The Wedding Photography Guide
One of the most common methods of monetising the hobby of photography is found in employment as a wedding photographer. This is not a role that is taken lightly, with the importance of capturing the memories of the most important day in a couple’s life resting on your shoulders. You might even be asked to fill the role as a friend. At the present time, wedding restrictions on guest numbers have led to scaled down affairs. This seems like an ideal time to make the most of your interest in photography when invited to one of these ‘lockdown weddings’.
For a first timer, the thought of being in charge of such an experience may make you nervous. This article should alleviate some fears by presenting a helpful guide to the ultimate wedding photography experience.
Hold a Discussion With The Couple
Before making any further decision, it is vital that you discuss the expectations for the day with the couple. This will involve highlighting your own strengths as a photographer, and clarifying what the couple want from their wedding photos. This process is especially important for amateurs or first time wedding photographers, as they will naturally be producing works with limited experience and thus any expectations should be managed appropriately.
Scout The Location
Wedding reception locations are incredibly varied, taking place in churches, country estates or beaches for instance. Before the big day, it would be a great idea to visit the location on which you will be shooting. This can help you understand the lighting situation that you will be working with, or identifying a particular area that you feel will produce a perfect shot. A basic scouting mission will also lead to concern regarding the weather in the case of outdoor weddings. Scouting can also help you prepare the camera that you will be using, cycling through settings will save you time on the day and ensure any glaring mistakes are avoided.
Double Up On Everything
You can picture the scene, the lights drop for the first dance of the married couple and the camera immediately flashes a low memory card space warning. This is a nightmare scenario that can be solved with the addition of spare equipment, for instance SD memory cards. This tale is also applicable to accessories like batteries. In some cases, wedding photographers are known to take multiple cameras to shoots in case the primary one fails. You may even consider bringing an assistant, multiplying the amount of photographers on scene and providing someone to take care of behind the scenes tasks while you focus on best capturing the special day.
Create a ‘Shot List’
Agreeing with the couple to a comprehensive list of shots for the day will ensure efficiency. It is natural for most guests to acknowledge the photographer on the day and ask for a picture to be taken of themselves. This will take up precious time and resources, and thus it should be made clear that photographs are only to be provided for important guests. A hierarchy of the couple, immediate family and close friends could be provided.
This does assume that the wedding is a vastly attended event. In the case of some of the more recent lockdown weddings, attendance has been strictly limited. This would obviously render a ‘shot list’ non applicable, and as many attendees as possible should be photographed on the special day.
Take Pictures of The Smaller Details
While it may initially make more sense to photograph the attendees of the wedding, intricate details can provide a well rounded account of the event. The wedding will likely be recorded in a photo album, and it could be a great idea to provide contrast to more usual wedding pictures by incorporating little details from the day. For instance, a shot of the tables at the reception, showcasing menus or arrangements. A photograph of the location could even be included, particularly in cases of standout beauty. This consideration may not immediately seem important, but it could be appreciated in the years to come.
Become a Ninja and Blend In!
In order to capture the most natural moments at the wedding, it is important that you blend into the setting. This can be difficult if you are carrying cumbersome equipment like tripods and camera bags. Make sure these things are kept in a safe, accessible but distanced place. Become comfortable with the action of approaching groups of guests and taking pictures covertly in order to avoid shots appearing too forced. A more natural photograph will provide a more accurate representation of the event by capturing the rich emotion at play.
Shoot using RAW
Before clicking capture, make sure you have configured the camera to shoot in RAW rather than the more conventional JPEG file format. This is a necessary action, as RAW captures a higher quality image that is not compressed in any way. JPEG on the other hand is compressed in order to save space on the memory card, which will harm image quality.
RAW will allow for greater scope in the editing suite after the wedding takes place. This could include necessary adjustments of things like white balance and exposure that can be hampered by incidental environmental factors like the weather.
Remember to Enjoy Yourself!
Remembering that you are at a wedding, which is a fun celebration of love, will ultimately improve the experience you have as the photographer. Getting into the spirit will diminish the natural gap that exists between yourself and the subjects that you are photographing. This will lead to greater quality snaps as the atmosphere will be more relaxed. One of the basic ways of achieving this is simply to smile, laugh, and appreciate the significance of this most wonderful event.
