Shooting Your First Wedding
So, someones contacted you and asked you to shoot their big day. Sure, no big deal. You know your way around a camera, and you're confident you can do it. However, you've realized that your performance could severely impact arguably the most important day of someone's life, and now you're having second thoughts. Oh, not to mention you've only got one chance to get it right. What if your camera dies? What if the kiss shot is out of focus? Fear not, as this anxiety has taken it's toll on every wedding photographer at one point and time.
What you'll find is that most couples are pretty lenient and just want to enjoy their big day.. well sometimes.
From my experience, this feeling of paranoia was actually beneficial to my workflow. My first wedding was so frightening, and I was so scared to miss a shot, that I ended up shooting absolutely EVERYTHING. There's nothing wrong with this approach, but it can really impede turn-around times as you sift through thousands of photos when editing. While there's no "cure" for this anxiety besides experience, there are some things you can do to ensure that nothing goes wrong that isn't beyond your control.
1.) Gear Check
You've got all of your lights set-up perfectly for the first dance. The doors open, the crowd rises, and you raise the viewfinder to your eye. Click. You take the picture, only see that one of your flashes didn't fire. Panic ensues. Sure, it worked when you fired off your test shots but now the batteries have crapped out on you. Your options are limited. Always double-check to make sure your gear is ready for the long haul. A memory is worth far more than a pack of batteries.
2.) Details
Remembering important details is one thing, acquiring all of them is another. You can do your absolute best to gather all of the information and still run into surprises. All that you can do is try to minimize as many surprises as possible. You'd be surprised how many photographers neglect to ask the question, "Is there anything else that I need to know?".
3.) Agreements
Let's face it, no one likes to discuss money. For some it can be an awkward, or even touchy subject. That is all the more reason to have all of your agreements handled prior to the wedding date. You can really damper the mood of the newly weds by pulling them aside to inquire about how you're getting paid. You should always have a written agreement laying out all of these details long before their big day. Believe me when I say, no one wants to talk about money during their wedding.
One of our jobs as a photographer is to capture emotion in it's purest form. These images will always have the most impact.
Last but not least..
Know your boundaries. Others will go on and on about how important it is to do whatever it takes to get the shot, but it's not always that easy. It's always a good guideline to verify what is expected of you as a photographer. You will encounter individuals of many faiths and beliefs, and the last thing you want to do is be disrespectful. I've personally had a guest during a wedding come up to me and say how "distracting" I was during the ceremony. While I thanked her for voicing her opinion, I knew exactly what was expected of me far before the ceremony began. To have provided anything less would've been a great injustice to the bride and groom, whom were the ones actually paying for my services. When you know your boundaries, you can shoot freely without worrying about being rude or distracting.
There will be moments where you have to think on your toes.. don't be afraid to get creative!
In summary...
Shooting your first wedding can be nerve-racking, and that's okay. Being anxious is totally normal and you have absolutely nothing to worry about. I'd honestly be more concerned if you weren't, after all, the only reason you feel this way is because you truly wish to give your clients the best results possible. You already know that you're capable, and your clients think so, too. As long as you follow the steps I've outlined, you should be able to focus solely on capturing the wedding the best that you can. Are you going to capture every moment perfectly? Ofcourse not! Are you going to make mistakes? Absolutely! Everyone had to start somewhere. I can assure you, as long as you do your best, your clients will not be disappointed.