it’s not your fault. Friendships and
relationships have been ruined, and family feuds have started because of
wedding photographs that didn’t turn out.
Make every effort to get the couple to have some kind of
professional photography and use you as a backup. Try to convince the
couple to hire a professional for Formals Only photographs and let you
get the candids at the reception. Another option is to get the couple
to have formal studio portraits taken either before or after the wedding
to make sure they get at least one good portrait. If you can afford it,
hire them a photographer as a wedding gift, although this may be out of
range for most people.
If the options above aren’t feasible, and assuming that you’ve
considered the risk to your personal life carefully and feel that you
are either up to the challenge or simply have no choice, the following
information should help provide some guidance.
2. The Equipment
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2.1 Cameras
We are not going to discuss the value of 35mm vs. Medium
Format in this FAQ. Suffice it to say that professional wedding
photographers use Medium Format and/or 35mm depending on the
photographer and the style. They may use Hasselblad, Bronica, Pentax,
Nikon, Canon, Mamiya, etc. Each camera has advantages and disadvantages
and what you use is a matter of personal choice. For the purposes of
this FAQ, the type of camera you use is not as important as your
familiarity with your equipment and its condition.
It is a priority to make sure your camera is in good condition
before you photograph the wedding. Before the wedding you should shoot
a roll of film with flash and a roll of film without flash. Have them
developed at your local one hour lab. This will let you know
immediately if you have any kind of mechanical problem with your camera
and/or flash and give you time to either fix the problem or back out
gracefully.
Make sure you are familiar with how your equipment works. Can
you load a new roll of film quickly, while the subjects of your shot are
standing there waiting? You should be able to set aperture and shutter
speed without having to stop and look at the camera. It doesn’t do you
any good to be fumbling with the aperture ring while the bride and her
father are walking down the aisle towards you. Know where each button on
the camera is and what it does so that if you push one accidentally
during the wedding you’re not stick with a situation where your camera
suddenly won’t work and you don’t know how to fix it If you need to,
spend some time before the wedding "dry-firing" your camera. Practice
changing shutter speed, aperture, focus, all on the fly.
2.2 Lenses
Lens selection is also very much a matter of personal taste
and the style of photography you prefer. Again, however, some basic
guidelines for the amateur using a 35mm camera: Have one standard or
slightly wide angle lens (35 - 55mm) to capture overall scenes like the
ceremony in the church, the reception site, etc. Have one slightly
telephoto lens (70 - 85mm) for portrait work. This focal length allows
you to obtain closer images without being right in the subjects face.
It also helps to compress the background just slightly, focusing more
attention on the subjects. Have one longer telephoto lens (200 or even
300mm) for taking close up shots during the ceremony like the exchange
of the rings, the kiss, etc. A zoom lens in the 70 - 200 range is a
good all around lens for the reception, as it allows you to take the
portrait type shots of the cake cutting, toast, etc., and also allows
you to take candids from a distance.
Here, too, it is important to know your equipment. You should
be able to change a lens in a matter of seconds, in order to catch
events as they happen. Practice this action, too. It will be
invaluable.
2.3 Lights
Most amateurs will be limited to on-camera flash. There are
several things to keep in mind when using on camera flash.
First, how is your flash mounted to your camera? A direct, on
camera mount has two disadvantages. The flash is usually not high
enough to not reflect in the lens of the subjects eyes and cause
"red-eye" – it should be at least 6 inches about the lens. And, if you
turn your camera to get a vertical shot, you have just changed the
relation of the flash to the lens, which can cause very harsh visible
side shadows. A flash bracket can help in resolving some of these
problems. A good 35mm bracket will help raise the flash up enough to
prevent "red-eye" and allow you to turn the camera within the bracket,
without changing the flash/lens relationship. There are several good
brackets out there: Stroboframe and Newton are two of the more well
known.
Second, how powerful is your flash? A small Nikon or Canon
built-in flash is not going to provide enough output to light more than
a couple of people at close range. While you can get around this
somewhat by trying to take portraits outside as much as possible, most
of your work will be inside a church or in a reception hall where the
lights have been dimmed for dancing. Make sure your flash is powerful
enough to capture a family group of 10 or more at the altar of the
church. Remember that the bigger the group, the father back you have
to stand, therefore the more powerful your flash will have to be. If
you don’t have a separate flash buy, borrow, or rent one for use at the
wedding. (As with your camera equipment, make sure you are familiar
enough with the equipment to make its use second nature)
2.4 Filters
Filters are not a requirement for shooting a wedding.
However, if you are comfortable enough with your equipment and would
like to try to incorporate some "special effects", here are some
suggestions of the most popular.
Soft Focus: every soft focus filter is different and whether
or not you like the effect of a particular filter is a matter of taste.
Be warned that there is a difference between "soft focus" and out of
focus – don’t try to pass one off as the other. You can try anything
from a commercial soft focus or diffusion filter to a piece of nylon
stretched over the lens. Some people have taken a Skylight (UV) filter
and dabbed clear nail polish on it for a similar effect. Experiment to
find out what you like – just don’t experiment at the wedding!
Star Filters: if the wedding is in the evening and there is
candle light, a star filter can provide a nice effect, turning the
candle flames into multi-beamed stars. Star filters come in 2, 4, 6,
and 8 point, with 4 and 6 being the most popular for weddings. A star
filter can also double as a very nice soft focus filter, if the need
arises.
Vignette: a crisp clear center and a misty, diffused edge can
make a nice effect if you’re doing a close up of rings, the cake,
invitations, etc. It’s also a nice effect framing the bride’s face for
a close up portrait. Again, commercial versions are available in
varying degrees of diffusion and darkness. You can also take the
standard Skylight (UV) filter and paint clear nail polish around the
edge.
Warming Filter: a touch of warmth from an 81A filter can work
wonders in an outdoor situation. Try not to get it too warm, however, or
the effects will look unnatural.
There are many different brands of filters and filter systems
out there. Again, it is all a matter of personal taste. For wedding
work you should consider using a system that allows for "drop-in"
filters rather than the screw-on type. This will save you a lot of time
and effort in the long run (focusing through a filter that you’ve just
threaded on to your lens can be a pain). Cokin is the most popular of
the drop in styles and is available at most camera stores, although
Lindahl, Cromatek, and Sailwind are also well known in the pro line.
2.5 Miscellaneous
Batteries: Too many people forget the batteries. Stock up on
batteries for both your camera and flash. Get at least twice as many as
YOU think you'll need, and be sure they all go to the wedding with you.
Tripods and/or monopods are invaluable to the wedding
photographer. While many of your photographs will be "on the fly",
having a tripod handy will allow you to take longer available light
exposures at the ceremony. It’s also good to have in situations where
you’re using a longer lens and can use the extra stability at the
reception or for formals.
An Emergency Kit is another rarely mentioned but frequently
needed item that you should consider taking with you. It’s surprising
how often the photographer is the only source when an emergency crops
up. The following items are from a "kit" carried by a professional
photographer: small hair dryer (dries raindrops or teardrops on
clothing); clamps, including hardware, clothespins, binder clips, etc.
as a temporary repair for anything that falls apart during the wedding;
pins, including straight pins, hairpins, safety pins, etc. for the same
reasons; duct tape to cover power cords and for repairs (it can even be
used to hem a dress!); small sewing kit; a lighter for any candles;
tissues; a razor; clear nail polish for runs in pantyhose (extra pairs
of hose in various sizes and colors if you want to be really prepared);
hair spray (buy the pump kind), sandpaper for the soles of new shoes;
black shoe laces; collar button extenders; a set of shirt studs for a
tuxedo shirt; aspirin and cough drops or hard candy; a set of champagne
flutes and a cake knife; and insect repellent for outdoor weddings.
(Thanks to Jack Gurner for the list and the idea)
A step stool or step ladder is another invaluable piece of
equipment. It helps to get some perspective during reception shots, and
can be useful when photographing large groups of people on the altar
steps (even better for short photograpers!)
2.6 Backups
BACK UP YOUR EQUIPMENT!! This cannot be stressed enough. If
you only have one camera and the couple is relying on you to capture the
moments of their day – what will you do if your camera unexpectedly
quits? If you don't have it already, beg, borrow, or steal (ok, rent) a
backup body. This goes for a flash, too.
3 The Film
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The most important thing to remember about the film is to
always have enough. Take twice as much film as you think you’ll need
and then double that. Most pros carry at least 20 rolls of 24 exposure
to a full wedding and reception ceremony. Many carry upwards of 30
rolls, just in case. Make sure it’s easily accessible from where you’re
shooting and always carry an extra roll in your pocket – just in case.
3.1 Film Types
Film brands are again, very subjective. Some people swear by
Kodak and some by Fuji. Whichever you select, try to use professional
films and not Kodak Royal Gold or whatever. Pro films tend to have more
medium contrast and more pleasing skin tones which works better for a
wedding/portrait situation. Amateur films are designed to make colors
pop for a nice bright snapshot – great for still lifes and fashion, but
not so great for a wedding.
For the amateur a 400 speed film would probably be the best as
it will allow for higher shutter speeds and smaller apertures overall.
Kodak’s 2 400 speed films are PMC and PPF. PPF is a little more
contrasty than the PMC, which can cause some problems when shooting a
black tux next to a white dress, but overall still a good film and worth
checking out. Fuji’s NPH and NHG are comparable to Kodak’s 400
emulsions, again just a matter of personal taste.
Kodak also makes a professional 1000 speed color film called
PMZ. While this isn’t the best film for all around use (too grainy for
portraits) it is an option when shooting available light during the
ceremony and possibly for some candids during the reception.
Black & white film is also a popular option both for formals
and candids. Kodak’s Pan-X 400 speed film provides excellent skin
tones, while Kodak’s T-Max 400 is a good all-around film. Kodak also
has a TMZ 3200 speed black & white film that performs very well in low
light. The results are slightly grainy, but clear with good contrast,
and makes nice "artsy" prints.
As with your equipment, test shoot first. Select the films
you are interested in and shoot a couple of rolls of each – with and
without flash. Look them over carefully when you get the results back
and then make your decision based on what you think looks best.
3.2 Exposure
For the purposes of this FAQ, it is assumed that you are
familiar with the fundamental concepts of exposure, including the
relationship of aperture to shutter speed, fundamental use of your
flash, etc. If you don’t have this basic understanding DON’T PHOTOGRAPH
THE WEDDING. Stop right here and tell your friends that you just aren’t
qualified or comfortable with being responsible for their wedding
memories.
You will probably encounter four distinct exposure situations
in during the course of shooting a wedding. The first one – outdoor
formals – is probably overall the easiest. The best thing to remember
about shooting outdoors is to try to place your subjects in open shade –
i.e. an area where there is no direct sunlight, but is still well lit.
This will provide the most complimentary lighting to your subjects. Do
not photograph people in direct sunlight if at all possible, as this
will create harsh shadows on their faces. Try to keep your subjects from
facing into the sun, as it will cause them to squint. Similarly, don’t
place your subjects so you are facing into the sun, as it will create
flare in your lens. You can use a flash to open up shadows in an
outdoor setting by setting the exposure on your flash (on a manual
setting) to 1 stop below the camera exposure (a very simplified
explanation of fill flash).
Indoor formals can be a little more difficult. Most churches
don’t have an excess of available light indoors. You will have to make
sure that (as mentioned above) your flash is powerful enough to provide
light for all the members of the groups. Also keep in mind that if you
use very bright flash and a fast shutter speed or a small aperture, you
will wind up with a bunch of well lit faces floating in a black hole.
Presumably the church and reception areas have some meaning to the
couple and it is to your advantage to provide some pictures that show
this background. The best thing you can do is to take a light reading
for the church before you begin shooting. (This is where the tripod can
come in handy) If at all possible, use a shutter speed and aperture
that will capture some of the available light and provide detail in the
background. As long as your shutter speed is not too slow (below
1/15th, or better 1/30th, of a second), you can rely on your flash to
freeze any small motion of the subjects. Remember if you have large
groups of people, don’t set your aperture too low or your depth of field
will be to small to keep everyone in focus.
Available light photographs are usually taken during the
ceremony and this is another area where your tripod will come in handy.
Take a reading off the bride’s dress with your camera. Using the meter
as a guideline you can open your aperture (or slow your shutter) by 1 or
1½ stops to get a correct exposure (this is because your meter will
suggest an exposure for 18% gray and opening it up will correct to the
white of the brides dress). This usually provides very nice available
light ceremony shots. (This is also where you can use a star filter and
get a very nice effect with the lights and candles.) Make sure that
these photographs are taken during a time in the ceremony that there is
very little motion – during a prayer can be good if you have a quiet
camera. Also during the exchange of the rings, as the couple will pause
with the blessing of the rings.
Inside candids can be as easy or as hard as you want to make
them. The simplest version is to set your camera for 1/60th of a second
at f8 or even f11, set your flash on "auto" and leave it there. This
insures that you won’t forget to change shutter or aperture at any point
and wind up with unusable photos, but still gives you acceptable
lighting. Any minor exposure problems can be corrected by your lab in
processing and/or printing (as long as you don’t try to overextend the
power of your flash). Although the f8 or f11 aperture doesn’t give you
much in the way of background light, it will give you enough depth of
field to allow for some focusing discrepancy – this is especially
important when you are focusing on a moving target (dancers, for
example) in a dark reception hall.
If you are comfortable enough to work with your flash on
manual, you can have a little more control over your lighting while
taking candids, with very little hassle using the following method:
Set your flash on manual at the ISO of your film. Set your flash power
to the appropriate setting where your readings are (approximately) 9
feet at f11, 14 feet at f8, and 20 feet at f5.6. Now you have distances
that correspond to "close to the subject" at 9 feet, "away from the
subject" at 14 feet, and "farther than that from your subject" at 20
feet. Using these distances, you can adjust your aperture setting
without having to adjust your flash. Sounds simplistic, but it does
work as long as you remember to adjust your aperture for the appropriate
setting. (Thanks to Gary Fong for the phrasing and the concept.)
3.3 Developing
If it is at all possible, have your film developed at a
professional lab rather than at Wal-Mart or Costco or someplace like
that. The advantages are many: a pro lab is used to processing
weddings and events and will work with you to obtain the best prints
from your exposures. They can work with you if there is a problem with
an image and help you to get it fixed. Perhaps most importantly, their
equipment is calibrated for the pro films you’ll want to use when
shooting a wedding. Check your local phone book for a pro lab and the
call in advance and talk to someone there or get a referral from your
local pro-photo supply shop.
4 The Photographs
----------------------------
What are the must have images when shooting a wedding? Well,
the short answer is "all of them". Seriously, the one image that is
missing – out of the 400 that you took – will be the one that the bride
will be heartbroken over. Check out any bridal magazine on the stands
today for the "Must Get" list of photographs. It’s often two pages
long!! This FAQ does not include the "master list" as it is simply too
long and often too confusing for the amateur photographer. The
following are some suggestions on poses for the day, though.
Be sure to get pictures of the bride and groom with each of
their parents, together and separately. Do include stepparents, but
don’t force ex’s and their spouses together unless they volunteer. Try
to get a picture of the bride w/ each of her attendants separately as
well as a group picture of all of them. Same for the groom. When doing
group shots, ask the men to grasp the cuffs of their sleeves or the
bottom of their jackets lightly to keep them from folding their hands in
front of their crotches (resulting in a whole series of photos that look
like the men can’t wait to go to the bathroom). Have moms and sisters
tuck their hands into the groom’s elbow for something a little more
interesting than just hanging hands. Have the men shake hands or
otherwise interact with each other. When photographing the bride and
groom together, ask him to put his arm around her and "squeeze" her to
him. The resulting shot is always great. Also, have them put their
arms around each other and tell the groom to "squeeze her tight". This
will bring their faces together and get a much better expression than a
stiff smile. Try to get pictures in a variety of locations where you
can have people sitting as well as standing. Finally, spread people out
as much as possible – don’t squeeze group shots so tightly together that
you can’t see people’s faces.
Make sure you get a picture of anything that is special to the
couple or that they paid lots of money for. A limo or other different
method of transportation, a special candle, the cakes, an expensive silk
garter – these are all important or the couple wouldn’t have spent money
on them. Make sure you have one picture at least of these items.
During the ceremony a picture of the bride walking down the aisle with
whoever is escorting her is important as is the recessional when the
couple comes up the aisle as husband and wife.
Get lots of pictures of the kids involved and the family
members, especially older family members. Many times wedding pictures
are the last photos anyone ever has of grand and great-grand parents.
At the cake cutting be prepared to fire off a series of shots
as they feed each other and kiss (they always kiss, so be prepared). At
the toast get a shot of the person making the toast, the couple’s
reaction, and the reaction of the crowd. These are always good.
If you have time, pictures of the invitation if you have a
copy, the guest book , the couples rings, all make nice touches. One
trick is to take the rings and nestle them in a flower in the brides
bouquet (a paperclip or some floral wire helps to balance the rings) for
a pretty picture. You can also take one of the cocktail napkins with
the couples name, roll it up and slide the rings over it, and nestle it
among the flowers or next to the invitation.
5 The Importance of Being Organized
-------------------------------------------------
Organization will be the key to successfully photographing
anyone’s wedding. If equipment backups are critical, organization is at
least as important. Weddings, as we have said before, are highly
emotional events. Your friends whom you normally see as sane, calm,
collected, human beings, can and will lose all control during their
wedding. You, as the photographer, must be prepared to give guidance
and a sense of sanity to an otherwise hectic situation. You can only do
that if you are organized and under control yourself.
Make it a point to check out the locations of the wedding and
reception before the big day. Try to visit as close to the time of the
wedding as possible and see how the lighting looks at that time. Scout
out likely spots for portraits, spots that might be troublesome. See if
the church has a choir loft to take ceremony pictures from, find out
where the bride and groom will be dressing, find out where the exits and
entrances are, etc. Finally, find a safe place to stash your
equipment. You’ll be thankful you did all of this on the big day.
Ask the couple to provide you with a list of important
people. If possible ask them to assign a family member or close family
friend to point these people out to you. This will help you not only to
organize the family portraits, but it will give you guidance during the
reception when you have to get candids.
If you are taking formal posed photographs, establish up-front
that, during the formal wedding photo session, you're the boss. And
stick with it. Don't be a jerk about it, but be firm in your
instructions and don't be afraid to demand everyone's attention when you
ask for it. Be prepared to give orders to people whom you don’t know to
get them to line up for your photographs.
6 Other Vendors and Other People
---------------------------------------------
Remember that you are only a part of the couple’s big day.
There are gong to be other vendors around constantly and many of them
will have a different agenda than you do. Professional wedding
photographers are used to dealing with the pushy coordinator, the
temperamental florist, etc. They are an occupational hazard. If you
run into a problem or have a disagreement with another vendor remember
: ALWAYS be polite to these people. Always. If you aren’t it will get
back to the couple and you will hear about it. If there is a conflict
that causes a problem for you, take it to the couple. Phrase it as
non-confrontationally as possible, but let them make the decision. If
it is impossible to talk to the couple at that time, bow to the wishes
of the other vendor and then do what you need to as discreetly as
possible. This is especially important when dealing with the church
coordinator: remember that the church ceremony is a religious event and
has some spiritual meaning to the couple involved. Even if you don’t
have the same beliefs as they do, respect their choice and their
religion by not getting involved in a brew-haha with the church
officials.
A situation could come up at the wedding where you have to
deal with a difficult guest, as well. For example: a couple asks that
you make a special effort to include their 103 year-old grandmother. As
you move in to frame the shot, Granny looks up and growls. "Get that
!@#$%&* thing away from me." What do you do? Explain to her that
you’re not trying to be annoying but that it is very important to the
couple to have photographs of their family. If she still refuses, go to
the couple and let them make the decision. Remember that these people
are friends and family of the couple, even if you don’t know them. It
is as important, if not more so, to be friendly and polite to them as it
is to the couple themselves.
7 Other Resources
--------------------------
7.1 Books
The following is a recommended list of reading for beginning
wedding photographers. Some of these books can be found at your local
book store, but some of them are specialized and you might need to
either special order them or locate them through your local pro-photo
dealer.
"Professional Techniques For The Wedding Photographer" by George Schaub
(Amphoto).
"Wedding Photographer's Handbook" by Robert & Sheila Hurth (Amherst
Media).
"Pro-Photo: Wedding Photography" compiled by RotoVision S.A.
"The Business of Wedding Photography" by Ann Monteith (Amphoto)
"Wedding Photography" by Jonathan Hilton
"Wedding Photography: Down the Aisle Backwards" by Steve Sint
"101 Tips for the Professional Photographer" by Steve Sint (while not a
wedding book, it’s full of interesting and useful advice in general)
7.2 Videos
There are many good videos out today that offer guidance in
wedding and portrait photography. Check with your local pro-photo
dealer for their availability.
Monte Zucker has a series out on wedding photography including topics
like "Posing and Lighting the Bride", "Posing & Lighting the Bride &
Groom", & "New Concepts in Flash Photography" Dean Collins also has a
series out on weddings, including a video on posing with windowlight.
7.3 Other resources
Don’t discount the knowledge that can be provided by the folks
at your local pro-camera shop. Many of these people are pros in their
own rights and can offer a lot of advice to the amateur. Also, don’t be
afraid to talk to established pros in your area. If you have enough
time before the wedding see if you can go along with a local pro as an
unpaid assistant. Many pros will trade labor for the learning
experience, something that you’ll find invaluable
8 Turning Pro (or I’m Crazy Enough To Want To Do This Full-Time)
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If your experience shooting for friends didn’t put the fear of
God into you and you think that you might actually enjoy making a career
(or even a part-time job) out of this crazy thing called Wedding
Photography – congratulations! You’re looking at a career that, while
sometimes difficult and stressful, can be extremely satisfying and a lot
of fun! The following are some thoughts to get you moving on the road
to becoming a professional wedding photographer.
Interacting with other professionals is absolutely the best
way to learn your trade. Investigate and consider joining the following
organizations: The Professional Photographers of America
(1-800-786-6277 or www.ppa-world.org) is known world wide. They have
frequent training seminars all over the country as well as several
certification programs to choose from. Wedding & Portrait Photographers
International (1-310-451-0090 or www.wppi-online.com) provides
education, literature, and has a great convention every year in Las
Vegas. PPofA also has regional, state, and local affiliates throughout
the US. Check out the PPofA website for affiliate information and
contact them as well.
Consider working part time or full time for a professional
photographer (or several professional photographers) in your area. The
information and on the job training that you’ll get from a pro in the
field can be 10 times better than information you read or learn in
class. You’ll have someone who knows the ropes to guide you in all
aspects of wedding photography, and resources to ask questions of, when
you photograph weddings on your own. You’ll also have access to
different kinds of equipment to see what might be best when you decide
to upgrade your own.
Check your local community colleges or universities for adult
education classes and night schools. If you are serious about pursuing
photography both a black & white and a color darkroom class or two would
be beneficial. It is much easier to understand exposure when you
understand how the film works and developing your own is the best way to
learn. Also, an introductory portrait and lighting class will be
invaluable.
9 Attributes
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This FAQ was written and is maintained by Karen Simmons
(www.ks-photography.com / klsi...@mindspring.com). Any questions,
corrections, additions, etc., should be directed to Karen at the above
address. Contributors to the FAQ include: Jack Gurner, Kevin Zweck,
Rich Foley, Donald Farra, John Douglas, Gerald Belton, David E.
Gilliland, Greg Erker, John Gluth (If I have forgotten anyone, please
forgive me. Just drop me an email and I will make sure your name gets
into the next revision. Also, if any of the above want their names or
websites listed, please let me know and those, too, will go into the
next revision.)
10 Revision History of the FAQ
-----------------------------------------
Version 1.0 (7/16/97) Original Issue of the Amateur Wedding
Photographer FAQ
Version 2.0 (7/21/97) Changed all references to "Sky filters" to
"Skylight (UV) filters" / Updated sec. 2.5 (Equipment:Miscellaneous) by
adding "tripod", "emergency kit", and "step stool" info / Updated sec.
3.1 (Film Types) by adding info on 1000 speed color film and black &
white film / Added sec. 3.2 (Film: Exposures) / Updated sec. 4 by adding
some posing information / Updated sec. 6 (Other Vendors) by adding
"Other People" / Updated sec. 7.1 (Resources:Books) / Updated sec. 8
(Turning Pro) / Added sec. 10 (Revision History of the FAQ)
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Karen Simmons Photography
Atlanta, Georgia
http://www.ks-photography.com
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Jake Walsh
In article <34A12AD9...@mindspring.com>, klsi...@mindspring.com wrote:
>Amateur Wedding Photography FAQ
>
>The purpose of this FAQ is to provide suggestions, advice, and some
>professional guidance to the amateur photographer who will be
I read your FAQ and found it to be informative.. I only wish i had read it 3
years ago!
I think you should also add that taking pictures outdoors say in a park with
flowers as a backdrop is easier then dealing with your flash.
Scout the area a few days before the big day and find an area that provides
shade. you should also bring some plastic to put on the ground in case it is
damp( more for the emergency kit ).
What if it is raining or windy?
Many hotels now have large open lobbies with trees and flowers in them, most
will allow you to book them for a small fee some as low as $20. one with large
windows and a lot of natural light are good pick one that the light will not
be streaming in through at the time you expect to take the pictures.
If it's overcast go to the park. Overcast is what you are looking for now you
will have almost no light streaming through the trees and also very few
shadows.
Good Luck