As wedding photographers, we spend an average of eight hours outside of our homes filming and capturing beautiful pictures of your love-to-be. It is important to make sure that you are investing in good gear to help preserve these memories.
Having great photography equipment is one thing, using it properly is another! By being aware of different settings and how to use yours, you will maximize the quality of photos you take and improve the function of each piece.
It is very common for couples to start taking their engagement photographs right after they say “I do”, which can sometimes lead to poor quality images. Having adequate preparation before meeting at a location or gathering with friends is crucial to having high quality photos.
Making Sure The Other Person Is Into Photos!
Most people enjoy looking at pretty things, so trying to get some candid portraits of the both of you together is a nice way to begin engaging in this activity. But, if the other person does not like looking at themselves or doesn’t seem into posing, then what? You may have to work extra hard to get those perfect shots!
Luckily, most of us carry around smart phones with large screens, making it easy to edit pictures on them.
Focus on the wedding party
As a professional wedding photographer, your time is very limited during the wedding day. You will be busy taking pictures of the bride and groom, siblings, parents, grandparents, friends and other members of the wedding party.
Do not feel that you have to take extra photos with everyone unless you are asked! Sometimes people get really focused on getting their picture taken and end up having too many photographs or no photograph at all because they left the event before others had a chance to use the camera.
Try to focus more on the less popular members of the wedding party; this can include older relatives who may not know what to do with themselves in front of a camera. They might appreciate some quiet time with just them alone!
Some couples like to keep things private and do not want anyone to pose next to each other for a photo. Make sure to ask if there are any special moments or events the couple would like photographed so you do not waste your time waiting around for them to ‘trigger’ such an occasion.
Take photos of the bride
As wedding photographers, we spend lots of time focusing our attention on the couple themselves, but few give much thought to taking pictures of the bridal party.
This can be tricky at times. If you are having trouble deciding who should be in the photo or how they look in the picture, ask some of your close friends to help! They may even offer tips if they have done similar events before.
The best way to include everyone is by asking each person if they would like to be included in the group shot. This gives them the chance to say yes or no without feeling coerced into it.
Take photos of the groom
While some brides feel that their wedding day is the most important day of their life, one thing many forget is to enjoy themselves. Your husband will not! He will be trying hard to make you happy, so do not discard this as an option, instead use it to take some fun pictures.
Take some casual couple portraits outside or in your house if you cannot find anyone else to photograph during the reception. Or ask around your friends and family if they know any great photographers!
Give the bride a chance to have some time with her new husband after the ceremony. Ask if he would like some tea or coffee and get some drinks for both of you. If she mentions anything about going home later, ask if there are anywhere she would like to go before heading back.
If the bride does not want to be photographed at the reception then agree to do it earlier, perhaps while the two of you eat lunch together. Her spending money may run out soon so giving her some time to relax and spend time with her fiancé can help preserve the bond that she and him share.
Take photos of the wedding venue
After paying to use the venue as a location, it is very disappointing to find out you cannot take any meaningful pictures there because of something or someone else.
Most brides want their weddings to be special, so they will invest in renting or buying a gift for the reception site before the ceremony. Some vendors will ask permission to photograph the space, but many don’t!
It is important to know your rights as a photographer when this happens. If you are asked to leave, make sure to pack up and go with a good attitude. Don’t let them win by being rude.
Do not accept “no photographs allowed” as an excuse unless you have been given specific reasons why.
Take photos of the decorations
While some vendors will take care of capturing pictures of the cake, flowers, and tables, it is up to you as a wedding photographer to capture more unique photographs.
There are many ways that you can use your camera to add some extra special touches to your wedding.
By adding yourself into the picture or having someone else do so, you can get some great candid photographs.
Telling stories with your photographs is an excellent way to go about this.
Ask around your friends, family, and colleagues if they know anyone who would make good wedding photographers. If they recommend someone, give them a call to see if there’s a time where they’d be willing to have their photo taken.
You may even find one at a local event! Many people enjoy taking new pictures so why not offer yours for payment?
Another way to gain some additional money is by creating photoshoots in and out of events such as weddings. Some companies will pay professional rates for creative shoots.
Take photos of the food
Food is a major part of any wedding, so why not make it significant? Have some fun with your wedding photography by asking about their favorite recipes or offering to take over the responsibility of taking pictures while the guests eat!
Many photographers will offer to be in charge of the photo-taking during reception times, but what if you don’t have anyone to help you? Luckily, there are many ways you can use photogenic foods to fulfill that role!
Ask around to see if anyone has good recipes for certain dishes the bride wants to feature in the photographs. If possible, she should try and update the recipe before the wedding (though not necessarily her own!), and they could even cater the rest at cost!
Alternatively, ask whether she would like to do family portraits first before moving onto individual shots. This way, she can take those now and add more detail as time goes on.
Take photos of the guests
As wedding photographers, we spend lots of time talking about taking professional quality pictures, but very few talk about what to actually do with all those photographs.
That’s where things can get a little tricky. After all, you don’t want to look through the camera too much while there’s still people around!
But don’t worry – we’ve got your back. Here are some tips for using your wedding photography as a way to connect with and get to know your loved ones.
Ask questions
One of our favorite ways to use our work is to help others connect with their loved ones. By asking thoughtful questions, you give yourself the opportunity to create interesting stories that showcase your talent as a photographer.
Questions like “What does this person like most about themselves?” or “How did they learn how to swim?” can easily lead to some entertaining anecdotes. We’ve even heard some great stories before and after his or her wedding day!
And because weddings tend to be fun events, many of the participants will enjoy hearing these tales.
Take photos of the bride and groom together
While some people say that having candid wedding pictures is too informal, we really believe it’s important to have at least one photo per person!
This can be difficult when the couple isn’t looking into each other’s eyes or there’s an uncomfortable silence. When they do make a face, you don’t want them to look totally away because they feel self-conscious, so try to capture just their beautiful expression with your camera!
By including some casual head shots and/or formal posed photographs, you will be able to showcase both sides of the bride and groom. We recommend trying to take at least three sets of photos in total!
Another way to include more detail about the couple is by asking if anyone else would like to join you for a few snaps before they get ready. This could mean parents, siblings or even close friends who may not normally go through big events like a wedding.
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