Essential Tips and Techniques for Wedding Photography

As a wedding photographer, you are tasked with capturing the most beautiful moments of the most important day in the lives of your clients. A wedding is more than another photo shoot, and your photographs will be displayed on the walls, perused in albums, and shared with family for decades to come. That's why it is so important that you invest equal measures of time money into the techniques and equipment you use to capture those memories.

With most photographers moving to digital equipment in the last decade, the technique has changed substantially. With the right approach, you can ensure that your photographs are the perfect representation of that special day for years to come. Everything from camera resolution to technique is important to ensure high-quality and results for wedding photographs. To help you get the most out of those photos, go through the following tips for taking exceptional wedding photographs.

4 Most Important Wedding Photography Tips and Techniques

The technical elements of photography are incredibly important on a wedding day. You may not have control over factors such as weather, lighting, or movement; so while taking 1,000 or more photos, you need to be flexible and use techniques designed specifically for weddings. And above all else, your approach should be focused first and foremost on the couple and their wishes.

Juggling these priorities can be difficult, especially if this is one of the first weddings you are to shoot. Here are some important steps you should take before the special day to ensure you're ready -

1. Know Your Equipment Inside and Out

   Before you shoot your first wedding (and before each shoot you go on), spread out your equipment and evaluate everything in advance. Take stock of your lenses, check your camera and ensure you know every mode and every setting inside and out. Know the limits of each setting, and be prepared to answer any questions the bride and groom may have. If they ask for a certain type of shot and you don't know if your camera can do it, it can be embarrassing.

   Ensure you have sufficient memory cards on hand, and test every piece of equipment before each shoot you go to. More importantly, practice as much as possible. Grab a friend and take a full run of shots to ensure your equipment is calibrated and ready for the big day. You can even stage a fake wedding to test your shots in advance of the day.

2. Plan Your Shots in Advance

   Prepare a list of shots that the couple wants to include in their album. Speak to them in detail about the family members, friends, and wedding guests who will be in these shots. Ensure to include the following shots in your list -

   • Groom Coverage - Get shots of the flower, tie, rings, cologne, cufflinks, and anything else the groom requests. Include photos of the groomsmen getting ready, all of them together, and any other goofy shots they want to get together (sunglasses and smiles, jackets over the shoulder, or roughhousing).
   • Bride Coverage - The bride shots will often depend on what she wants to be included. Some examples include the back of the dress, looking at flowers, considering the distance, smiling into the camera, and standing with the maid of honor.
   • Bride and Groom Together - If the bride and groom can see each other before the ceremony, these are good shots to take in the morning. If not, you'll have to squeeze them in between ceremony and reception. The basics include a kiss, a hug, nose-to-nose, looking at each other, and all the goofy shots they'll want to share in ten or twenty years.

3. Make the Couple Aware About Your Work Style

   Every photographer is different, and your style is an important factor - whether you prefer natural lighting, staged photographs, interior or external shots, etc. These are the factors you should communicate with the couple so that they can decide what shots they would like to be taken, and to make sure you're a right fit for them. Be sure to familiarize yourself with the space too. Whether in a church, on a beach, or in a park, visit the space in advance so you can plan the day out as much as possible.

4. Use of Flash in Wedding Photos

   Because most the photographs you'll take are active shots of an event in progress, lighting can't always be controlled. Flash usage and lighting options are an important factor to consider in advance, especially if the space is outside. Some specific tips include -

   • Try to get as many photos as possible with accessible light and no flash
   • When using flash, use a fill-flash technique to avoid poor composition
   • Use flash diffusers and reflectors to prevent photographs from being ruined by flash blowout
   • Use the main and primary lenses for all photos whenever possible

At the same time, don't get lost in the technical details. Be ready for unexpected events, surprises, and the unique quirks and memories that will make the wedding a one-of-a-kind event for everyone attending.

Choose the Right Partner for Wedding Photo Editing

A wedding is the single most important day in many people's lives and photographs are a vital part of that memory. Capturing and recording so many moments of a wedding, they are a perfect expression of your art and the lives of the people you are capturing. Photographers can take natural and beautiful wedding photographs if they use the techniques suggested in this article, and to ensure they are well processed, you should work with a partner who has years of experience doing so, such as Flatworld Solutions.

Get in touch with our team to learn more about wedding Photography Post Processing and wedding video editing services at Flatworld, we will be happy to provide you a customized solution.