I need to start this by saying I am not a wedding photographer and while I have done them, I’m not comfortable doing them. However, when my friend’s daughter rang me and asked me if I could take some photos and that they would pay me, of course. I said I could, but there would be no charge, that it would be my wedding gift to them.
The wedding was almost a month ago, and I have to say it was a lot of work, both on the day and the almost two weeks after. I took just over 1500 photos of the bride getting ready, the ceremony, the family, formal shots of the couple, and then the reception. It was a long day, starting with trying to work out how to get my flashes to work with the Fujifilm cameras.
I do love that my Nikon Speedlights work with the Fujifilm, but only on manual mode for the flashes. I had to try and remember how to get them to work again. Fun times.
While it was tiring and a lot of work, I was really happy to do it for them. Not something I would do for just anyone, but I have watched Nicole grow up and have known her since she was 4 years old. She is a free spirit and there was a lot of that at the wedding. Brent seems to be the perfect match for her and I can see there will be a lot of laughs in their future.
Every time I asked her what sort of photos she wanted, she would say “Anything you do will be fine”. In some ways, that puts a lot more pressure on you, but then in other ways, if they don’t like the photos, then there isn’t a lot they can say.
Most of the wedding was fine, but the more formal images of the two of them were hard. I didn’t know how to pose them, they had no idea, and the Brent didn’t really care if we took them or not.
In the end, I got some nice photos, and then I got some fun ones. They are a fun couple, so the photos were never going to be serious. For example, they did rock, paper, scissors to see who would say their vows first.
I took so many photos, and then I had to go through them and work out which ones I would actually use. I think in the end I got it down to 30o to 400. Then the processing started.
I used a combination of Photoshop and ON1 Photo Raw 2025 for these photos. Though I have to say I mainly used ON1. I learned so many new things with it, and the number one thing was using it like Lightroom and batch processing. It saved me so much time. I only used PS for renaming and resizing, which I could have done in ON1, but it seemed quicker to do it that way for now.
I didn’t really know what to do with wedding photos, as it really isn’t something that I know how to do, and the last wedding I shot was in 2013. I used Color Efex back then, so I thought I would take a look at the presets in ON1. I did go looking for wedding and portrait ones, but I didn’t really like any of them, so the only option was to develop my own, so that is what I did. I came up with 8, though I have since done a 9th as well.
I wanted the photos to look soft and light. Maybe with a bit of an antique look as well. I wanted variety with colour and black and white. So I am going to give you a gallery now with photos using the first lot I did.
I think they came out okay, and from what I’ve heard, they love them, which is good.
It was a very different wedding from the one I photographed in 2013, and tomorrow for Silent Sunday, I’m going to show you those photos. The wedding from 2013 was in some ways a lot more serious and I think the photos reflected that. The setting for the images was a lot more formal too. I think both weddings have very different looks.
I think any couple would be very happy to have these lovely images as a record of their special day 💞
Thank you Sarah, she did seem very happy when she saw them.
These are nice shots, Leanne. Wedding photography is NOT for the faint of heart. I’ve shot 4 in my entire life, the last one was three (3) years ago (all the weddings were for family members). You’re spot on with it being a LOT of work, especially on the day of (very physical). And, then the editing. It’s all very rewarding in the end, but I’m with you….never again. 😉📷
Thank you Donna. It really isn’t for the faint of heart, it is hard work. Yeah it was worth it when she saw the photos, that was great. I think that is the biggest fear, that she wouldn’t like them.
You did a pretty good job….the formal shots are a bit hard, but I think the candid shots are the ones that people will treasure!
Thank you Steve,the candid ones are the ones they loved doing the most, trying to get them to be more formal was hard.
I think it’s always hard!
I can’t imagine it ever being easy.
Nice.
Those have a “Leanne Cole” style to them, even though they’re not of buildings or bridges. Pretty good job. You’ll have a client list of brides in no time. 😀
Thank you Matt, oh I don’t want a client list, it is too much stress. 😀
No kidding!
hahaha
A wonderful variety of images you captured.
Thank you Egidio.
They gave you free run and I think you did great, Leanne. Ha! Her shoes!! Definitely seems like a fun wedding.
Thank you Lois, it was stressful, but I think I knew they would like the photos. Her shoes were a lot of fun. It was, that was exactly what she was like, always fun.
That’s not something I would want to do either but when it’s a close friend’s daughter you have such great knowledge about how to frame the photos which I think comes across here really well. On the other hand and as you point out, there would be a lot of self-generated pressure to get them right.
Thank you Lynette, I think it also helped that I knew as long I got photos she would be happy with them. Well I hoped. Oh yes, I know what you mean, I was putting pressure on myself until I knew she was happy with them.
These are great images Leanne. I like the informality. I can’t wait to see the more formal ones. I took my granddaughter’s wedding. I scouted posed before the wedding was tough for doing anything. It was her wedding gift also. Never again!
Thank you Anne. I think the informality really suited them. The posing is so hard to do. Yeah, I wouldn’t put my hand up again.
I don’t do weddings either, but like you, I have made a few exceptions.
Wedding photographers are typically expensive, but from what I have seen, they earn every penny of it and I don’t know if anyone, other than another photographer truly appreciates that.
Sometimes it is worth effort, but only rarely. I think they earn every penny too, it is a massive responsibility and so important. I think you could be right about the appreciation. Though they were very appreciative I suspect because they had found out how much a wedding photographer costs. Thank you Dawn.
You’ve done really well with these Leanne. I think they should be really pleased with them.
Thank you Steve, yeah, she said she didn’t know what you wanted until she saw what I took,that was good.
You did a wonderful job capturing both the formal and fun aspects of their wedding! I see more of this in your future 🙂
Thank you Linda, I don’t think I will be doing anymore, maybe for my daughter, but that’s it.
Great…. you will have to come to Peru to take photos of my wedding. Don’t worry….. I haven’t even found the bride yet!
Hahahaha, well Geoff, I don’t have a passport anymore so not sure how I would have got there even if you had a bride. Thank you.
These really turned out wonderful. I know what you mean about weddings. I have no desire to do them. Too much pressure.
Thank you Nora, yeah I don’t think I would ever do them for people I don’t know and they would have to be special for me to do them in the first place.
Well done you! Yes, a seriously difficult assignment. But no wonder they’re pleased with them.
Thank you Margaret, it was a relief when they saw them and liked them.
Phew! But why wouldn’t they? So special to have photos done by someone you know well.
Thank you Margaret. I hadn’t thought of it like that, for me I was helping them by saving them a few thousand dollars.
And you can’t knock that either!
Nope, it is a great gift to be able to give.
Terrific work, Leanne. It’s a stressful job and you rose to the occasion!
Thank you so much Jane.
Have heard a story, dont know is it true, but its a nice story
William Eggleston went to do wedding
he shot only clouds in a sky
they were obiviously very beautyfull clouds
No, I’ve never heard that one before. I think I would have got into a lot of trouble if I only did the clouds.