The Monday Wedding Hangover Blog Series :: Part 1 :: Taking the Right Pictures

• By: Guest Author

Taking the Right Pictures

As a wedding photographer, we’re expected to be a jack-of-all-trades in a sense, being expected to have the photographic skill of a fine artist, still life, portrait, landscape, photojournalist and lifestyle photographer all at the same time. With the continual integration of Pinterest in our bride’s lives, those demands have only gotten higher.

There are three ways to capture key pictures to make sure you take to keep ahead of the curve, however, and make sure that you’re making both you and your clients happy with the work that you produce. This sounds silly but in essence there are three types of pictures you want to take the day of the wedding.

First, pictures that tell the bride and groom’s story are the first group and the most important. Afterall, the bride and groom have hired you to capture their wedding day which is most certainly comprised of the two of them in love. Photographs that show their emotion and convey how they felt that day will always be the most cherished by the couple.

Second, pictures of the guests are key as these people are the most important people in the lives of the bride and groom. I remember the first time I received a complaint from a bride who’s wedding I photographed saying that I only took pictures of the two of them and their bridal party and family during the reception. I was doing that for so long because I was trained by a more traditional photographer, and when you were working on film with limited frames, that’s just what you focused on. I remember it being a conscience decision I had to make to photograph people that weren’t bridal party or family, but just guests at the wedding. You don’t have to talk around taking old-school table pictures, just find ways to capture people candidly interacting and smiling. I find it easiest to do this during the ceremony, cocktail hour and of course during dancing at the reception. Your clients will love you for it and it’s a good way to grab the attention of potential clients.

Finally, be sure to capture the details of the day. Not only are those details, like reception décor, invitations, and other unique elements to the wedding, necessary if you hope to have the wedding published someday, but these are all the little decisions that the couple have spent the last year making. They’ve either spend a good deal of money on them, or a lot of time, sweat and tears making them. Trust me, they’ll want pictures of it all.

—

Join me next week for tips on how to take consistent photos – and I’m not talking about exposure. 🙂

Check out this 4-part webinar series that’ll go in depth into this topic and others in a live presentation (recorded as well) to really expand each topic and get the most from each area. I look forward to having you along for the ride!

—

Vanessa Joy is a NJ Wedding Photographer shooting 20-25 high-end weddings per year and spending her spare time teaching photographers how to have a successful photography career through one-on-one consulting. You can find more free photography education at www.LearnPhotoVideo.com.

• Category: Features, Photographers, Tips, Top Posts
• 3 Comments