I am shooting a friends outdoor wedding in May (near Chicago) should be decent weather...was wondering if anyone has any good tips for me-I just got a new Sony DSC H-9 -8.1 Megapixel camera-and i was wondering if anyone has worked with one doing an event like this and has any good tips regarding some of the features the camera has to offer.. Thank you in advance...
2007-12-28 15:56:07 · 12 answers · asked by Anonymous in Arts & Humanities ➔ Visual Arts ➔ Photography
Excuse me Antoni-I have several years of photography school under my belt-i was just wondering if anyone had worked with this particular camera and had any tips for me for shooting an outdoor wedding-And FYI-they were not going to hire anyone because they could not afford it-so i am doing it as a favor-i am better than your typical wedding guest so-something is better than nothing.
2007-12-28 16:14:02 · update #1
I love my SLR-i think 35mm is still the best way to go-this couple is not expecting ANYTHING so i will be able to give them what i can-i do have a friend helping me and i just got married in September so i know what i expected and wish to give them the same things i was aware of and wanted. Thank you all for your advice and there will be no virgins sacrificied for this project-LOL.
2007-12-29 05:43:13 · update #2
The Sony H9 is a capable camera with lots of features and excellent Carl Zeiss optics. Of course, as with any digital cam make sure you have a spare battery or two and enough memory cards for special occassions like this.
Since a wedding is all about people, make sure you know where to find the portrait modes (normal & twilight) so yu get the skin tones right. The same advice goes fort white balance settings. Red-eye reduction too, might be a good idea if you don't want to spend much time with photoshop.
Consider the 16:9 ratio setting for formal group shots, maybe you could experiment with that before the shoot. And even though Sony claims the flash has enough power to deliver a good image up to 30 ft or so, don't rely on it too much.
As for pivotal moments (the kiss, signing the wedding papers etc.) you might want to switch to the Advanced Sports Shooting mode since it is optimised for capturing 'fleeting moments'. And with digital cameras, continuous drive mode is no longer a luxury.
The huge zoom range of this particular camera takes quite some time to travel from one end of the range to the other, from 2 secs in hi-speed zoom mode to almost 5 secs in lo-speed mode. If at all possible, any shot that can be anticipated beforehand, should be pre-framed and pre-focused before pressing the shutter release.
Furthermore, I wouldn't hesitate to use the vivid colour mode for general (non-portrait) shots; it's easier to tone them down than to boost their colour and saturation in photoshop. But that's a matter of personal preference.
Hope you'll have a nice day!
2007-12-30 22:27:55 · answer #1 · answered by nuclearfuel 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
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2016-12-20 06:37:57 · answer #2 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The worse thing about any small sensor digicam is the DOF. So be sure to check your backgrounds for unattractive elements because they will be in focus. The on-board flash will not be much help unless you are close if the day is sunny and bright, so hope/pray/sacrifice virgins for an overcast day which will control shadows and contrast beautifully. If the camera has RAW and you have a workflow for it, then shoot the formals at least in RAW. Use as low ISO as possible. Check the histogram for exposure, and try to avoid blowing highlights, especially on the dress. Get a family member to help round up the folks for formals, if you are doing them. Go over ahead of time with the B&G what shots they can't live without, then make sure you get at least those. Be prepared for the important moments, the processional, handoff, ring exchange, kiss, recessional, toasts, cake cutting, etc etc. If you have another camera available, take it and make sure it is ready to go with fresh batteries, memory cards, film. Take a backup camera, even if it's an old film p&s.
When shooting groups, leave room for enlargements and don't cut people's feet off. Take charge of any formal shooting. Tell other snappers that you get yours FIRST, and command the attention of the wedding party/subjects. Otherwise you will have eyes looking every direction which is a pain to have to fix in post. Take some closeups and some from a greater distance. Visit some professional wedding photographers' websites and get ideas. Don't forget to take detail shots of the flowers, decor, dress, cake etc etc.
Remember, you are there as a worker, not a guest. You will unlikely have time for visiting and merriment. No drinking of alcohol, even if offered. (I am not anti-alcohol, but when working, even if for free as a friend, you should adhere to a more professional standard. You may, however, have a bite to eat when possible :-) )Wear comfortable shoes. Go with a great attitude and work hard. If you are skilled in photography, you should end up with acceptable images of the day. Best of luck to you.
2007-12-29 00:54:20 · answer #3 · answered by Ara57 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
By May you should be most aware of the ins and outs of this camera and what it can accomplish. Ty it in manual and the different priorities so you are not just using it as a point and shoot. I would try to get an external flash and get used to that as well, using some type of modifier on it to make it more natural.
I have been shooting weddings for over 30 years and before each wedding I look up as many other photographers as I can for new inspiration and new poses to add to my repertoire.
I do advise you to carry back up equipment, even if it's just your old point and shoot and to back up Antoni, if you can get your hands on a DSLR for the day, that would be the best thing.
I hope it all works out for you!
2007-12-29 02:42:56 · answer #4 · answered by Perki88 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I would recommend that you beg borrow or steal an slr or dslr. (slr=single lens reflex). I would also recommend a wide angle lens and a telephoto lens. As well as a strobe unit and a bracket. If your use a point and shoot the bride and groom will highly disappointed in the wedding photographs. With the slr you can control things like dof,fstops,shutterspeeds. For some real good info go to www.photo.net. There is a forum and a learning section there on wedding photography.
2007-12-28 16:34:44 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I personally refuse to do weddings for friends and relatives. Weddings are not like "normal" snapshots. The problem is when the bride sees the photos and they don't look as good as those from her friends' weddings that were shot by professionals, it will put a big strain on your friendship. Also, wedding photography is a lot of WORK. You also have no experience organizing a wedding party for photos, and trying to learn on your own during a wedding is a disaster. You will have little time for socializing etc. I suggest not doing it, especially if you have no experience in this field. For starters you don't have the lenses or the lighting system. Likely this will be a big mistake. If these people don't have a few hundred dollars to hire a low budget pro, they shouldn't be getting married in the first place. A point & shoot camera isn't going to cut it.
Kent in SD
2007-12-28 18:19:14 · answer #6 · answered by duckgrabber 4 · 0⤊ 3⤋
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2016-02-14 04:32:05 · answer #7 · answered by Halina 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you dont know off camera flash goto photography school and learn it. then buy some flash units and a DSLR camera.
Serious don't ruin your friendship and their memories - get them to hire a professional - unless they arent really friends.
a
TIP: dont ruin your friendship!! seen it happen
EDIT: ok then, if you have done courses et cetera you should know the limitations of point n shoots - beg borrow or steal a DSLR or SLR and use flash or they will have dead eye shots and that don't look good
I take risks here by being honest - if thats offensive sorry, I HAVE seen people without your training make a big mess of these occasions.........so slr or dslr and flash is a must I think, if you can't get hold of one then use fill flash and get close and fill the frame - good lucky
2007-12-28 16:05:25 · answer #8 · answered by Antoni 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Pray to the gods for good weather, and sacrifice a virgin if necessary.
Havent used your camera, but they all have a basic need.
Lighting.
Contact the couple, and do a quick inspection of the site, and the setup. See what kind of sun and covering you might have to deal with. Check to see what you will need if it is raining, and the ceremony has to find an indoor location, ie ., more lighting. Heard of strobist?? browse thru here http://strobist.blogspot.com, for some ideas on small sized lighting modifications.
Bring an assistant, to hold reflectors or shades if you can, to modify light for best effect.
Do a practice shoot at the location, even if it is just kids or friends standing in. You want your friends to get the best photos possible.
Good luck.
2007-12-28 19:22:01 · answer #9 · answered by photoguy_ryan 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Pray for a slightly overcast day. Then do the best you can with what you have.
Of course, you could always rent a DSLR and a couple of lenses and a flash.
2007-12-28 21:22:01 · answer #10 · answered by EDWIN 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋