Wedding Photography 101
So, you booked a wedding shoot, congrats! Photographing a couple’s special day is a fun and beautiful experience, but it does come along with a lot of pressure. On their special day the bride and groom expect everything to go right. They’ve spent big bucks on one day and are counting you to capture every bit of it. So it’s a good thing you’re doing your research, because we’ve gathered 10 helpful tips that’ll help you rock the shoot. So grab a seat and take some notes, Wedding Photography 101 is now in session!
Get a Feel for the Venue
If possible, make sure you check out the venue a day or two before the wedding. A lot of photographers find that doing this calms their nerves and helps them brainstorm potential shots to capture on the big day. If this is not possible for you to do, try researching the venue, or arrive to the wedding a little earlier than you’re needed, so you can get a good idea of what spots would make for the best shots.
Make a List
The bride wants a photo with the groom, a photo with the flower girl, a photo of the flower girl with the groom, a photo of the groom with his parents, and one of her parents with his parents, and so on, and so forth. The list of potential shots seems to be endless and continuously growing which adds to the stress you may be feeling. To keep everything organized, ask the couple to make a list of all the shots they want. This will help make sure that you don’t miss anyone in the wedding party, plus you can add some of your own ideas to the list to exceed their expectations.
Silence Your Devices
If you have equipment that beeps or buzzes, make sure you turn it off! Nothing interrupts a wedding quite like unwanted background noises.
Discuss Expectations
Before the big day, make sure that you and the couple are on the same page. Show them examples of your work so they can understand your style and find out what they want you to achieve, how many shots they want, what format they want them in, and what key things they want captured. Also, make sure you agree on a price before the event so that there are no surprises or angry customers when everything is said and done. Laying all of this information on the table will ensure that everyone is on the same page, and it will help you mentally and physically prepare for the wedding.
Use TWO Cameras
If you only have one camera, then rent or borrow another one and set it up with a different lens. Despite how reliable you think your favorite camera is, we’d hate for it to fail on you in your time of need. Bringing a backup camera will help reduce any stress or uncertainties, and it will come in handy if anything does go wrong. We recommend that you also bring at least one wide lens for candid shots and one long lens for the formal photos, but feel free to bring more than two lenses if needed.
Bring an Assistant
Two photographers are better than one. Since you can’t be in multiple places at once, having some extra help will ensure that you capture all the great moments going on at the event. Maybe you missed the perfect shot, that’s okay! Your assistant captured it while you were busy organizing the wedding party for some group photos.
Be Bold, But Not Too Bold
That dance off going on in the middle of the dance floor? Yeah, dive through the crowd to get some shots. Just make sure you don’t interrupt the moment. Timing is everything throughout the wedding. Time out your movements from one place to another using music or sermons as your cues to avoid being disruptive.
In terms of the post-ceremony wedding party shots, be bold. This is the part of the wedding that you’re in charge of. You have a vision, so make sure it’s known. Feel free to tell people where to stand and how to pose in order to make a great photo that will be admired for years to come.
Be Unique
Don’t be afraid to be a little out there with some of your photos, doing this will set you apart from other wedding photographers. Look around the venue and find some neat spots that could make for some interesting shots. Who knows, they could end up being a fan favorite.
Bring Spare Shoes
Going along with the tip about being unique, sometimes that can get you into some messy situations (literally). From time to time getting the perfect shot requires standing in water up to your knees. Other times you may have to trudge through some puddles of mud to get the perfect angle. If this happens to be the case at your shoot, you’re going to wish you listened and brought an extra pair or shoes (and maybe some pants too), so start packing a spare pair!
Use Photos of Us
With hundreds of guests and limited time, you probably don’t want to take too much time to exchange contact info. Using Photos of Us will eliminate the need for chit-chat between shots, instead you can take a shot of a unique coded Photos of Us card, then capture the moment, and hand the card to the guest. From there they can search their code on the Photos of Us website to view and download the photos you took of them.
Class is over! We hope that all these tips help you prepare for your upcoming shoot! Do you have any others you’d like to share with us? Let us know about them on Twitter, @photos_of_us.
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