Holy Nervous Batman....
Now when I started down this photography business path, I told myself I needed a year MINIMUM of experience to even consider doing a wedding. Well fast forward 8 months and I did my first wedding. Was I nervous – HECK yes I was!!!
As a relatively new photographer in the business scene, I follow a ton of groups and blogs. Hoping to soak up any bit of information or knowledge from those who have gone before me. Maybe a tip on editing or camera settings – or how to avoid or handle pitfalls and hiccups along the way be it customer related or other.
Following these groups and blogs I had seen my FAIR share of wedding disasters. It would literally make my heart sink like a ton of bricks. Photographers’ memory cards malfunctioning, terrible lighting, bridezillas, groomzillas, and all the family-zillas. I tried to make sure I would cross my T’s and dot my I’s on the things that I could control
I knew I wasn’t going to use flash during the ceremony – I felt it would be too distracting. So I didn’t. I adjusted other settings taking care not to have my ISO too high – to avoid that pesky grainy look. However, I definitely wanted to use my flash for family portraits as this was one BIG loving and sweet family. I got perfect crispness and color and I had to even pat myself on the back. I ended up sending a gallery almost 3 times the size of what I had in my contract but I didn’t care. I couldn’t pick which photos I loved more so I didn’t.
Some final thoughts...
I’m so glad that I took the leap and said yes when I was approached to shoot this wedding. I was scared to death to screw it up, but doing things that scare you is the best way to grow. DO it scared. You will never grow if you stick in your comfort zone.
