Helping a friend take her wedding photos as backup!

[jOhO]

Hi all,

so cool my friend enthusiastically accepted my offer to be her back-up photog for the actual day so that i can venture into this type of photography. i'm using a coolpix5700.

i have a few questions:

1. lens: is 35mm as my widest good enuff for indoor shots in a HDB flat? i've got a crappy $65 WA that's meant to be for a videocam just to play play, and the distortions are horrendous. if i use that i can correct the barrel distortion in PS one by one no problem, but if i dun have to use it, i won't. or, do u recommend a higher quality WA convertor?

2. lighting: i've been browsing the net for those "photojounalistic style" photos and i think most of them don't use flash for indoors at the flat (in the morning, i guess). i'm not sure whether that's enuff light for my cam (non-slr, dun have luxury of 50mm/f1.8!!). i've had some success hand-holding 1/15 for my widest setting, but then if i'm gonna do that all day long i might end up with shake and that's gonna result in a bad hit rate overall. f/2.8 is the biggest i can go, and that's at 35mm. will iso400 be too noisy? b/w photos look good grainy anyway?

3. there will be an official photog present. so no matter wat, i stay behind him right? my friend will be telling the photog that i'll be around, i guess it's a good idea to talk to him abit and get him comfortable with my presence? might even learn a thing or two from him?

4. at the banquet i'll definitely be using flash, right? will my flash distract or spoil the shots of the official photographer? can't be so zhun that when my flash fires, his fires too, resulting in his over-exposed shots? (and mine too of course!)

5. i dunno if this is a stupid question, but should i pack the tripod and reflector (and anything else?) in the car anyway? would i need it?

er.. for the moment, this is all i can think of. haha sorree for the lengthy questions. when i think of more i'll post it up. first time taking wedding lar, gan cheong leh!

 

[mpenza]

1. You don't just get distortions, the image suffers in many other ways, e.g. CA, loss of details, etc.

 

[jOhO]

1. You don't just get distortions, the image suffers in many other ways, e.g. CA, loss of details, etc.

yes that too, of course. so if i need wider i should get a better quality WA? but do i NEED wider?

 

[Ah_K]

absolutely great that you can try out this type of photography... although your cam, without flash may not be the best cam out there for this sorta events, but i am sure u will find ways around it

Hope you have a fruit full day!!

 

[jOhO]

absolutely great that you can try out this type of photography... although your cam, without flash may not be the best cam out there for this sorta events, but i am sure u will find ways around it

Hope you have a fruit full day!!

yeah i know, but i'll have to make do. not that i have a chance to borrow and SLR, and even if i do, i might not have time to learn how to use it properly, not to mention if it's not mine, and i stuff it up then i'm screwed. as if not stress enuff on that day. :bsmilie:

thanx man! :embrass:

 

[kex]

dun try to duplicate the main photographer shots,not very nice..
go try other candids shots of other guest instead.

 

[jOhO]

dun try to duplicate the main photographer shots,not very nice..
go try other candids shots of other guest instead.

eheh nono when i said stand behind him, meaning i will have to be mindful not to stand in front of him, or in the way, if not he can't get the shot... ;p

 

[espn]

1) 35mm is fine, I've shot in HDB before, no issues.

2) I used flash even indoors in flats + bounce card. 75-90 tilt. ISO200 is fine enough if you ask me. Just use flash, you'll kill yourself holding 1/15 w/ F/2.8. Even at the void deck when they arrived, under the bright sunny sun, I still used flash. Have it, flaunt it. I'm referring to a speedlight here btw, not internal flash.

3) I prefer to not stick with the main photographer, I prefer natural not posed shots, I would rather stick to another side and snap candid or moments when they just forget they're posing for the camera and snap. It's more valuable then special posed moments.

4) You're a backup, not an official, if you flash as he does, what do you think is going to happen? Play 2nd fiddle at the wedding dinner. The last wedding I shot with djChris however, had no such problem/issue, mabbe we were focusing on different things. Helps to talk a bit on what you want to shoot. Mabbe as he shoots the bride's entry, you snap the guests etc.

5) You don't need either, you probably won't have time to use them anyway (been there done that learned it)

Note: The official photographer is using film and will be hesitative to snap without thinking, so use the times he's contemplating to shoot and get your shots, the offical photographer will be aiming for keeper shots, you can help your friend add to their series with candid, funfilled shots. And remember, set to ratio 3:2 on the 5700 with Fine resolution. I did that for my friend's wedding.

Lastly, if you need help, I can tag along and shoot with you.

 

[jOhO]

espn:

1) 35mm is fine, I've shot in HDB before, no issues.

** that's good~~!

2) I used flash even indoors in flats + bounce card. 75-90 tilt. ISO200 is fine enough if you ask me. Just use flash, you'll kill yourself holding 1/15 w/ F/2.8. Even at the void deck when they arrived, under the bright sunny sun, I still used flash. Have it, flaunt it. I'm referring to a speedlight here btw, not internal flash.

** u sure about using flash all the time, if possible? somehow i feel natural lighting is better for candids and "photojourn" style?

3) I prefer to not stick with the main photographer, I prefer natural not posed shots, I would rather stick to another side and snap candid or moments when they just forget they're posing for the camera and snap. It's more valuable then special posed moments.

** yeah good one, i'll be better off shooting wat he is not, or can't, add value to my friend's wedding too!

4) You're a backup, not an official, if you flash as he does, what do you think is going to happen? Play 2nd fiddle at the wedding dinner. The last wedding I shot with djChris however, had no such problem/issue, mabbe we were focusing on different things. Helps to talk a bit on what you want to shoot. Mabbe as he shoots the bride's entry, you snap the guests etc.

** yeah perhaps the whole idea is to stay away from him, catch other things. will keep an "eye" out for other shots!

Note: The official photographer is using film and will be hesitative to snap without thinking, so use the times he's contemplating to shoot and get your shots, the offical photographer will be aiming for keeper shots, you can help your friend add to their series with candid, funfilled shots. And remember, set to ratio 3:2 on the 5700 with Fine resolution. I did that for my friend's wedding.

** yeah i always shoot in fine mode anyway, but as for the 3:2, for some reason i almost always have to crop my shots for better composition so in the end i need to use ps, and prefer it if i had more "space" to work with. sometimes i can shoot something in landscape mode, and realise i shoulda done portrait, then i crop it to portrait, still have enuff resolution to print 4R!! :embrass: :embrass:

Lastly, if you need help, I can tag along and shoot with you.

** should be alrite.. dun think she wants that many pple tagging along with her all day... thanx tho!! :thumbsup:

 

[Snowcrash]

Since the event is wedding, think beforehand what is the end result you want to present to your friend.

are those the moments that will bring back sweet memories when the couple view them after the event?

Ok, now go shoot.

 

[jOhO]

Since the event is wedding, think beforehand what is the end result you want to present to your friend.

are those the moments that will bring back sweet memories when the couple view them after the event?

Ok, now go shoot.

well those "moments" will have to be decided then and there on the spot, since i have NO IDEA wat goes on on actual day weddings. even as a by-stander or relative, i haven't been to many weddings at all, definitely not in sg, cos i was overseas for 12 years up till 2 years ago...

so if u want me to think about wat i want for my friend now, it's gonna be hard ehhe.. i am however, browsing other photographers' works.. and it helps a little.

 

[espn]

** u sure about using flash all the time, if possible? somehow i feel natural lighting is better for candids and "photojourn" style?

Darn sure I am about this.

** yeah i always shoot in fine mode anyway, but as for the 3:2, for some reason i almost always have to crop my shots for better composition so in the end i need to use ps, and prefer it if i had more "space" to work with. sometimes i can shoot something in landscape mode, and realise i shoulda done portrait, then i crop it to portrait, still have enuff resolution to print 4R!! :embrass: :embrass:

Not advisable because if your friend wants to print out the shots, first of all you need to crop all to 3:2 and if you're taking group shots, chances are if you don't set 3:2, you'll end up either cropping their heads/legs. Your pick.

 

[e_liau]

IMO, photojournalistic style photos are candid shots. It's a style of creating that unique moods for the person whom is looking through the photos. It uses techniques, black&white media, sequential time series type of presentations etc, to bring out the creativity of the photographer. I don't think it has to do with the type of cameras that you are using. Definitely do not concern whether you use flash or not.

Good luck to you on your friend's wedding day. :angel:

 

[igpenguin]

You friend is probably hoping for additional pictures that capture moments the main photog cannot cover. It's a good chance to hone your compositional skills and reflex while remaining as a guest shooting from the bystander point of view.

So don't worry about anything!

At the banquet I'd prefer to be eating...

 

[jOhO]

IMO, photojournalistic style photos are candid shots. It's a style of creating that unique moods for the person whom is looking through the photos. It uses techniques, black&white media, sequential time series type of presentations etc, to bring out the creativity of the photographer. I don't think it has to do with the type of cameras that you are using. Definitely do not concern whether you use flash or not.

Good luck to you on your friend's wedding day. :angel:

thanx~~ hope it turns out well. ;p

 

[jOhO]

You friend is probably hoping for additional pictures that capture moments the main photog cannot cover. It's a good chance to hone your compositional skills and reflex while remaining as a guest shooting from the bystander point of view.

So don't worry about anything!

At the banquet I'd prefer to be eating...

yeah sounds about right.. anyway if i don't really get all the "moment" shots, that's wat the official photog is there for wat.. ehehhe

 

[Snowcrash]

yeah sounds about right.. anyway if i don't really get all the "moment" shots, that's wat the official photog is there for wat.. ehehhe

Some will say don't compete with the official photog (same angle of that special moment.) But shoot your own unique angle... And take note of things that the bride will cherish (hint: ask those ladies who are married what photos help bring back memories...)

eg. taking pictures of all the shoes outside the house, close-up of the ring, gown....

 

[jOhO]

ok i've done it!!!!!!!!!

*phew* :sweat:

if u wanna view the photos can PM me pls? eheh cos i dun wanna post out in public.. wanna respect the couple's privacy.