When you are asked to be the one to take photos of the wedding is a huge responsibility.If you are doing it as a favor, or if you are doing it as your profession, following these 5 tips will help you do the job right.
This tips are coming from first hand experience as a San Diego wedding photographer.It doesn’t matter if you are a seasoned pro, or if you are an amateur, by following these tips, you won’t second guess yourself.Doing this you will be fully prepared come what may.
Our first tip is easy and that is to have the couple and maybe their families make a list of photos they want to take. 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 how you can just go through your list and get all the shots you want without leaving anything out.
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 even think of looking at the shots. What makes a great shot in your mind could differ widely that what makes a great shot in the couples minds. 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 photographer isn’t one who just takes the standard basic shots, like family shots, typical wedding shots, or whatever is the usual. But they will also try and capture the emotions of the day through the shots of all the people that were there. And that includes some of the things that could go wrong, like a flower girl not making it all the way to the front, or the ring bearer dropping the rings.Every picture counts.
The fourth tip is which is often overlooked is to make sure you have several cameras and other equipment as backup. Do you even want to imagine having a camera stop working halfway through the day. Plan for anything that could go wrong.By being ready with extra equipment, you will avoid the uncomfortable time of not being able to take any more pictures of the wedding day with a broken camera.
Last piece of advice, make sure you know the lighting of the wedding. 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. Go see the locations and scout it out for the big day, by finding the best places to shoot as well as studying the lighting needs.
Taking these 5 tips into account will help you immensely. 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.