10. Tips for Wedding Photography everyone should know
every wedding photographer oughts to read this.
A wedding is one of the most beautiful days for a couple. With all the emotion and joy being felt, it is important that all of it is captured in the photos being taken so that it can be revisited and still be felt even years later. In order to achieve that, here are a few tips to make sure that you capture the perfect wedding photos for the couple:
1.Plan ahead time.
It is important to go into a wedding photoshoot well prepared and knowing what photos the couple wants to be taken.
The best course of action to be taken is to sit down with the couple and discuss with them. Find out what they like and you can even get references to provide a benchmark. It is important that both the couple and yourself bring your brains together to have work photos both of you are proud of at the end of the day.
2. Work with an excellent team.
While it can be done alone, it is important for you as a photographer to have excellent backing when taking the photos. This can range from brainstorming ideas as a team to scouting locations to even providing a helping hand during the photo shoot. This will make your work easier and even ensure better results. Endeavour to even go as far as having an extra camera so that you do not miss a moment.
3. Lighting is important.
Light any other form of photo graphy. Great wedding photography is all about great lighting.
Weddings are not known to have great lighting. It is either too bright or dim! Remember to adjust your lighting or your angle if need be to capture the perfect shot.
Diffusing the light is also key to make sure it is not too harsh. This is something that can only be perfected through practice. Remember to take a few shots before the day or even visit the venue to ensure you know what it takes to get the show your clients would be happy to see. If it is too bright, no need to worry. Adjust your settings and play with them until you get the perfect light on your camera. You can also use fill light to make the pictures more even and less dramatic, from outdoor scenes to all forms of indoor photoshoots
4. Do not forget the details.
All the tiny particulars are important for a wedding because some of them are the things that matter the most. From the decor on the table to the lace on the gown to the rings. These are some of the things that should not be forgotten. They show much more intricacy to the story of the wedding rather than the wider photos taken. To capture these, you will need to plan to have lenses that can take tight shots. An example would be a 70-200mm lens that will capture the slightest of detail to take your photos to the next level. Remember, it all begins with planning!
5. Differentiate your wedding photography.
Do not stick to the normal pictures you see every day. Change your angle, shoot from different angles, perspectives and even distances. You can lie on the ground, find higher elevations, or even shoot from as far as possible to get unique pictures. The key is to be creative and shoot everything you can.
6. Capture everything.
All the photos you take at a wedding are important. Some photographers tend to review from the camera and delete some to make sure they stay with the creme. I would advise that you do not delete any photo because it might be just what you need in the grand scheme of things. Yes, even the blurry ones! Take enough storage and turn on continuous burst mode to take as many photos as possible in the shortest time, then sort them out later.
7. Story telling always beats technique.
As artists we overly get caught up in festival of celebrating our own styles and forget what matters the most. Story
People hire photograp[hers for their weddings so that they can relive the happy moments long after the whole event is done. While your style will make your photos exclusive and unique, its paramount you put the story element at the fore front of your shooting strategy becausese thats what matters the most.
8. First Things First.
For every moment or scene, that you capture its always important to remember to:
- Do a wide shot
- Do a medium shot
- Close in
- Do extreme closeups
When you can, try creative angles. But in all this firsts beging with the most important scene because thre area no take TWOs as far as weddings goes.
A moment not captured is gone forever. there are no take TWOs in wedding photography.
9. Retouching
Great retouching done right will enhance the quality and outlook of your wedding photos. This will help bring back lost details and put exposers right all the way.
If you struggle with retouching you can hire retouching service or invest in a a photo retouching course. For example the retouching secrets master class by Oscar Ntege is the most simplified thousands of students have enrolled in.
Photographer Oscar Ntege explains extensively in this video.
Check out this one as well where he goes into details of retouching bridal portraits and images step by step with no step skipped.
Stories matter the most.
I hope these tips help you as you go for the next wedding event. Remember to have fun and be bold! Own the event. These photos will continuously remind the viewers of what that event was like, so capture everything from group photos to the minute details at the function. Enjoy yourself and make sure to put your best foot forward.