# MY FIRST WEDDING!



## JaclynDavisPhoto (Mar 10, 2012)

So I got my first wedding booked for September and I am SO excited but I have a lot of questions! I want to make sure that, even though it is MY first wedding, that it doesnt LOOK like it. I am currently working on a contract and getting the legalities in line. My main thing right now is making sure I have the proper equipment soon so that I am comfortable with it by September. I currently shoot with the Canon T1i and 50mm 1.8. I would love to keep my T1i as I dont have $ growing on trees to upgrade to the MArk II AND get new lenses. What should I do though??? Should spend the money and get the MArk II or do I put $ into lenses first? I am concerned that I need wont be compatible with my T1i and end up damaging my camera. 

With a limited budget right now, what is the best thing to do???

Thanks for all of your help


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## Bossy (Mar 10, 2012)

Have you shot a wedding second shooter at all?

I'd love to see your portfolio ​


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## cgipson1 (Mar 10, 2012)

JaclynDavisPhoto said:


> So I got my first wedding booked for September and I am SO excited but I have a lot of questions! I want to make sure that, even though it is MY first wedding, that it doesnt LOOK like it. I am currently working on a contract and getting the legalities in line. My main thing right now is making sure I have the proper equipment soon so that I am comfortable with it by September. I currently shoot with the Canon T1i and 50mm 1.8. I would love to keep my T1i as I dont have $ growing on trees to upgrade to the MArk II AND get new lenses. What should I do though??? Should spend the money and get the MArk II or do I put $ into lenses first? I am concerned that I need wont be compatible with my T1i and end up damaging my camera.
> 
> With a limited budget right now, what is the best thing to do???
> 
> Thanks for all of your help



Please post some of your best shots... so we can see where you are!


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## manaheim (Mar 10, 2012)

This is going to be another one of _those _threads, isn't it?


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## tirediron (Mar 10, 2012)

manaheim said:


> This is going to be another one of _those _threads, isn't it?


*I hope not!*


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## tirediron (Mar 10, 2012)

JaclynDavisPhoto said:


> So I got my first wedding booked for September and I am SO excited but I have a lot of questions! I want to make sure that, even though it is MY first wedding, that it doesnt LOOK like it. I am currently working on a contract and getting the legalities in line. My main thing right now is making sure I have the proper equipment soon so that I am comfortable with it by September. I currently shoot with the Canon T1i and 50mm 1.8. I would love to keep my T1i as I dont have $ growing on trees to upgrade to the MArk II AND get new lenses. What should I do though??? Should spend the money and get the MArk II or do I put $ into lenses first? I am concerned that I need wont be compatible with my T1i and end up damaging my camera.
> 
> With a limited budget right now, what is the best thing to do???
> 
> Thanks for all of your help


Find a camera store in your area which rents gear.  While it isn't a criminal act to show up to shoot a wedding with only one body, it should be.  You MUST have at least two bodies, (which will deal well with high ISO - ideally clean in the 3200 range) and you really need the range from about 15-200mm covered at at f2.8 or faster.  You will also need speedlights, lots of memory cards, etc.


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## mishele (Mar 10, 2012)




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## JaclynDavisPhoto (Mar 10, 2012)

Second shooting is already in the works. I am hoping to do it at least a few more times before September though. I WILL be renting an extra body and probably lenses before then just so I am really comfortable with everything and can make smart purchases.THANKS FOR THE TIP! (I just had one of those, why didnt I think of that moments : )  ) I am already stocked up on memory cards as I am already paranoid that I am going to run out of memory. 

My website is www.jaclyndavisphotography.com

I am also getting a contract written up because I want to make sure that everyone is protected, knows to expect and what is expected of them. I juts dont even want to take a chance in that department. 

THanks!


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## KmH (Mar 10, 2012)

Congrats.

If the couple didn't sign a contract, or pay a retainer/deposit when they booked, it may not be prudent to consider the booking a done deal.


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## mishele (Mar 10, 2012)

How did they contact you for a wedding? Are they friends?


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## JaclynDavisPhoto (Mar 10, 2012)

The bride is a relative of good friends of ours. She was showing her fiance my website and he asked her to ask me if I would do their wedding.


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## Sw1tchFX (Mar 10, 2012)

Shoot portra 400 and a 50mm f/1.4 for everything. The lab can fix your mistakes.


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## Robin Usagani (Mar 10, 2012)

What you need won't be compatible with your camera??  Then you won't need it then?


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## Destin (Mar 10, 2012)

Looking through your portfolio on your site, it seems like you're off to a good start. I like some of the compositions, but some I don't. That's all personal preference though. 

However, from the looks of it, all of your photos are taken with natural light. That $%^% won't fly for weddings. Not gonna work. You need to be a freaking ninja with photographic lighting to properly record a wedding. It's very hard to consistantly make good looking photos with on or off camera flash in a rapidly changing enviroment like a wedding. 

You also have some focus issues... lots of distracting DOF's with things/people OOF in the foreground, and lots of photos that are very soft, or out of focus. For weddings, photos need to be consistantly sharp and in perfect focus, as any of them could be ordered in a large size that will make soft/OOF photos look like total garbage. 

I'm not saying you can't do it. But I reccomend you hire a second shooter in case you miss things, and that in the mean time, you actively participate in the community. Some people, including (especially) me, come off as arrogant pricks. But That's not the case (well, except for a few people who really are). Even when people just flat out tell you that a photo SUCKS, that's helpful. It tells you what doesn't work. Listen to their advice and grow from it. 

To recap, work on the following things before the wedding:
1.) FOCUS, FOCUS, FOCUS. It doesn't matter how good the lighting, composition, or moment are, without good, sharp focus, the photo goes in the garbage and cannot be used. A wedding is not the time to use intentional soft focus, especially not your first wedding. 
2.) Lighting. Get a GOOD flash ASAP, and maybe a few cheap-o (yongnuo yn-460 II) manual only flashes, along with some flash triggers. Learn EVERYTHING you can about using flash. How to bounce it. How to use more than one. How to use gels to match the WB of room lights, what different modifiers do, etc. Without this knowledge, you cannot shoot a wedding effectively. Period. (check out strobist.com)
3.) If you don't already have a good computer monitor and calibration tool, get them. You have no way to make prints match what they look like on screen without a good calibrated monitor. This is another must for wedding work. 
4.) For the wedding, You're gonna want 2 cameras good in low light (5dII is a good choice). I'd rent 2 of them. Save on changing lenses, and it gives you a backup. As far as lenses, I reccomend renting or buying a 24-70 2.8, and a 70-200 2.8, as well as maybe a wide angle like the tokina 11-16. Well before the wedding, rent at least the camera body you'll be using and familiarize yourself with it. 

What are you charging them anyway? Did you factor in that an average wedding shoot takes 10-12 hours? (you'll be DEAD at the end of the night)

How about the additional 12-20 hours youll spend editing the photos and placing orders? Or the cost of renting gear? Fuel to get there and back?

Once you realize how much work a wedding is, and how much gear and knowledge you need to shoot one, you begin to understand why most photographers are charging $2,000-5,000.


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## JaclynDavisPhoto (Mar 10, 2012)

Thanks Destin! That was the kind of advice I was looking for. I don't think you come off as arrogant, how else will I know what I need to work on if someone doesn't tell me? I appreciate the criticism. Focus has been something that I have been consistently improving on and still will until then. There's still a lot to learn... I'm a big beleiver in always learning and fine tuning your craft. 

I sincerely appreciate your help!


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## Destin (Mar 10, 2012)

JaclynDavisPhoto said:


> Thanks Destin! That was the kind of advice I was looking for. I don't think you come off as arrogant, how else will I know what I need to work on if someone doesn't tell me? I appreciate the criticism. Focus has been something that I have been consistently improving on and still will until then. There's still a lot to learn... I'm a big beleiver in always learning and fine tuning your craft.
> 
> I sincerely appreciate your help!



With that attitude, you'll fit in well here. Most people come on here expecting us to ooh and ahh over their photos, and the minute we start picking things out that need improvement, they get all butt hurt, call us pricks, and never come back. For real. Happens at least once a week on here. 

Welcome to the forum, I look forward to seeing more of your work!


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## orljustin (Mar 11, 2012)

"My main thing right now is making sure I have the proper equipment soon so that I am comfortable with it by September."

I suggest waiting until August to worry about it.  The freedom of not knowing how to use the "proper equipment" will give your shots that something special someone who knows what they are doing couldn't give them.


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## Tee (Mar 11, 2012)

orljustin said:


> "My main thing right now is making sure I have the proper equipment soon so that I am comfortable with it by September."
> 
> I suggest waiting until August to worry about it.  The freedom of not knowing how to use the "proper equipment" will give your shots that something special someone who knows what they are doing couldn't give them.



Not sure what you mean by that.


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## gsgary (Mar 11, 2012)

tirediron said:


> manaheim said:
> 
> 
> > This is going to be another one of _those _threads, isn't it?
> ...



I hope so


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## raider (Mar 11, 2012)

I think orljustin is hitting on the business aspect of her venture.  the most important one, ya know?  but who cares, the industry is rife with unregulated, unprofessional, start a business on a whim cavalier attitudes - so whatever.  the more unregulated you are, the better deal you can give to the consumers... on the front end.  right before they get the product.  i'm not against the OP by the way, just recognizing the facts.  but chances are, the BBB won't be contacted and she won't get sued for the bride getting no pics due to a broken camera and no back up, so no problem.


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## matthewo (Mar 11, 2012)

orljustin said:


> "My main thing right now is making sure I have the proper equipment soon so that I am comfortable with it by September."
> 
> I suggest waiting until August to worry about it.  The freedom of not knowing how to use the "proper equipment" will give your shots that something special someone who knows what they are doing couldn't give them.


 
Your saying not knowing your equipment might give you better results?

I wouldnt agree with that.  Know your equipment in and out.  Start to understand lighting so you can ball park manual exposure and be within a 1/2 stop or so without thinking much.  You can then devote your time to trying new, and interesting compositions.

What happens if you get great composition, but underexposed shots that are not focused correctly?


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## JaclynDavisPhoto (Mar 11, 2012)

I never said those words. That thought never even crossed my mind. It doesn't make sense to me that not knowing my equipment would make my results better. If that were the case I wouldn't have posted about it this far in advance.


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## CowgirlMama (Mar 11, 2012)

It's not you that said it. Someone unhelpful posted that you shouldn't worry about getting equipment ahead of time. People here can be pretty sarcastic.


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## mishele (Mar 11, 2012)

orljustin said:


> "My main thing right now is making sure I have the proper equipment soon so that I am comfortable with it by September."
> 
> I suggest waiting until August to worry about it.  The freedom of not knowing how to use the "proper equipment" will give your shots that something special someone who knows what they are doing couldn't give them.



^^^^Nominated for post of the day!!! LOL


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## matthewo (Mar 11, 2012)

sorry, i guess i missed that part.  my apologies


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## CCericola (Mar 11, 2012)

My first wedding by myself was a referral from the studio I used to work for. Because they trained me they were confident in recommending me when a bride to be called them and they were already booked for her day. Definitely get the training before you go out on your own.

Oops that response was for a different thread. My bad. Unless that advice helps you too?


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## orljustin (Mar 11, 2012)

CowgirlMama said:


> It's not you that said it. Someone unhelpful posted that you shouldn't worry about getting equipment ahead of time. People here can be pretty sarcastic.



At least someone can pick out sarcasm.  I know I'd want my wedding photographer to have something aside from 3 months of "practice" before my special day.


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## manaheim (Mar 11, 2012)

Yeah, frankly I don't get why everyone is being so accepting of this particular photographer, when clearly previous would-be photographers saying the same stuff got attacked like a man wearing a meat suit at a dog pound.


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## cgipson1 (Mar 11, 2012)

manaheim said:


> Yeah, frankly I don't get why everyone is being so accepting of this particular photographer, when clearly previous would-be photographers saying the same stuff got attacked like a man wearing a meat suit at a dog pound.



I am trying to be more helpful, and less rude.. to those that at least appear to have something decent in their portfolio, and are going about it the right way (second shooting, etc). I only saw a couple on the OP's site that were framed really tight, or had feet cut off.. not every other one, like usual! Exposures were ok in general, and it looks like she might know how to use a flash! 

Those that can't shoot, have really crappy photos, and are bragging about getting a "gig".... well, no promises there!


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## tirediron (Mar 11, 2012)

manaheim said:


> Yeah, frankly I don't get why everyone is being so accepting of this particular photographer, when clearly previous would-be photographers saying the same stuff got attacked like a man wearing a meat suit at a dog pound.


Mebbe the dogs wuz already fed and they's not hungry any more?

I suspect that because unlike a lot of posters, the OP here isn't shooting  a wedding next weekend, has lots of lead-time, and appears to be working the right direction with contracts, gear, etc, but you're right, there have been similar posts who've been flayed alive...


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## cgipson1 (Mar 11, 2012)

orljustin said:


> At least someone can pick out sarcasm.  I know I'd want my wedding photographer to have something aside from 3 months of "practice" before my special day.



I agree, that three months of practice is not enough.. but you can't stop them. At least the OP is trying to do it right... and if she screws up, then it is between her and the bride. I know I am not going to worry about it! 

It is funny how your sarcasm was missed by some.. nicely done! lol!


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