If you find you like shooting weddings - congrats ! I think I have the best job in the world -

My suggestions would be -

Spend some time with just the Bride and Groom taking pics of the couple - after you have taken the formals of family and bridal party - which should be immediately after the ceremony -

Scene setting photos are good to include too.

Many times the actual ceremony photos can be difficult - in regards to your position and point of view and the lighting - so you can recreate -

But, if you're committed, remember several things. Traditional photo packages require many, many pictures of the brides. It's her DAY! The Groom is important, but really wall paper. The Bride's parents are next in importance, especially her mother.

If you can shoot during the ceremony - great. Use flash if you're able, ISO-800 of faster film if you're not. There may be some graininess, but you'll get the shots. Use ISO-100 or -200 [with flash] for shooting the reception.

As someone else said, scout the church in advance. You may find a great place from which to shoot that will enable you to get the faces of the bride and groom. Avoid shooting from the congregation; you'll generally get backsides!

be sure to try to get a formal setting for each table. In recent weddings I attended [or hosted as father of the groom,] there have been single use cameras on each table. If used correctly, this will afford the wedding couple many images not available from the "official" photographer. But, you should politely ask folks at each table to move arround to enable a well balanced photo. Bes sure to clear as much of the clutter on the table as possible.

Be sure to get the cutting of the wedding cake, the "tossing of the bride on her 'throne,' " the first dance, bride and Dad's dance, Groom and Mom's dance, etc.

If you're an invitee, you'll be at a disadvantage unless you give up the opportunity to join in the merriment [drinking, eating, etc.] For sure, you'll miss one or more of the great shots if you do. Of course, your escort will be happier if your close by.

Take lots of film. Bring extra batteries [for flash AND camera.] Most Pros [shooting 35 mm] agree to shoot up to four rolls of film. I've shot none 36-exposure rolls at one wedding I did as the "Official" photographer; I shot three 36-exposure rolls when there was a Pro on site [and mine are the only pictures the wedding couple or their parents ever show to friends.]

Try for good composition in all your shots but, remember, capturing that unbelievable moment is more important that "on the money composition." Remember, there's always cropping - by a decent commercial processor or Photoshop!

Shooting a wedding is hard work; that's why Pros charge so much. But, since you have an auto-focus camera, set it to the "continuous focus mode" and Program Mode. You'll not have to worry about focus or exposure while you adjust composition, zoom, etc.

Also ... If possible, take some of the shots BEFORE the wedding. I had to do all of the pics after the ceremony and before the reception. I didn't feel I had enough time to do the shots I wanted to and I had a lot of people snapping photos behind me while I was taking shots. Of course, they were anxious to get to the reception too, so if possible, do some of the shots before the wedding ceremony. The next one I do will be that way if at all possible.

Any of the Portra line of film is great... I would not be scared of the 160 speed either ... just use VC vs NC ...

Good luck & relax & have fun!

http://johnlind.tripod.com/wedding/

To be very clear about its purpose, it's a "survival guide" for the non-professional that's pressed into service. All the photos there were done using the type of equipment and films described. It's not intended for starting a business to shoot them professionally. That requires, among a few other specialized things, considerably more lighting equipment.

A few tips:
1. If you haven't shot candids much, timing is everything - anticipating so you can be there and ready in a position with good perspective to compose it BEFORE it happens - and exact timing of the shutter when it happens to capture the "decisive moment" that tells the story well. It's a skill that's developed by doing. Reading about it will help, but that alone won't get you there. Your finger has to press the shutter a small fraction of a second just before it happens, and your brain has to tell the finger to move a small fraction of a second before that. If you don't have some experience with candids in general, do some practice. Kids playing and local action sports can help with perfecting shutter timing.

2. With posed portraiture, attention to detail is extremely important. Clothing that's out of place, hand and arm positioning, tips of fingers showing when a person has their arm around someone, prominent poles or candles growing out of the top of someone's head, distracting background objects, etc., while not as glaring when you're looking at it making the photo, can be glaring in the print. The human brain is marvelous at ignoring these things when you're there in person, but completely fails at helping to ignore it when looking at the photograph later.

3. Plan thoroughly! Don't underestimate what you will need in film and batteries (there's stuff on my site about that). Also think about how you will choreograph your movements during the ceremony. Much of that cannot be done in advance, other than asking if they're planning on doing anything unusual or special during the ceremony. It's something to think about and plan at the rehearsal, which I very strongly recommend you attend.

4. If you decide you must buy some new equipment for this event (and hopefully it's something you will use for other things afterward), practice with it first! It's one of my prime rules ... to never, ever use something new at a critical shoot like a wedding without first playing with it to ensure I know how to use it, that I'm familiar with all its controls, and have tested it to ensure it reliably produces the desired results every time. This has saved my bacon more than once (oooh, that doesn't quite fit together right, or ... it doesn't work quite as I expected it to)!

5. Above all, keep it simple with body, lens, flash and film. Experienced professionals often use multiple camera bodies, lenses, lighting and films. Changeover among them is done carefully at specific times. Their experience has taught them when best to do it and allows them to cope with it without making mistakes. In other words, they're not having to think as much about basic things, can pay attention to it more, and have devised little error-proofing techniques in how they go about it (habit at doing it many times correctly is very powerful too). For the inexperienced who must consciously pay attention to more things going on around them, it can become a mental overload that leads to mistakes ... usually forgetting to do something important during a changeover in equipment.

You really do not need to do so, because the standard Kodak and Fuji films are great. But if you want to use pro film, check a retailer's Web site for Fujicolor Portrait NPS 160 Professional and Fujicolor Portrait NPH 400 Professional. http://www.fujifilm.com/JSP/fuji/epartners/Products.jsp?nav=1&parent=PRODUCT_CATEGORY_234666&product=

Or Kodak PORTRA 160NC or
400NC. http://www.kodak.com/global/en/professional/products/films/portra/portraIndex.jhtml?id=0.1.18.14.11.16&lc=en

For close work I normally use fill flash. A faster film speed (e.g. ISO 400) does not allow the lens to stop down far enough to get to X-Sync, and in brighter daylight you can have problems with having the lens nearly stopped down completely and still having to use a shutter speed of 1/500th or 1/1000th. The exceptional depth of field completely stopped down may not be desirable (background clutter distraction) and it takes the lens out of its "sweet spot" of best optical performance which is found in the middle apertures, usually f/5.6 and f/8.

BTW, I don't like doing outdoor work under direct sunlight (clear sky) unless it's the ceremony itself and there's no choice. It's too harsh. One of the reasons for having flash on hand for fill to remove some of the high contrast under those conditions. I do all the posed work possible under indirect skylighting (in shade) if the sky is not overcast . . . and will do a recon of the wedding location beforehand to look for suitable backgrounds that will be under indirect lighting conditions during the time of day scheduled for the wedding. Looking for these locations when doing the wedding shoot bogs down the work flow and one must settle for what suffices quickly instead of what may be optimal.

or Adorama in NYC:
http://www.adorama.com

Buy it in 5-roll "sticks" or if you're doing a fair amount of wedding work you can buy 20-roll "bricks." I buy the sticks. There's no cost savings in the price but I also order enough film at a time to amortize the shipping cost over about 20 rolls. Portra, like all pro films should be stored in the refrigerator. You can pull it out for upward of a week at a time without hurting it . . . I've done it often for "road trip" projects . . . just put any unused rolls back in the reefer when you get home. Don't leave it in a parked car out in the sun though. Pull it out about an hour before you'll use it to let it warm to room temperature . . . otherwise moisture will condense on the cold film when you open and load it in the camera (which produces photos that look like they were fogged).

If you're using 35mm exclusively (no medium format), go with no less than 15 rolls. It's highly unlikely you'd burn more than 500 frames. Plan on using about 8-12 depending on size of wedding party, the bride/groom families, length of ceremony, and how long you'll be at the reception. Running out of film is worse than catastrophic and I ensure there's always more on hand than could ever be needed.

What you don't use can go back into the reefer behind the vegies afterward (store it in a Tupperware or Rubbermaid container). I've done enough weddings that I know I run a burn rate of 40-50 frames per hour at a wedding so I guage film quantity on the length of time now. Example: 8 hours would be a max of 400 frames, or about 11 rolls. I've never shot that many over that long . . . after 6 hours it slows down a bit. After 6-7 hours not a whole lot happens that hasn't already been photographed. The key events are generally done and guests start drifting off leaving the "party animals" (they sometimes provide a few interesting shots) . . . and that's starting the shoot 2 hours before the wedding ceremony begins. I know there are longer wedding reception "marathons" but I've never done them and the longest I've run is 8 hours which is exhausting. You'll have to find your own burn rate with experience . . . everyone has their own shooting pace that's driven with their style of shooting the candids.

BTW, I just noticed this is your first wedding. If you haven't had any training in wedding work you might want to see my "survival guide." It's *not* intended for professionals, but for non-pros who find themselves pressed into service doing it for friends or relatives. I use considerably more equipment for weddings including medium format gear and portable studio lighting for all the posed groups and portraiture. There's also the business end of things that isn't discussed at all (pricing and other buisness practices/policies). Even if you're doing this professionally and have never shot . . . or helped shoot one (as gaffer/grip) . . . you may find some very valuable technical tips there about the shoot itself:

http://johnlind.tripod.com/wedding/

All the photos in the guide were done with 35mm film format, using a standard 50mm lens, and camera mounted flash (in a bracket or on a handle). IOW, I didn't use anything fancy or exotic to make them. Many were done running #2 working gaffer/grip for a wedding photographer so I could learn how to do weddings, and test and fine tune my own equipment setups, particularly the flash. Some of the reception camera angles are not optimal; the #1 photog was using them and I shot from the other side.

BTW, extreme color saturation for portraiture, such as Portra UC (a relatively new film) is generally a Bad Thing; extreme saturation and skin tones don't mix well. In addition, high saturation and and high contrast (less latitude) go hand in hand. Stay with a mainstay "wedding/portrait" film . . . and the Fuji NPC Michael mentioned is an excellent alternative the Kodak's Portra.

I would touch base with whomever is performing the ceremony as well as the wedding planner, if any, and make sure they are aware of what the couple's choices are as far as shooting during the ceremony. I use Leica cameras so this too keeps me in the background and the noise level to a minimum.

Also, both contracts have things about my right to use anything in any manner I choose. I'm not responsible for improper clothing, closed eyes, etc. And that basically, as long as the photography is good, there is no recourse on their part. In addition, I have a clause that states that if for some reason the photos don't turn out (like one time the lab lost an entire roll - luckily, I had the images scanned, so we had those to go from), that I am only liable for the cost of that, less any expenses incurred. Of course, keep in mind that a contract is really only for a mishap. Mostly, you don't need it, and mostly you should be able to resolve any issues through great customer service.

Definitely talk to the minister before the event and ask what's allowed. There are usually two issues: Can you take pics during the ceremony (if not, when can you?) and is flash allowed. Also, ask if you can have some time after the ceremony to take photos of the wedding party in the church (sometimes yes, sometimes no).

To relieve you a little, visit the site beforehand. Take your camera and take a few shots inside and out. Walk the grounds and look at places where you'd like to pose the couple alone, and then good places to take the family. Also, remember, anyone can take nice pictures, the real value of a professional wedding photographer is to capture the moments of the wedding that maybe no one really saw. For instance, everyone saw them standing at the alter ... I mean get those, but remember to turn your camera out to Mom, who's shedding a tear, and Dad, who is a as proud as a dad can be. Remember to shoot all the hugs and kisses. Some family member may be reuniting. I can't tell you how many weddings I shoot where the dad has been out of the picture for a while, or something. Those are precious moments that have to be documented.

I would advise that you do have a contract and a shot list from the couple so that you don't miss any shots that are important to them (unless you are doing a photojournalism style shoot). Talk to the minister to get an idea of how the wedding ceremony will unfold; also, go to the church beforehand to get an idea of what the facility is like and to scout good vantage pionts to shoot from. Any and all information you can glean beforehand is invaluable.

Ask the couple and minister if there are any special things you should know beforehand about their faith and the ceremony; ask the couple if there are any family situations you should be aware of (you don't want to put family members that have been feuding for years together and ask them to smile for a photo - you don't need people going "Jerry Springer" at the wedding!)

Know your camera and how to operate it; shoot a test roll with flash before the wedding to make sure everything is working correectly. Use a film you know well; use fresh film (no expired date film); put new batteries in everything and have a second set of new batts with you; make sure you have the correct ISO for your film set on your camera AND flash unit, if it has that capability. Lasty, READ - there are many excellent books on wedding photography out, many published by Amphoto.

Although Esther is right about trying to keep depth of field with a smaller aperture, I would hesitate to go as fast as 800 for a wedding. It might be OK for reception shots that are rarely enlarged beyond 4x6 or 5x7. My worry is mostly about the formal shots. It is common to have a few of them enlarged to 8x10. ISO 800 35mm film doesn't enlarge to 8x10 very well; the coarse grain will show in them.

I understand your terror about screwing up a wedding. See my wedding tutorial.

It's geared for shooting a friend's or relative's wedding, and will help you plan for it. Tailor the "Must Have" list to fit your specific wedding and what the bride/groom want. Planning is a critical success factor! If you can practice at least portions of the types of photographs you will have to do, or ones similar to them, that will help.

Good luck with the wedding, and most of all enjoy it. Shooting weddings is definitely "work" but I've found it can be fun too.

You will have a great time doing the wedding. One of the best traits of a wedding photographer is friendliness and ease. Since I am sure your friends feel at ease with you, this will help them enjoy the special day AND feel natural in front of the camera. All the same, DO ask as many questions as you can, read up on the tips, and go visit John Lind's excellent tutorial.

Here are a few tips, off the top of my head:

* Carry a back up everything - camera, batteries, film...
* Ask someone to help you - an "assistant" to hand you film, hold your bag, etc. comes in very handy
* Use fast film in the church if it is at all dim
* Use a tripod
* Do "reenactment" shots after the ceremony (the kiss, the rings, etc) as a safety
* Write down a list of wanted photos with the bride and groom.
* SHOOT A LOT OF IMAGES when you are there.

The first of several problems is when shooting outdoors, I want to add fill flash and use either the red or yellow mode on the flash with an f-stop measured from a handheld meter. In a lot of situations I try to position the people with sun at their backs but it appears that the fill flash isn't doing its job. It seems like that variable power module is measuring enough ambient light from the sun and shutting down the flash before it has time to add fill to the subject. What to do?

Also, on indoor photography, I am using the flash in red/yellow mode and several things happen. The backgrounds are usually always dark (I usually shoot at 1/60) and the brides white dress seems to loose a lot of detail. It seems that I should try to use manual mode to be in complete control but the owners manual does not seem to help me understand how to do that.

Any help including web sites, books and your thoughts would be greatly appreciated. Can't seem to find info on using this flash in manual mode.

Agree completely with Jeff's film recommendations. Are there any independent portrait/wedding photographers near you? Look in the phone book for them if you need to. If so, call and ask them where they send their film for developing and proof printing. That's how I found out who the reliable pro labs were when I moved to a small city in the middle of rural Indiana. Nearly all will share this information with you. A good pro wedding photog won't trust the film or printing to a consumer lab (especially a one-hour). Most I know are pretty finicky about the pro lab they use as it affects the bottom line of their business!

1. Be very careful with your Rebel when shooting receptions, set your lens on M (manual) focus mode becauce the autofocus on this camera is not that great. You don't want to wait, wait, wait and miss some inportant pictures

2. Try Fuji films - NPH 400 set @320 and Reala for outdoor

3. indoors, try to set your Rebel on M mode (not Green) mode and shoot at 1/60 f8 or f5.6. You need a good TTL flash unit.

4. Relax... have fun shooting...

I am a photographer who has done about 12 weddings in the last few years and always with a 35mm. camera. I just did an outdoor/indoor one and was really pleased with the results as were the bride & groom. In fact, they were thrilled. I did not lug around tons of equipment - I used Fuji NPH 400 and set the ASA at 200 (giving it slightly more exposure). I kept my flash on the camera at all times outdoors using it as a fill. When I got indoors I kept my flash on the camera and used a Lumiquest bounce. I was able to put the camera I was using (Minolta Maxuum 7000) on program and when I used my other camera which is a manual camera I just used my Vivitar 285 flash at one of the modes, set my f-stop to match the flash mode, my speed at X-synch and everything worked out beautifully. Try to do your group shots outdoors if possible (it's easier) but if it rains and you have to go inside, in my opinion all you need as far as equipment is your flash off camera bouncing into an umbrella - keep the flash & umbrella stand high and behind you. Good luck. Oh yeah - if you can bring a friend along to assist you it will help you stay organized and calm.

Can someone briefly help me understand
how to bounce the flash to right or
left of subject next time and not
use direct flash indoors?

When taking wide angle photos, the Sigma 28-200 distorts the image on the right hand side of the photo. Is this common with lenses?

Can you please give me any advice on which of these lenses will be best on the wedding day? Is the 135mm Carl Zeiss a particularily good lens for portraits or should I use the other lenses at the 135mm setting? Because these two lenses are manual, are they at a disadvantage in this situation compared to autofocus lenses? If so, which lenses would you recommend.

Which filters are best for the occasion? I have a warm up lens to fit the 135mm and a cross screen to fit the 70-300. Is this a portrait enhancing filter?

The most important aspect of shooting a wedding is planning . . . which it looks like you've started to do . . . but there's more to it than you might think.

Second most important, but not by much, is the KISS principle (Keep it Simple!). I used a single 50mm lens on a manual focus camera body for all but the formal portraiture which was done using an 80mm lens on an M645 medium format (standard focal length for MF). There's no reason you cannot use a manual focus camera. There's also no reason you cannot do everything with 35mm film format. I just happen to have medium format gear.

Third, and part of your question asks about this, is lighting (flash). In most churches, synogogues, and reception halls you need a lot of it; shooting distances will be farther and the light must fill a larger space than the average amateur is accustomed to.

This topic is enough to fill a book. After doing a cousin's wedding I started writing a tutorial for the amateur who, for one reason or another, will be shooting a wedding. If Jim will forgive me for posting it, here is a link to the 80% completed tutorial.

Just a month ago I was approached to shoot another wedding about two weeks before the event. I declined and offered the names of a couple local professionals. Told him to call me if they could not be booked. Fortunately one of them was available.

Went as a guest and did take a camera. Shot a roll of film with a strategy to create something unique for them. Used a very old 35mm rangefinder with a flash handle (a.k.a. potato masher) much like a photojournalist would have used about 40 years ago. Shot ISO 400 B/W negatives with it, taking care to keep out of the way of their photographer. The result looks much like old newspaper photography. The style of lighting is offset from directly above the lens, which does create some shadows. The trick with this is knowing where the shadows will fall and composing with them in mind. Normally wouldn't use this type of lighting. An idea for you if you go to another wedding as a guest, not the "official" photographer, but still want to make some photographs for them.

An ancient RF isn't required (just happened to have one and it was the one body without film in it). Nor is a flash handle (helps with the lighting style if you know how to avoid its pitfalls). B/W isn't that common though and that's the primary effect. If you do this, use a lower contrast film such as Tri-X and avoid having it printed on high contrast paper (loses shadows and/or blows out the whites).