Jay and Candy Wedding

[KellyL]

Okay...let me tell you the story...Reader's Digest Version...I hope....

I have a friend Chris who renewed his vows. As a gift I took their pictures. His friend Jay saw my pictures and wanted to know if I would trade him concrete work for doing the wedding. I said yes, as my wife is happy that we are going to get a very large patio out of the deal, and I really wanted the practice.

However, Jay's bride hired another photographer, a woman who basically takes snapshots for $400.00. (Uses a Rebel XTI with an on camera 480EX flash...always has it set straight on...never bounces the flash or adjusts her camera out of auto) So I became the groom's photographer. I explained to Jay that I was the "second" photographer, and that I really needed to give Candy's photographer the right to call the shots. So I had to play in the background.

As soon as she was done with her poses, which I was able to catch a few of, I started my "session". After two shots she said, "That's it Kelly. We gotta move on." It was really unfair, but as she saw me work throughout the day she became crankier and crankier.

The outside of the church in the small town was undergoing a huge, messy construction project...so there wasn't really an opportunity to take any cool outdoor shots. The wedding was in the middle of the day...no shade around. The inside of the church had that damp humid feeling when the air conditioning is being over taxed, and the inside of the church was undergoing renovations as well. The front of the church was litered with an electric piano, sound systems, choir chairs, general trash...Sigh.

The bride and groom wanted the lights off during the ceremony. Sigh.

The minister didn't want any flash. Grrrrrr. Fortunately the other photographer goes to church there and cranked out, "Now, Gary...God's above a flash. He don't care. I've been going to this church longer than you...and we're gonna use flash." We got to use flash.

The reception was in an old, crowded VFW with deer heads on the wall at every turn. Not that there is anything wrong with that, mind you...it is just a little annoying to always have to watch out for antlers.

Not to mention, the bride and groom aren't the young, jetset couple....I asked the bride, who chose to wear a black dress, if I could get a picture of her putting on her shoe. She obliged and hiked her dress up and began pushing her big toe into a big, ugly black clog. Sigh.

I have long accepted the fact that my clientelle will never be rich people in exotic locations, so I have this mantra in my brain, "It is my job to make the ordinary look extraordinary."

I don't know if I achieved this or not, but here are some shots from the wedding.

[KellyL]

Here are a few more of my favorites.

The shot of the little boy running was testing the "set your camera at 5.6 and 1/30 and you can get good ambient light without ghosting" technique Mark taught me. That little boy kept running around wanting me to take his picture, so I thought...test the theory.

[KellyL]

She wore two wrist corsages, and yes, she has a unicorn tatooed above her breast.

[Lee4145]

The pictures turned out very good I think. There are some tiny background things (blue walker or whatever it is) but it looks like a nice job of keeping odd distractions at bay. No small feat I'm sure! And it looks like Mark's slow shutter did the trick on the running boy. The vignette's look nice too.

You should consider writing as a second artistic outlet. I enjoy your writing almost as much as your photos!

[KellyL]

Thanks for stopping by Lee, and thanks for the comments. The writing? Yeah, been writing stuff since I was a kid...and now I teach language arts...which is pretty scary because I still do not use grammar well and misspell words!

[JessieBeachBum]

Kelly, I think you did an awesome job, considering the circumstances! I did a wedding that was equally as tough (for different reasons) and my photos didn't turn out that well.

I really like the shot of the couple dancing with the balloons in the background.

[Stormdancing]

Awww Kelly, I'm sorry you had to go through this kind of ordeal. I hope you still get your patio out of it though. You did an excellent job with what you had to work with. Nothing worse than a $400 Snapshooter who's running the show and wants to make sure everyone knows it. Geeeez

[bill8131]

Kelly, the images look great. You did a reat job from what I'm seeing. It's tough working a wedding with two people taking the same shots, I sense you have a high patience level, and that is good. I'm still working on mine. It's funny, I did a wedding a couple weeks ago when a photog friend of mine was in town, so I asked him to take candids around the whole scene. He kept jumpng in front of me to get the shot I was doing,grr, i had to take several deep breaths. But, all went well.

question: on the f5.6 30 with the little boy,were you set at 400 on the iso? Liiks really good. Good job.

Bill

[KellyL]

Thanks Jess, Dana, and Bill.

It was a good day. And a great day for my daughter to practice her shooting as well. I used several of her shots in the album.

Bill, yes, I used ISO 400. Mark McCall set me on to this "formula" and I love it.
Thanks all for the comments!

[MagicNikon]

These look good to me. Nice job, despite the circumstances.

[KellyL]

Thanks Magic. I appreciate you stopping by.

[deluco]

Work for photography is very risky. Being a 2nd photographer is also a trap. I wouldn't advise doing either one. As soon as you found out there was a paid photographer you should have declined. Good luck getting the patio from this "client". You're gonna end up chasing him.

That said, the images look very good. Next time don't sell yourself short. Free work is worth every penny.

[KellyL]

Jim, this is one of those rare times when it will work out. Believe it or not, the groom has been chasing me! He's ready to come over, measure and begin work.

Thanks for taking a look.

[Padre]

Nice job Kelly, by the looks of the groom I'd want him backing me up in a bar fight!!

[KellyL]

Thanks for stopping by Padre! You should have seen him before he dropped about 70 pounds. He was a bouncer!

[Jandybean]

I think the pictures are great. You know, there isn't enough money in the world for me to shoot weddings. I did one and that's all it took. No way Jose. The story behind the photos is hilarious. You did a fine job.

[harryd]

Kelly you did a fine job, I love the one with the piano in the background. Just think if you only shot beautiful people in exotic surrounding what a boring life that would be! I will stick with rural, mundane!

[KellyL]

Thanks Jandy and Harry!

On the second picture, how I wish I could have gone back and reshot it. Why is that piano behind her head? If I had moved her up two pews, it would have been better. I was going for the Mark Metz shot, but the crabapple who was running the show wouldn't even give me time to get my Metz out and set up.

Harry, when I videoed weddings, I always said to myself, "Every person needs to feel like a prince and a princess on their wedding day." That is really the same attitude I take with me when ever I shoot. I think it is a good attitude to carry in your heart and should carry over with each shooting situation.

[harryd]

Originally Posted by KellyL

Thanks Jandy and Harry!
Harry, when I videoed weddings, I always said to myself, "Every person needs to feel like a prince and a princess on their wedding day." That is really the same attitude I take with me when ever I shoot. I think it is a good attitude to carry in your heart and should carry over with each shooting situation.

You got that right Kelly!!! I feel the same way.

[Dacoda Image]

So Kelly... did you hear anything on how the other togs shots came out? Bet she was getting crabbier and crabbier because she could see you were much more artistic in your approach and she was jealous.