1. Create a ‘Shot List’
One of the most helpful tips I’ve been given about Wedding
Photography is to get the couple to think ahead about the shots that
they’d like you to capture on the day and compile a list so that you can
check them off. This is particularly helpful in the family shots.
There’s nothing worse than getting the photos back and realizing you
didn’t photograph the happy couple with grandma!
2. Wedding Photography Family Photo Coordinator
I find the family photo part of the day can be quite stressful.
People are going everywhere, you’re unaware of the different family
dynamics at play and people are in a ‘festive spirit’ (and have often
been drinking a few spirits) to the point where it can be quite chaotic.
Get the couple to nominate a family member (or one for each side of the
family) who can be the ‘director’ of the shoot. They can round everyone
up, help get them in the shot and keep things moving so that the couple
can get back to the party.
3. Scout the Location
Visit the locations of the different places that you’ll be shooting
before the big day. While I’m sure most Pros don’t do this – I find it
really helpful to know where we’re going, have an idea of a few
positions for shots and to know how the light might come into play. On
one or two weddings I even visited locations with the couples and took a
few test shots (these made nice ‘engagement photos’).
4. In Wedding Photography Preparation is Key
So much can go wrong on the day – so you need to be well prepared.
Have a backup plan (in case of bad weather), have batteries charged,
memory cards blank, think about routes and time to get to places and get
an itinerary of the full day so you know what’s happening next. If you
can, attend the rehearsal of the ceremony where you’ll gather a lot of
great information about possible positions to shoot from, the lighting,
the order of the ceremony etc
5. Set expectations with the Couple
Show them your work/style. Find out what they are wanting to achieve,
how many shots they want, what key things they want to be recorded, how
the shots will be used (print etc). If you’re charging them for the
event, make sure you have the agreement of price in place up front.
6. Turn off the sound on your Camera
Beeps during speeches, the kiss and vows don’t add to the event. Switch off sound before hand and keep it off.
7. Shoot the small details
Photograph rings, backs of dresses, shoes, flowers, table settings,
menus etc – these help give the end album an extra dimension. Flick
through a wedding magazine in a news stand for a little inspiration.
8. Use Two Cameras
Beg, borrow, hire or steal an extra camera for the day – set it up
with a different lens. I try to shoot with one wide angle lens (great
for candid shots and in tight spaces (particularly before the ceremony
in the preparation stage of the day) and one longer lens (it can be
handy to have something as large as 200mm if you can get your hands on
one – I use a 70-200mm).
9. Consider a Second Wedding Photographer
Having a second backup photographer can be a great strategy. It means
less moving around during ceremony and speeches, allows for one to
capture the formal shots and the other to get candid shots. It also
takes a little pressure off you being ‘the one’ to have to get every
shot!
10. Be Bold but Not Obtrusive
Timidity won’t get you ‘the shot’ – sometimes you need to be bold to
capture a moment. However timing is everything and thinking ahead to get
in the right position for key moments are important so as not to
disrupt the event. In a ceremony I try to move around at least 4-5 times
but try to time this to coincide with songs, sermons or longer
readings. During the formal shots be bold, know what you want and ask
for it from the couple and their party. You’re driving the show at this
point of the day and need to keep things moving.
11. Learn how to Use Diffused Light
The ability to bounce a flash or to diffuse it is key. You’ll find
that in many churches that light is very low. If you’re allowed to use a
flash (and some churches don’t allow it) think about whether bouncing
the flash will work (remember if you bounce off a colored surface it
will add a colored cast to the picture) or whether you might want to buy
a flash diffuser to soften the light. If you can’t use a flash you’ll
need to either use a fast lens at wide apertures and/or bump up the ISO.
A lens with image stabilization might also help. Learn more about
Using Flash Diffusers and Reflectors.
12. Shoot in RAW
I know that many readers feel that they don’t have the time for
shooting in RAW (due to extra processing) but a wedding is one time that
it can be particularly useful as it gives so much more flexibility to
manipulate shots after taking them. Weddings can present photographers
with tricky lighting which result in the need to manipulate exposure and
white balance after the fact – RAW will help with this considerably.
13. Display Your Shots at the Reception
One of the great things about digital photography is the immediacy of
it as a medium. One of the fun things I’ve seen more and more
photographers doing recently is taking a computer to the reception,
uploading shots taken earlier in the day and letting them rotate as a
slideshow during the evening. This adds a fun element to the night.
14. Consider Your Backgrounds
One of the challenges of weddings is that there are often people
going everywhere – including the backgrounds of your shots. Particularly
with the formal shots scope out the area where they’ll be taken ahead
of time looking for good backgrounds. Ideally you’ll be wanting
uncluttered areas and shaded spots out of direct sunlight where there’s
unlikely to be a wandering great aunt wander into the back of the shot.
Read more on
getting backgrounds right.
15. Don’t Discard Your ‘Mistakes’
The temptation with digital is to check images as you go and to
delete those that don’t work immediately. The problem with this is that
you might just be getting rid of some of the more interesting and
useable images. Keep in mind that images can be cropped or manipulated
later to give you some more arty/abstract looking shots that can add
real interest to the end album.
16. Change Your Perspective
Get a little creative with your shots. While the majority of the
images in the end album will probably be fairly ‘normal’ or formal poses
– make sure you mix things up a little by taking shots from
down low,
up high, at
wide angles etc.
17. Wedding Group Shots
One thing that I’ve done at every wedding that I’ve photographed is
attempt to photograph everyone who is in attendance in the one shot. The
way I’ve done this is to arrange for a place that I can get up high
above everyone straight after the ceremony. This might mean getting tall
ladder, using a balcony or even climbing on a roof. The beauty of
getting up high is that you get everyone’s face in it and can fit a lot
of people in the one shot. The key is to be able to get everyone to the
place you want them to stand quickly and to be ready to get the shot
without having everyone stand around for too long. I found the best way
to get everyone to the spot is to get the bride and groom there and to
have a couple of helpers to herd everyone in that direction. Read more
on
how to take Group Photos.
18. Fill Flash
When shooting outside after a ceremony or during the posed shots
you’ll probably want to keep your flash attached to give a little fill
in flash. I tend to dial it back a little (a stop or two) so that shots
are not blown out – but particularly in backlit or midday shooting
conditions where there can be a lot of shadow, fill in flash is a must.
Read more about using
Fill Flash.
19. Continuous Shooting Mode
Having the ability to shoot a lot of images fast is very handy on a wedding day so switch your camera to
continuous shooting mode
and use it. Sometimes it’s the shot you take a second after the formal
or posed shot when everyone is relaxing that really captures the moment!
20. Expect the Unexpected
One more piece of advice that someone gave me on my own wedding day.
‘Things will Go Wrong – But They Can be the Best Parts of the Day’. In
every wedding that I’ve participated in something tends to go wrong with
the day. The best man can’t find the ring, the rain pours down just as
the ceremony ends, the groom forgets to do up his fly, the flower girl
decides to sit down in the middle of the aisle or the bride can’t
remember her vows….
These moments can feel a little panicky at the time – but it’s these
moments that can actually make a day and give the bride and groom
memories. Attempt to capture them and you could end up with some fun
images that sum up the day really well.
I still remember the first wedding I photographed where the bride and
grooms car crashed into a Tram on the way to the park where we were
going to take photos. The bride was in tears, the groom stressed out –
but after we’d all calmed down people began to see some of the funny
side of the moment and we even took a couple of shots before driving on
to the park. They were among everyone’s favorites.
21. Have Fun
Weddings are about celebrating – they should be fun. The more fun you
have as the photographer the more relaxed those you are photographing
will be. Perhaps the best way to loosen people up is to smile as the
photographer (warning: I always come home from photographing weddings
with sore jaws and cheeks because of of my smiling strategy).
Credits : http://digital-photography-school.com/wedding-photography-21-tips-for-for-amateur-wedding-photographers/
