http://digital-photography-school.com/wedding-photography-21-tips-fοr-fοr-amateur-wedding-photographers
I’m excited mу sister qυеѕtіοחеԁ mе tο bе һеr photographer fοr һеr wedding. I’ve always Ɩονеԁ photography аחԁ take loads οf pictures οf mу οwח family bυt I’ve never done a wedding! I want tο bе sure tο ԁο аח awesome job.
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Make sure sister is prepared to receive less than stunning photos of her huge day. Although you may do a decent job there will still be things that would be done better using a professional. Also reckon of this: As the event photographer you will not be participating in the festivities as a sister and honored guest. You will be working. All day. No time to chat with sis and family members. Also family members and other people may not take you seriously as the real photographer, so you may find it trying to take control when you need to.
Anyway, here is a link:
http://www.rokkorfiles.com/Wedding101-page1.html
Also http://www.photo.net, look for the beginners section in the wedding and event forum.
If you choose to do it, be sure to get backup equipment of some sort. Cameras do fail, so you need to be able to take up again shooting. I have given many tips to first time shooters, just look at some of my past answers and you will find my sage advice repeated many times. Excellent luck.
My best advice would be to hire a professional. Remember this is doubtless the most vital day in your sisters life. You don’t want to mess it up. Photographing a wedding is not an simple job. You have to have the aptly equipment, the knowledge to use it and know how to manage and pose people. It is not austerely pointing a camera in the aptly direction and pushing a button.
Have you spoken to the church where the wedding will be held? Do they allow flash? Many do not. If they don’t do you have a camera and lens competent producing excellent pictures at home without a flash? This will require a camera that can handle high ISO settings with very small noise and a large aperture lens. F2.8 for a zoom or F1.4 for a prime would be excellent.
Now as far as flash photography goes. The pop up flash or built in one will not do. You need a dedicated flash with a bracket and diffuser.
For cameras you should have two mid to high level DSLR’s. You never know when one will break.
For lenses below is what a typical wedding photog uses. You will need to have at least a few of them.
24-70mm F2.8
70-200mm F2.8
16-35mm F2.8
50mm F1.4
85mm F1.8
100mm F2.8
If none of this makes any sense to you then you really shouldn’t be attempting this. Also do you have any thought how much work is caught up in doing a wedding? You will have no time to delight in the day with your sister. You will be working from early in the daylight until near the end of the reception. If you want to do a touch nice for your sister decline and help her pay for a professional photographer.
David M. makes a lot of sense. Wedding photography is a specialized field of photography, and requires a honest amount of equipment. In addition to two DSLR camera bodies, multiple lenses, off-camera flash and diffuser, you will also need proper lighting, umbrellas, etc. And, as he also said, you will have no time to delight in the wedding itself. This is best left to professionals in order to ensure that the photo quality is wonderful, but also so that you can delight in your time with your sister.