Why you should take your camera to family Weddings

[DCM1024]

Just got back from my daughter's wedding in Brooklyn and so glad I took my camera! She told me she wanted me to just relax and enjoy the fun, but I took the camera and got shots of the family events and pre-ceremony, when the paid photographer wasn't there. In addition, I got the shots of her coming down the aisle, which he missed completely. Said his card filled up (persnally I always change cards immediately before the ceremony). He had a 5d2 and a 5dc, so I'm not sure why he didn't switch to camera 2, perhaps it was too tight due to a telephoto lens.

[shadowsatnight]

Congratulations on getting the shots :-)

Genuine question though, from someone who's never been to a wedding, let alone photo'd one - how on earth do you fill up your cards before the bride's coming down the aisle?  I thought that happened fairly near the start?

[Stewbyyy]

Congratulations on getting the shots :-)

Genuine question though, from someone who's never been to a wedding, let alone photo'd one - how on earth do you fill up your cards before the bride's coming down the aisle?  I thought that happened fairly near the start?

Photographing the bridal party getting ready, the crowd gathering outside the venue, the bride arriving, moments before the ceremony starts etc. Coming from a photographer who has never photographed a wedding and only attended one: he was very stupid to not have changed cards. I'd be changing cards every single chance I got I'd be that worried about one filling up and me missing things!

Congrats on getting the shots! Thank God you were there, you saved the day for your daughter!

[BruinBear]

Congratulations on getting the shots :-)

Genuine question though, from someone who's never been to a wedding, let alone photo'd one - how on earth do you fill up your cards before the bride's coming down the aisle?  I thought that happened fairly near the start?

Depends whether youre shooting the whole day or just the ceremony. A lot of people prefer to have photographers there while the bride/groom are getting prepared (putting on make-up, etc.), family members arriving, and other events leading up to the ceremony. So its possible to have a ton of shots by then.

But, it is NEVER acceptable for a wedding photographer to run out of memory/batteries/etc. and miss shots especially at the walk down the isle.

[DCM1024]

This photographer was quite expensive, so she didn't try to hire him for pre-ceremony. It was a morning wedding and they did formals before the ceremony, so I guess that's what filled up the card. I used the 5d2 for the family cookout the night before and pre-ceremony, then switched to the Sony RX100 for the actual ceremony (yes, I did end up getting it and I love it). I would have continued using the 5d2 had I known that he would miss those crucial shots, but at the time I was remembering that she had asked me to be Mom and not the primary photographer.

[BruinBear]

This photographer was quite expensive, so she didn't try to hire him for pre-ceremony. It was a morning wedding and they did formals before the ceremony, so I guess that's what filled up the card. I used the 5d2 for the family cookout the night before and pre-ceremony, then switched to the Sony RX100 for the actual ceremony (yes, I did end up getting it and I love it). I would have continued using the 5d2 had I known that he would miss those crucial shots, but at the time I was remembering that she had asked me to be Mom and not the primary photographer.

Good thing you didnt listen to her! You saved what wouldve been a pretty crappy situation 

[Chris_prophotographic]

It happens, i love helping out and being the save the day guy!!!

[gbchriste]

Inexcusable!!! I shot a wedding last weekend. Just before the ceremony, my 5D3 was reporting I still had 160 frames of open capacity on my 8GB card. I still changed cards just before the processional started. Unless the photog faints during the ceremony they should capture everything from start to finish. If not, you deserve some kind of rebate for failure to deliver.

[bdunbar79]

I've shot two football games in a row in full RAW on one 32GB card.  Go big or go home 

[pierceography]

It's fairly ridiculous that a professional would run out of room on a memory card right when the ceremony is starting.  I'm nowhere near a professional, and I can say that when I'm shooting various events I always keep an eye on my remaining photos.

But even then, what about switching to the backup camera?  Or why wouldn't you have a spare card on you?  Especially for such an expensive photographer.

But having just recently gotten married, and having such a wonderful experience with the photographer my wife and I hired, perhaps I'm just spoiled.  :-)  The photog even gave me all the RAW photos in addition to his edited JPGs.  I didn't think anything of it at the time, but I've come to understand getting the RAW files is not all that common.

It's good to hear you were able to get the shots the photog missed!  I was tempted to bring my camera to my own wedding, but I'm fairly certain my wife would have killed me.  ;-)  Though I've attended weddings where I was asked to bring my camera, and yeah... I might annoy the hired photog, but I wind up getting shots they missed.  Definitely worth it!

[TexPhoto]

Congratulations on getting the shots :-)

Yea, that and congratulations on your daughter getting married.

[expatinasia]

he missed completely. Said his card filled up

That is worse than Amateur. When did he tell you that happened? If it was after the wedding, then there must have been another reason. I doubt anyone would/could be stupid enough for that to happen.

I carry a few spare cards with me no matter what I am doing, but even then...

If his card was full when they were walking down the aisle, what did he do for the rest of the wedding?

Ps. Congrats for your daughter!

[nightbreath]

It might have been that kind of situation when photographer works three days in a row, 14 hours per day. Though it's not acceptable to miss those shots.

[swannd]

If you aren't the primary photographer, it really pays to find the shots that the 'pro' is likely to miss. Examples include:

* Wide / ultrawide shots of the bridal party / posed group shots with all the onlookers, church, etc
* Young kids waiting around (get down to their level)
* General candid conversations

Swanny.

[pwp]

Inexcusable!!! I shot a wedding last weekend. Just before the ceremony, my 5D3 was reporting I still had 160 frames of open capacity on my 8GB card.

Professional event photographers still shoot with 8Gb cards? Phew! That's not a lot of shots on a 5D3 unless you are a JPEG shooter.
I'm still frequently surprised how fast a 32Gb card fills on the 5D3.

-PW