Wedding Photography

Really refreshing. Many of the shots look much less formal than those I've seen before. And it looks like they have to walk to the reception.
 
I was an assistant at a wedding on saturday we ended up inside as it was raining so used studio flashes and stuff. The official photographer's flashcards died a few times, so my advice would be always to have two cameras!!!!

I've done a couple of weddings now (as an unofficial photographer), I think that mostly its about capturing the natural shots, thats what I've been asked to to get, people chatting. I have not technical advice as I'm more the arty person rather than the technical one!

Em
 
Stunning again, I think the final shot sums it up perfectly.
 
I will be posting on four posts since the info is too large for one post

I strongly urge you to only shoot a wedding if you:

1. Are certain of your photographic skills. Wedding coverage is not an arena in which a person should learn to use his or her equipment. It is difficult enough to get proper coverage when your equipment operation is second nature to you. It is pretty darn near impossible to effectively cover a wedding if you are unsure about the technical details of your equipment.

2. If you have proper equipment - cameras and lenses that will allow you to do quality 8x10 inch prints at a minimum. Also you MUST have back-up equipment immediately available. Redundancy is the name of the game. Shooting with one copy of any equipment (such as camera, proper lens, proper flash) is inviting Mr. Murphy to bite you in the "you know where spot".

3. If you have enough flash cards, batteries, etc.

4. You have attended enough weddings to be fully aware of the general flow of a wedding ceremony. All weddings are different but, all are the same in many respects. Most weddings are open to the public. It would be beneficial to have attended enough receptions to have the same grasp of the general sequence of events. However this is more difficult to do than attending weddings. Most church/synagogue weddings are open to the public; this is not true regarding receptions.

5. If you have studied wedding images online and in books and magazines; and have predetermined how you want to shoot the essential shots.

6. If you are willing to put the time into shooting the ceremony and not to be a guest or to interact during the ceremony/reception. The two most difficult weddings I have ever shot were of my two very beautiful step-daughters. I did not want to shoot the weddings because I wanted to take part and to enjoy them. They both, however, made it clear that they wanted and expected me to do the job. I got some beautiful results but, I missed sharing those wonderful occasions as a participant and guest. I was also not able to be next to their mother, my wife during the ceremony. Additionally, I am not in any of the formal pictures. One of the two weddings was formal and I had to wear a tux. Tuxedos are not convenient clothing to shoot a wedding in.

The great nature photographer, Moose Anderson, recommends using two teddy bears (one white and one dark brown) to practice exposure in shooting animals. Piggy backing on his technique, I recommend that you practice shooting a lot of white objects, especially lace along with dark objects – to learn to keep detail in the wedding gown and avoid burning out the white areas.

A great book for the type of shots, etc. is "Wedding Photographer's Handbook by Robert and Sheila Hurth, Amhurst Media. Unfortunately, my copy is ten years old. It might not be available and if it is - the equipment selection is out of date as is the information regarding exposure, etc. since the book was written for film photographers, not digital addicts. Otherwise it is a pretty darn good book.

Communication is the name of the game. Communicate with the bride and groom and, especially, the Mother of the Bride. Learn the sequence of events so that something such as the candle lighting doesn’t come as a surprise to you.

Some wedding related web sites with useful information and valid tips:

Do a Google search for “wedding photographers” and look at the shots they use to advertise their proficiency.

INDIVIDUAL WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY EXAMPLES

Tampa Photo – M.J. Wilson
http://www.tampaphotoweddings.com/gallery.html
http://tampaphoto.com/ls2pj/

Tom Ellis Photo – Seattle, WA
http://www.tomellisphoto.com/

Indianapolis and Cincinnati Wedding Photographers
http://www.proweddingphotos.com/

Gary Seim – Emphrata, WA
http://www.wildpix.biz/wedding.html

Ron Estes Photography – S.E. Pennsylvania
http://www.ryanestes.com/about.htm

Roddy McInnes Photography – Boulder, CO
http://www.roddymacphoto.com/

Wendy Woods Photography – Minneapolis-St. Paul
http://www.wendywoodsphotography.com/detected.php?page=&pass=

Spellbound Images – Upland, CA
http://www.spellboundpix.com/

The Many Lives – Garland, TX
http://www.themanylives.com/

Evoke Photography – Pasadena, CA
http://www.evokephotography.com/


WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY GENERAL SITES

Onewed.com provides links to many commercial wedding photographers
http://www.onewed.com/vendors.php?category=126&state=CA&submit=Search&name=vendors

Photocamel.com provides numerous wedding related posts including examples of wedding photography.
http://www.photocamel.com/index.php/board,20.0.html

photosig.com provides (at the time of this writing) over 2,600 posts of wedding pictures
http://www.photosig.com/go/photos/browse?id=25168

http://johnlind.tripod.com/wedding/
This is an older web site that deals with film cameras. However most of the other information is as valid now as it was when it was written.

http://www.christophermaxwell.com/wedding-photography-tips.htm
Wedding Photography Tips which are, again, mostly film oriented.

http://www.planetneil.com/faq/flash-techniques.html
Excellent article from a professional wedding photographer on how he uses flash to achieve natural lighting at weddings.

Joe Demb – Flipit Diffuser
http://www.joedembphotography.com/flipit/

Chuck Gardner
http://super.nova.org/DPR/#Index
http://www.planetneil.com/faq/flash-5.html

88 Must Take Wedding Photos
http://home.ivillage.com/entertaining/weddings/0,,q5hb,00.html

U.K. Wedding Site
http://www.despugh.co.uk/
 
Wedding Photography Part I – Pre-Ceremony and Ceremony

These are just some of the necessary shots. There are sure to be others. However if you get all of these shots, you should not be lacking coverage. I am most familiar with traditional American Christian weddings and receptions; although I have shot two Jewish weddings and receptions. Other ethnic weddings or receptions have their own particular ambiance and required shots.

Pre Wedding Day Photos:

Informal portraits of the bride and groom.

Location is often outdoors in a scenic location

Formal portraits of bride in wedding dress. Specific shots dependant on type of dress.

Full length showing wedding dress
Front
Rear with Bride looking back – showing train
Each side
Three quarter length
Head and shoulders
Bride sitting on floor with dress swirled around her

Wedding Day – Pre-Ceremony

Bride:
General shot of bride’s maids helping bride dress
Shot of each bridesmaid helping
Bride interacting with Maid / Matron of Honor
Bride in dress looking in mirror alone
Bride in dress before mirror with bride’s maids
Mother adjusting veil
Putting garter on
Humorous cut-up shots
Bride’s maids and bride making one last toast
Bride and father interacting
Bride interacting with anyone else – especially kids
Bride in environmental portraits if there are photogenic areas available
Bride’s maids applying their own make up or adjusting their hairdo’s
Bride with multigenerational group (mother, grandmother, g-grandmother if applicable.

Groom:
Groom’s father pinning boutonnière on groom
Groom with each attendant
Interaction between groom and his mother
Interaction between groom and best man

Attendants:

Shots of attendants escorting ladies to their seats
Shots of soloist and organist if applicable
Groom, Best man and ushers waiting at altar

Ceremony shots – depending if flash photography is allowed during ceremony

Processional:

At least one shot of each member of the wedding party
Especially rig-bearer and flower-girl
More than one shot of bride and father (or person escorting Bride)
(I like to ask Bride and father to pause momentarily at a predesignated point and look at me – don’t be surprised if they forget to do it)

Actual Ceremony: (If flash is allowed)

Father lifting veil and kissing Bride at altar
Groom and Bride’s father acknowledging each other – hugging or shaking hands
Official from behind couple framed with couples backs
Overall view of ceremony
Use assistant or remote camera
Choir loft is great otherwise low angle from back of church
Available light is often best
Couple facing each other holding hands
Placing rings on fingers
Lighting of candles
If possible – a shot from the choir loft. (assistant or remote camera on tripod)
Official blessing couple if applicable
The first kiss
Any special event in ceremony – drinking sip of wine, receiving communion, breaking of glass in Jewish ceremony
Couple and official sanding at altar and facing guests

Recessional

Bride and Groom leaving altar
Others coming down aisle (Bride and Groom are the most important – if you get them and no one else leaving, you should be O.K.)

Ceremony Reenactment

Whether or not flash has been allowed – this is the time to shoot mock ups of the ceremony. You can get any or all of the above shots as a repeat or as initial shots if shooting during ceremony was not allowed. You can also get reverse angle shots from the altar side of the bride and groom.

Stained glass windows – get a shot of one or two of these if they are photogenic.

Signing of Ketubah

This is a significant event in a Jewish wedding and should be fully covered with shots of everyone signing.

Breaking of Glass

Another significant event in a Jewish ceremony

Lighting of Candles

All weddings do not incorporate the lighting of candles but, if there is a candle lighting, it is a very romantic and photogenic occasion.

There are often variations in wedding ceremonies between different religions and even between different individual places of worship. The following advice was given to me by a Rabbi regarding variations in Jewish ceremonies but, holds true for all weddings despite the religion or denomination, “Certainly, for the most
part, the Orthodox and Conservative clergy stick to fairly straight-forward scripts, with which you're no doubt familiar; but the Reform, Reconstructionist, and Renewal Jews tend to do a lot of ritual innovation. So my only advice, belaboring the obvious, would be to carefully review the program in detail beforehand--which, of course, any professional would do as a matter of course.” Reviewing the program of any wedding ceremony is absolutely necessary in order to avoid missing portions of the ceremony that are important to the participants. Surprises during ceremonies are no fun and can be easily avoided.
 
Wedding Photography II – Post Ceremony Coverage

Altar or Church Step Portraits (These can be shot in another place like a garden if desired)

Bride (You cannot have too many shots of he bride ever)
Bride and Groom
Bride and mother
Bride and father
Bride and other family members – siblings, grandparents, etc.
Groom (as above)
Bride and Groom with their parents
Bride and bride’s maids
Bride and maid / matron of honor
Groom and attendants
Groom and best man
Entire wedding party
Bride and Groom with any other significant person such as priest or minister

Leaving Church

Bride and Groom exiting
There may be some ceremony involved with this such as throwing rice or exiting under crossed swords for military weddings – be sure you know about and get shots of this. If rice is thrown – often using a slower shutter speed will show it better.

Romantic shots

Shots of the Bride and Groom interacting. Often outdoors in scenic settings.
The above are often difficult to arrange what with the stress of trying to get to the reception. It is great for the photographer if there is sufficient time between end of ceremony and start of reception to allow this.
 
Wedding Photography III – The Reception:

Overall shot of empty hall decorated and set up with tables, flowers etc.
(IMO this is really a low priority shot)
Several shots of wedding cake
Shots of any specific decorations
Guests signing book as they enter
Shot of presents on table
Bride and Groom arriving at hall
Close up of the Couple’s hands with rings with flowers and perhaps invitation/program
Arrangement of flowers, invitation etc.
Reception line if there is one
Note;
I shot one wedding wherein the Bride’s mother wanted a separate shot of each couple or small group of guests as they arrived. She arranged a location for these shots decorated with flowers and a banner with Bride and Groom’s names. She then had me print individual thank you cards using the best image from the ceremony as the cover and inside, each guest group’s picture on left with the words on the right side of card. It was expensive for her but, it really seemed classy to me and would have been a lasting memento to the guests.
Shot of food or buffet line if it is photogenic
Best man toasting couple
Shots of guest individuals/couples – standing, sitting at tables and interacting.
(Always ask specifically whom the Bride and the mother of the bride want photographed; Grandma and Grandpa, Aunt Gertrude and Uncle Gus, etc.)
The food line with people filling plates (IMO low priority)
I don’t usually shoot people eating. Half emptied plates and food in mouths are not photogenic to me – I use this time to get my breath and make sure my equipment is in order. I do not eat at receptions but will drink a soft drink or water)
Cutting cake – several shots from close ups of hands to overalls of couple
Bride and groom feeding cake to each other
Note: I hate cake smashing but, get a shot of that if it happens
Band or entertainers if any
Anyone toasting couple
Couple with arms entwined giving each other a sip from their glasses
Bride and groom first dance
Note: at some weddings guests pin money on bride’s dress - get shots of that
Bride dancing with her father
Bride dancing with father in law
Groom dancing with mother
Groom dancing with mother in law
Other shots of Bride dancing – especially with little kids
Other shots of Groom dancing
Members of bridal party dancing
Various couples dancing – kids are great
Groom removing Bride’s garter prior to garter toss
Garter toss and catch
Flower toss and catch
Sometimes the man who caught the garter places it on the lady who caught the flowers.
Any other significant thing that is happening
Any romantic shots of couple
General shots of opportunity – kids are especially photogenic

Leaving reception

Couple getting in vehicle
Couple kissing in vehicle
Couple waving from vehicle
Vehicle leaving from behind (if there is a “Just Married” sign or other wedding related decorations)
 
This thread has some great tips in it. I think all the important and useful tips should be copied into a new thread and sticky it.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top