While many marriages don't last, the wedding photos do. Capturing the special day in all its glorious detail can drive even the most experienced photographer to distraction. Between the festive atmosphere with dozens of guests of varying levels of sobriety and the various requirements of your clients, a wedding demands a lot from a photographer. Some basic guidelines can help keep you focused and organized in the chaos of the wedding and provide you with opportunities to get some great shots.
Talk It Out
Make sure you and the client answer every conceivable question before the day of the wedding. Decide on the types of photos that you will take, where and when you will take them. Get a clear idea of exactly what the client hopes to have when you deliver her final photos. Explain exactly what you have in terms of equipment, the images you can produce and any space the equipment may require. Notify the client of any equipment you may need to rent as a part of your fee. Once you have an exact definition of what you must produce and where and when you can take photos, then you can address specific placement and set ups for the shoot.
Divide and Conquer
Divide your set ups into discreet sections. You can take wedding photographs in any manner you choose, but the types of photos generally fall into one of the following categories: Preparation, where the bride, groom, bridesmaids, groomsmen and family prepare for the event. The actual wedding ceremony, from the entrances to the marriage ceremony itself. Wedding participant photos, which you can take both inside and outside if the ceremony took place indoors. Bride and groom, which feature the bride and groom alone after the ceremony. Reception photographs, which can include anything from dancing guests to dining photos. These general divisions can help you organize the shoot and devote blocks of time to produce specific images the client requested.
Let There Be Light
Once you have a clear idea of the client's needs, where you can shoot, what equipment the client allows and have divided the shoot, you can think about lighting. Flash can help illuminate any interior space, but few clients or wedding venues will allow flash photography. If you receive permission to use flash, consider remote-activated flashes and bouncing off nearby surfaces. This can produce a softer light especially useful when taking pictures of faces during the ceremony. If you have an assistant or another photographer at the wedding, have them position themselves with a remote-activated flash so that you can have fill light on the go. Always use diffusion media whenever possible. Keep a shoe mount flash on hand for closer shots after the ceremony, especially during the reception. Have an assistant carry a reflector if possible. Even the brightest outdoor set ups can produce surprise shadows.
Bend, Don't Break
Perfection only exists in the mind, or at least in a photography studio with carefully-controlled lighting and subject matter. No matter how well you plan, from preparation to set ups, weddings can always surprise you. Camera-shy subjects, photography equipment failure, weather, illness, scheduling conflicts, catering disasters and drunken relatives can all interfere with your immaculately planned set up. Always have too much of everything -- memory cards, lenses, batteries, flashes and cameras. Hire an assistant or second photographer if possible and go with the flow. Your careful preparation and organization will serve you as you change your set ups from moment to moment and help you produce images that will please you and your client.
While many marriages don't last, the wedding photos do. Capturing the special day in all its glorious detail can drive even the most experienced photographer to distraction. Between the festive atmosphere with dozens of guests of varying levels of sobriety and the various requirements of your clients, a wedding demands a lot from a photographer. Some basic guidelines can help keep you focused and organized in the chaos of the wedding and provide you with opportunities to get some great shots.
Talk It Out
Make sure you and the client answer every conceivable question before the day of the wedding. Decide on the types of photos that you will take, where and when you will take them. Get a clear idea of exactly what the client hopes to have when you deliver her final photos. Explain exactly what you have in terms of equipment, the images you can produce and any space the equipment may require. Notify the client of any equipment you may need to rent as a part of your fee. Once you have an exact definition of what you must produce and where and when you can take photos, then you can address specific placement and set ups for the shoot.
Divide and Conquer
Divide your set ups into discreet sections. You can take wedding photographs in any manner you choose, but the types of photos generally fall into one of the following categories: Preparation, where the bride, groom, bridesmaids, groomsmen and family prepare for the event. The actual wedding ceremony, from the entrances to the marriage ceremony itself. Wedding participant photos, which you can take both inside and outside if the ceremony took place indoors. Bride and groom, which feature the bride and groom alone after the ceremony. Reception photographs, which can include anything from dancing guests to dining photos. These general divisions can help you organize the shoot and devote blocks of time to produce specific images the client requested.
Let There Be Light
Once you have a clear idea of the client's needs, where you can shoot, what equipment the client allows and have divided the shoot, you can think about lighting. Flash can help illuminate any interior space, but few clients or wedding venues will allow flash photography. If you receive permission to use flash, consider remote-activated flashes and bouncing off nearby surfaces. This can produce a softer light especially useful when taking pictures of faces during the ceremony. If you have an assistant or another photographer at the wedding, have them position themselves with a remote-activated flash so that you can have fill light on the go. Always use diffusion media whenever possible. Keep a shoe mount flash on hand for closer shots after the ceremony, especially during the reception. Have an assistant carry a reflector if possible. Even the brightest outdoor set ups can produce surprise shadows.
Bend, Don't Break
Perfection only exists in the mind, or at least in a photography studio with carefully-controlled lighting and subject matter. No matter how well you plan, from preparation to set ups, weddings can always surprise you. Camera-shy subjects, photography equipment failure, weather, illness, scheduling conflicts, catering disasters and drunken relatives can all interfere with your immaculately planned set up. Always have too much of everything -- memory cards, lenses, batteries, flashes and cameras. Hire an assistant or second photographer if possible and go with the flow. Your careful preparation and organization will serve you as you change your set ups from moment to moment and help you produce images that will please you and your client.
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