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Wedding photographer by chance - help

The Mad One Wed 23 Sep 2020 11:39:50 No.3731623 View View Reply Original Report

Quoted By: >>3731650 >>3731695 >>3731697 >>3731705 >>3731733 >>3731799 >>3731846 >>3731964 >>3732050

Hi.

I've bought an Olympus E‑M10 Mark II like two months ago, I took quite a few pictures, and generally just had fun with it.

The problem I have now is that one really close friend liked my pictures and ask me to be their wedding photographer... I know that they're on a budget but I have no idea about wedding photography...
Can you please give me any tips?
(btw I only have kit lense and Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 40-150mm F4.0-5.6 R) .
I would really appreciate any advice you can give me (and yes, I'm googling what I can right now)

P.S. The wedding is this Saturday. Help

Anonymous

Anonymous Wed 23 Sep 2020 12:33:39 No.3731643 Report

Quoted By:

you'll be fine just take tons of pictures there's bound to be a few salvageable ones

Anonymous

Anonymous Wed 23 Sep 2020 12:42:57 No.3731650 Report

Quoted By: >>3732036 >>3732103

>>3731623
>The problem I have now is that one really close friend liked my pictures and ask me to be their wedding photographer
they're fucking idiots for asking you
you're a fucking idiot for saying yes
you're fucked, and they're going to blame you.

Anonymous

View Same Google ImgOps iqdb SauceNAO checkemlist.jpg, 41KiB, 570x449

Anonymous Wed 23 Sep 2020 13:09:05 No.3731658 Report

Quoted By: >>3731794

Just bring 20 batteries, recharger, and condoms (optional).
>you will ruin the happiest day of their lives.
>post feet pics

The Mad One

The Mad One Wed 23 Sep 2020 13:16:01 No.3731661 Report

Quoted By:

Well it's either this or nothing, so I hope they will not be too disappointed.
+ I don't want to ruin it, that's why I ask for any help

Anonymous

Anonymous Wed 23 Sep 2020 14:55:44 No.3731695 Report

Quoted By:

>>3731623
Get one of the 50mm af lenses that either panasonic or olympus or some other manufacturer offers, and shoot wide open all the time.

Anonymous

Anonymous Wed 23 Sep 2020 14:57:40 No.3731697 Report

Quoted By: >>3731977

>>3731623
I had a coworker ask me if I could take a profile photo for them because they saw me bring in a camera once. I refused.
1. They're not paying you
2. They might not be happy with it(but pretend to be)

If you're confident with your skills, go for it. But I would recommend they hire someone and you can take photos during the event as a bonus. That way if you get a good shot, hey that's +1, but if you don't, they still have the pro's shots.

Anonymous

Anonymous Wed 23 Sep 2020 15:17:27 No.3731705 Report

Quoted By: >>3732039

>>3731623
Tell them that after some thinking, you can't take on the responsibility of recording the most important day of their lives.

Help them get over this Dunning–Kruger effect by making them realise that seeing a few nice-looking snapshits of yours does not make you a remotely qualified wedding photographer. Take a quick look at what they do, and tell them everything it involves and how you can't possibly fill those boots.

Make sure they understand that you've got their best interests in mind, but also make sure they understand they are putting you in an impossible position. If you refuse, then you're obviously not a true friend, but if you accept, and take subpar photos, they're going to curse your name for ruining their special day.

Anonymous

Anonymous Wed 23 Sep 2020 16:05:11 No.3731733 Report

Quoted By: >>3731751

>>3731623
How much are they paying for the wedding? How much do they care about the pictures?
If they are having a small gathering with a few friends, then you might be ok for the pictures. But if they are paying $20k + for a wedding, and they cant afford a couple thousand for a photographer, they should not complain if the photos are shit.

You should at least get her to pay for a decent portrait lens for you, maybe the Oly 45 f1.8. You will probably need something for light too. The kit lens and a MFT camera are all but useless in anything but very bright light.

angelWings !!R20uMSYGKKc

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angelWings !!R20uMSYGKKc Wed 23 Sep 2020 16:43:56 No.3731751 Report

Quoted By:

all good advice here

For the record I shot a wedding before around a year after I got my first DSLR (D90 back in 2014) and looking back all my photos are meh to I won't show them (pic related).
Before that I've been shooting with film and my trusty point and shoots though which didn't help but to bolster my fake confidence. Dunning–Kruger in full effect.

Anyhow in the end it's your choice OP

>>3731733
You should at least get her to pay for a decent portrait lens for you, maybe the Oly 45 f1.8
This is a good idea

Anonymous

Anonymous Wed 23 Sep 2020 18:08:29 No.3731794 Report

Quoted By: >>3731874 >>3732054

>>3731658
Imagine thinking that it'd ruin the happiest day of their life.

I got married, loved it, and barely ever looked at my wedding photos. I actually don't want to, the memories in my mind is what I want to hang onto.

Also any photos can be salvaged in post, unless it's really out of focus.

OP, get some fast primes (1.8 or below) or you'll struggle due to the M43 sensor. Don't try using 2.8 lenses indoor, you'll struggle with motion blur or high ISO.

Use a noise reduction software like Topaz or DxO Photolab.

And take a shitload of photos. You're not a pro, and won't have much experience in getting the critical shot. If you take many shots, you're bound to get at least a few that are decent.

if you're in a really dark scene, make sure to still use a fast enough shutter speed (at least 1/100 in most situations). A high ISO picture is still better than a blurry picture, unless you're going for a stylistic photo.

If you wanna do it for free no problem, just bear in mind it could take days to cull and edit your pictures.

I would never accept money from a best friend or a close family member.

And please backup your picture as often as you can on site. You don't want to be in that situation where you'd lose your pictures to some random accidents or sd card corruption

Anonymous

Anonymous Wed 23 Sep 2020 18:14:34 No.3731799 Report

Quoted By: >>3732062

>>3731623
Outdoors is fine, though you may wish for shallower DoF. Indoors in a church, or at the reception indoors the light is gong to be sucky and low and MFT wont cut it, especially with that lens.

At the reception you can use a speedlite to bounce light off the ceiling, cant do this in a church though. This would save you at the reception.

Easiest thing to do would be to get them to give you just enough to cover rental for whatever FF is available for rent + 24-70mm 2.8. Failing that perhaps you can rent a fast MFT prime for cheap.

Anonymous

Anonymous Wed 23 Sep 2020 18:15:58 No.3731801 Report

Quoted By:

(continued)

last advice, if you really want your photos to stand out, put some efforts on the post processing.

I don't mean to use over the top preset, but if you make sure your pictures are well exposed and you can give the photos a constant style, you can be sure you'll stand out compared to your average photographer or even pro who just shoots jpgs. None of the pictures will be print on A3, so if you need to crop a picture, do it. An average picture can be elevated to a great picture simply by cropping.

BUT you need to make sure it's sharp and not blurry.

Anonymous

Anonymous Wed 23 Sep 2020 18:26:03 No.3731809 Report

Quoted By:

Yongnuo 42.5mm f/1.7 for 100 if on cheap.

Need that AF since it looks you're beginner, or else any kind manual lens would do as well.

Anonymous

Anonymous Wed 23 Sep 2020 19:53:44 No.3731846 Report

Quoted By:

>>3731623
shoot in shutter speed priority mode and keep it above 125, higher is better with moving people up close

Anonymous

Anonymous Wed 23 Sep 2020 21:27:15 No.3731874 Report

Quoted By: >>3731931 >>3731964

>>3731794
>Also any photos can be salvaged in post, unless it's really out of focus.
How do you process in good composition?

Anonymous

Anonymous Wed 23 Sep 2020 22:36:13 No.3731931 Report

Quoted By:

>>3731874
clone stamp

Anonymous

Anonymous Thu 24 Sep 2020 00:14:54 No.3731964 Report

Quoted By:

>>3731874
Cropping obviously

>>3731623
Find out how many tables there are and buy or get them to buy a disposable film camera for each one

Also get ready for everyone of your shots to be ruined by guests with their smartphones actually taking better pics than you will

Anonymous

Anonymous Thu 24 Sep 2020 01:25:58 No.3731977 Report

Quoted By:

>>3731697
While this guy kinda has a point, remember that if you have a network you will broaden your prospects, either acquiring more clients that will actually pay, serve as models, referring you to other people, etc.

Anonymous

Anonymous Thu 24 Sep 2020 05:32:51 No.3732036 Report

Quoted By: >>3732103

>>3731650
This. Dont fucking do it

Anonymous

Anonymous Thu 24 Sep 2020 05:35:11 No.3732039 Report

Quoted By:

>>3731705
Also this, show them this post

Anonymous

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Anonymous Thu 24 Sep 2020 06:21:09 No.3732050 Report

Quoted By: >>3732052

>>3731623
Get a portrait lens, open the aperture like stupid, take the photos in the shade, on the edge towards the sun with them having passively lit faces, e.g. in a tree alley, then you can use the row and position the couple in the middle for a pin point perspective. Look at intimate poses beforehand (pinterest is your friend) and write down on a piece of paper what the poses are all about, pose, relation, limbs, print photos if necessary to orientate yourself on poses. At similar time rehearse with a shoot beforehand to find out how you guys go together well, to find good spots. Watch YouTube videos to get a feel for how to set up, pose and address people.

If it is or becomes somehow stressful, give the props, e.g. tell them to stroll:
-Hug like long time no see
-Hug under his arm
-Buddy walk
-Drunk walk
-Nozzle on the check
-Whisper him something

Brief them on beforehand how to pose but don't make this your main thing during the shoot:
Chest up, neck stretched ahead, arms supported, weight on one foot, closed shapes, gaps with the limbs for a look at e.g. hips etc.

At the moment COVID makes for funny games. I would still let the people stand close together for group shots. Really take your time to move people around so that everyone can see you well and you can see them well with some room for their faces. Put them rather close than having people standing with gaps.

Good luck!

Anonymous

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Anonymous Thu 24 Sep 2020 06:43:11 No.3732052 Report

Quoted By:

>>3732050
Oh, I forgot the most important hint:
Look through the viewfinder only to get settings and the composition right, you'll see shit there. Keep facing and communicating with the people in front of your camera! You can just as well take pictures with the back screen, or, what I prefer, switch between the eyes. Both my eyes are always open, I look past the camera to check the right moment or facial expression, to check if the background is still clear, etc. I only look through the camera to get rough settings and a rough framing.

Again, detail and you moving up close to the couple is good for creating intimacy. You can try almost anything, focus on one detail and there will be hardly bad shots. Image related

Anonymous

Anonymous Thu 24 Sep 2020 06:54:38 No.3732054 Report

Quoted By:

>>3731794
>sd card corruption
is usually overdone. No more is lost than the last shot. The rest can always be saved with low-level tools! You didn't overwrite the card conscientiously, only an error occurred.

It is important to have a replacement card so that you don't keep writing to the card that fails, so that you don't have to format it to be able to continue to shoot. Just continue writing on a new card as soon as a card has produced an error.

Anonymous

Anonymous Thu 24 Sep 2020 07:17:10 No.3732062 Report

Quoted By:

>>3731799
>Easiest thing to do would be to get them to give you just enough to cover rental for whatever FF is available for rent + 24-70mm 2.8
Nothing is worse than a camera that you don't know. A good alternative for badly noisy pictures could be to simply make them black and white, maybe even add a grain effect. I like noise in black and white! As a bonus, overexposed or underexposed images hardly play a role if they are also processed into black and white.

OP, I think that you can make it if you follow the above tips, if you understand that it is really important to talk to your friends, to make them understand what to expect, and if you practice with them a little before.

Anonymous

Anonymous Thu 24 Sep 2020 10:43:29 No.3732103 Report

Quoted By:

>>3731650
>>3732036
To add on, it is unbelievably stupid that you agreed to do this. There’s a reason wedding photography costs a lot. It’s high pressure and requires a lot of planning and coordination.

Unless they’re poor and redneck, in which case go for it!

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