Happy helper

A few months ago, my friend, Katrina, asked me to help her take pictures at a wedding. She does photography, but hasn't done many weddings. Her friends brother was getting married so it seemed like the perfect time to get some practice under her belt! She asked me waaaaay before I got my fancy schmancy camera. She told me she just wanted me to help her set up the shots & keep track on a list. She even told me to bring my point & click to take pics of candid moments that perhaps she would miss. But I figure taking a point & click to a wedding to actually help take pics is like takin' a knife to a gun fight. So when I got my fancy schmancy camera I told her I was s-e-t!

Saturday night was the wedding & reception. And I took 384 pics. I know, that seems like a lot. But when you have a fancy schmancy camera, it's not an exact science. Some are out of focus, too dark, whatever. So my friends have told me to "take more than you need. For every 1 that's good - you'll have 9 that aren't." Now-I don't really like those odds, but I can't hate the player. I have to hate the game...

Katrina took my card & transferred the pics to her computer. She also happens to live at the end of our field, so I ran by her house last night to pick it back up. She told me that she left the pics on the card for me so I could blog about it...be still my heart. I also told her to tell me how I did. Be honest - I can take it. And she had pretty good comments. She told me a few things that I could improve on. Like I always say - I'm ALL about constructive criticism.

So I thought I'd share some of the high-lights & low-lights - the hits & the misses if you will...

She gave me an "A" for the pics of the bridesmaids bouquets.

I also got an "A" for the pics of the bride getting ready in the mirror. Hit!
Boo-yow, another hit!

Ruh-roh! M-I-S-S! Look in the mirror reflection!

Not too awful bad...

I also like candid shots. Like this one with the bride's mom & her grandson. See, while Katrina was doing the heavy lifting - I was doing this!

She also gave me high praise for my cake photos. However, uh, uhm, I took this one with the letter backwards. I was behind the cake. M-I-S-S!

Ya'll know how I'm obsessed with the foreground clear & background blurry.

This is one of my favs - but that silly initial is backward again!

Here I am! Katrina emailed me this pic 'for the blog'. I love when people appreciate the art of blogging!
I got a decent shot of them smashing cake in each others face. However, I had issues with my camera not wanting to take a pic when I pressed the shutter. Apparently I had setting issues... hmph, who knew?! Plus Katrina says the brides super white dress & the lighting doesn't help. Yea, that was the problem. Surely it wasn't me...

I tell ya, though - I was super nervous for Katrina. I had no responsibilities whatsoever, but I was a nervous wreck. I think I worried enough for both of us. What pressure! Possibly THE most important day in a girls life (guys don't care...) & you are strapped with the task of capturing it for all prosperity? Thanks, but no thanks.

Katrina says she's gonna call me when all the few hundred prints come in to be put into an album. I told her I was changing my phone number...& moving...