Being asked to take photos for a wedding is a huge responsibility.If you've been approached to do it as a friend, or maybe asked to do it as a professional, here are 5 great tips to do the job right.
This tips are coming from first hand experience as a San Diego wedding photographer. So whether you are seasoned pro, or a rank amateur, if you follow these tips, you will feel comfortable and not have to second guess yourself. You will be fully prepared for whatever may come.
Our first tip is a simple thing you can do and that is to have the couple and the families go and make a shot list. When the day is hectic and chaotic, this will help immensely when you are trying to get family and group shots later on in the day. You will love it and when you can just go down the list and get everything without leaving anything out by accident.
The second tip on our list is to not delete any shots. In this day and age of digital cameras, most photographers use them.Even though they are great, it is also tempting since it is so easy, to delete a shot.Don't bother even peeking at the previews.Remember, what you think is a great shot, could be vastly different than what the couple thinks is a great shot. And who knows, they might appreciate the so called un "professional" shots.
A third tip to consider is making sure you get candid shots. A good wedding photographer will not just try and get the typical shots, like family group shots, wedding party shots, or your standard bride and groom. But they will also try and capture the emotions of the day through the shots of all the people that were there.It may include the things that go wrong also, like a flower girl making a wrong turn or the ring bearer not wanting to walk down the aisle.Every photo matters.
The fourth one to consider, and something that can easily be overlooked is to make sure you have several cameras with several lenses as backup.Do you even want to think of the horror of not being able to take any more shots of the wedding because of a broken camera.Plan for the worst that could go wrong.By being prepared for the worst and bringing extra cameras and equipment you will avoid the horrible moment fo not having any working cameras to capture the rest of the wedding. day.
Finally, practice your lighting as well. The difference between the lighting in the church and the outside reception can throw you a curve ball, so just practice for all different lighting situations. Think about seeing if you can go to the locations of the big day and look for the best spots to take pictures as well as study the lighting needs.
Following these 5 great tips will help you greatly on that special day. It will prepare you for whatever might go wrong, it will prepare you for capturing what goes right, and it will prepare you to help contribute to this wonderful day by being the best photographer you can be. Take it from my years of experience as a San Diego photographer.
