My first wedding! EEK!

Eeek! I shot my first ever wedding on Thursday! I was unbelievably nervous and felt a little out of my comfort zone! It was located at the Chester Grosvenor Spa hotel - only one of the top hotels in the bloody country - so that didn't help my nerves! However I soon buckled down and fell into a different roll - I ended up helping the bestman and groom get dressed! LOL

Overall it went really well. The couple were fabulous but didn't want many formal/setup shots, which was great for me, as I dont enjoy that side of photography as much.

I think I did ok and I really enjoyed myself. The atmosphere was perfect x

Sorry for the pic heavy post!

Before the ceremony
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The Ceremony (These were harder to get as I wasn't allowed to move around the room x
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8. Emotional during some readings


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12. Signing the papers


"The Formals" and interim
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Meal and Speaches
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I think these are a great set of shots. Are they on the 24-70 and 70-200 or anything else? The processing looks good too, very consistent in the quality, any clues as to your workflow? Presumably an SB800 or 900 filling in? Are you using anything like a lightsphere?

I have been asked to do a couple of wedding but have declined. My skills for the wedding shots maybe would get me through, but PP, no way.

BTW, I thought for a start it was a gay civil ceremony from one or two shots before I saw the female bride!

Thanks BC, it means alot getting good feedback for these

I mostly used the 70-200mm. I think i mounted the 24-70 for about half an hour through the whole day. I do have a GayFong whale tail but didnt use it on his occasion, opting for just the flash diffuser (SB800)

My work flow is very simple. I basically clean up the shots in Capture NX - ie adjust contrast and sometimes exposure, followed my a hint more sharpening. The pictures are then transfered over to CS5 where i run an action to boost the colours. This is followed by adjustments on the skin (brightening and smoothing) work on the eyes(if required) and then finished off with my signature vignetting on each.

LOL Ill tell that one to Mark he will be quite amused! We were all mucking about before the brides arrival (feeling the love!), so the fellow you are seeing is the bestman and thats his little girl KiKi x

Some lovely crisp clear shots there Sam, great PP too - well done for your first wedding!

Thanks Sam, reading back I was a bit light on praise, just a few words, but really the praise was in asking how you did it! I hope you read it that way. I think it is a lovely set. I need to learn more about PP and workflow. I don't seem to be consistent in a set of pictures and I think this is from using different lenses and introducing a number of variable at the picture taking stage. I reckon that may be it, just one or two same brand lenses and adopting a particular style.

I did a wedding last year for a friend and looking back now I cringe. Not always easy to make 50-something year olds look good and back then I didn't have so many fast lenses. Having said that he didn't stick his hand in his pocket either so I guess you get what you pay for! Anyway, good stuff...sure you learnt loads, I did (like not to do one again in a hurry!)

Really nice set Sam! did you enjoy it? or did you only enjoy getting home? lol I have to agree with BC! PP as always very nice!

Excellent set of photos Sam, and really like the PP. It seems the more informal type of wedding pictures is becoming more and more popular/fashionable, it is more in the style of event photography or phoyojournalism than the more formal set of pictures and feel you have really captured the essence of the day. I'm sure the couple will be delighted with the result.

Jeff

What a great set! Well done you! I bet the bride and groom are thrilled.
I love the clean PP style - really suits the mood of teh wedding.

Believe me, they were not all consistent - going from indoors to outdoors to well lit rooms to dark ones is so not the easiest thing to do! This is where ill hold my hands up and say this is where I struggle not to fall on my face.

I tend to stick in the safe zone with my settings and two lenses (24-70mm and 70-200mm) but im well aware this will get me no-where in wedding photography as I want to be more creative IF its something i start to enjoy more...

It was a big learning curve no doubt and the biggest thing I came away from it was is that its not just your skills as a photographer that are wanted but your ability to be there as a friend on the big day


Hmmm.. enjoyed it for the most part, BUT i did struggle with the lighting conditions constantly changing from room to room My PP is where I like to put my mark on my pics

Thank you Jeff. I much prefer the relaxed and candid type of photography rather than formal. Its what I know i do best - I love capturing a moment or a look that you just cannot get from staged pics x

thanks honey They seemed really pleased with them and where exactly what they wanted - yay xx

Fab work as usual Sam! Love the one of the little girl on the step