Are you considering a career in wedding photography? If so, I dig. Seriously, it’s one of the coolest types of photography you can undertake. You get to be with people on some of the happiest days of their lives and if you’re good at it you get to make those days look super special so that they remember them, through the images you snap, as happy occasions for ever after.
Of course, if you don’t take good pictures then you’re going to have some pretty angry customers. So you really want to make sure you know what you’re doing so you can catch the pictures that matter and they can enjoy those days for the rest of their lives.
How do you do that? Well, by following these tips.
Discuss what the couple want
The first step is to know what the couple is after. This is hugely important because you might think that shot with the candle in the front and them in the back looks wonderfully poetic, but if they don’t agree with you then that’s that.
So make sure you know what they’re after. The best way to do make sure you know what that is is to show them pictures that people have done that are similar to what they say they want. In this way, they can actually see what they’re asking you to do and what their requests entail.
Also, don’t be afraid to let them know if the idea they have in their head probably won’t work in practice. Yes, they might not appreciate that at the moment you tell them, but they’ll be far more frustrated if it turns out it didn’t work afterwards – and despite it being they that insisted on that shot, they’ll still hold you responsible. Them’s the breaks, I’m afraid. So manage their expectations.
Know the location
If you’ve never seen the place, then you won’t know what to expect. And that can make it very hard to actually take good pictures there. For that reason, go there before the shoot and make sure you know what’s going on and where you’ll want to be at certain moments. Also, know where the light is good and what you might have to do if the light isn’t as good as you would like it to be. That can save you a huge amount of hassle on the day itself.
You know how they say ‘fortune favors the prepared mind’? That goes double for the prepared photographer.
Work together
Don’t be afraid to enlist the help of other photographers on big jobs. This can really help you out if it’s a demanding job. Even better, it offers you an opportunity to learn from another person and their views. Sometimes just sharing war stories can be hugely beneficial.
Of course, you’ll have to return the favor somewhere down the line, but if you do that a couple of times for each other then you’ve got a good buddy that you can rely on and that knows they can rely on you. That can be very useful – especially if there’s an emergency.
Work clothes
You might think that you need to wear a special outfit like everybody else does. The thing is, that won’t allow you to do some of the things that you might have to if you want to take those really great shots.
For that reason, forgo the tux and wear something that’s still suitable but at the same time comfortable and won’t matter if it gets a little bit dusty or dirty (you never know where the perfect shot will be from or what you’ll find in those places when you do). .
Talk to people
Don’t be afraid to talk to other people at the wedding as well. Of course, you don’t want to talk to them so much that you miss the perfect shot, but you never know what interesting tidbits they might be able to tell you about the couple which will inform your photography.
Even better, if people feel comfortable with you then it’s much easier to take good candid pictures of them throughout the day and the evening as well.
And last but not least, this is a great opportunity to network. After all, when certain people in a group marry it’s often the case that other people in that same group are considering the same thing. And then you want them to have your business card when they do decide to tie the knot. In fact, talking to people personally will work better than writing essays about it and putting those online nearly any day.
Turn off the sound (and the flash if you can)
Yes, that camera sound is great. Unless, of course, it means that people can’t hear the bride and groom exchange their vows, or if you’re taking about five thousand pictures (And the people you’re close to can hear you taking each and every one).
So turn off the sound of your camera. Even better, where possible try to get away from the flash as well. You don’t want to constantly be blinding people and reminding everybody that you’re taking their pictures.
Of course, if you can’t turn it off because the lighting is too dim, that’s unavoidable. After all, they still want to have those pictures at the end of the day. But where you can, do.
Last words
And that’s it. The rest of the game is analyzing and discussing the pictures you’ve taken after the fact. You’ll want to do this with the bride and groom of course, but not just with them (as they’ll have a unique view about what works and what doesn’t). You’ll also want to talk it over at length with other photographers as they’ll have a much better idea of what actually works and what does not.
That will be a lot easier if you have that photography buddy from earlier around. Even if not, there are plenty of groups on the internet today that deal with photography in general and wedding photography in particular. Join them and find out what they have to say. Then you’ll be able to go into the next wedding even better – until you become the pro you want to be.