This is a collection of essential tips, techniques and tricks for wedding photography – from casual photography to a more classic approach …
If you are new to wedding photography this is the place to start. Whether you’re looking to gain some experience as a photographer on the big day, or just to get some pointers for improving your portraits in general, there’s a lot you can learn here.
Picture
1 Use a wide opening
Using the widest aperture your lens allows (for a limited depth of field) can create a very attractive effect for wedding photos by keeping your subject in focus while blurring the background – but you have to make sure. to focus accurately.
2 Try slow sync flash
When using flash, try to reduce the shutter speed as much as possible – say 1/15 to 1/25 per second – to take full advantage of ambient lighting. Try panning with moving subjects while turning on the flash to freeze the subject’s image and blur a distant background.
3 Put the bride to pose
To get flattering images of the bride, make sure her arms are not bent (it is best to bend them slightly, but not straight) while holding the bouquet. If possible, ask her to bend into an “S” with her body, similar to how models pose. Check women’s magazines like Vogue or Cosmopolitan to see how the models pose to get an idea.
4 Find the lines
Try to make the most of strong architectural lines, such as pillars, as backgrounds for your wedding photographs. Remember if you have a suitable background, what is seen from the front will serve to create the perfect composition. Check the site ahead of time to see what architectural elements might work best.
5 Use light patterns creatively
If there are any interesting light patterns outside the church or the civil registry office, you can take advantage of them to add impact and drama to your images. However, keep in mind that such patterns can come and go as the day goes on, so you may have to work quickly to capture them.
6 Put the couple in square
When taking photos of the bride and groom in their wedding car, try to get creative using the windows to set the framing, or you can still get in the car if they have no problem with that.
7 Tilt the camera
Tilting the camera adds a sense of movement to an image. You don’t always have to keep the camera in the landscape or portrait format, take risks and align the composition lines in diagonals in the image to create impact. As with all techniques, don’t overdo it – one or two images will do.
8 Find the shadow
If you are shooting a wedding on an overly sunny day, try moving the couple or group into the shade to get a better exposure, or use fill, or forced flash to balance the scene. You’ll find the fill flash option when exploring through the camera’s flash modes.
9 make it slightly blurry
Try experimenting with photos of the first dance using a very slow shutter speed to give your images a sense of movement. Use a combination of flash and slow shutter speed to freeze the couple’s movement even while capturing the atmosphere and movement. You may need to increase the camera’s ISO sensitivity – although noise will be more obvious in darker indoor conditions.
10 Use a flash stand
Add a flash trigger to a flash mount to raise the flash a few inches above the lens, thus removing shadows from the lens. The best mount works on a hinge mechanism and allows you to move the flash for portrait or landscape format photos as required.
11 look the other side
Weddings don’t just happen in front of you. Look around you for other photo opportunities that might be behind you. In any case, you will be looking at what your targets see, so if you are looking to capture their memories of that day, look at what they are looking at.
12 Pay attention to details
Take into account the small things as well as the big picture. Often times, the details can go unnoticed by the wedding guests, even more so when they see a photo of a detail, the memories return to them. So be aware of everything around you and don’t be afraid to photograph it.
13 Aim from below
Try to take photos from a lower point of view. However, avoid doing it sitting on the floor. In that position you are not stable and your photos may be spoiled because the camera shook. If the floor is dry, get on your knees, or you can even lie down, so you have a better chance of the camera staying stable.
14 Wait a sec
Let others take their pictures and then photograph the bride and groom while they relax. Formal photos of people posing are fine for the record, but if you’re looking to capture the excitement of the event, people come out best in photos when they’re happy, relaxed, and carefree about the people taking them. Photos.
15 Add grain
Grain can add atmosphere and the lack of a flash can make you lose your attention. The last thing you want is for the flash to distract the wedding guests, and for them to turn their attention to you. The high ISO settings used in low light photography can increase noise a bit, but this can add character.
16 Try to get a telephoto
Long lenses keep you out of the action as an observer. They also create interesting perspective effects, which can add drama to photos. Be careful not to shake the camera which can happen when handling such lenses – a stable tripod is quite a useful accessory in such situations.
17 Befriend the organizers
They know what is really happening, as opposed to what should happen. Organizers can let you know who is going to be in a certain place and at what time, so it is wise to consult them in order to be in the right place at the right time.
18 Don’t be invasive
If someone doesn’t want their picture taken, leave them alone. There is no point in taking photos of people who do not want to be in front of the camera. They won’t look comfortable and you could make them offended. With some experience you will be able to recognize the signals given by those who would like to avoid being photographed.
19 Pay attention to the laughs
Weddings are happy occasions, so be on the lookout for laughter. Photos in which people look happy and relaxed work very well, so use your ears as well as your eyes to keep an eye on the dynamics of the wedding party and thus direct yourself to where the action is happening.
20 Take advantage of the wind
If it’s windy put people in front of the wind and get a lot of movement. The bride’s dress in particular can look great when moving in a breeze – its lines will flow with the movement of the air. However, if you are changing lenses on a DSLR, stay out of the wind to prevent dust from reaching the camera body.
21 Check in advance
Always have a pre-wedding consultation with the couple to get to know them and find out what they want in the first place. It is their day, not yours, so it is wise to have a clear idea of how they envision the occasion. Be courteous and don’t promise anything you can’t keep.
22 smile a lot
If you smile at people, they smile at you, and so you make a lot of eye contact. Don’t hide behind the camera. A person with a lot of technology stuck to their face permanently can put people off and you will likely end up losing a lot of photos that would have the potential to be great.
23 Gives partner space
After the ceremony, let the couple take time and space to congratulate them. This helps you to ensure that when you take organized photos – people won’t keep coming in your way while trying to express their best wishes to the bride and groom.
24 It’s casual
While they are congratulating the couple, you can go around and snap some casual photos of the guests. They will be happily distracted and therefore more relaxed than when they feel they have to pose for the camera. The best wedding photographers in coimbatore who avoids causing a nuisance can get the best photos of the wedding day.
25 It’s subtle to get people in the picture
Focus ahead and find your subjects in position through the lens, then get their attention by talking or smiling at them – they won’t know you’re taking the photo. When they find out they will laugh and then you can take photos that will look more natural. The more relaxed people are, the better the photos will be.
26 Adapts to the situation
Don’t fight the rain, the wind, the people and the weather. There is always a way to solve a problem, so think of alternatives. As you gain more confidence and experience, you will develop numerous ways to handle the unexpected, so exercise your problem-solving skills to the fullest.
27 Plan for the rain
If it’s raining, use an umbrella. It is useful to have a white and a black one in your car. Make the couple walk around with them, and have them kiss and other things like that. Umbrellas are excellent tools and can protect your expensive digital camera from getting wet, which is unlikely to do it much good.
28 Use the crowd
If there are people in the background in public places, let them be there. Sometimes it is better to take photos of strangers wishing the bride and groom the best.
29 Manage time
You should always have enough time. If you do not have it, it is because you did not ask the correct questions in the consultation. Take into account the day’s schedule, how you are going to get from A to B and where and when the wedding party will be. The photographer who does not organize will miss the important moments.
30 Enjoy the occasion
Taking photos at weddings can be a lot of fun, but it won’t be if you spend your time complaining about the camera or the light. Relax and enjoy the moment, just like the rest of the attendees are supposed to. You may find that your photos turn out better as a result.
31 Use What You Know About Family When Taking Photos
If some family members haven’t seen each other for 20 years, a church photo of when they first see each other after all that time can be very emotional. Think about the attendees and how they are doing, then use that information as part of photo planning.
32 Avoid taking photos while people eat
Don’t take photos of people eating. They never look good and no one will thank you. You can still put your camera away during lunch and eat while you wait for speeches, which can provide more opportunities to take good photos of people.
33 don’t check
Don’t start checking every time you take a photo (that is, look at the camera screen to review your photos). That drains your batteries and distracts you from what’s going on. It’s best to review your group photos from time to time, being careful to only erase those that you can’t use at all.
34 Bounce the flash
When taking photos indoors, get the flash brightness to bounce off the ceiling and balance the exposure with ambient light. The bounced brightness of the flash is even more diffuse, so you won’t end up with those harsh shadows that are characteristic of amateur shots.
35 Tell a story
Take a journalistic approach – look for images that tell the story of the day. The classic way is to take three photos of each moment, which are not necessarily taken at the same time. For example, a close-up of the cake, a mid-angle photo of the couple cutting the cake, and then a full-angle photo of the guests’ reactions.
36 Take your own confetti
To make sure you can get a good confetti photo, take your own confetti. Set the frame of the photo and throw the confetti high in the air and not at the couple. Try a small aperture (f / 11), slow shutter (1/15 sec.), And fill flash. Just make sure the wind isn’t blowing towards you, or you’ll look like an idiot.
37 Listen to what people say
As you walk among the guests, listen to see if someone is telling a story. Typically, there are numerous characters at the wedding, each with something to say, so let them capture the attention of the crowd so you can monitor their reactions.
38 Edit Relentlessly
When you return home, edit the photos and then re-edit them. Remove any photos in which the bride and groom don’t look their best. Touch up any flaws on their faces, and other things like that. Then edit the photos again – just let people see the best photos, not hundreds of the regular ones.
39 Don’t let your camera sharpen the photos
Turn off any tuning on the camera. This is best done on the computer after you’ve resized the image. If possible, always photograph in the RAW format. This transfers the information from the imaging chip directly to memory without compressing it, although the file sizes will be much larger than when shooting JPEGs, so you will need memory cards with high capacity, or a portable storage device to copy your images during dinner …
40 Lower the exposure when the light is bright
In bright sunlight, try to preserve the details in the bride’s dress by lowering the exposure to 1 EV and then bringing the image to the correct exposure level on the computer. Digital cameras have excellent dynamic range, so shadow detail should be restored – it’s high lights that you tend to have problems with. Remember, taking photos in RAW instead of JPEG really helps in this situation.
41 Find a position
Try to get a position in the church that is about 2-3 rows behind the altar and next to the bride and groom. You will be able to capture some fantastic emotional images during the ceremony. And be sure to turn off the camera sound effects so you don’t disturb people sitting nearby.
42 Plan for key events
Think ahead of time where you will be able to capture emotional or funny images – for example, during the ceremony itself, and the couple’s interaction while the minutes are being signed. This is often the first time they have spoken to each other today and their reactions can produce some wonderful images.
43 Soften your flash
Never use the flash directly – just like when using a flash mount off-camera, place a diffuser over the flash head. Sto-fen’s white plastic caps are affordable and great for assisting with flash photos. They soften the effect of flash, reducing harsh shadows that can make photos look unprofessional.
44 Avoid Effects
Avoid having too many digital effects on the camera. If you want to create a sepia-toned impression, or use a solarization effect on the happy couple, take normal color photos and then convert them in an image editor. If you take photos with special effects, you will no longer be able to convert those images into photos in standard colors.
45 Opt for Wide Images of Architecture
Use wide-angle lenses to capture interesting graphic shapes. The lines of the interior of a church can look spectacular when distorted by wide-angle lenses. Just avoid taking portraits with them – people’s faces are distorted in a strange and bulbous way.
46 Go slow indoors
Practice slow sync flash methods, which can transform indoor photos. The camera’s flash will fire to illuminate the lenses in the front and the shutter will remain open longer so that the background is properly exposed. Fix your camera on a tripod, or else it will result in unwanted motion blur.
47 Aim High
Where possible, try to use high (or low) angles to take photos that are different from those taken by the rest of the guests. Most people take photos at head level, so climb on a chair, table, or window ledge to make your compositions stand out from the rest.
48 The Godfather Speech
Observe the reaction of the bride and groom during the best man speech. This can be the funniest point of the entire day, so pay attention to their faces as he talks. When the inevitable funny stories start to emerge, the couple’s reactions will be quite worth capturing.
49 Use the exposure closure
Make good use of the camera’s exposure lock – your camera may have an AE-L button, or it may close when you release the shutter button halfway – and take readings to measure blemishes from the faces to make sure you get the right shot. correct exposure. People automatically focus on faces in photos, so you don’t want them to be over-exposed or under-exposed.
50 Use a reflector
Reflectors are cheap, you can clearly see the effect they cause and it works better than with flash. The reflector helps reduce harsh shadows caused by strong directional light, and is essential when looking to take flattering photos.
