A wedding is indeed one of the most important days in the life of a couple. Not only does it represent a union between two equal partners, but it also marks the celebration of lifelong commitment, dedication, and devotion towards each other. This is why when it comes to clicking wedding photos, prospective couples tend to leave no stone unturned.
However, wedding photography has become an extremely expensive affair these days. Most professional photographers charge somewhere between 4%-12% of the total wedding budget in order to complete a proper wedding photoshoot. In the US, for example, the average cost of hiring a wedding photographer is somewhere between 2000-3000 dollars! Under such exorbitant conditions, a number of couples choose to hire low-priced amateur photographers with a knack for wedding photography and an eye for detail.
If you too are a beginner in the field of wedding photography and are soon going to shoot your first wedding pictures, here are a few wedding photography tips, which will help you click better photos while rendering the best service to your clients –
Speak To The Couple
To begin with, speak to the prospective couple and set expectations with them. Find out if they want their wedding to be shot in a certain way. On most occasions, couples already have a wedding photoshoot theme in mind. See if you can work with this theme and discuss your ideas with them. Take a few test shots and show the couple your photography style. Once they are on board, sign a contract and seal the deal.
Visit The Location
One of the best wedding photography tips that you can ever get is to visit the actual location in which the marriage ceremony is scheduled to be held. This will give you a fair idea of how you can position your shots, what backgrounds you can use, and which lighting situations you might have to deal with. Being familiar with the location beforehand can easily lend a shot of excellence to your wedding photography skills.
Get A Shot List
A highly useful wedding photography tip for beginners is to get a ‘shot list’ from the couple, in advance. A shot list is essentially a list that carries the details of the principal shots that must be taken during the wedding ceremony. These could be the shots of the couple walking down the aisle, taking vows, exchanging rings or even dancing with the grandma! Getting a shot list will help you ensure that you don’t miss out on any significant nuptial moment.
Rehearse
Before the wedding actually takes place, rehearse as much as you possibly can. You never really know what might go wrong! So, make sure that your batteries are charged, your memory cards are blank, and your cameras are sturdy. In fact, get the entire schedule for the day ahead of time & prepare your itinerary accordingly. If it is feasible, attend the wedding rehearsal. Doing so will give you a unique perspective on how to take wedding photos on the big day.
Capture The Details
Among other wedding photography tips, the one which will enable you to stand out of the crowd is – capturing the wedding details. Don’t just limit yourself to clicking generic photographs. Instead, try and experiment with wedding photos by taking pictures of rings, shoes, dresses, menus, chairs, flowers, etc. These small details will add an extra dimension to the final wedding album, thus helping it become visually distinctive.
Play With The Light
As much as it is overlooked, wedding photography lighting is one of the most important aspects of clicking good wedding pictures. Playing with the light can often give you a stream of beautiful shots if you know when to bounce or diffuse a flash. In case you don’t want to use the flash at all, you’ll need to push up the ISO. Even after the wedding is over, don’t discard your shots based on how well or badly lit they are. You can simply use the RAW mode to alter white balance or manipulate exposure as per your convenience.
Find A Coordinator
Wedding photography can become a whole lot easier if you have a coordinator from within the family to keep things moving. These coordinators can easily round people up and get them together for a shot without disturbing the family dynamics. So, have the couple nominate a coordinator who can help you get the pictures you need. This will help you immensely in capturing all the wedding moments in an efficient and perfect manner.
Have A Good Time
Last but not least, do not be shy or obtrusive while clicking wedding photos. Get comfortable with the people attending the wedding and candidly ask them to pose for you. Observe everything and everyone without obstructing the natural flow of events. In other words, just have a good time shooting pictures! This will enable you to get delightful shots and keep the memory of the wedding alive, merely through the power of your lens.
The Way Forward
As times change, the concept and context of wedding photography are going to witness a steady shift too. More and more people are likely to experiment with challenging forms of photography in order to make their big day, all the more memorable. In such a scenario, the only way to survive would be by clubbing your photography skills with the right amount of technical training and theoretical knowledge.
If you too want to kick-start your career as a wedding photographer, registering for a wedding photography course here might be a good way to begin. This course will equip you to channelize your passion for photography into a productive and income-generating profession. Furthermore, you will be provided with a number of wedding photography tips to help you get going immediately.
Looking to sharpen your wedding photography skills? Join our top-rated professional diploma in wedding photography today!
