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Some "food for thought" to make the most out of your wedding photography:
As we can work together to capture the most beautiful day of your life as your vision, here are some tips to help you get the best wedding photos.
1. Mention What You Like Most
Have a clear idea of how you want your wedding photos to look like (e.g., candid documentary-style, artistic fashion-inspired, or a combination) and make sure your photographer is fully aware of your vision in order to capture photos in the style that you want.
2. Have A Pre-Wedding Session
Scheduling an engagement and/or
pre-wedding session is a fun way to increase
your comfort level in front of the camera in
a relaxed environment. You will also get to
become familiar with different shooting styles.
This helps you better communicate with the
photographer who will direct you in each shot.
This will result in a smooth session to avoid
fatigue on the actual wedding day.
3. Have A Well Planned Schedule
For a stress free day, allow enough time for
photo sessions in your tight wedding schedule.
Having more time would enable the
photographer to create a larger number of
high-quality photos.
An hour and half to two hours is usually
needed with the bride before the ceremony. This would allow all the details (dress, shoes, bridal bouquet, etc.) to be captured while leaving enough time for candid photos of the bride and bridesmaids getting ready. An additional 20 minutes is needed after getting into your dress for some portraits with the bridesmaids and parents.
For formal family group photos, you should set aside 2 to 5 minutes per group. Factor in an extra 20 minutes if you are planning to do a big group photo. A good time-saving tip is to have a bridesmaid, usher, or another family member coordinate the big group photos.
You should plan another hour or so for wedding party photos and creative portraits of the bride and groom. Setting up unique and creative shots and poses is more time-consuming but these are going to be the photos that you will print and hang on your wall. Remember to account for travel time!
Make sure your photographer is fully aware of the schedule and order of events during your reception (speeches, cake cutting, bouquet/garter toss, any special performances etc). Knowing the order and approximate timing of events will help your photographer plan their equipment and best angles.
It is also a great idea for the bride and groom to sneak out of the wedding reception for 10 to 20 minutes for some romantic portraits or some creative evening shots.
4. Think About The Environment
Lighting is something that couples may easily overlook when planning their wedding. Every photographer has their own style when it comes to lighting. Some are “natural light” photographers, simply meaning they would use whatever ambient light is available instead of setting up and creating their own lighting. While this may be great for an outdoor daytime summer wedding, it can be challenging if you are getting married in a darker environment without much natural light. You should discuss the lighting situation with your photographer and make sure they will bring proper equipment to handle the lighting at your venue.
5. Prioritize Best Angles To Your Photographer
A wedding photographer’s nightmare is a photo of an important moment ruined by a guest standing in the aisle trying to take a photo with their personal devices or flash lights firing uncontrollably. Having an unplugged wedding ceremony is a recent positive trend where you politely ask your guests (usually via the officiant) to remain seated during the ceremony and let the professional photographer(s) have a full unobstructed view.
6. Consider Doing A First Look
‘First Look’ is when the couple first meet each other before the ceremony and do most, if not all, of their portraits and possibly family and wedding party photos pre-ceremony. This allows you to see each other in an intimate stress-free environment before the ceremony and to do your photos when your hair and makeup are at their best. It also gives you the flexibility to either join your guests and enjoy the cocktail hour with them or have some intimate time with your partner after the ceremony without having to worry about the formal photos. So before writing off the idea of doing a ‘First Look’, think about its benefits.
7. Trust and Be Natural in Front of the Lens
One of the keys to great wedding photos is to be able to trust your photographer and their artistic vision. Trust them and give them space to create the best pictures possible. If there are specific shots in their portfolio that you really like you should mention them before the wedding and plan them accordingly.
8. Create a Formal Shot List
It would be useful to have a formal shot list identifying various groups of people for the photos (bridemaids, grooms men or family members).
This helps immensely with organizing people for group photos and saves a lot of time. You can remind people involved so that they know when and where they are needed so they don’t wander off before the photos are taken.
9. Preparing Early For the Reception Early
A lot of time and effort goes into designing the wedding theme and decorations so of course the story of your wedding day won’t be complete without having those beautiful reception details captured. Ask your wedding planner or decorator to set up the reception space as soon as they can so that your photographer can shoot the details before the guests are seated. The ideal time for detail shots is usually before the ceremony (if reception area is already set).
10. Having Fun and Smile At the Cameras
Relax, do not rush things to allow those precious moments to be captured, enjoy and give the camera your best view. It’s all about celebrating your love and the start of a new life together!
