Hey Peeps! :)

[runswithscissors]

Just a little hello from Minnesota! I have lurked around here literally at least 1/2 the day....if not more. I want so badly to learn but am having issues with reading.....I think I need the feedback and some hands on experience. I desperately want to take the courses but will have to find something to sell. Little on the broke side ATM. Maybe I could sell my husband....NAW! I kinda like him. DH is an over-the-road truck driver and gone 5-6 days out of 7. We have two kids ages 7 and 5, and a 7 pound 10 year old dog who has never had his marbles but regardless we love him. I have my camera and accessories listed in my sig line. DH purchased it after my volunteered me to photograph my cousins wedding. UGH...I love her to death....but some days I tell ya!!! He is a gem and wanted me to do the best possible job I could and since we had talked about how I wouldn't mind learning photography he decided to get it for me. I did the wedding last October and only had 2 weeks to learn as much as possible about the camera and shooting manual. :eek: I will show you my favorites if you want to see them. They aren't your typical wedding shots but they weren't going to have ANY at ALL! So they are pleased. Anywho.....since MN weather does not permit year round photography and I don't have the indoor space I haven't shot any photos until recently. Maybe the past two weeks. Maybe when I get up the nerve I will post a few for CC. Can't wait to get to know ya!

[bonsai418]

Melissa,
Welcome to the forum.
Taking the Course is well worth it, you WILL learn alot. The Teachers are very dedicated.

[LensBaby]

Welcome Melissa!

[possum]

Welcome Melissa, you will be very happy here.

[jerryph]

Melissa,
Welcome to the forum, and yes strongly consider taking the course, it is not too expensive.

Of all the sectors of photography, none is the most challenging or most demanding than a wedding. When a beginner asks what is needed to do this, I make suggestions, but then I also STRONGLY urge them to make sure that they are not the primary or only photographer doing this event. I ask that they make sure that the brid and groom have a professional there and use you as a second or shadow photographer. This is a once in a lifetime event that cannot be repeated and if it is not done right, they are stuck looking at pictures that are not up to the grade that they deserve to have for this, one of the most important days of their lives.

Having said that, here are some tips and hints:

- know the basics of photography. Without this, all you are doing is making snapshots, not photographs. This is where the course they offer here is a valuable asset.

- know how to shoot in low light. Most of a wedding event is done in low light situations. Inside churches, inside dark reception halls, etc... That means that you will need one or more fast lenses and at least one or more off camera flashes, and that means that you need to learn how to shoot with fast lenses AND learn about lighting (which is an artform in and of itself!), and how/where to place the flashes. www.strobist.com is probably the best source of off camera lighting info on the internet.

- Carry at least 2 or more memory cards. You will be taking HUNDREDS of pictures. When I ghost a professional at a wedding, I usually take around two thousand pictures before the end of the day.

- Make sure you have enough batteries. One battery is more than likely not going to be enough, depending on the camera. I have a battery grip on my camera that permits me to have 2 batteries available to me at all times, plus I carry a third one on me at the event.

- Shoot not in JPG, but in RAW format. Yes its bigger and takes less pics to fill up a card, but post processing will offer better results and white balance is easier to adjust.

- At the wedding ask the priest/pastor if flash is permitted. Most times it is not, if inside a church, and if you do not have some very fast lenses, you may not be able to take any pictures of the most poignant event of the day if flashes are not permitted (which is the case 75% of the time).

- Carry around a spare camera. Professionals carry 2 bodies and usually have 2 different lenses on them to be sure that they capture the event with a minimal of fuss, and also in the case that if one camera fails, they have something to continue with.

- Now is the time to do a google for "wedding photography forums", and read, read, read. They will give you tons of good ideas as well as you being able to see the kinds of pictures that are beautiful, as well as the ones to avoid.

To do a wedding well is an incredible challenge. It is also very physically demanding. The photographer that I worked with on average loses 5-7 pounds in that day all from running around. Being in shape makes it easier and you are not sore the next day as much.

This is really the tip of the iceberg, so prepare yourself for a massive information overload... I know I had a headache for about a week preparing for my first time out as a wedding 2nd shooter.

Good luck, and again... welcome!

[gjtoth]

Allow me to add my welcome.

I, too, had to wait a bit until I sold some stuff on eBay before I could take the course. But, it's well-worth it and the rewards you will reap are invaluable.

I concur with what Jerry said, "Be prepared for information overload". Bear in mind, there are more than one way to achieve the same (or very close) objective/result so sometimes it gets a little confusing. Don't let it throw ya!

K E E P_ I T_ F U N!

[dkippen]

Welcome Melissa from another Minnesotan (yaah, sure, you betcha). There are now 3 of us from the land of ice and snow. To pay for the course, if you don't want to sell hubby, you could sell the dog (just kidding - I'm always threatening to put ours at the end of the driveway with a free sign). From where in MN are you from??

We are a friendly, helpful group and love to share. When you do sign up, you have a year to finish so there's plenty of time to practice and learn. Look forward to seeing some of your shots.

[runswithscissors]

Jerry~

THANKS for all of the advice. I don't know how many times I told them I AM NOT A PROFESSIONAL OR ANY WHERE NEAR IT!!! The wedding was outdoors which made it really nice BUT it was on the Mississippi so I had weird shadows all over the place the bride refused to walk on the grass so she wouldn't get her dress dirty and on and on and on. All in all I thought I caught some nice photos regardless. I WISH I had had a pro to shadow seeings I only had 2 weeks to learn manual. I did have a Canon S3IS (still do) and that was my back up camera. She absolutely LOVES the photos so that is a plus. I still have some tweaking to do. I did shoot in JPEG because I didn't know at the time that RAW was better. Just one of those things I missed before the event. Like I said they are no where near perfect and since they were not going to have any pictures at all except throw aways that they were going to give people she is more than satisfied. Now I just need to continue and make some $ with this baby.

bonsai418~LensBaby~possum~
Thanks for the welcome! I don't think I have ever felt so "at home" in a forum before. LOL

gjtoth~
By the look in your eyes in your avatar......you hit overload a long time ago LOL
Those are some scary lookin' eyes ya got there!

dkippen~
Good idea 'bout the dog but he would bring in less than the hubby! :p He's OLD and CRABBY and losing his teeth. He's not much for a watch dog anymore with nothing to bite anyone with. The only way he could scare someone away would be to breath on them with his "death breath" (UGH gag) Poor thang! I am from central MN about 35 miles W of St. Cloud off of I-94. Looks like you others are from the Minneapolis area. I would love to live down there for the photo ops but won't because of the MAD motorists. I tried driving down there a couple of times and just about pulled over and gave up. (didn't think it was the best decision considering it was rush hour) 2am? yaah, sure, you betchya!!! I could do that cuz most people are sleeping down there!! Good to know I have home ties for back up though. :D

[coffee]

Welcome Melissa from the other Minnesotan. Shoreview. The course is fun. Don't get discouraged if you stalled out from time to time on a certain lesson. I've been on lesson 5 since winter hit. Just a bad time to start the course. But now that it's getting nicer, very slowly I might add, I will be able to get my chopps back up. You are starting at a good time though, so you might breeze through.

Welcome and have fun.
Joseph

[dkippen]

Joseph - about that getting nicer?? Have you looked out your window today?

[coffee]

Joseph - about that getting nicer?? Have you looked out your window today?

Ya, I think I justified it by saying slowly!!!

But this weekend gonna such. But that's ok, cause next weekend is me and my buddies yearly weekend golf outing in Siren Wis. 6 rounds of nothing but golf, poker, a little liquid refreshments, or a lot hehe. So that weekend better be nice or I"M MOVING!!

[dkippen]

This is the weekend I'm going on the photo retreat just outside of McGregor - talk about ucky weather!!!

[coffee]

I don't know where that's at, but I'm hearing snow for the northern part of MN in the next few days. Winter just refuses to give up.

[dkippen]

McGregor is straight up Hwy 65 about 2-1/2 Hrs north which is the southern edge for the snow forecast.

P.S. - If you've heard of Big Sandy Lake, just west of there is where I'm going.

[coffee]

I haven't heard of it, but I have now. :-) I hope the weather presents you with other photo ops than the norm then.

I looked outside at the trees and they are budding well. I guess this cold rain will really get them moving along well.

[dkippen]

Some of the items on the agenda including looking for grouse, woodcock, sunrise/sunset (ha ha ha, won't be any this weekend), canoe trip. Other than the weather, should be fun.

The only good thing about the rain is we had our lawn fertilized the other day, so it should green up fairly well. And our trees our starting to bud out as well. I have a flowering crab apple that starts first and is just magnificent when in full bloom (for about 1 1/2 days).

[Snappers]

Welcome Melissa, Looks like you are settling in well.
As Gary says, Make it fun! That's the best way to learn.

[ladyups]

Welcome to the group, Melissa. I've been pretty scarce the last few weeks and trying to catch up tonight with messages. Enjoy your stay..

[laura]

Hi Melissa, I'm new here too. Everyones really friendly and looks like you made some friends already. Hope you enjoy the course.

[runswithscissors]

OH goodness!! Thanks.....I am not in the course as of yet. If I could get some sales on my invitations and announcements on Ebay I would be settling into that course quite nicely. NO ONE LUBS ME ON EBAY! I am trying to find some things around the house that I could sell or maybe even have a "garbage" sale to fund it. One of these days........sooner rather than later hopefully. :)

[LensBaby]

You will NOT be disappointed. The CC is just fantastic! It really DOES give you a whole different outlook on your photos!