As a wedding photographer, your job is to capture every magical moment of the bridal couple’s special day.
Getting great photos is only one part of the equation. You also have to have a keen eye for detail so that you can put the photos together in such a way that they tell a story. Technical know-how is important. However, there are many other things that need to be addressed if you want to capture pictures that the couple will love. Check out the following tips to learn how to put together a collection of photos that will perfectly capture the special memories created on the couple’s wedding day:
Planning Is Essential
Great wedding photography is about more than just luck. Instead, you need to plan everything out ahead of time. Hoping that all of the shots that you need fall into place on the day of the wedding is a surefire recipe for disaster. If you want to keep your clients happy, you have to be able to deliver excellent results every single time. In order for that to happen, it takes careful planning.
A good place to start is by writing down all of the shots that you want to capture before the actual event. While some shots are obvious, such as the first time the couple kisses during the wedding ceremony, others are a little bit more subtle. For instance, you may want a shot of the wedding dress on a hanger, waiting for the bride to put it on or a close-up of the reception flowers with candle light flickering in the background.
Write down a plan for the entire wedding, making note of which photos need to be captured during each part of the day. Sticking to this schedule will help ensure that you get all of the shots that you need. Ask the bridal couple for a copy of their schedule so that you can plan your shots accordingly.
You also need to learn more about the bridal party and the family members of the bride and groom. Find out who’s who at the wedding, taking note of where they will be during the wedding and reception. Pay particular attention to the parents of the couple, the bridesmaids, groomsmen, and any other members of the bridal party. Additionally, find out more about the timing of the hair and makeup, the plan for how the bride is getting to the wedding, and any other details that may be important for helping you plan how to get the best shots.
Ideally, you should visit the location where the wedding is taking place before the day of the event. That way, you can plan out where you need to be during each part of the ceremony to capture the best shots. You can also scope out locations for taking formal photos of the bridal party and the couple.
Don’t forget to think about how you are going to get from one location to another and where you are going to park. Chances are, you will have to rush to find a parking space and get to the next location in time before the couple arrives. Make sure to leave time in your schedule for unexpected events like having to take a few extra minutes to pay for parking.
Ultimately, having a detailed plan can mean the difference between good photos and amazing photos. Capturing every single moment of their special day is the best way to impress the couple.
Pack All Of The Right Equipment
Even if you have an idea of all the shots that you want to take, you still need to prepare your equipment. Having the right gear with you is essential if you want to get really great shots. Here are some of the items that you should have on hand:
A Professional-Grade Camera
You only get one chance to take great photos at a wedding. Because of that, you should choose a high-quality camera that is capable of taking amazing photos, regardless of how much light is available. If you are photographing an outdoor wedding, you may have to deal with the harsh glare of the sun. Inside, you may have problems with inadequate lighting. Make sure you choose a camera that can deal with the conditions that you are likely to face.
You may even want to bring along a spare camera body or two as a backup in case anything goes wrong with your primary camera. This is especially important if you rely primarily on prime lenses. Having two cameras with different lenses attached can give you greater flexibility on the day of the wedding.
A camera harness can make it fast and easy to alternate between the two cameras.
High-Quality Lenses
The lenses that you used to capture your shots can play a significant role in how the finished pictures turn out. You will need to bring along a variety of different lenses, depending on the types of images you want to capture.
Wide-angle or ultra-wide-angle lenses are a good choice since they will allow you to capture and preserve the emotions that the couple, their friends, and their family members are experiencing on their wedding day.
Using a wide-angle lens allows you to get more of the background in the shot. This can provide context for the photos. For instance, using a wide-angle lens can mean the difference between capturing a simple shot of the bride laughing or a shot that shows the bride laughing at an unexpected mishap during the cake cutting ceremony. You can always crop photos to remove unnecessary details in the background. It is better to have too much material to work with than not enough.
Author Bio:
Vicky is a jewelry collector and event organizer since 2010. She loves everything about fashion and catering weddings and any other events. Vicky is also a photography enthusiast and she keeps a photo memorabilia of each event she organized. During her free time, she browses the web for new designs of jewelry and to capture new event ideas and concepts.