I picked up a wedding for Saturday

[dooda]

I think I really did it.
Actually, it will be a really good wedding to start on. My friends' dad is getting married for the third time (her third wedding as well), and they decided (at the 11th hour) to hire me to take photos for the evening. I'm a little nervous, but she told me that they would do a couple of group shots, and then just typical candids of them and the little kiddies acting cute etc, not the closeup of them holding hands, the special artsy t-strap in the back etc. Just a bunch of photos and I needed to get some of these to put in a portfolio to show people so I can start doing the odd job for extra cash etc.
I'm still not really good with the SB 800, and I'm worried that the weather isn't going to be really great and we'll be doing everything indoors. I'm wondering what people recommend as settings. Based on the links from this site I found this

Set to no zoom, 28mm
-1/3 indoors, +1/3 outdoors.
Use the bounce card often, bounce off of walls
Use the diffuser, or the wide angle flip down thingy.
Any other tips?

I'm going to go over there tomorrow to scope it out. It's in Stanley Park so there should be lots of trees and flower beds to pose the different families by. Like I said they weren't even going to hire a photographer before but in talking to me and checking out some of my pics she and her siblings decided to pitch in and do it (plus it's pretty cheap). I'm not too stressed yet but give me some time, I'll be bleeding out my nipples by morning. It won't be too long, they are starting at 5p, so the light will be nice and low (if there isn't any clouds and rain).
Any tips and or links are very helpful. thanks.

[MCWB]

First of all, congrats Dave, I'm sure it will be a very rewarding experience!

I'm by far an expert with the SB800 yet, but I've had the best results using AA mode rather than TTL, and I usually use -2/3 FEC; shoot RAW. Bounce the flash wherever possible, and/or use the diffuser. I found using both the diffuser and the 'wide angle flip down thingy' (that is its technical name, right?) at once works well when close to the subject, but bounce wherever possible! Sounds like a fun time, you'll be bouncing all over the place!

[birddog114]

dooda,
Get the deposit money and invest in the LSII + SB800.
You'll be surprised with the gadget.

[SteveB]

Hi Birddog,

Just curious, what is the LSII?

Regards
Steve B

[JordanP]

Hi Birddog,

Just curious, what is the LSII?

Regards
Steve B

check this link Steve

http://www.d70users.com/viewtopic.php?t=5596&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0

[SteveB]

Hi Craig,

Thanks for that link, it looks to be a pretty good thing. I am looking at buying an SB800 so it caught my eye when Birddog mentioned it.
Speaking of buying, who is the best for buying SB800's price & service?

Regards
Steve B

[dooda]

Hey Birdie,

Thanks for the tip, I'll definitely look into it, though I don't have a lot of time to search it out (the shoot is this friday).

Any other tips?

[dooda]

I mean Saturday. I thought I'd get more tips. Does no one have any other nuggets to lend me?

[JordanP]

dooda,

How were you planning on metering for the outdoors stuff? What lenses are you planning on using?

[xerubus]

hi dooda... take a look at the following thread.. i believe most of the wedding photogs have replied...

http://www.d70users.com/viewtopic.php?t ... highlight=

cheers

[stubbsy]

I'll be bleeding out my nipples by morning

Your nipples really cop a hiding Dave. I seem to recall in another post you talked about puking out of your nipples.

[dooda]

HOly cow Stubbsy, you've got a really good memory. That was one of my very first posts I think.

Thankyou Mark, in my search I must have missed that one thread.

I will be using the 50mm 1.8 and the kit lens.

[shutterbug]

Hi Dooda,

Use the 50mm indoors for avaliable light. and the kit lens with sb800 (fill flash) outdoors.

[Hendrix]

Shoot heaps and let the wedding run itself to get all the candid shots.

Look around at the whole party, not just the bride and groom, and vary from wide shots to head and shoulder and some closeupsshould give you heaps of shots to make an interesting show or album.

Only thing you should organise is the group shots, signing of the register ( maybe ) and some formal bridal and groom porttraits.

Goodluck with the wedding

[dooda]

I did it, my first wedding. Love to know what you thought. Pretty much they just wanted Photojournalist style documentation, which is what I tried to do. Right after they finished signing the sheet It started pooring rain so we ran into the restaurant. I'd love to hear your thoughts on how I can improve these shots, or composed them better. I would say that this one was rather quick and easy...until we went inside and I got the Err sign after I put the 50mm on there. I had the aperture ring changed for some reason but at the time I was too worked up to think about it so I threw the Kit lens back on there and used the SB 800. Beforehand I cut some white cardboard in a sort of large P shape and rubberbanded it to my SB 800 as a crude Lighsphere bounce flash type thing and I got pretty good results from it. I'll take a pic later and you can tell me what you think. I'll post a link here when I get my pics done. But here is one that I'm done with. Please critique.







Okay here's three. I posted some as color and some as Black and White so they can get a feel for what they would like more. I'm sort of impartial to BW, but hey, they get what they want.

[WadeM]

Congrads on getting a wedding under the belt I hear they get easier after that (for anyone involved).

Both photos, due to the B&W conversion/metering have washed out skys. This is something you should be able to fix up in photoshop.

The top photo, I suggest removing the branch @ the top right, it adds nothing to the photo. Nice centering of the couple, nice DoF. Not a bad shot

The middle photo, needs a crop on the left side and a little bit @ the bottom as well.

Hope to see more photos, where we can actually see their faces etc.

Cheers,
--Wadem

[dooda]

I was talking to a fellow, who was saying when he shoots weddings he always leaves room for the 8x10 and 11x14 crops. I did some shooting like that so that the pictures wouldn't lose anything important. THe washed out sky was a bit of a downer, and yes the branch should go. Thanks for the suggestions.