Mar 2017

13 of the BEST Wedding Photography Tips for Beginners

By Anne Simone

36 min read

You just booked your first wedding.

Now what?

Maybe you’re feeling a little nervous – worried about lighting the reception, posing a slightly-awkward couple, or choosing the right lens for the ceremony.

We’re not going to help you with any of that. Time, experience, and experimentation will earn you your style and technique.

To rock your first wedding, there’s one thing you must do: prepare for chaos. These wedding photography tips for beginners will help you do just that!

Photo by EM + STEVE POGOZELSKI of POGO PHOTO

With the right prep, you’ll manage even the craziest celebration with class – and create beautiful photographs despite the challenges.

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Tip #1: Make It Legal

One of the biggest beginner mistakes a photographer can make when photographing weddings is not having a signed contract. When you have a legally binding contract, it sets an agreement between you and the client.

When your client signs a contract, it means they agree with your role and responsibilities for the wedding. The contract clearly states your tasks and what your clients will receive. It serves as a protection to both parties, especially since there’s money involved.

If you haven’t already, make your booking legit with a signed contract and paid retainer. You can do both through ShootProof, using an attorney-drafted contract template from ShootProof’s Marketplace and the Invoices feature.

If you’ve already collected a signed contract and retainer: congratulations! Level up!

Tip #2: Keep Your Lines of Communication Open

Behind every scheduled wedding photography shoot is a series of inquiries, bookings, and payment discussions. It all starts with effective communication so that you can do all the necessary preparations and set expectations with the client. Make sure that clients have a way to contact you; may it be through phone, email, or social media.

Respond Quickly

When you’re just starting out, it can feel scary replying to messages. There are cases when the client won’t respond right away, which might make you nervous that you said something wrong.

Don’t worry, this is normal. Remember, your couples are in the middle of planning a wedding, so they have a lot going on! Even though they might take awhile to reply to you, it’s important that you focus on answering them as quickly as possible. The better the experience you provide them throughout the process, the more likely they are to refer you to friends!

Send a Questionnaire

Leading up to the wedding, send your couple a detailed questionnaire asking questions to help you fully understand what will be happening on their wedding day. Make sure you know exactly what time coverage begins, the locations you need to be throughout the day, the names of important family members and those in the wedding party, any specific images your client envisioned, and when coverage ends.

Additionally, use questionnaires to learn more about your couple. Find out where they met, their proposal story, and why they chose their specific wedding venue. All of these unique details are great to use when creating a blog post after the event!

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Set Up a Meeting

About 2-3 weeks out from the wedding, set up a meeting to connect with your couple. This can either be done in person or on a FaceTime call, depending on what’s most convenient for them and you.

It’s great to actually have face-to-face time with your client before the big day, especially if you didn’t do an engagement shoot with them. This gives you an opportunity to review the timeline in person, ask them any last minute questions, and help relieve any nerves they might have.

Tip #3: Create a Workflow

Being a wedding photographer doesn’t mean just shooting events. Most of the time, you’ll be busy handling the booking process, email communication, post-processing, and delivery of orders. If you manage all of this by yourself, find ways to streamline your workflow.

Use a Studio Management Software

Looking back at the first two tips, you might see that client communication and contract signing are crucial parts of the business. With the help of studio management tools, such as ones found in Táve, you can send automated messages to guarantee your clients get responses, questionnaires, and contracts on time.

Studio management software can also aid you in managing a workflow. Most tools feature a dashboard that gives you the ability to make a wedding photography timeline. Assign deadlines for each task, so you’ll know which ones you must prioritize. When it comes to photographing weddings, deadlines are extremely important!

Tip #4: Develop Your Shot List

This is not your client’s shot list!

This is the list of photographs you want to take before the day is over. What do you expect of yourself?

Photo by EM + STEVE POGOZELSKI of POGO PHOTO

Develop a well-curated list of no more than 25 “must-haves” – and memorize it. Making these photographs should be second-nature.

If you’re constantly referring to a piece of paper while photographing the wedding, you’ll be distracted and miss real moments. But if you have a gut-sense of what you want to capture – and what you should be capturing – you’ll be fully present and wholly invested in the creative process.

As a photographer, it’s your job to take photos you know are necessary for events while also accommodating some requests from the couple.

One of the common mistakes of a newer photographer is relying on instincts alone. While you may have superb memorizing skills, there’s still a chance you might forget to shoot something during the event, especially if it’s something you didn’t think of in the first place.

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To help you prepare and practice, here are some wedding photography tips and ideas for images you can take throughout the big day:

Detail Shots

When you arrive during the preparation, the couple, family, and wedding party might just be starting with hair and makeup. This is a great chance to take photos of details like:

Close-up shots of the rings, cord, and veil
Bouquets, corsage, and other flower arrangements
Invitation
Hanging dresses and suits
Shoes
Perfume, jewelry, cufflinks, and other accessories

Maybe the grandparents made the bride’s bouquet. The groom’s tie might be a hand-me-down or heirloom. Perhaps the couple bonded over designing their invitations themselves.

While they look like simple items, there might be deeper sentimental value. These things serve as important reminders of the personal details of the wedding. Make sure to include these in your shot list because you’ll never know what emotions may stir from seeing the images.

Bridal Coverage

The bridal coverage highlights how the bride prepares for the wedding day. It’s also about spending time with the special friends in her life. Carve out at least an hour to capture the following:

Bride, maid of honor, and bridesmaids getting their hair and makeup done
Parents helping the bride with accessories
Maid of honor and bridesmaids having fun with the bride
Bride putting dress on
Group shots with the family
Creative shots of the bride beside a big window, in the staircase, or other stunning areas at the venue
Boudoir shoot if the client requests it

Groom Coverage

Like the bridal shoot, coverage of the groom documents the guys preparing for the event. It’s also about having fun with the groom’s best friends. Allocate at least 30-45 minutes to shoot moments such as:

A ‘cheers’ shot with some beer or scotch
Groom putting on jacket, tie, and cuff links
Family shots
Solo pictures of the groom
Quirky shots of the wedding party

Ceremony

Keep in mind that what happens at the ceremony is out of your control. It’s your job to be attentive and shoot what goes on to the best of your ability. The ceremony is the most challenging and essential part of the day, so equip yourself with the right gear and information.

Get a Copy of the Ceremony Schedule

First things first— get a copy of the program from the clients or coordinators. While every religion’s wedding may have similarities, there might be parts of the ceremony that you’re not familiar with. Thus, you need the actual timeline of the event.

When photographing wedding ceremonies, it’s your job to know how the ceremony will unfold, so that you can move to the right spot at the right time. From the processional to exchanging vows and rings to the first kiss, it’s less likely that you’ll miss moments if you’re aware when they will happen.

Clarify Wedding Traditions

As a photographer, you’ll encounter many religious and cultural traditions. You’ll need to know what to expect, especially if there are rules that you also need to follow.

Depending on regional or religious traditions, you may need to adjust your coverage so you’re inclusive of various guidelines.

A Hindu wedding, for example, may span multiple days. Meanwhile, Catholic weddings also include the Liturgy of the Eucharist or Communion during the ceremony. As you can imagine, a lot depends on the faith tradition, which is why you must be aware of key details beforehand so you’ll know how to act and shoot.

The Must-Have Shots

Whether the wedding is civil or religious, it will likely follow a general outline. What’s vital is that you capture each important aspect:

Processional for wedding party walking down the aisle
The groom’s reaction when the bride walks in
Bride walking down the aisle
The officiant’s opening remarks and address to the couple
Exchange of rings and vows
Pronouncement of marriage
Front and center angles of the first kiss (You must not miss this!)
Reaction shots of the family, friends, and guests
Recessional or the confetti-filled exit
Signing of the ketubah or other marriage contract

Group and Family Shots

Group shots may depend on the church’s policies or the client’s preferences. At this point, the couple may just want to head to their cocktail party! So it’s your job to take charge and keep things moving.

To speed things up, work with event coordinators to announce that you’ll be doing formal group photos. Aside from the official bride and groom photos, here are a few standard group images to take:

Bride and groom with the officiant
Bride and groom with each set of parents
Bride and groom with each immediate family
Bride and groom with each extended family (grandparents, aunts uncles, cousins, nieces, nephews)

By following a sequence, you can streamline the wedding portrait process. Your couple will thank you because you can save them precious party time!

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Reception

The last part of the day where most of the fun happens. Just like the ceremony, the reception is pretty much beyond your control. In general, here are key shots to remember:

Reception setup and details like table settings, name place cards, and wedding favors
Cocktail hour
Grand entrance
Toasts and speeches
Cake cutting
First dance and specialty dances
Bouquet and garter toss
Bride and groom interacting with the guests
Dance floor fun
Any additional games
Sparkler exit

Look for the Action

Unlike photographing a wedding ceremony where the majority of the guests just sit and stand, the reception lets people move more. Unless it’s part of the program like cake cutting or the first dance, the reception is filled with opportunities for you to take candid photos.

Take a step back and observe where the fun is happening. Is it on the dance floor or photobooth area? If you hear people laughing and chatting over at a table, head over to that area to get authentic smiles.

Being a wedding photographer means you can pick up on little, unexpected moments. Be on the lookout for situations that no one else might notice but will certainly make a good memory for the couple.

Don’t Forget the Composition

Some wedding photographers still struggle with composition. During your first time shooting a wedding, you might experience some common challenges.

Take an extra minute to pause and examine your composition before snapping the photo. Make sure there aren’t any major distractions in the shot. If there are, look for different angles that you can shoot the scene from instead.

Use People and Things to Frame the Bride and Groom

To give you a fresh perspective, look at existing frames at the venue. This means elements like a window or an archway that serve as the background. Architectural elements can balance the composition and add symmetry to photos.

Another great way to take creative shots of the couple is by using guests as a foreground framing device to give more context. In this way, you can also show how people react or pay attention to the ceremony.

For instance, look for the parents or siblings and capture the moment they wipe their tears during the couple’s exchange of vows. You can also anticipate the guests’ reactions when the couple is about to cut their cake!

Move Like The Wind

During weddings, one of your goals is to move–fast! Even if you need to take close-up shots of guests, do it in a respectful manner that won’t disturb or annoy people. Also, turn on your camera’s silent shutter mode if you have that function to minimize noise when you take pictures.

Practice Before the Event

Practice shooting before the big day, especially if you’ll be using a new camera or lens for the first time. Read articles or watch videos about wedding photography. If time permits, you can even go to the actual venue and take some photographs.

Tip #5: Organize Your Gear

Do you have the gear you need to make the photographs you plan to make? Maybe you want to make macro photographs of the couple’s rings, but don’t own a macro lens. Plan ahead to purchase or rent one!

Photo by EM + STEVE POGOZELSKI of POGO PHOTO

The Basics

As a wedding photographer, it’s imperative that you bring the essential gear, including:

2 camera bodies (can be DSLR or mirrorless)
At least 2-3 lenses with different focal lengths
At least 1 flash with a diffuser
Memory cards
Chargers and spare batteries
Tripod
Reflector
A camera bag to keep all your gear organized

Backup Equipment

Have plenty of memory cards (or film), batteries, and backup equipment. Even the latest and greatest camera can fail when you least expect it. Be prepared with a second camera and lens(es). Make sure this backup gear is accessible while you’re shooting – not hidden away in the back of your car. That won’t do you any good if your camera zonks out midway through the ceremony!

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Don’t Rely On One Battery and Memory Card

One of the worst things that can happen while photographing a wedding is running out of memory card space or having a battery die. This is something overlooked by beginners, which results in them scrambling during the event to charge a battery or delete photos.

You can’t ask for the officiant or coordinator to wait for you while you charge, so bring at least two fully charged batteries, as well as multiple memory cards. While it’s okay to charge a battery during an event, make sure that you still have another battery to use so you can continue with the wedding photography.

Have Multiple Lenses

Use a wide angle lens for group shots and interiors and a different one with a longer focal length for candid and portrait shots. If you can’t bring two cameras with you, your best option is to take two lenses with varying focal lengths. Practice changing lenses fast because it can save you precious time.

Rent Photo Gear if Needed

As someone newer to wedding photography, you may not have the resources yet to buy everything you need, and that’s okay! One of the cost-effective ways to shoot quality photos at first is by renting gear. To try before you buy, consider these rental solutions:

Aperturent
Lensrentals
Lens Pro To Go
Capture Integration
Borrow Lenses

Make sure each piece of equipment has a secure, designated space in a bag on the wedding day. Number your bags and pack them consistently to prevent misplacing items or leaving anything behind.

Tip #6: Research Your Locations

Your contract should detail where the ceremony and reception are taking place. Use this information to research photography policies and lighting conditions in these venues. Do an in-person walkthrough if possible, or preview the locations online if the venues are too far away for a pre-wedding visit.

Photo by EM + STEVE POGOZELSKI of POGO PHOTO

Map Out Locations and Know Time Between Them

If you need to cover weddings with multiple locations, mapping out venues and alloting travel time can work wonders. Consider traffic or unexpected delays when you move from one place to another.

Check with a GPS or Google Maps to see the estimated travel time from going to the venue for preparation, to church, and the reception venue. When being hired for photography for a wedding, the last thing you want to do is show up late because you miscalculated how long the travel time would take!

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Places of Worship

Ask venues about their photography policies! Places of worship, in particular, often have strict rules about when – and from where – you can photograph.

Communicate any restrictions to your clients well before the wedding day. If your clients’ church doesn’t allow photography during the wedding ceremony, for example, setting your clients’ expectations will prevent disappointment later.

Don’t hesitate to ask venue directors if they’ll bend the rules for you (It never hurts to ask!), but always respect their final policy, even if it seems silly to you. Your reputation will thrive or die on the word of industry vendors who work with you.

Inside, Outside, & Green Ceilings

Even beautiful venues can pose unexpected challenges – especially after the sun sets, or if there are no windows!

Photo by EM + STEVE POGOZELSKI of POGO PHOTO

How will you handle that ballroom with the green-painted ceiling? How will you photograph that dance floor on the beach once night falls? Do you know where the sun will be during that lakeside ceremony? What is the couple’s rain plan – and are you prepared for it?

Anticipate location challenges before they arise, and you won’t be panicking on the wedding day.

Tip #7: Cooperate With Other Vendors

Other wedding vendors are going to be your best partners at the event. They can either make the job easier or harder, so it’s important that you treat them with respect throughout the entirety of the event. After the event, you can continue building a relationship with them for future weddings!

Build a good relationship with vendors like:

- Videographers
- Hairstylists and makeup artists
- Florists
- Bakers
- Officiants
- Venue coordinators
- Wedding planners

Caterers
DJs and bands

Exchange Business Cards

It’s always a great idea to pass along your contact information to other wedding vendors. Of course, be courteous and ask for their business cards as well. Design a striking yet professional business card that other people won’t end up tossing aside.