First Pre-Wedding photo Shoot

[mrinmoyvk]

Hi,

I always took photography as a hobby. Recently I have started thinking of making career in it and have managed to get a first client. She is my friend and wants a pre-wedding photoshoot to be done. As I will be doing my first couple shoot and not very confident with it, I have offered free photo shoot to her. There is nothing legal binding in this, just a casual shoot bu it will be starting point of my career.

I currently have Nikon D5200 + 18-55 kit lens + 50mm 1.8 G + pop up flash diffusers (Red, White, Blue)
Nothing else.

Any suggestions that you would like to give which would be helpful. No matter how simple it is , please do not consider that I might know that. Feel free to mention.


I generally shoot Raw + JPEG, mainly into Aperture priority mode with picture control set to portrait customised for +1 contrast

[Venser]

It's hard to give out information without knowing where you want to go (style, composition, ...).

Something I use all the time in photo sessions similar to what you'd be shooting is a 5 in 1 reflector. It blocks, diffuses, or reflects light depending on the circumstance. The only reason I'm recommending this is the price is cheap enough that it's not wasted money if you use it infrequently.

If you provide examples of other peoples work that you'd like to emulate, or use as a foundation for your work, then it's easy to point out what they used to get there and what you would need at minimum to take similar shots.

[mknittle]

I think this is the key words here "casual shoot". Don't get in a rush, take your time that way you are less likely to forget or miss something.

[JR1]

I hope you are not THE only official photographer

There are recent threads about wannabe photographers here, I suggest you read them first

Memory Card Failure!

Wedding photography - the essentials

You need a decent flash for a start, read the second thread.

What colour skin will you be shooting, a SERIOUS question http://digital-photography-school.co...ed-skin-tones/


The starting point of your career, good luck

[Venser]

You need a decent flash for a start, read the second thread.

Need is a very strong word. There are plenty of professional portrait photographers who don't use them.

Do they make life easier? If you know how to use them.
Required? Not at all.

[AB26]

Mrinmoy,

Don’t think about it, just do it and enjoy it. No fancy tricks and keep it simple.
If you are not sure: use Auto and shoot in RAW.

I shot my daughters wedding with a Sony DSC HX 100v.

If you got a beautiful girl in a beautiful location the photos will be beautiful!

[Polar01]

Mrinmoy remember like any image is it about the light and the subject, work for the light and you should be ok. That was the first part, the easy part now the hard part the post production. It is here that you can just wreck what was a good image into complete crap. For here it is all about how that light fell on the skin and how well you process for those skintones, do a good job and you are a hero, mess it up, you are (well you guess what). So I would say to also practice up on your post skills as that well make the difference between a great image and one that is (you insert word here).

Cheers: Allan

[Benjy]

Mrinmoy,as Andre says,enjoy,you will be fine....

[JR1]

Need is a very strong word. There are plenty of professional portrait photographers who don't use them.

Do they make life easier? If you know how to use them.
Required? Not at all.

Well I have yet to see a pro wedding shooter without one for fill flash, I use them indoors and out.

You are rather hmmmmmmmmmmmmm

You don't need shoes to walk in but most of us wear them

[JR1]

Well I have yet to see a wedding photographer pro or not shoot without one for fill flash, I use them indoors and out.

You are rather hmmmmmmmmmmmmm

You don't need shoes to walk in but most of us wear them

[Shadowman]

Just think about the obvious, will subject be posed in direct sunlight, shaded area. Look at controlling shadows on the face, is the subject standing next to a surface that will cast reflected light onto the skin? Should be a fun shoot.

[Stagecoach]

Hi Mrinmoy,

Location, location accessibility, location background options, location lighting direction variance at different times of the day.

Did I mention location? (still no smileys)

[Shadowman]

Hi Mrinmoy,

Location, location accessibility, location background options, location lighting direction variance at different times of the day.

Did I mention location? (still no smileys)

and clothing and its affect on skin, the overall shoot, etc.

[rpcrowe]

Some folks may shoot or try to shoot weddings without at least a hotshoe flash but, I certainly would not want to do that.

IMO, having a flash (and knowing how to use it) can improve your images drastically!

I would use a hotshoe flash, an off camera sync cord and a Stroboflash (or Vello) camera flip bracket plus a Joe Demb Flash Diffuser Pro. This combination, even shot with Programmed exposure mode can produce professional looking imagery..

When shooting people, I would suggest that you not use the 18-24mm range of your lens. Wide angle focal lengths and people are not the very best combination. Twenty four millimeters on your camera equates to a 35-36 mm lens which is about the widest I like to use for shooting people.

The pre-wedding shoot is not as critical as the actual wedding, since it can be redone if required...

[IzzieK]

After all is said and done, remember in the church shot, the "authorities" may not like flash inside the church. Go to the church too and practice on shooting the inside, taking note of where the windows are and where the light falls.

[jcuknz]

With all this advice about extra equipment I would offer a crunch point ... do not use anything that you are not 300% familiar with.
From your location I assume the subject is an Indian woman and that is a subject I know nothing about but knowing your gear so it is second nature to you is important.
Having viewed quite a few of your Facebook photos I am sure you will get some great results that the Bride will enjoy having offered you the assignment.

While I like selection in subject material I try to avoid doing this with a short lens such as I noticed with the shot of a man and woman with her arm across his chest which 'shouted' "Wide Lens" ... just a pet phobia of mine

[rpcrowe]

When I shot weddings, I found that the officiate, even if the church did not allow flash during the ceremony, would usually be glad to do a run-through after the ceremony allowing the use of flash.

Trying to shoot available light with a kit lens is not the recipe for the best imagery...

[mrinmoyvk]

Thank you everyone for the suggestions. I would be replying to most the comments together so mentioning the name or replying with a quote would be difficult, sorry for that.

I am very strict on budget hence as of now I am not willing to buy any gear. I may rent a lens but trying a completely new lens directly on the shoot day makes me worried.

If I buy a reflector, I would need someone to hold it for me, that adds one more person, I may convince my wife for that matter but not sure as I am planning on a weekday to avoid public rush and she might not agree to take day off from her job.

Yes my subject is a Indian girl and her fiance. Thanks for the compliment on my FB pics

My locations would be National Park (morning) & Band Stand (evening) in Mumbai. You may google for "Sanjay Gandhi National Park, Mumbai, India" & "BandStand, Mumbai, India" for location photos.

I am planning to start the shoot at around 8:00 AM and a second session in evening at around 4:00 PM

I would like to do a photoshoot in western casuals like girl wearing bright colour onepiece dress and boy in jeans and shirt/Tshirt
I will ask the couple to do layering with costumes like scarf, sunglasses, blazer etc.


Any other thing that I need to think on before having final discussion with the couple?

[Dave Humphries]

Hi Mrinmoy,

I would like to do a photoshoot in western casuals like girl wearing bright colour onepiece dress and boy in jeans and shirt/Tshirt
I will ask the couple to do layering with costumes like scarf, sunglasses, blazer etc.

Any other thing that I need to think on before having final discussion with the couple?

I am no expert, but from what I have seen and learnt here, in order for the clothing not to distract from the subjects faces;

avoid any clothing with text/words/bold images/logos on
don't 'overdo' the use of those layers
don't use bright colours on the layers - get them to bring a selection of such 'accessories' so you can choose and change easily
if you must use a bright colour one piece, ensure it suits the colour of their eyes, hair, skin and doesn't 'clash' with what the other subject is wearing

Good luck with the shoots, Dave

[rpcrowe]

Actually, we (I) got off the track when the discussion turned to coverage of the wedding ceremony. The OP's original post, which he confirmed in his most recent post was for a pre-wedding shoot. So the use of flash during a ceremony is moot, at least for this string.

I still hold with my original statement that in order to get the most decent imagery, fill flash would be the way to go. A hotshoe flash would be the most beneficial but, lacking that, the pop-up flash would help a bit (if the subject is close to the camera). If your subjects have a dark complexion, fill flash is even more useful.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rd7adTXuvpA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h5O1zhtPgdE

Remember that the pop-up flash (at least in Canon cameras) doesn't have high speed sync capabilities, so you must keep the shutter speed at or under the maximum sync speed of your camera which can be 1/200 or 1/250 second (depending on the camera model). This will sometimes require you to use an aperture smaller (larger f/number) that what would be preferred. In reality, nothing beats high speed sync for fill flash outdoors...

I agree with everything that Dave stated above regarding clothing and wish to add a bit more. IMO, the clothing that the pair is wearing should blend. This is not only regarding the color of the clothing but the style. Having the female dressed somewhat formally and the male dressed in jeans, etc. doesn't work for me.

Finally I would strongly suggest that you read up on posing positions. Here are some ideas...

http://digital-photography-school.co...phing-couples/

https://www.google.com/search?q=how+...w=1097&bih=539

Best of luck in your endeavor...