First wedding with DSLR and Lightroom

Question

I'm about to do my first wedding for a co-worker, and I really, really, *really* don't want it to be a disaster.
I'm sure plenty of folks here have some pointers for me. Any good books to recommend. I'm going to troll Google for tips on wedding photography.
Of course, Lightroom will be the main tool I'll be using. I plan on going all out and setting up a nice library and tweaking the UI for the client. I'll make a plan on visiting the wedding site beforehand to see what my lenses do in the room, and how much flash I have to use.
I'm already making a list of some new stuff I need before the day. My local photobug store is going to love my spending habits over the next few weeks.
I have to make sure I'm clear on copyright and such, as well. I understand copyright goes to me, but I'm going to hand over all the (good) raw files to the client along with a selection of print-ready images. I don't much care how they use the photos, as long as I'm credited where credit is due. I'm wondering how /I/ can use the photos in the future. Can I publish them myself as part of a portfolio or in a magazine or online? If so, what are the legalities and "best-practices" for not pissing off clients in the future? These are precious, private moments for people, and it seems wrong for me to use them for my own profit, but if I get some really nice shots I'm going to want to share them!
That last is something I'm unclear on, actually. Using Lightroom for getting photos ready for print, but not via the Print module. I, and the client, will probably be using a print service. Tips on getting decent prints from a service with minimal fuss appreciated.

Answer 1

Hi John,
Congratulation on getting your first wedding. Wedding photography is a serious business, since it is one of the most important days in the couples life, and no - ups I need a second shoot - is possible. Shooting your first wedding for someone you know is a good idea, and I will recommend you tell the co-worker who have hired you, that it is your first wedding, so they know. Don't expect to get everything right the first time, but with good preperration the chance of being lucky is much higher.
I personally ALWAYS visit the places I need to photograph before hand. I gives you comfort on the actual day, and you have time to check out where to stand and different lighting. Try to visit at the same time of day, as the actual shooting is set for. This way you will have a pretty good idea of what lenses to use, flash and so forth.
In regards to equipment, remember that it is you the photographer who is taking the pictures and not the camera. Just because you have a good word processor doesn't make you a great writer, so remember to practice again and again instead of think, that with that lens I could get the shot. Sure good equipment makes it easier. But a pro can take better pictures with an Elan than an first timer with an 1D mark III. Knowing your equipment is essential in a high pressure situation like a wedding.
The copyright laws are different from country to country, so I guess someone local can answer that better than me, since I am European based.
I personally use LR for all my weddings, and it is a really wonderfull program. Personally I would never hand over RAW files to a client. If it eventually came down to a court room, and you should prove you were the initially guy who took the photograps, what better proof could you have than you having the RAW file, and the other guy just having a JPEG or TIFF.
Personally I would just hand him JPEGs in a medium resolution or what you agree upon, if you have promissed to deliver digital files, but that changes alot from photographer to photographer. If I were you I would spend the time on getting to know my equipment instead of the copyright laws before my first wedding. :-)
Hope this helped, I wish you a happy first wedding.
Kind regards
Klaus Bjarner