A wedding day can be a stressful day for a photographer who has not prepared. Do you want to take breath taking photos? You will please the bride and groom with breathtaking photos after learning these awesome photography tricks.
It is their special day and their dream is to have the photographer that will create a great memory for them.
In this article, I am sharing my wedding photography tips that will blow your mind and make sure your shooting will be smoother and more successful. You will know everything needed from equipment checklist, camera settings
Get to know the Couple
Having a discussion with your customer is very important in order to prepare adequately for their big day. As a wedding photographer, you will get to know your clients’ budget when you interact with them.
Don’t feel awkward to ask your client’s budget because it will determine if you can take the job or no. Consider the following aspects before agreeing on the price:
How Many Photos Will be Needed?
Does your client need hard copies or digital photos? The number of the photos will have an effect on the budget.
Type of Wedding Photography Style Needed
Aerial wedding photography style is more pricey than traditional wedding photography style. Talk to your clients and make sure you identify the style that they want to discuss on price.
How Many Guests are Attending the Wedding
It is crucial that you know a rough count of the guests invited in the wedding. For big weddings, you might need an assistant and this will have an effect on your budget.
In order to make the bride and the groom fall in love with your service, make sure you know their expectations. No doubt they will be expecting high quality photos. Other expectations of couples about to wed include the following;
- Their photographer needs to follow their instructions
- Be creative and have new ideas for poses
- Photographers that are good time managers
- Wedding Photographers that have excellent client communication
Plan your Day
To be a successful wedding photographer, you must have a plan. Make a list of photos that you will take to ensure you have a successful day. The following list will help you to prepare your own and feel free to expand or edit as you see fit.
Be smart; plan early so you may have knowledge of when and where to get the best shots. If it is possible, get the schedule of the wedding to help you prepare. Know the key people that will conduct the wedding to contact in case something goes wrong.
- Getting ready shots such as bride and groom getting their makeup done
- Bridal party having fun
- Bridal party leaving the house
- Bridal party going to the ceremony
- Bridesmaids and flower girls walking down the isle
- Groomsmen and page boys walking down the isle
- Bride and parents walking down the isle
- Parents giving the bride away
- Shots of the couple exchanging vows
- Exchanging of the rings
- The couple’s first kiss as newly weds
- Sighing of the marriage certificate
- Guests inside the church or wedding venue
- Shots of important participants such as officiant, readers and musicians
- Newly wedded shot
- Confetti throwing shots
- More photos of guests
List all the important people with their functions in order to include them in your photos. They include the parents of the bride, bridesmaid and groomsmen, musicians, the person leading the ceremony, to name a few.
Prepare for Essential Wedding Photography Equipment
Every wedding photographer gets lucky occasionally hence prepare everything needed for your shooting. The photos that you will take will be the greatest reminder of the special day in your clients’ lives.
So how will you make sure you take stunning photographs that will tell your clients unique wedding day story? Of course is by use of high quality equipment.
Use a High Quality Camera
Use a camera that takes high quality photos either in an indoor or an outdoor wedding. Each brand of camera has its own strengths and weakness. What is crucial is it can withstand any lighting conditions and produce high quality photos.
Lens
Choose a variety of lenses to be able to take various types of photos. When you are purchasing lens, bear in mind that your clients will want natural looking photos that will show emotions on their special day.
Accessories
Do not forget to add plenty of spare batteries and chargers. Have at least 1 battery for every three hours of shooting. Light shapers such as sunlight diffuser and reflector will be of great help in achieving perfect shots.
Visit the Venue of the Location
Visit the venues that you will be shooting before the wedding. I know most wedding photographers don’t do this but it will be helpful to familiarize with the locations. Visiting the places will give you the best position to take shots and even know the lighting of the place.
Everything about the wedding depends on the venue. Visit the venue to check its decor and color especially if your client requested for a fashion photography style. Weddings are jovial events so it helps to have an elegant wedding venue.
Have Unique Photography Poses
As a wedding photographer, it helps a lot to know tons of unique poses. A great pose will turn your photo from good to amazing. There are great poses that will make the shoot really fun like;
- Consider using a drone for some aerial shots or video
- Have the bride Cover the groom’s eyes and take photos
- For a playful shot, have the groom and bride in the grass and face opposite directions
- The hand kiss. For a fairly like shot, you can ask the groom to kiss the hand of the bride
- The shoulder rest. This is also a great pose where the bride places her head on the shoulder of the groom in a relaxing way.
- The walk on the beach shot. If it is possible, every couple should have a photo session on the beach holding hands. Such beach grounds are majestic.