Assisting

I "assisted" at a wedding this evening and it was an interesting experience. Before I start to rail on the BS part of it, let me talk about the positives.

The wedding was so sweet and laid back. The bride was GORGEOUS and very photogenic. She was very funny and silly and open and her groom was very nice. I got to take "getting ready" pictures for a little while and helped shoot the actual ceremony. So yes, I am grateful for the experience and I think I have some photos I will really be proud of (to come later!).

Now...

I started getting an weird feeling about it when the lady who asked me in March to help assist her still hadn't called me to tell me the location, the time, or how much money I would be making by 10:30 TODAY!!! We had to be there at 4. WTH? Then on the phone she said I could "go ahead" and bring my camera. At that point I thought hmmm... Then on the way there she tells me I will be making $100. For 6 hours. Less than I have been charging for a 1-2 hour session fee. But I don't want to be a bitch and I guess I'm in it for the experience, right?

So once we get there we join the girls in their room and since they were not ready for formals I got my camera out and took some getting ready pictures. It was really dark in there, but I think I got some quality shots and I was really getting into a groove.

Then we get ready to take some formals and the light is terrible. I totally did not agree with where she wanted to shoot, but hey...I kept my mouth shut, held the reflector, and made sure we got everything on the list. We go back inside the bride's room and I shoot more hanging out shots. My friendly photographer did not take a single shot other than formals, ceremony, cake cutting, etc. No candids whatsoever. So I assume that's my job. No sweat, that's what I prefer by far. Then she starts looking over my shoulder and telling me what to do. But it's things like that I need to center my image. Which I did not want to do at all. I tried to nicely ignore her, but we have a weird relationship in which I have to brown nose her (it has to do with my day job, but I won't elaborate here), so it's a fine line. Then she starts telling me, "You should open your aperture to about a 3.5 and that will not only let more light in but also cause everything behind her to blur." I smile and nod and am thinking, "No fucking shit," and am already shooting at 1.8 because of the light. Again, it sounds petty, but did she seriously think I didn't know that? I mean I realize I'm not a real pro, but come on.

Then I get to shoot again during the ceremony and I really get into it. I take the very last picture on my card just as they are walking out. I say, "I need to change my CF card." And she says, "Well, I only have 30 more shots and I need another card, so..." (big pause and meaningful look). So I give her my extra card and I don't get to take any more pictures. This ticks me off. I stew on it all through the post-ceremony formals. As we start walking over to the reception, I say, "Well, I guess I need to sit somewhere and delete some shots because I'm out of space." And she has the NERVE to say to me, "You know, you really need to think about the shots you really need and get them right the first time instead of taking so many pictures like you've been doing." Again I nod, but am thinking WHAT?? Yes, I overshoot, but I least I brought 2 2 gig cards to ASSIST at a wedding and you are the photographer and you bring ONE 1 gig card?? And then you counsel me? EYE ROLL. At this point I just have to sigh. So I erase a few and shoot a couple of table shots with my flash, but they suck and I guess I'm not really expected to do it anyway so I get some water and sit.

So I guess I'm not really cut out to be an assistant only (especially not for $100), but I don't think I could shoot a wedding on my own either. Oh well. I did like getting the experience and I really liked shooting the more photojournalistic shots. And I do love weddings.

And P.S. I know I changed tenses about fifteen times, but I am tired and too lazy to fix it...