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Photography F.A.Q (Last Updated: 2025 Feb 03 6:38 am)



Subject: First Wedding (as the paid professional)


randyrives ( ) posted Wed, 25 May 2005 at 9:11 PM · edited Tue, 11 February 2025 at 11:54 PM

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Well maybe not my very first, but the first in almost 20 years. It is amazing the stuff you forget. Thought I would share a few of the better shots. Mine you I am not thrilled with the results. I think they are good, but not quite the quality I was striving for. I used the light setup I just got. One main light to the camera's right, another setup as a fill to the left of the camera. Occasionally I would also use a strobe mounted on the camera with a diffuser.


randyrives ( ) posted Wed, 25 May 2005 at 9:11 PM

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The Groom


randyrives ( ) posted Wed, 25 May 2005 at 9:13 PM

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The ladies.


randyrives ( ) posted Wed, 25 May 2005 at 9:15 PM

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Blowing out the candles after lighting the unity candle.


randyrives ( ) posted Wed, 25 May 2005 at 9:16 PM

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The whole wedding party


randyrives ( ) posted Wed, 25 May 2005 at 9:17 PM

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The lucky groom.


randyrives ( ) posted Wed, 25 May 2005 at 9:19 PM

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The ring bearer.


randyrives ( ) posted Wed, 25 May 2005 at 9:20 PM

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The flower girl.


DJB ( ) posted Wed, 25 May 2005 at 9:33 PM

Think for the ones you posted you should not sell yourself short.It know how difficult it can be when you do not do it all the time. Trying to keep peoples attention, learning the right way to talk to them and pose them.Missing out on some of the facial expressions you "thought" you had.Anyway these are all excellent IMO.Only one that is a bit off on the group one ..is a bit rotated left. I mean the pews make it look more off that the bodies actually are. Maybe a lens thing.Not sure. Whatever..glad you displayed them.Oh byt the way...the top one of bride is a winner for sure with the light setup..

"The happiness of a man in this life does not consist in the absence but in the mastery of his passions."



tibet2004uk ( ) posted Wed, 25 May 2005 at 10:07 PM

Ah yes! The first one is excellent!! Thx for sharing this!


TomDart ( ) posted Wed, 25 May 2005 at 10:18 PM

The couple should be quite happy with this. I would be too nervous to even attempt such a job!


cynlee ( ) posted Thu, 26 May 2005 at 2:06 AM

think you did great on these randy! always so much to check for when doing the posed images congrats on getting paid too!! :]


randyrives ( ) posted Thu, 26 May 2005 at 7:54 AM

Doug - Yes and my older mind can't get up with the info like it used to. The biggest problem I have right now is keeping my horizon level. Even with a tripod, switching between vertical and landscape, I always seem to miss getting the camera level. Thanks! tibet2004uk - Thanks. Tom - When I got the call, asking if I would shoot the wedding, I was excited. The closer the day got the more nervous I got. On the big day, I was so busy did not have time to be nervous. lol. cynlee - Thanks. Yes to many things for my old brain. It will take several more weddings to get back into the groove. My part-time photography business, is progressing faster than I thought. Hoping it will slow down some this summer, to get me some time to do more experimentation.


tibet2004uk ( ) posted Thu, 26 May 2005 at 12:24 PM

Good luck with the business Randy!! But summer time is wedding time so....slow down? Maybe not before the autumn huh! ;)


randyrives ( ) posted Thu, 26 May 2005 at 12:48 PM

True, but right now I am not advertising, so I am not expecting much business. This job came out of the blue. Someone that recommended me from my shooting High School Baseball games.


Tedz ( ) posted Thu, 26 May 2005 at 12:59 PM

I have been to 2 Weddings recently..(uninvited)...and...I knew no One...but...the Camera around My Neck, got Me a Feed and a Dance with the Bride :] Congratulations on Your fine efforts :]


Damia ( ) posted Thu, 26 May 2005 at 1:09 PM

LOL @ Ted! Too funny. Now that I'm "into" photography, I would love to get paid to do something, anything! These pics are great. I love the one with the women.....the flowers in the bride's bouquet are an awsome contrast to her white dress. Very pretty. And the lighting on her is perfect. Good luck with the business! :)

~Damia~ LeviathanPhotography


randyrives ( ) posted Thu, 26 May 2005 at 3:36 PM

Tedz - What a blast! Reminds me of a Movie preview I saw. There is a movie coming out, where these 2 guys take advantage of the bridesmaid's emotional feelings at a wedding to make an eazy score. (Not that I condone such actions). They would just show up at a wedding and take home a bridesmaid.


randyrives ( ) posted Thu, 26 May 2005 at 3:38 PM

Damia - Thanks! Well with encouragement from several people, and the confidence I am getting from the Photography course I am taking, I have decided to see if I can make a go at it.


tvernuccio ( ) posted Thu, 26 May 2005 at 5:11 PM

i think you did a helluva a job here, Randy!!!!! For me, i would have NO idea how to shoot this stuff...i'm so not the kind of person to do anything formal. i got married on the beach...we were casual and barefoot. so shooting something formal would be tuff. You really did a bang up job though. i LOVE #6....That one is AWESOME!!! #4 is the other one that really stands out to me! Congratulations!!!!!!


randyrives ( ) posted Thu, 26 May 2005 at 8:24 PM

Thanks Sheila! I prefer the casual way myself. My wife was there to help with the posing, but #6 was my ideal. At first groom wasn't sure, but I think it made a fine pose. #4 is one of my favorites, just something about it I like.


tvernuccio ( ) posted Thu, 26 May 2005 at 10:32 PM

in #4...it's so natural...guess that's what i enjoy abuot it the most...can even see the little ringbearer peekin thru! :) i like their expressions. #6...makes me smile...very relaxed and laid back...not at all stiff. you did great! :)


Nilla ( ) posted Fri, 27 May 2005 at 8:04 PM

Hi Randy! I think you did a wonderful job here! Number one is my personal favorite! Now I have a few questions for you... Exactly what type of lighting did you use? Did you shoot during the ceremony? Or did you recreate? My final question... What do you present your images in? I am having a hard time finding nice wedding albums and have been considering using scrap booking with the fancy little photo corners....(they have some really pretty scrap books/albums) My next wedding is scheduled June 18th and then I have a rather large one scheduled for July 9th. The June 18th wedding will be an outdoors shoot so no lighting problems there, but the July wedding is already giving me nightmares... Brenda :)


randyrives ( ) posted Sun, 29 May 2005 at 8:56 PM

Brenda, I used photo floods lambs, reflected by umbrellas. I used a 500w Flood lamp to the subject's left (my right) at a 45 degree angle. I then used another flood lamp 250w, reflected by another umbrella as a fill, positioned just to my left. This was the setup for all the formal shots. Except for the Bride I posted here (#1) I used the natural light from the window to light her face. I did shoot during the ceremony, the one blowing out the candles was done during the ceremony. I used no flash, just the natural light and ISO 800. I hope to practice using strobes and umbrellas before I shoot another wedding. But my test results before this one, left me uncomfortable. So I went with the old flood lamps. As far as presenting the photos, I am doing this via the web. I gave the wedding party a web address that they will be able to view the photos from. Then for prints they will mail a list of photos (they are numbered) with sizes and qty. Along with a check. I then have a photo lab print the photos and ship directly to the customer. I have had fairly good success with selling my sports photos this way. This is my first wedding, so we will see how it works. If not I may try the proofing album from www.mpix.com Good luck with your weddings!


Nilla ( ) posted Sun, 05 June 2005 at 2:30 PM

Do you use the web space your isp provides to show the photos online? This is a most excellent idea! So you don't provide your bride with an actual album? Hmmm this is also food for thought! Here I have been stressing over albums, which are very expensive, at least the ones I have found anyway. Thanl you for taking the time to answer my questions! Brenda :)


randyrives ( ) posted Sun, 05 June 2005 at 8:26 PM

I don't use my ISP for hosting. I have purchased my own domain and purchased a hosting package from a hosting service. For less than a $100.00 dollars a year you can get enough webspace and your own domain name to run a small to med. Photography business.


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