Essential Things for Photographing a wedding- Non Photographic

Much is made of Camera Equipment and other things photographic when people are seeking information about getting started in Wedding Photography.
There are essential items that are overlooked and usually you will already have them.

1. A reliable air-conditioned car and a full tank of petrol.
In Australia the wedding season is usually in hot weather.
You need to stay cool and be cool when photographing a wedding and moving around the different locations.
Also if you car stops you are in big trouble.
I once went off in my Camry station wagon  on a wedding and forgot to fill the tank up before I went.
I was still a long way from home and realised the tank was nearly empty.
Thankfully I had completed the wedding.

A well earned cup of coffee after the wedding assignment is completed. Roof of my car is used as a table.

2. A GPS navigating system and a street directory.

If you get lost you are in even bigger trouble.

3. A time sheet for your wedding day.

Essential to have a plan. See my previous post on wedding timetables.

https://geoffthompsonsblog.blogspot.com/search/label/wedding%20photography%20timetable

4. A wedding photography agreement.
 You need to have yourself covered by a contract if things go wrong.See my previous post on this.
https://geoffthompsonsblog.blogspot.com/search/label/wedding%20photography%20agreement

5. Water and food.

You need to stay hydrated. You need food also to keep your energy levels up.
Your clients will not necessarily be supplying you with food and drink.
It is a long day.

6. Phone. When I started mobile phones were unheard of. Could you do one now without your phone.

7. Drivers license.

You could get stopped by police. I have been.
Ironically I was on my way to photograph a police wedding.

8. Credit card and/ or cash.

You might need to pay for  a car park  or even by something like batteries or an sd card if the need arose.

9. An assistant to help you on the day.

https://geoffthompsonsblog.blogspot.com/2011/08/working-witrh-assistant-wedding.html

Either as second shooter and/or as a helper.
I started out doing weddings by myself but found it essential as I got into it to have an assistant.

If you haven't got all these bases covered you may strike problems on the big day.

Wedding Photography inside a Church by Geoff Thompson

One of the things new wedding photographers have to work out is where do you position yourself for shots during the ceremony.
The first thing about this is you do need to see if your customers want you to take photos in the Church.
Then you also need to make sure the Minister allows photos to be taken in the Church.
Below are some pics which show the basic positions I try for in the Church to cover the indoor part of the Church proceedings.
They were taken from a Church balcony by Dave, my assistant for the day, who had recently completed my wedding photography course.
He was using a Canon 20D. These images have not been edited.
The wedding was in January 2006.
I was still shooting film and starting to integrate digital coverage as well.
There is also a link here on my blog where I talk about a shot list for a wedding.
Some of what I do in the church is in that post.

http://geoffthompsonsblog.blogspot.com.au/search?q=shot+list

Please note I am available for one on one or small groups who want to learn wedding photography or how to use their digital camera.
You would need to be able to come to Adelaide for this although I do frequent South Australia's Riverland from time to time and am open to conducting classes in Renmark.

email:   geoff.g.thompson@gmail.com

 In this shot I am positioned at the front near the bridesmaids awaiting the entrance of the bride.
I would have already photographed each of the bridesmaids as they walked down the aisle.I am looking at the groom to get a shot of his expression as his bride comes down the aisle.

A little flower girl bravely walks in a head of the bride.

Everyone in state of anticipation

 Here comes the Bride. I am crouching down to get the shot as she walks toward the front.

Turning to get a shot of the groom.

 Getting the shot. I am waiting to get them in the same frame.Landscape orientation.

Where am I now?

 Possibly getting a shot from back of church looking straight down the aisle.

Now I am back in a position to get a couple of shots of the speakers.

Here I am possibly changing film or making some adjustment.

Now in position in back right corner so I can get close ups of the couple.

I think I accessed this doorway from a backdoor of the Church so I would not continually be moving around too much and be a distraction.

I am in the right corner as from that angle the bride's face is towards the camera angle.

This is a great shot to get from a balcony if there is one in the Church

They have been exchanging vows and now I am getting ready for the kiss.

Dave got the kiss from the balcony but unfortunately the shot was over exposed.

 Thankfully I got the shot from my position.

The signing of the register.

 I am waiting to get the shots that I will usually set up after the signing.

I will take some candids while this is happening

I would be doing a quick sequence of posed shots here.

Then three quick picks of the Minister handing over the certificate of marriage