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Question from Aneesha: “Hi! I am hoping for advice! I am shooting my first wedding (usuially shoot children & infants), and I am wondering what are the MOST important things to know about wedding photography. I want to give my clients everything they are expecting! Any advice would be wonderful! Thanks in advance! :)”
Lynne: Wear comfortable shoes!!
Shanyn: There is a GREAT wedding thread on clickin moms!!
Lisa: If you don’t already, shoot raw. This will save you if you process the images and something is blown out in her form etc. You can always go back to the raw files and pull more detail.
Cortney: Be ready for anything, definitely wear comfortable shoes, have a good flash/flash diffuser for dark situations, have poses ready in your head, be confident and act like you have been doing it for years! (That definitely makes a difference)
Kelly: Along w/ following some of these helpful tips that have been shared (especially the comfortable shoes!), I would highly suggest bringing a 2nd photographer w/ you (if at all possible) if this is your 1st wedding. That’s something I remember from the 1st one I did. Not to scare you, but weddings are a huge job. One thing I’ve noticed too is that photographers don’t seem to give enough attention to the groom & groomsmen. Most of the time the focus is on the bride & bridesmaids…You get caught up in the gorgeous dresses & shoes, hair, makeup, etc, and all that is wonderful & you must get those shots of course, but it’s just as much the groom’s day as it is the bride’s Oh & don’t forget the DETAILS (cake, rings, dress shots,centerpieces, brides shoes, guest favors, etc.) Good luck
Melanie: I found the BP4U Wedding Guide to be very helpful.
Stacy: I would suggest 2nd shooting a lot of weddings before shooting one on ur own!!!
Jaye: Actually some of the most important things happen before you even step foot on the wedding venue. You MUST have a legal and comprehensive contract, full liability insurance, and back-up gear. IMO without these things no one should even consider capturing a wedding. There is just way too much that can go wrong.
At the actual wedding, I have this rule that if the bride and groom paid money for it, I’m taking a picture of it. It may sound really silly but things like the little decorations and seemingly insignificant things can hold a lot of of meaning to the bride and groom. People as well. Just because they aren’t sitting at the main table doesn’t mean they aren’t important. If it’s not too huge of a guest list I try to go around and get each table so I have at least one image of each guest.
Michelle: In addition to the other great tips, Xtra body, memory card, & battery! Easy to eat snacks & bottled drinks. Mints. Conservative outfit, nothing low cut or colorful, need to blend in. Good luck!
Erick: As a professional wedding photographer, first of all, congratulations on your first wedding! Secondly, I would say to sit down with your client and pin down their expectations. On top of your own shot list, have your clients create a shot list for you and review it with them. Definitely attend the rehearsal, this gives you the opportunity to meet the VIPs (the family members and friends that will be on their shot list and that are important to them). Furthermore, it allows you the chance to scout out your ideal areas for creative compositions. If the rehearsal is scheduled at the same time the wedding will be and if it is indoors, you will be able to study your lighting and dial in your exposure. One VERY IMPORTANT thing… definitely discuss the kiss with your clients. Ask them to hold it for 5 seconds… this will give you a chance to capture it from different angles, i.e., portrait, landscape, dutch tilt, etc… but most importantly, GET THE KISS! There are NO DO OVERS in wedding photography! Also, during the ceremony, definitely turn around and capture the emotions of the parents and grandparents in the audience as well as that of their friends.
Equipment wise, make sure you have a checklist for your equipment. All your camera batteries and back ups are charged. Make sure all your CF or SD cards are just not erased, but formatted and keep them on you at the wedding, not in your bag! Be sure to have new batteries for your flash… and a lot of them if you will be shooting flash exclusively. If you have a back up camera, have that at the ready. Use fast glass whenever possible… having the ability to lower your aperture in low lighting conditions helps save you from raising your ISO, or at least not to too high of a level.
There is so much more that can be said, i.e., shooting them getting ready, formals, first dance, details of rings, dress, cake, flowers etc… if you like, you can contact me ( www.erickclaytorphotography.com or erickclaytorphotography@gmail.com) anytime and I will be more than happy to discuss this further with you and help you. I hope this helps!
Aneesha: WONDERFUL Advice!
Kelsey: I am not going to say what others have said but I agree with what they have said. Check out the wedding venues. Get an idea of places you can take pictures at. Also email the venues and ask if there are rules such as using flashes etc. most churches do not let you uses flashes if that is the case learn how to use your settings on your camera. Bring snacks with you along with drinks. Bring a bridal emergency kit I have used my kit at every single wedding I have done thus far. Know who the important people are in the families. Going back to the check out the venues I often google pictures people have taken there to get an idea for what I can do. Talk to your bride and groom and see what they expect. Yes they are a lot of work but I think they are fairly easy and fun.
Natalie: When I first started shooting weddings I always felt awkward and ‘in the way’ getting the important shots. Don’t feel that way!! They are expecting YOU to capture all of their memories for them. While it may be irritating to the guests that you jump in the way of the kiss or or the cake smash for a few seconds, it will make the bride and groom so happy to have that shot FOREVER! Having said that, don’t stay in the way. Get your shot and get out of the way, but stay close so you can jump in again when you need to. Another biggie for me…I consult with the bride and groom before the wedding to find out exactly what family members will be there, their names, what poses are expected and I create a very detailed itenirary (that rarely goes according to time:) but it lets each person involved know where they are supposed to be and when. I’d be more than happy to email you an example if you’d like to see one, just contact me. Good luck and enjoy yourself!
Whendie: Visit the venue(s) beforehand, preferable with the couple.
Take a stepladder – this helps you to take some amazing group shots…
Rest of my tips already included…remember that pxxx poor planning will make pxxx poor photos !!
And have fun !
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