When it comes to preparing for your big day, many problems often exist. However, at the same time, many great memories should come from it. One major problem that you are likely to be dealing with is photography. Wedding photography is a major subject, and it can cause various problems if you don’t know what you’re doing.
It takes a lot of work and effort, but it can be easy for you to solve the problems with some easy to follow wedding photography tips. One thing that you need to do is understand the kind of wedding photography that you are facing. There is a big difference from taking pictures for a bride, the couples and for the guests. To help you make sure that you can get the right change and the correct kind of photos, then you should absolutely look to try and use these simple tips.
By making the most of these tips, you can make photography so much simpler and you will be relieved with much of the stress.
Wedding Photography Tips for Beginners
- First, start off by taking the time to really work with your photographer. You should really do what you can to start working with the right kind of theme. Simply have a conversation with the couple and try to understand what kind of theme, images and styles that they are likely to go for. It could be a useful way to help make a positive difference to the beginners and ensure that you know exactly what is expected beforehand.
- Also, you must be fully prepared. This means talking over the themes or the ideas, the kind of locations that might be used and the various set pieces that will be required. Planning out the imagery and the theme of the event will help to make sure that you can get a clearer idea of what is expected. A simple discussion will make sure that you can get the help that you need to really understand the limitations and the requirements of the location.
- Make a list of shots up. Make sure that everyone who is involved is happy with the shot list, and then you can work towards putting that list of shots together for the best possible response. One of the main reasons why you might choose to do this is for the added simplicity and ease of planning. By knowing where on the wedding venue you will be going for the big shots, you can make sure that you can get a much more harmonious kind of wedding put together.
- Involve the guests to help make sure that they can get some awesome images. Invest in some cameras and you can have the guests filling in a guest book with their shots from the big day. This should make a huge difference in the way that you plan out your work, and it should also make your life a bit easier for planning out snaps and shots.
- Make sure there is ample equipment on show. From extra batteries and memory cards to extra lenses and even a spare camera, more is almost certainly going to help make sure you get the correct finish. If you spend more time looking at the shots and the kind of supplies you will need to make said shots, you are much more likely to end up with a professional finish that really sells the venue.
Wedding Photography Tips for Brides
- Always start with an engagement shoot as the bride. This is important, as you can find that it is tough for you to try and get the right kind of agreement with the photographer. By getting to know the photographer well, you can make sure that there is a rapport there and that both parties can form a happy relationship. This makes it much easier to overcome problems and get through any issues or confusion that may arise during shooting.
- Also, you need to be able to have trust in the photographer. They are the professional, and thus you should be able to just relax and let the photographer do the job that you paid them to do. If you just keep getting in the way and interfering, then they will find it much harder to do their job. We know that you want perfection but consider just letting them do the work that you asked them to for best results.
- Always pay attention to lighting when choosing the venue. Does the lighting reflect the mood and theme of the wedding? Does the wedding itself feel positive and optimistic enough? Are you likely to find it hard to get the right kind of setup? Photography is all about getting the lighting right, so make sure that you spend a bit more time looking at the kind of photography that you need to put together. Always look at lighting as it can make or break the shot.
- Always ask questions, too. If you have a query about something to do with your wedding photography, then you should absolutely look to make the time to ask a question. You should never go into the big day without complete and 100% certainty of what is to expect. If you do, then you only make it more likely that the event will not play out as you would have hoped for.
- Lastly, don’t be afraid to be firm. While it’s vital that you don’t let yourself become too intrusive, if you have a dream shot or set piece in mind then you should be able to make it work with your photographer. If they are unable to make the dream shot that you 100% need to work, then it might mean that some of the other ideas you have will not be possible, as well. If ever that’s the case, keep an open mind and listen to the professional.
Wedding Photography Tips for Couples
- For the couples, it’s always important to try and make sure that there is a plan for the big day. This can help you to set out when and where each couple will be snapped, including the bride and groom. You can then work through things like the wedding party, closest friends and family and various other aspects to help make sure that the wedding photo collection comes to life as it should. The more time that you can spend looking at this issue, the better.
- Another major part of wedding photography for any couples involved is to keep it simple. Remember, this is the big day for someone else. You are under no obligation to try and upstage those getting married or otherwise try and be the main part of the event. Always keep in mind that humble enjoyment often looks much better in photography than it does trying to make a statement or dramatic scene.
- Try and work out who is going to be playing the most major roles on the big day. For example, it’s often the case that the wedding party all know each other well indeed. If you choose to do it this way, then you should absolutely 100% make sure that you get everyone together for these photo sessions. Try and get as many photos of the wedding party as a group, and this can leave you with more space for capturing other guests separately.
- Never make any assumptions about who people are or what they might be doing at the wedding. Whether you are the photographer snapping the photo or a guest at the wedding trying to blend in with your partner, always make sure that you treat every photo as if you were at a formal event. Taking an overly informal wedding photo with the grandfather of the bride might not be the best way to endear yourself to the happy couple!
- Lastly, always make sure that you take the time to get to know the couples involved. This can help you to bunch together meaningful shots and make sure that everyone comes together as a happy collection. If you are trying to snap every duo that you see, you can end up with lots of photos with a lot of staging and not a lot of natural emotion. It’s hard to get it right but making sure that the people who sit together and spend time with one another in the photos know each other!
Wedding Photography Tips for Guests
- When snapping photos at a wedding, it’s always good to have a nice mix of natural and staged imagery. Take some time to just grab photos of everyone dancing away and of everyone just having a good time. You might also find that you can get a lot of help and a lot of time saved by having a nice blend of natural images in there instead of every photo being a managed one. This can help to make sure that the general wedding comes to life and can make it much easier for you to get to know those involved and have a good time as you do so. You might also find that by simply by letting guests take some snaps with you that you can create some harmonious images that the bride and groom will surely love.
- In terms of being a guest at a wedding, we recommend that any guest tries to simply be part of the photos they are asked to be. Don’t try and interject yourself into a shot; it might be a shot of important family-only collections. The more time that you can spend simply being in the crowd and without trying to inject yourself into the whole picture, then you can usually find it easier to just relax into the bigger experience.
- Make sure that guests know when a photo should be taken. Some parts of the wedding are specific, and the bride and groom may wish to avoid any photos being snapped along the way. Most of the time, you will find that simply listening to the instructions given by the bride and groom is good enough to make sure that you avoid making any mistakes and causing a scene. For the best photos, leave it to the professionals instead!
- The group photos and the big before and after photos of the whole wedding ceremony are a good time to just snap some natural shots. Guests should always be included in the wider photo collection but try to avoid letting too many miscellaneous guests step into photos of things like the cake, the happy couple and the general speeches and first dance. Let guests snap their own perspective of these moments instead of trying to cram the whole wedding into one photo!
Conclusion
The main problem with photography is that you can find it hard to get the right kind of tone. One of the biggest issues will mean that you can get the wrong kind of photography for the wrong type of person. The themes that you use when snapping photos of a wedding couple or just the bride will be hugely different to the kind of shots that you often take when you are taking shots of the guests.
For that reason, you should look to make a conscious decision to invest in some of the tips that we mentioned above. These tips can make it much easier for you to get the shots that you need in a timely manner, ensuring that you can get much more out of your time when working with a camera. If you are trying to get the right kind of shots, then you should absolutely look to start investing some time and money into the tips we suggested above.
If you do this, then you are much more likely to get the photography style that you want. So, too, will your customers, resulting in a happier, healthier and engaging photography experience!
