Top Wedding Photography Tips – How to Be Prepared for Anything!
Being a wedding photographer could be a lucrative profession. However, there are numerous reasons wedding photography can be one of the most challenging types of weddings to photograph.
Alongside being extremely fast-paced and often having to deal with a variety of people on the day of the wedding, there is very little chance of a mistake – so having a well-planned wedding is vitally crucial.
If you enjoy challenges and variety, then wedding photography could be the ideal choice for you!
I have now attended over 80 weddings; I’ve created a list of tricks that will ensure that you’re ready for your wedding day. It will also give you all the information you need to make sure you have a great wedding photography shoot.
Like I’ve been trying to convince myself, preparation is the most critical factor in ensuring that your wedding day goes as smoothly as you’d like it to be.
Below are my best five wedding photography suggestions!
Portraits of the Family Portrait List
Without a doubt, the most stressful aspect of the wedding is the family portraits. In most cases, there is a chance that at least one family member is not present when there’s a picture of him or her in it. This, coupled with a diminishing time prior to dinner, the proceedings could become stressful fast! A family portrait checklist that your guests fill out is essential and vital in ensuring that the family portrait session that follows the ceremony runs smoothly. A few quick suggestions for the family portrait list is to give your guests an example of photos divided into three categories such as bride + family groom + family, the bride and groom plus family. Make sure they have the names of everyone within the photo, so you can identify them all. This is far more effective than using a generic image such as – “bride and immediate family.” Always take at least two copies of the list of family members so that you can keep one and offer another copy to a significant family member in the event that certain family members have disappeared and need to be brought together!
Timeline Collaboration prior to Wedding
It’s beneficial for you and your guest to review timetables for your wedding prior to the wedding day to ensure that there is enough time for the task. For instance, if you’re only booked for six hours and your closing time is set at 8 pm but wedding cake cut and garter toss takes place scheduled for 9:30 pm, this could create an issue. It is recommended to have a conversation with your client about alternatives, for example, adding the hours of coverage, shifting your start time to accommodate reception events in the schedule, or altering the timeline for reception. As you can envision, these are discussions that should not be discussed during your wedding day or even days prior to the wedding. Instead, they must be discussed between 4 and 8 weeks prior to the wedding.
Unique Wedding Photos
Weddings are an important event in everyone’s lives. The fact that they are often awash with minor details or distinctive elements that are part of the wedding day that, as photographers, we do not know about in the event that our clients did not provide this information to us. For instance, an heirloom ring was given to an elderly grandmother on the day of the wedding. These are small things that people would like to document since they are of such significance to them. In order to ensure we have this vital information, I’d advise you to inquire in either the form of an email or questionnaire. You’ll be amazed by the number of requests you’ll receive.
Don’t overlook the small details!
It’s easy to get caught up in the guests and important things happening on the wedding day. However, it’s crucial to consider that our customers have put much effort and energy into the minor aspects and decor of the wedding, and it is essential to document these as well. Another good reason to enter the small details is that they can allow you to tell the tale of the day beautifully when they are incorporated into blogs or even an album of the wedding!
Affordable Photo Equipment
It’s a given, however, to remind yourself, make sure you have the proper equipment to shoot at a wedding and that you are comfortable with the equipment you use. Weddings are among the most challenging events to photograph due to the constant changes in lighting conditions that you’re required to adjust to. Additionally, in some church weddings, you’re not even permitted to use flash. This is why you need professional equipment. What kind of equipment will you require? Absolutely “fast” glass, which refers to the constant f/2.8 zoom lenses, or f/1.8 as well as f/1.4 prime lenses. These can allow you to shoot even in low-light conditions. It is also necessary to have two external flashes you’re proficient in using, and of course, equipped DSLRs that perform in high ISOs and feature an excellent autofocus system. Be aware that backup equipment is another necessity to prepare in the event that the equipment you have is not working.
I hope that these suggestions were informative to you and will help you prepare for the crazy landscape of photography for weddings. It is essential for us all to be aware of how important of a wedding day this will be for our clients. As such, we need to prepare for anything and have our sights set on capturing incredible images for our customers!
