In any wedding catching the moment on film can be a great challenge, as the moment never comes back. That is one reason why wedding photography can be quite stressful, while other genres such as wildlife photography can be dangerous. In order to become a successful wedding photographer, a few basic rules need to be followed. Here are a few tips that can help budding wedding photographers.
A good photographer never waits until the ceremony begins. It makes sense to communicate with the excited couple and have them in a comfortable mood. Also try to gauge what the couple has in mind as far as expectations are concerned, and an assurance that everything will just work out fine would instill more confidence. Once you are set with this you need to start scouting the location.
This is another very important aspect of wedding photography. In case the wedding is scheduled to take place in the morning, the scouting needs to be done at that time, if it is going to take place in the night, spend some time at the venue the previous night itself. This is to get a sense of the natural lighting for the day and the layout of the lighting for night photography. A couple of practice-shoots will help get a better idea.
Moreover, every venue will have some set rules for photographers. It is important to run through the list of do’s and don’t do’s before setting up shop. During the busy wedding schedule one cannot afford to miss even some minute detail. Just before the ceremony begins, getting snaps of the mother of the bride helping out with the bridal costume and jewellery, including the all-important wedding ring would be great idea. Some intimate shots of the bride appraising herself in front of the mirror, peeking out the window, final makeup touches, etc will add a nice touch. Similarly snaps of the groom wearing the tie, adjusting his suit and inspecting his shoes and dusting of imaginary specks of dust would look great.
Finally, at the ceremony itself, starting from outside the ceremony site, as shot of the guests streaming in. This can be followed with shots of the bride and father walking into the venue, and parents and grandparents being seated. The maid of honour and the bridesmaids walking down the aisle, including the flower girl and wedding ring bearer should be captured brilliantly. The groom anxiously waiting for the bride and the musicians preparing themselves, the Altar, canopy etc should all be remembered by a thoughtful photographer. Carrying extra batteries, cameras, and memory cards is certainly a great idea, as is having a knowledgeable assistant, who could prove to be handy.
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