Digital Photography: The Missing Manual

Weddings and Celebrations

Whether the celebration is an elaborate wedding, a formal bar mitzvah, or a simple home birthday party, photos are a must. They preserve the details and emotions that everyone wants to remember. If there’s no hired photographer—or even if there is—charge up your digicam. When they see the prints, folks often prefer the shots taken by guests over the formal professional photos.

One of the advantages you may have over the hired photographer is that you know people at the event. You’re in a much better position to take candid, relaxed pictures of the guests that capture the true flavor of the day. Even so, be careful not to interfere with the professional photographer’s posed shots. Introduce yourself to the photographer and ask if it’s OK to take a couple of shots right after the pro has finished each setup. You’ll generally receive permission—and the opportunity to capture the highlights of the day.

As a digital photographer, you can bring a new dimension to the celebration that most pros don’t even offer—immediacy. If you like, you can hook up your camera to a TV to play the pictures back while the reception is still going on. Or, if you bring a laptop, you can have a photo gallery or slideshow up on the Web before the pro even leaves. (See Chapter 17 for details about creating projects like these.)

Tip

Be prepared to overcome the challenges of indoor flash photography in dimly lit places like dance halls, restaurants, and auditoriums. Consult “Shooting Onstage ...