Taking photo's for mum's wedding! help!

GEEGEE8

Hi there,

As the photography fan in my family, my mum seems to think I am fantastic and wants me to take her wedding photo's.

I'm nervous. I'm a bit of a urban photographer, buildings etc, not really a people photographer..

Any tips on what on Earth I am going to do.. she keeps saying 'don't worry, just want a few nice pics', but I'm worried I'll mess it up.. :o

o_t_e

Don't worry - she's going to like your pictures because she knows you've done your best. Are you photographing the whole wedding from morning preparations through to the first dance or just bits of it? What equipment do you have? When is the wedding?

GEEGEE8

The wedding is the end of july.

I have a DSLR Nikon.

I guess I'm doing the whole thing yes.. lol.. She said she doesn't expect me to be constantly taking photo's though.

Tbh I would have rather just enjoyed the day as a guest.. It's the first time my boyfriend will be meeting the family and mum has asked if he can video..

I want to help he out, but would have been nice just to have enjoyed the day.

RainbowDrops

Is there someone else who can help out too?
So you can be in the photos, and to take the pressure off?

I'm sure you'll take some lovely photos, but if it's not your normal media, try to some practice shots first. Ask to see other wedding albums for ideas etc.

GEEGEE8

I was going to try and practice, but it's not easy because I have no passion for it as such.. If you popped a bridge in front of me I'd be snapping away lol. Awful aren't I..

Other wedding albums is a good idea, might give me a clue as to what angles to take etc..

No-one else can use a camera really, another family member is having a small camera to take pics, but generally it will just be me.. eeek.

RainbowDrops

GEEGEE8 wrote: »

No-one else can use a camera really, another family member is having a small camera to take pics, but generally it will just be me.. eeek.

Aw, I'm sure it'll be fine, just take a tripod along so you can jump in too

GEEGEE8

Ah yes, a tripod would be handy. I don't have one. Mum will have to supply one for me lol.

Just wanted to get dressed up and enjoy the day with boyfriend. We don't go to events together really, well, not even on our own lol.

Feel like I'll be working on the day, rather than enjoying it.

Altho, mother's 3rd wedding, so maybe I'll need a distraction!

o_t_e

Ok so two months away - plenty of time -try to get as much practice as possible of taking pictures of people generally in different lighting conditions, low light especially.

Here's a couple of links that might help:

http://tips.romanzolin.com/articles/article006.php
http://www.rokkorfiles.com/Wedding101-page1.html

Basically use the lens you've got up to the limits of your particular model nikons high iso capability in aperture priority - I imagine that is what you'll be most comfortable with - then it's probably just a case of using the pop up flash and seeing what you can get from it. If you can borrow or rent a nikon ttl flash that will help alot in the evening - if you want to go down that route let me know and I'll pm you some info on setting up and using a nikon flash.

gorgeouslatinrose

Why dont you speak to your mum about getting a photography student in as well to ease the pressure of you so you can enjoy as well? Im sure she will want you to be in some of the photos and that will be difficult if your taking them! That way you can still take some amazing photos for her which will mean just as much, but for the rest of the rest of the day the student can take them throughout.

C_Mababejive

Take lots and lots of pictures
Make sure you fill the frame with subject material not background
Use your depth of field to isolate subject/foreground and background
when youve taken pics,crop any suitable to provide more pics

RainbowDrops

gorgeouslatinrose wrote: »

Why dont you speak to your mum about getting a photography student in as well to ease the pressure of you so you can enjoy as well? Im sure she will want you to be in some of the photos and that will be difficult if your taking them! That way you can still take some amazing photos for her which will mean just as much, but for the rest of the rest of the day the student can take them throughout.

I think this is a good idea, you can explain to your Mum that you want to celebrate the day with her.
Plus two snappers are better than one!