If you-an amateur photographer-are asked to shoot a wedding, my advice is to say no. Why? Photographing weddings is serious business.
Make a complete list of the people, events, and objects you'll need to photograph. You'll quickly realize that there will be no time for you to be a guest at this wedding. You have to be everywhere at once, all the while concentrating on getting the best possible picture of everything. And you'll have to take lots of pictures. This means that you'll spend way more money than you'd likely spend on a really nice wedding gift. Count on at least $300 for film and processing. And after all of that, if the pictures don't turn out the way the couple wanted, your relationship with them could be permanently affected.
If the couple want to know why you're unwilling to photograph their special day, pass along the reasons from the above paragraph. Recommend that the couple hire a seasoned professional. You'll stand a much better chance of continuing a valuable personal friendship.
If they don't have the time to do the research, you might offer to do it for them. Contact the Professional Photographers Association for a list of members who specialize in wedding photography. Get a list of their Web sites, look at their work, and provide their advice to the couple. Compare the rates of the various photographers (you'll probably be shocked).
If the couple don't have the money to hire a pro themselves, you might want to hire the photographer as a wedding gift. Better yet, split the cost with five or 10 of the couple's best friends as a group wedding gift.
Suppose you've tried all of the other possibilities, but both you and the couple have come to the conclusion that hiring a pro isn't an affordable option, and that you are definitely the friend best qualified to take the pictures. So you say yes. Now you need to prepare the couple and yourself.
Start by writing the couple a letter that states, in black and white, that you are an amateur photographer. The letter should also state clearly that you cannot be responsible for capturing every important moment of the wedding. I can't stress too much that this little contract can save a lifelong friendship.
Make a complete list of events and objects the couple want to have photographed. Also get lists from the wedding staff-planner, caterer, and event coordinator-detailing each part of the ceremony that shouldn't be missed. You might also want to check the Web sites of some bridal magazines for a list.
Note: If you are taking photographs to supplement those taken by a professional photographer, be sure to talk to the pro before the wedding to ensure that you do not interfere with the pro's work. Some professional wedding photographers do not allow other photographers to shoot during weddings.
The next thing you should do is recruit someone to help you. Make sure you set aside a day for practice, and have your helper attend the practice sessions. Your helper should understand that the job is not a glamorous one. The job consists mainly of carrying stuff and handing you things when you need them. Your helper should never coach the subjects or do anything to distract a subject's attention from the camera.
When you've got an idea of what you need to shoot, equip yourself so that you'll have everything you need to get each and every one of those precious shots unforgettably recorded on film.
You'll have to have equipment worthy of a serious amateur if you're going to adequately cover all of the situations that a wedding offers. If you don't own this equipment, you can rent it by the day. Be sure that you rent the equipment for at least two days, so that you can practice what you'll need to do before it's time to do it. If the wedding takes place on a Sunday, you're in luck: Many rental places charge the same rate for a weekend as for a single weekday.
Cameras First, choose your cameras. Note the plural. You must have a backup camera. Cameras only break when you need them the most. The only way you can insure against this hard and fast rule is to have another camera on hand. Preferably, the second camera will be identical to the first. Both cameras should, at the least, be the same brand, so that the lenses and other accessories can be used on either. You'll want 35 mm or larger format cameras with full manual exposure controls and the ability to accept an external flash.
Lenses When it comes to lenses, the most versatile choice would be a different zoom lens for each camera, with focal lengths that overlap in the "normal" range. My personal ideal would be a lens with a 24 mm to 120 mm zoom range for one camera, and a lens with a 80 mm to 200 mm zoom range for the other. You'll need the wide-angle lens to shoot the wedding site, large group shots, the dining hall, and the dance floor. You'll need the longer lens for all of the intimate moments between the couple, and between the couple and their closest friends and family. And you'll need normal lenses for most everything else.
You can buy a single lens that covers the entire 24 mm to 200 mm range at a fairly moderate price. However, you'll likely get sharper pictures and greater light sensitivity by splitting the work between two lenses. You'd get even sharper pictures from a whole series of lenses with fixed focal lengths. But then you're more likely to be caught changing lenses at the magic moment when you should be shooting.
Flash Most of the photography at weddings and receptions occurs indoors, so you will have to rely on flash for lighting in most situations. Use ambient light whenever there's enough of it to allow a sharp handheld shot with ISO 100 to ISO 200 film. Usually, though, professional-quality off-camera flash is the only lighting you will be able to rely on.
Get the most powerful off-camera flash you can afford to buy or rent. The flash built in to the camera is only bright enough to capture two or three people standing close together. And the angle of the lighting causes unflattering shadows and red eye, particularly if you try to shoot a vertical. These are more grievous faults at a wedding than at any other event, because wedding photos must evoke glamour and romance. You want flash that's bright enough to use as indirect lighting by bouncing it off walls and ceilings. At the very least, you want to be able to hold the flash at arm's length and at a 45-degree angle from the camera. Be sure you have a flash sync cord that's long enough to allow you (or, better, your helper) to hold the flash at least three feet away from the camera.
Calculating flash exposures properly can be a tricky proposition. When in doubt, set the shutter at 1/60th of a second. Use an f-stop of f/5.6 for bounce flash if the wall or ceiling is 8 to 12 feet away. If the flash is aimed directly at the subjects, use an f-stop of f/8 for large group shots and f/11 for individual or small group (2 or 3 people) shots. These recommendations assume an ISO rating (film or digital) of 100.
You'll get more accurate readings if you use a flash meter, or a flash that automatically sets its brightness according to the camera's built-in meter. You will have to carefully check your camera's guide to determine if your camera and flash have this capability. There's a gotcha, though: Most cameras that can do an automatic flash exposure reading require a proprietary flash unit that costs more than equivalent all-purpose flash units. Furthermore, if you decide to trade your camera in for a new model, you may have to buy a new flash as well.
The next best option would be a nonproprietary flash that sets its exposure automatically, without relying on any signal from the camera. You simply set the camera at a recommended lens opening and shutter speed, and then let the flash do the work for you.
Film Your next consideration is the type of film to use. I recommend picking one professional daylight film with an ISO of 100 or 200 for most of your shooting. Faster films are likely to produce more grain than is appropriate to the glamour and romance of a wedding. I don't recommend "snapshot" films, such as Kodak Max or Fuji Superia, for wedding pictures. The standards of consistency for these films is not as high as for the professional emulsions. Also, these films are formulated for high ("snappy") color saturation, which is inappropriate for the soft, romantic mood of a wedding.
Count on using at least 20 rolls of film if you're going to try to cover all of the events of the wedding and reception. I recommend that you take along more, knowing you can return anything that's left over. After all, if you're out of film, you can't take the picture. It's also a good idea to add a few 24-exposure rolls of ISO 400 tungsten film for indoor available-light situations. You want 24-exposure rolls, rather than 36-exposure rolls, because you won't have to waste as much film when you switch to slower film before you've finished shooting the roll.
Even if the wedding events take place almost entirely indoors, you will need to take a few shots outdoors. When shooting outdoors (such as the arrival and departure from the wedding site, or for the rice-throwing), keep your subjects in open shade whenever possible. Direct sunlight makes for deep shadows that emphasize wrinkles and bags under the eyes. If you shoot in direct sunlight and expose for the shadows, highlights tend to give up all detail to a stark white.
You can use reflectors in some outdoor situations, but they just aren't portable enough to let you keep up with the fast-changing pace of events. Fill flash is a much better solution. Here is one place where your built-in flash can be better than an external flash. Most modern cameras have a fill flash setting, and you should use it. If you're shooting an outdoor wedding, or if the reception is a daytime lawn party, keep your fill flash on anytime you're in the sun.
- Batteries Make sure you have an extra set (better yet, two extra sets) of batteries for your cameras, light meter, and flash.
- Tripod You'll want to take along a tripod for all of the formal (especially group) shots, as well as a cable release or remote control that lets you take the picture when you're standing away from the camera and avoid camera shake when the shutter is pressed. Then you'll be free to give directions, hold an external flash at the desired angle, or aim a reflector.
- Reflectors Speaking of reflectors, a couple of those car windshield reflectors that fold up can come in very handy. They cost only a few dollars each. Look for those that are plain white on one side and foil on the other.
- Equipment guides Don't forget the guides for your equipment. Otherwise, it's guaranteed that you'll forget how to make a setting that's crucial to the success of some shot.
You also want to take along small items that will help ensure that your subjects always look their best:
- Nail polish A bottle of clear nail polish can stop runs in stockings.
- Make-up Pancake make-up can cover small skin blemishes that appear unexpectedly.
- Sewing kit A sewing kit is a good idea in case you need to repair a tear in a dress or the bridal train.
- Clothes pins, safety pins, and straight pins For the formal picture, pins can do wonders for making small repairs and adjusting the fit of clothing so that it looks best from the camera's viewpoint.
- Lighter A cigarette lighter can come in handy when a sudden gust of wind blows out the candles just as you're about to shoot.
Don't entrust the processing of precious wedding pictures to a one-hour photo-finishing lab. It's not that one-hour labs don't have their place. But they're set up to do low-cost volume processing that's "good enough" for casual photography.
You want to use a lab that can process each roll according to your specifications, and that can make adjustments in individual prints. This customizable processing can make the difference between a snapshot and a lifetime memento. Let the lab know that you're not a pro and that you're looking for a little extra help in this situation. Then choose the lab that seems most helpful.
Have the lab make snapshot-sized proofs of all of the pictures, so that you can show them to the newlyweds and their family. Be sure to note the roll and exposure number on each proof, so that the couple can order prints from any of the pictures in any size that they like.
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