Proud Photography Blog

When you are presented with the chance to photograph a wedding there are certain things that you should look out for.  Even when a bride and groom say they are looking for something new and modern, the chances are they will still want some traditional photographs and memories.  Here are some ideas of what you need to shoot.

The preparations
This usually includes the getting ready part.  If the bride and groom are in the same place you can do a few shots of both – if you can only be in one place then it will be the bride who you will shoot.

With the bride make sure you get her in her room or suite with her friends, of her getting her hair done and of her makeup.  Get her putting her dress on and some shots of her by herself (try placing her by a window).  These rooms can be dark so make sure you open the aperture up if possible – avoid harsh lash.

Brides tend to love their dresses so pick up on details with a macro lens like the engagement ring and the back of the dress (if it’s a corset, for example).  Don’t b afraid to over expose by a stop or two if necessary, to get that high contrast, slightly bleached look which looks great with wedding photos.

Arrival

Get shots of the bride and groom arriving (if they are arriving together).  This is a great time to get photos of guests as everyone is excited and happy.  If you have time how about getting shots of the environment like the church and the car that is used.  Try not to get too distracted by other guests or to get too stressed out – there is still a lot of day left!
If you re shy use a telephoto lens to zoom in on people and to get shots of people just being natural, talking to each other for example.

Ceremony

The ceremony may be the hardest bit to tackle – you have to deal with low light most of the time (unless you are outside) yet avoid using flash and avoid disturbing the ceremony.

Now is the time to be focused on the bride and groom only, not on anyone else.  Ways to deal with low light include:
1.    Pushing up the ISO – if the images get grainy, you can convert them to black and white later on.
2.    Open up the aperture to its widest
3.    Use a lens with image stabilisation
4.    Use a tripod for stability
5.    Look out for areas of natural light and angle yourself accordingly.
If you have to keep out of the way and need to stand at the back, that’s ok – take photos of the couple saying their vows.