It's been so nice to see you at all the weddings! I just love how you always look different at each one. Sometimes you come as a special cousin, or the husband of a friend, or even, my favorite, an actual beloved uncle!
But I can always recognize you with all your pro-level camera gear, which is really fun to chat with you about during quiet moments at the reception. And I know from our conversations that you understand that, despite how far manufacturers have come in making digital cameras so easy to use, it's not what your camera can do for you, but what you can do with your camera!
So it is in this spirit of camraderie that I offer these suggestions, from one image-maker to another.
Tip 1: Don't bring your camera!
There is, afterall, someone there whom the bride and groom has hired to photograph their day (and you know what they say about too many cooks...). This person has serious equipment and experience. And most likely, the pro will post all the images on a web gallery so you and all your friends and family can see and have the pictures.If you're a serious photographer you might have noticed that it can almost be more exciting to not take a picture when you want to. It suddenly makes the world come alive. You notice those small details, the light, the way the whole world comes together in its dance to make the thing in front of you into an amazing photo, if only...
Honestly, if I ever get invited to a wedding as a guest, I never bring a camera. Because while a wedding is a great photo opportunity, how much are you enjoying it or even really there with the other guests when you are looking at the whole thing through a viewfinder? I say, sit back, relax, drink, dance, meet new people, and let your camera have the night off.
Tip 2: Ok, if you have to bring your camera, use a long lens and tripod.
You have some really great photos, Uncle Bob, and it does take someone with a special eye to be a great photographer. But weddings are a very particular kind of photoshoot that can prove challenging to even great photographers.There are a lot of expectations going into the day, everyone is feeling the pressure for things to go well for the bride and groom, and the unexpected always seems to happen. If something messes up the pro-photographer's shots (like someone jumping into the aisle during the ceremony, distracting the family during a formal photo set-up, or getting in the way during a special moment between the bride and her aunt at the reception), s/he can't schedule a re-shoot. And those are moments lost forever for the bride and groom.
With a long lens and some strategic positioning, you can get all of those fantastic shots you make while steering clear of being underfoot of the hired photographer.
Similarly, with a simple, lightweight tripod or even a tabletop monopod, you can bump up your ISO and make some amazing shots—without your flash.
Additional flash can be a problem for the hired photographer. It will overexpose the pro's shots, trip his/her slaved lights, or just make things look really weird sometimes. I mean, it's true, a good wedding photographer can use it to his/her advantage, and it can look great. But it is unpredictable for the pro to work with, so if you're going to shoot quite a lot, try a series without your flash. It might even open up your repertoire a bit.
Tip 3: Wear sneakers!
Think of them as your Superhero shoes! Sneakers will help you maneuver about the ceremony and festivities without being too distracting or making too much noise. Plus, you can get out of the way of the pro photographer quickly!You don't want to be in competition with the pro photographer. S/he's the guy the bride and groom have entrusted with the official documentation of their wedding day! You don't want that person to miss any of the shots. How sad would that be for the bride and groom—your family and friends?
If you will step back (or down, as the case may be if you've brought a ladder) so that the pro has the best angle on something, the bride and groom (whom you came to see be married) will thank you.
Tip 4: Keep an eye on the pro.
One of the best gifts you can give to the bride and groom at their wedding is to keep an eye on the pro, and photograph whatever s/he isn't. Be like a second shooter and photograph the mother of the bride's teary smile during the father-daughter dance.You actually have a one-up on the professional photographer at a wedding because you know the family and friends. You'll know that cousins Steve and Jim haven't seen each other since they were boys, and you can photograph their reunion drink at the bar that is likely off the radar for the pro.
If you plan to share your images, this will give the newlyweds a really full picture of their wedding day, from all angles.
Rather than being left with 500 shots of the first dance and 400 shots of the cake, they'll have visual memories of everyone who was there and all that happened, on the main stage as well as in the wings.
Oh, Uncle Bob, we have so much fun together at these things. And I just want you to remember that you were invited to the wedding to enjoy yourself! So let's never argue.
When we work together at weddings to make awesome shots for the bride and groom, it's really just the best!
Love your BFF,The Professional Wedding Photographer
http://www.besthudsonvalleyweddingever.com/wedding-tips/a-letter-to-your-uncle-bob-tips-for-the-amateur-photographer-at-weddings
