Amateur Photographer: First Wedding...Advice?

Don't do it. Looking at your pictures you are not ready for a wedding shoot. Turning your average pics into black and white does not make your pics into good pics.

WEddings are tricky. Most wedding halls are relatively dark. You need a good flash and fast lenses. Also you want to avoid flat lighting (as many of your posted pics suffer from) so you want remote off camera flash, softeners, etc. You will want to understand proper subject placement, proper framing, etc. Its a lot of work, and you don't want to ruin their day.

The suggestion to apprentice to a wedding photgrapher is a great idea. Some may even let you take some candid or table shots while he is shooting other things.

Canon EOS 5D Mark II is the most professional Canon camera, but very expensive. The EOS 7D comes close behind, meaning it's more like for professional use, and less play. The Canon EOS 550 and the 7D are like apples and oranges, they'll pretty much the same thing. However the 550 is a less complicated looking. Both take superb pictures, and pretty much the same. Keeping in mind you're an amateur, I'd ask that you'd get a l something like an EOS rebel XSi, but if it's just between these two, my answer is, they're the same picture quality, 7D is just more professional looking with maybe a bigger zoom or two. But I love my 550. It's my life and the best thing in this world has ever made. But above all else, my true suggestion would be to go for a Canon 1000D/Canon Rebel XS. It's professional, Godly, and goes easier on beginners than the others.

I don't even know where to begin. Before attempting to do a wedding you have a lot of work to do. The pictures on your website are simple snapshots. They don't come close to the level you need to be at before photographing a wedding. Most wedding photographers have training in photography and have worked with an experienced person before doing anything on their own.

First off you need a real camera. A point and shoot is not going to cut it. Two mid level DSLR's, a couple good fast lenses, a nice flash, flash bracket and diffuser should get you started. Obviously this is going to cost you a fair amount of money. To buy the necessary equipment to photograph a wedding will be in the neighborhood of $5,000. You could rent the equipment for about $300 for the day.

Then of course you need to know how to use it all. Do you know what all the various settings do?

Remember that you wont get a second chance. If you screw it up you will probably be sued. Make sure your client knows that you have no experience with doing this type of thing.

As far as poses go I would suggest you look through wedding magazines. You will need poses of the couple together, the wedding party, the bride with her parents, the groom with his parents, the bride and groom with each of their parents, walking down the aisle, giving the bride away, cutting the cake and so on.

If you plan on going through with doing this you need to practice. Go to the place of the wedding do some test shots in different lighting situations.

I don't mean to sound harsh but photographing a wedding is not an easy task. You need to be competant in the use of your equipment, and be good at managing people. This is hopefully the most important day in their lives. You only have one chance to get it right.

I unfortunately have to echo the sentiments the other answerers - don't do it. Yes, the equipment shouldn't matter if it produces results that the client likes, but what happens if the Canon P&S fails? What are you going to do for a flash?

If you really want to get into wedding photography I would recommend getting a second hand D-SLR, a fast prime, and a flash. You're going to need a lot more than that, but you can always rent as long as you're familiar with where the controls are.

Then beg a reputable wedding photographer for the right to follow him or her around for a few wedding shoots. That would be an education in itself.

But as it stands, it's their wedding day. One of the happiest days of their life. You're the official historian of the day. Don't blow it by going in unprepared.

As soon as you possibly can, find a wedding photographer and offer to be his/her unpaid assistant. Offer to do whatever they ask just as long as you get to shadow them at every wedding they shoot. After 8 to 10 weddings you should be be able to answer every question you posted here.

If you depend on the advice you get here - even though much of it will be very useful - and what you can learn from reading, you will do a very poor job in Oct. You need to be experiencing wedding photography without having to be responsible for the finished product.

Well from looking at your site and reading the basic questions you have about what pictures to take at a wedding I have to say you do not have the skills to photograph a wedding. I sure hope the happy couple is not planing on paying you. If they do they are only paying you because they feel sorry for you.

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The only thing I will say is to keep in mind that this is the couples most important day and not to let them down with bad photos. You will need to read up on wedding photography, look at the work of others, and hope to heck you are up tot the task.

There is no greater disappointment to newlyweds than crappy photos of their day.

My head hurts now.

Don't do it.