Hot tips for WEDDING photography

[Mike_E]

Gel your flash!!! I can't believe how long it took me to 'get' why my flash work always needed extra PP.

 

[Lakewood Photography]

I'm not a professional, but the weddings I've been involved with - the brides have always liked the 'glow' affect. I achieve this in PS CS2 by filtering the photo with distort > diffuse glow... it gives you full control of how much glow you want to apply to the photo. Just my opinion, but I think it adds a beautiful touch to B&W and Sepia shots.

Best of luck at the wedding. Please keep us posted on how the shoot went!

 

[Sirashley]

These are all great tips, I have no desire to get into wedding photography but having gotten married this year, I can give you one tip that may have been mentioned earlier but here it goes...

Remind the Bride and Groom that the pictures are what they make them... The Photographers told my wife and I that they can only do so much, meaning we had to do our part to be as photogenic and cooperative as possible. They said that they had shot weddings where the couples weren't very cooperative and that the pictures reflect that. Needless to say, Our pictures came out so good that they are using them on their homepage for their site...

 

[mmcduffie1]

I also agree. I usually include an engagement shoot if possible. I'm not a pro at weddings but i am a pro and people most times.
I like to talk to them a few times before the wedding. I try to go to the location a couple of times at different times of day. I also try to be at the rehearsal. But then I am usually over prepared and I am an over achiever

Meet with the couple a few time and do an engagement shoot to get to know them. You're going to be spending their whole day right by their side so a good rapport is essential.

As for shots, pretty much anything goes depending on what the couple is looking for. One of my favorites is the ring exchange. I also like to get the bride & groom from the back as they exit the church/ceremony site.

 

[Big Mike]

I agree, excellent point.

I carry several useful items with me. A small sewing kit, which has come in handy a few times. Plenty of safety pins (I need to get some bobby pins too). I have a bag that I call my pharmacy...I've got an assortment of over-the-counter medicines...which come in handy for me, the clients (their friends & family) and even other photographers.

During the wedding day, I'll do just about anything to help them out. I usually have to help the guys out with unfamiliar parts of their suits...like suspenders and pining the flowers on. Last wedding I took the bride's used tissue and put it into my pocket, so that she wouldn't be holding it for the photos.

By the end of the day, it feels like I'm old friends with the B&G and probably some of the wedding party as well. That's a big thing that I love about weddings.

 

[funkyphotography]

Thank you all for those wonderful tips. I am shooting my first wedding in June. I have never shot anything but family portaits or kids. So, I am really nervous and coming here, is helping me so much! Thank you so much! :thumbup: :hail:

My tip; take food and drink with you! Oh and panadol - it can be a long day of squinting and headaches are common!

 

[wxnut]

Doesnt help with pictures, but I put the names of the couple and the date of the wedding on my cell phone, so if one of them calls for some reason, you know both of their names, and the date of the wedding without having to look it up. Makes them think you are really on top of your game and have that info in your head.

i.e. of phone display when Mary calls:
Dan Mary 11 15 08

She asks if you are able to shoot some black and whites. You tell her sure thats no problem. How are things going with you and Dan? Good? thats great. Well I will see you on the 15th of November. K. have a good day.

Mary hangs up VERY impressed with the memory of her wedding photographer.

Doug Raflik

 

[Cmbphotography]

I was wondering if someone could send me the photo checklist they were talking about? It would be greatly appreciated!

 

[Christie Photo]

I was wondering if someone could send me the photo checklist they were talking about?

Hi, Candy.

It's on the previous page of this thread. You can find it there.

-Pete

 

[impressme]

Candy,
You can also check out the bridal websites as most of them have checklists that brides often create- that way you can see from their perspective what they're looking for!

 

[a_kraker99]

Do not attempt to do formals without proper lighting equipment. You may get lucky once with lighting but most of the time natural light at the alter does not cut it.

Dont forget the detail shots. Brides love them.

Make friends with the brides parents.

Dont be intrusive during the ceremony.

Bring backup equipment and plenty of storage.

Set your white balance in camera even if you shoot raw. It saves you time in post processing.

Become friends with your bride and groom. You get much more natural smiles that way.

Dont give them their pictures until you get paid

If you get an annoying person taking photos during the formals just turn on your optical trigger and they will quit after they think their camera must be broken with all of their overexposed photos.

 

[chrisgillett]

I've got a question.. I see many shots of the bride and groom where the bride is holding something, weather it be a bouquet of flowers or her husband's hand. If I'm trying to get a shallow DOF to blur the background but at the same time keep both their faces and the bouquet in focus, how do I approach that? I've got a 85mm 1.8 Nikon by the way. Would I close the aperture a bit and focus on the flowers, or do I focus on the faces no matter what?

Actually, that's another good second question. What are the things you should be focusing on the most in a particular scene? At 1.8 you can focus on the nose and the eyes might be soft, or you could focus on the eyes but the nose will be soft. I guess in the end you'd want as much detail as possible in the eyes, correct?

 

[eclipse13]

I've got a question.. I see many shots of the bride and groom where the bride is holding something, weather it be a bouquet of flowers or her husband's hand. If I'm trying to get a shallow DOF to blur the background but at the same time keep both their faces and the bouquet in focus, how do I approach that? I've got a 85mm 1.8 Nikon by the way. Would I close the aperture a bit and focus on the flowers, or do I focus on the faces no matter what?

Actually, that's another good second question. What are the things you should be focusing on the most in a particular scene? At 1.8 you can focus on the nose and the eyes might be soft, or you could focus on the eyes but the nose will be soft. I guess in the end you'd want as much detail as possible in the eyes, correct?

IMO f/1.8 is too low to be shooting the formals. Something in the f/3s will still put the background out of focus, but keeping the bride/groom and their full bodies in focus.

To simply answer your 2nd question, I always go for the eyes to be in focus, unless you have a very specific reason for something else to be the focus of the photo. But, once again IMO, unless you are doing these close up with plenty of time on your hands, f/1.8 is too low.

 

[Nicholas James Photo]

Try to get the bride or groom to nominate someone (normaly a friend) to assist in the formal shots to identify individuals. The Bride may for example ask for a lot of pics of "Aunt Bessie", thats only OK if you know what aunt Bessie looks like. No point in keep asking the wedding party, they'll be wrapped up in the moment and you will loose valuable time.
Get a list of must have shots and share this list with your helper, it saves time, most helpers like being involved in an "official" capacity and because it's only for the must have shots you will not take them away from the wedding itself for too long.
Remember, take control as you normally would. they are there to help you identify people, not as an art director.

www.nicholasjamesphotography.co.uk

 

[goodkarma]

These are all great tips, I have no desire to get into wedding photography but having gotten married this year, I can give you one tip that may have been mentioned earlier but here it goes...

Remind the Bride and Groom that the pictures are what they make them... The Photographers told my wife and I that they can only do so much, meaning we had to do our part to be as photogenic and cooperative as possible. They said that they had shot weddings where the couples weren't very cooperative and that the pictures reflect that. Needless to say, Our pictures came out so good that they are using them on their homepage for their site...

SOOoooooo true! When people say they LOVE candid photos I tell them that I am more than happy to take them, but they have to be CANDID, just sitting around doesn't make for good photos.