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Tips From a First-Time Wedding Photographer

So, here we go… Part 2 of my wedding recap. In this post, I am going to share some tips and thoughts from my first wedding shoot. The tips will be more high-level tips about shooting a wedding rather than low-level technical details on camera settings and lighting configurations. At any rate, I hope they’ll be helpful to any photographer thinking about shooting a wedding anytime soon.

Click on each image to see a larger version…

Preparing for the Wedding

Meet the couple a few weeks in advance

This is extremely important, especially if you’ll be shooting your first wedding. Use the opportunity to, first and foremost, set expectations. Being able to explain that this was my first wedding shoot helped alleviate alot of the pressure I was putting on myself to perform. I’m not saying you should go into the meeting telling them that you have no idea what you’re doing, but make sure they understand where you are professionally. Chances are, if it’s your first wedding you may not be charging them a lot of money. The experience you’ll gain from the experience will be far more valuable than any price you could reasonably charge for your first shoot anyway. But make sure they understand that it is your first shoot and don’t try to pass yourself off as a master wedding photographer because it may come back to bite you in the end. A manager of mine in my day job used to say “Underpromise and Overdeliver“. This is good advice. Keep that in mind when talking about the finished product you’ll be delivering to them.

Part of setting expectations is understanding exactly what they’re looking for. To do this, use the meeting as an opportunity to ask questions. You better ask them now because, on their big day, they aren’t going to want to hold your hand… Some of the questions I asked during the meeting include:

• Do you want me to photograph either of you getting ready?
• Can I visit the chapel/church/hall where the ceremony/reception at least a few days before the wedding? Who do I contact to do this?
• Can I attend the rehearsal?
• When and where would you like to do a portrait session? Before the wedding at the house? In the church? Outside the church? At a lake a couple miles down the road? All of the above?
• How big is the wedding party?
• How much of the reception would you like me to shoot? Do you want me to stay for a couple hours and shoot the important stuff or should I stay until the last person walks out the door?
• Can I have the addresses and times for all the important locations?
• How many photos are you expecting? It might be a good idea to come up with an estimate yourself because they may not have a specific number in mind. I’m not suggesting you should be trying to fill a quota but this is all part of understanding their expectations.
• Are they interested in other products from their images? Books, DVDs, a completed photo album, etc.
• How soon after the wedding are they expecting to have all the photos?

That’s just an example of some of the things you could ask. As the conversation progresses, I’m sure you’ll think of other things you’ll want to ask as well.

Go to the rehearsal

Chances are, you should be able to attend the rehearsal where the wedding party will walk through the ceremony. This is key. Make sure you pay attention to how the ceremony is going to go and, as they walk through it, take a few test shots and think about where you want to be for each step. Take notes! You can make notes about what camera settings you need to use in particular places and you can take notes on the actual events that will be taking place during the ceremony and where you will want to be for everything.

One other thing you’ll want to inquire about is lighting in the church/chapel/etc. Ask if they can set the lighting to as close as it will be on the actual day of the wedding. That way you can take a few shots, configure your flashes, and record what works best so you can hit the ground running on the big day.

At the rehearsal, it’s also a good idea to proactively introduce yourself to the bride and groom’s family, wedding planner, minister, etc. Make sure all the key players in the ceremony know who you are and not just because you’re the one carrying around the big camera. Put them at ease and make sure they feel comfortable asking you questions at any time. Just remember that, while you should do your best to accommodate everyone’s requests, the bride is at the top of your chain of command and her wishes trump everything else.

Most importantly, during the rehearsal, make sure you understand where everyone is going to be at all times and where they will be during the next step. Again, take notes. If you don’t understand what’s happening or you miss something, ask your questions now because you won’t get a chance to ask during the ceremony itself. Make sure you know where you’re going to be and what your camera settings will be for all the important parts of the ceremony… the vows, the kiss, the lighting of candles, etc. If you don’t figure this out ahead of time, you risk missing a key shot. And if you do, the rest of your shots may not matter.

The Big Day

Anticipate, anticipate, anticipate

This really goes without saying but it’s extremely important. With all the notes you took during the rehearsal, you should have no problem making sure you’re in the right place at the right time during the ceremony. Anticipation during the reception might be more difficult because things tend to be a little less regimented. But, anticipation is not just important for capturing a special moment but it’s also important to make sure you’re ready to capture that moment. If you know that the best man is about to get up and make his speech, squeeze off a few shots right before to make sure your camera and flash are set and configured for the setting. While shooting the reception, you’ll likely be moving around quite a bit and taking photos at different angles with different lighting, etc. You may be adjusting your camera more often here than at the ceremony. That’s why it’s important to not only anticipate the moment but make sure your camera anticipates the moment. Which leads me to my next topic…

When in doubt, stay with the bride

A huge part of anticipating a key shot is to always be aware of where the bride is and what she’s doing. Remember, she is really your number one customer so you must act as if you are her personal photographer. So, when you’re at the reception and you’re not sure what you should shoot next, go to the bride.

Getting to know the DJ or band

Typically at the reception, you’ll have someone (other than you, hopefully) who will always know what’s happening next. This will generally be a DJ or band since they will be controlling the music and announcements. As soon as it is possible, introduce yourself. Make sure they’re aware that you need to be present to photograph the major events. For example, in the event that you do get caught out of position, see if they’d be willing to send someone to get you and make sure you’re ready before the bride tosses her bouquet. I would even suggest giving them a few bucks before or after the event to show your appreciation.

Your photos should be memorable, not you

While your number one job is getting the shot, be careful not to interfere with the ceremony or events. People will expect that you might be standing in front of them for some things since you’re the wedding photographer, but be careful in how much you disrupt other people. Don’t push people out of the way, don’t interrupt other people, etc. If you’re prepared, you shouldn’t have to do this anyway, but be nice. Even though you are primarily employed by the bride and groom, you don’t want the bride’s best friend telling her how you almost knocked her over to get a photo. At the end of the day, I’d be happy if no one from the wedding remembered what I looked like or what I was wearing… I want them to remember the photos.

Recharge and replenish

As my photography career progresses, I’m sure I’ll be buying more memory cards, battery packs, rechargeable batteries, etc. But, just in case, never pass up an opportunity to recharge batteries or empty memory cards. If you see an electrical outlet in the coat room, recharge some batteries and come back for them later. If you have the time and space for it, bring your laptop and begin transferring photos off your memory cards so you can free them up for more shooting. This brings me to the last topic…

Have an assistant

This is a must-have, even if the assistant isn’t actually taking photos. I brought my girlfriend with me and she was a huge help! Having an extra set of hands and eyes can help in a lot of ways. Instead of setting up your laptop to and transferring photos yourself, you can just hand the full memory card to her and she’ll take care of it. The same goes for recharging batteries. Or, it could be something much more mundane, like going to get you something to drink so you don’t have to wait in line at the open bar. She could hold the lightstand for your outdoor portraits so it doesn’t fall over when the wind blows. She could even suggest poses for your subjects that you may not have thought of. My girlfriend did all of these things for me and I am extremely grateful.

Conclusion

If you plan on becoming a professional photographer, chances are you’ll be shooting a wedding at some point in your career. Shooting a wedding can be extremely stressful! That’s why I put it off for so long. I’d rather take my chances roaming around the West Bank with my camera than dealing with an angry bride. But, if you take your time to prepare and manage your customer’s expectations, you just might see how rewarding and fun a wedding shoot can be.

I hope this information was helpful… Got any other tips? Leave them in the comments!

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