what are the dicipline behind..or do and dont's before the event..is there a time when a photographer is out of his mood to shoot?what should he do for motivation?

:Grin: hi guys!would like to hand a help..is their a dicipline behind..or do and dont's before the wedding event?. in terms of what you would eat? does it affect the mood in a shot?is there a time when a photographer is out of his mood to shoot?what should he do for motivation?what if it is on peak days of wedding?thanks there!

hi there jerico.. :) i am still not a pro photographer.. but i have covered some events. with regard to your question if a photographer is out of his mood to shoot.. well, if you are a moody photographer.. believe me, you would loose your clients in a heartbeat. you have to stay focused.. covering an event is not just about money.. (though i know it is a big big factor) but do it because you want to do it.. not because you are obligated.

discipline.. hmm.. just be prepared for anything.. i think that's my advise :)

good luck!

This is what I do the day before a wedding:
1) Clean the camera + sensors
2) Clean the lens
3) Test the camera to make sure no dust spots
4) Make sure all equipment is in tip-top shape
5) Charge all batteries
6) Prepare bag
7) Eat well (don't eat anything that will make your tummy grumble, example: hilaw na mangga then milk afterwards, a surefire way to have a diarrhea)
8) Sleep well
9) Prepare nice clean clothes
10) Lastly, but most importantly, pray.

That's my formula.

bring lots of extras
specially cards and batteries.. :D (don't forget to charge them)
sleep well and be prepared, mapapagod ka sa shoot.. :D

be early

wala munang gimmick before the event, always check your gears charge what needs to be charged format all your cf's.
I sometimes browse the web and checkout the sites of wedding photographer masters to get more inspirations

i'm with the rest of the guys... nothing beats preparation... go through your checklist 2x or more .. always good to have had checked, early on, the venue of the wedding and the reception, ideally at about the same time of the day the wedding will occur.. same with the reception venue.. that way the day before the event you can redo mental practices on how you're going to do this and that.. how many assistants you're going to need... where you'll position yourself and your lights, etcetera...

about the mood? i've never had that problem... because every time is a first time for me... hahaha.. i'm always jittery at the start.. and once work has begun it's all business from that point onwards

night before shoot
- charge batts
- check equipment
- check equipment
- check equipment
- pack gear
- start and end everything w/ a prayer :)

well as for the your 'mood', in this case you are being paid to render a service, so don't bring your problems to work (leave your problems at home :) )
don't be in the 'mood' but be in the 'mode'

what are the dicipline behind..or do and dont's before the event..is there a time when a photographer is out of his mood to shoot?what should he do for motivation?

The US Air Force and other branches rely on training. When I was training for a marathon or a 10k race in the past, there were days you really don't want to go out. What I do is simply go back to my training routines. Go back to basics.

There was a shoot about 3 years ago, w/c was my first full production (photo & video involving 8 people). At the dress-up, I was stale. I didn't have the spark or the mojo. I didn't know why. I was well rested, was well prepared but there was no spark. In such instances, I shrugged it off and went on auto mode a la training.

After the event, I saw my pictures and they were quite good. The dress up was a bit weak as I should have shot more, but it passed off quite well. Ahh, but the best shots came from the church shots! Amazing angles and got the shots when the groom cried. It was the best shoot for me at that time. :)

These doledrums happen now and then. It just happened again some months back. But again, I went back to my training, to the basics. At the end of the day, if you trained and practiced well, you will come out with credible shots. Sometimes, you even excel yourself!

So, preparing your gear, checking your equipment, charging your batts, etc., are SOPs, that is part of your training. Go through it. I guess that routine may and often snaps you out of the rut. it's better than moping and thinking about it. This is one time that doing helps you a lot.

thank you all guys!... a lot motivation for me...but still have to share one memorable experience on it..last december 2006 i had this client in marikina..i prepared so well.. review a lot of wedding photos on net for a whole day..charge all batteries...check the status of my equipment and even conduct meeting with my people....but on a wedding day itself.. as i run in a garden to cover the bride come out in a elevator. my shoe-suelas got off..my gosh i prepared everything from backing up all my equipments but to back up my shoes never...i believe nothing more embarrassing than that...thank god my socks still intact..but one thing in my mind.. the show must still go on..i never kneel na lang when i shoot kc mapapansin nila na wala me suelas....lesson never use stocked shoes for a long time it losses its durability...next day i buy new braded one w.brown na para sure...thanks ulit!may the force be with you all..