Wedding Tips

bez27bez27
edited March 2013 Posted in » Nikon D3100 Forum
I have a wedding in May for a family member and have been asked to take some pictures. I am not under any pressure as they have a main photographer that is a family friend.

I am only just starting out on my journey with my first DSLR, and to be honest I have not had a lot of practice with even a point and shoot. I am really enjoying using my camera and I really love this forum and all the time and help all you guys put in for all us newbies.

Any help with tips and best lenses would be great.

Comments

  • MooseMoose
    Howdy @bez27 - As you may have guessed, wedding photography is right up there next to sports photography as one of the technically hardest and most expensive types of photography.

    With so many techniques, styles, lenses and flashes for wedding photography, I would go with a really simple setup. Spring for a 35mm f/1.8 or 50mm f/1.8 prime lens and shoot primarily in Aperture priority. With this setup, you'll be able to play with depth of field (area in focus).

    A shallow depth of field (low f-numbers - f/1.8 to f/2.8), you'll be able to capture people, flowers and food in sharp focus with everything else is blurred into silky goodness.

    A longer depth of field (higher f-numbers - f/5.6 to f/8), will allow you to capture shots of decor, groups of people and architectural subjects where you want more of the scene in focus.

    Chances are you'll be shooting under many different types of light, so I would shoot in RAW. This will give you the ability to play with exposure and white balance in post processing.

    Happy shooting!
  • RiddelskeRiddelske
    edited March 2013
    Hi bez, I just want to add to the fab advice Moose has given you. Yes, the key to this type of photography is lighting and it is the most important issue to over come. I have shot a few weddings in my time. Is it a wedding in a good ole English church? Has the couple given you permission to walk around and take pictures or are you bound to the seat?

    When working in a church I would look at using a higher ISO around 800-1600 depending on how much light you have; you can always put the ISO to auto. Definitely get a 35mm or 50mm as it will allow you to drop the aperture and get as much light in as possible.

    Not many churches will allow flash, but if they will kindly let you, I'm going to give you a little tip that may help. If you don't have an external flash and the only extra lighting you have is the pop up, then get yourself a transparent 35mm film pot and cut a slit in it big enough to go over it and sit comfortably without falling off. This will act as a diffuser and will improve those flash shots dramatically. It's going to soften the light and make it look more appealing.

    Ideally, if you like the wedding scenario and want to get into it, I would consider working towards a 24-70mm f/2.8 lens. It's a great starter and will get you those nice silky smooth shots everyone likes. Before you look at the price take a deep breath.

  • bez27bez27
    edited March 2013
    Thank you @Moose and @Riddelske for your advice. I really am drawn to wedding photography and portraits. I just hope to have good few shots to keep my interest on track. I am really nervous, but exited at the same time even though my experience is zero.

    I will definitely try what you both advised. I have been shooting in aperture mode and have been getting some shots I am happy with so will go with that.

    The venue is a good old English church. Not sure about the flash issue yet, and the reception is in a modern large hotel.

    I have the SB-800 flash. Are there any settings I should be aware of? I use it on TTL mode when I have used it. Also was wondering if I would need any lens filters?

    I will look into getting the 24-70mm. I just hope my efforts are worthy of me wanting to buy it soon. I'm going to be like a kid in a sweet shop at this photographic show I'm attending on Monday. I'll have a wish list as long as my arm!
  • MooseMoose
    edited February 2013
    @bez27 - Regarding filters for wedding photography, I wouldn't use any.

    As for flash settings, I would just let the D3100 and the SB-800 communicate automatically. Don't worry about any manual flash settings at this point. I would however, experiment with the angle of your flash head. Bounce the light when shooting indoors. When outdoors, utilize the built-in bounce card and angle the flash slightly above your subject.

    Happy shooting! :)
  • bez27bez27
    edited March 2013
    That's great, thank you! I was really hoping that I wouldn't have to change the flash setting as that would have really confused me at this point in time. So many things to get my head round.
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