Wedding Photography -- A Primer

Since the panic of my first wedding, I have kept a notebook of my

experiences and all the little tips, opinions, suggestions and

techniques that have been contributed by so many here at PN and from

other valuable sources as well. This list is a compilation of many

sources and is meant to be a starting point for the beginner who has

little time to prepare. Any further knowledge can be easily obtained

by doing a Google search of PN or the web, as this is only the tip of

the iceberg.

 

BUSINESS

 

Handle all business upfront.

 

Make sure your client knows your style and what you can deliver.

 

Do not guarantee a shot list, but do try to accommodate it.

 

Be honest about your experience.

 

Have a signed contract or agreement.

 

Be on time.

 

Have an itinerary.

 

Obtain theft and liability insurance, covering you in the event that

Uncle Chuck sues you for braining him with your tripod.

 

When you're ready; charge for your expenses, mileage, repairs,

profit, talent and time.

 

CONDUCT

 

Handle yourself as a professional.

 

Smile!

 

Be polite to the guests, even drunk Uncle Chuck.

 

Be nice to the other vendors--word of mouth.

 

Be excited for your customer, even Bridezilla.

 

Don't panic.

 

Don't complain.

 

Don't watch the clock.

 

Don't hit on the guests.

 

Save drinking for after the job, you will probably need a

cocktail. :)

 

CLOTHING

 

Dress accordingly.

 

Keep in mind the temperature and the fact that you may be crawling

around on the ground.

 

Bring an extra shirt if you are a "sweater" or a "stinker".

 

Contact lens wearers; bring extra contacts or glasses.

 

Wear comfortable, rubber soled shoes--quiet shoes.

 

GEAR

 

Have at least 2 of everything, 2 camera bodies, 2 flashes, 2 sync

cords, 2+ lenses.

 

A light meter is priceless.

 

Batteries--take enough for the light meter, transmitter, flash,

camera, etc.

 

Remember to recharge batteries.

 

Change the batteries in your flash before the reception.

 

Buy the best equipment you can afford.

 

Pro level cameras were made for continuous use and abuse.

 

Fast, wide aperture lenses allow you to see in dim settings when the

lights are turned "off" for dancing.

 

Know how to use your equipment.

 

Use a tripod and a cable release for anything you can't handhold.

 

Use a lens hood.

 

Filters can be nice, but are not necessary.

 

Keep it simple, an entire event can be shot with a 35-50mm lens--

remember to bring two.

 

85-100mm lens is nice for portraits.

 

Have your backup camera fully loaded and ready to go, just in case.

 

FILM AND PROCESSING

 

Use pro films.

 

Take film out of fridge the night before.

 

Fuji is considered cooler in color, while Kodak is considered warmer.

 

Keep it simple; try to shoot the same ISO throughout. ISO 400

handles various conditions very well.

 

Use a pro lab?professional grade paper, experience, color accuracy,

knowledge of pro films.

 

Allow room for cropping--a 4x6 is not proportionate to an 8x10 and

you will lose a portion of the photo.

 

Put exposed film in a safe place where it won't be lost or stolen.

 

Bring twice as much film as you think you will need.

 

Film is cheap, compared to the trauma of a missed shot.

 

Check remaining exposures often.

 

Carry an extra roll with you or near you.

 

Learn to change film at the speed of light.

 

EXPOSURE

 

Learn to meter properly; a bride in white and a groom in black will

throw off your in-camera meter.

 

Can't afford a light meter? Learn to meter off your hand, grass,

wedding dress, Gray Card, etc.

 

Learn to zone focus for the processional.

 

Learn to use available light, many ceremonies do not allow flash and

if they do, it will be disruptive in excess.

 

Check your settings frequently, but preferably after every exposure.

 

AV mode is good outdoors with High Speed Sync and it allows for your

choice of DOF.

 

AV mode may be too slow for handholding indoors as the camera will

try to properly expose the background.

 

T mode may result in dark backgrounds and the camera chooses a DOF

that may not be desired.

 

P mode will properly expose the subject, but may look "flashy", you

may not get your desired DOF, and the backgrounds may go dark.

 

M mode is best, especially inside. Set aperture and shutter speed to

match the ambient reading.

 

Outside, try to put subjects in open shade (overhead cover).

 

Learn to shoot at all times of the day and under all lighting

conditions--from bright to near darkness.

 

Try to make every shot count, don't just shoot away and hope for a

good shot.

 

Don't skimp; take a few to warm up.

 

Learn what your personal handholding capabilities are in regards to

shutter speed.

 

Shoot the shutter speed of the focal length of your lens. Example,

use 1/60 for a 50mm lens.

 

DOF

 

Experiment with these:

 

f2.8 to f4 for individuals with a nicely blurred background.

 

f4 to f5.6 for couples.

 

f5.6 to f8 for groups at 10+ feet.

 

f8 to f16 for environmentals.

 

Study a Depth of Field Calculator:

 

http://www.silverlight.co.uk/resources/dof_calc.html

 

FLASH

 

Get your flash up and over your lens with a flash bracket.

 

A flash bracket will put the shadows directly behind and below your

subject.

 

Bounce flash and proper use of diffusion can result in softer, wrap

around lighting.

 

Watch the color of the ceiling when bouncing.

 

Learn to use fill flash; -1 to -2 stops that of the ambient reading

will fill in shadows and result in a more natural looking photo.

 

Watch out for eye glass wearers, windows, walls, and mirrors that

could cause flashback.

 

To avoid flashback, get flash on a frame, shoot from below and try to

bury the flash within the body, or shoot at an angle.

Indoors, learn to drag the shutter to pick up some ambient.

 

Can you use flash during the ceremony?

 

1/8 to 1/15 for creative motion--may need a tripod.

 

1/15 to 1/30 for picking up ambient in darker halls--know what you

can handhold.

 

1/60 is generally safe, but may cause backgrounds to go dark.

 

POSING

 

Have a few posing ideas worked out for both the bride and the groom

by themselves, as a couple, and for the group shots.

 

Women should hold flowers in the "fig leaf" position, elbows slightly

bent, and 45 degree turn.

 

Men can put hands in their pockets, for group shots it looks better

to let arms hang to the side and "grab" their coat sleeves--no crotch

grabs...well maybe just for fun.

 

If it's a joint, bend it!

 

Don't say, "Say Cheese"!

 

MUST HAVE SHOTS

 

While all shots are important, don't botch the processional, the dad

kissing the bride, the groom kissing the bride, the toasts, the cake

cutting, the garter/bouquet toss, and the first dances.

 

Photograph the details and anything that costs money--the limo, the

tiara, the giant flower fortress.

 

Photograph the grandparents and other important relatives a couple of

times.

 

Photograph the bride and that dress, front and back, it's also about

being a princess for an entire day.

 

Remember that this is a once in a lifetime shoot.

 

OTHER TIPS

 

Assist a professional.

 

Bring an assistant.

 

Make a checklist of necessitates.

 

Don't tell Lorena Bobbitt jokes at the cake cutting.

 

Bring an emergency kit including gaffers tape, a Swiss Army knife,

tissues, Tums, Tylenol, deodorant...for yourself! ;-)

 

A small AA Maglight will help to check settings on older cams w/o

lighted LCD's and can be used with a rubber band as an AF assist

light in dim conditions.

 

Drink lots of water or Gatorade, bring a Power Bar.

 

Take your eye off the viewfinder and look around before moving,

backing up or stepping out.

 

If you do step on the train, fall down, or run into something or

someone?you must recover and carry on. Guess which one I did?

 

Talk to the clergy regarding the ceremony and any restrictions he or

she might have.

 

Attend the rehearsal.

 

Visit a new venue in advance.

 

Fill the car with gas.

 

Get good directions.

 

Take a cell phone.

 

Know where you put your car keys.

 

Reconsider shooting your sister-in-laws wedding or anyone else you

want to remain friendly with.

 

Bring business cards.

 

Read your manuals over and over again.

 

Do experiment and try new things, but not on important shots.

 

Murphy's Law is real, prepare for it, and learn from it.

 

THANK YOU, to the folks at PN for sharing your time and patience, I

only hope that I can help others as you have helped me. If anyone

has any other suggestions or ideas, feel free to add it, it can only

help those in need. So, what do you think? (My question, just in

case) :)

 

 

 

 

 

To which I can only add: Always deliver more than is expected,and never let the bride or groom see you shoving jumbo shrimp into your mouth.

"Obtain theft and liability insurance, covering you in the event that Uncle Chuck sues you for braining him with your tripod."

 

As a lawyer, I would note that liability insurance only covers "accidents." So, if you are going to brain Uncle Chuck with your tripod, do it where there are no witnesses. ;-)

 

Melissa, that is a good list. I might also recommend Steve Sint's "Tips, Tricks and Hint's: 101 Secrets of a Professional Photographer;" a pricey cult classic:

 

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1883403189/qid=1093545390/sr=8-1/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i1_xgl14/104-7325228-6836719?v=glance&s=books&n=507846

Wow Melisa, youve done a great job getting this started. I have only shot one wedding, a family event back in March, and a lot of these things kept running through my mind and hoping I wouldnt forget the most important ones. Of course I did anyway, but we survived the wedding and the pictures. If I had done a couple of things differently, or remembered what I was supposed to do in the heat of the moment, some the good pictures could have been spectacular (for an amateur anyway).

Melissa- Thank you for the great list! I am shooting my first wedding in a month and my mind is in overload. Your list is reassuring. These are things I've heard about but it helps a lot to have them so clearly layed out. The list will help me make sure I'm totally prepared. Thank you for spending the time helping us newbies!

GREAT job on a good list. The First wedding I shot I had a list to "study" (memorize) for "the boss" I was shooting for.

 

Every second line it said "check your settings" (we had manual equipment and I STILL shoot with manual equipment).

 

The only thing I would add is Practice Under Pressure. If you don't have a real life situation to practice with, try taking pictures giving yourself a time limit for each frame for 36 in a row. Set a timer.. or something. Get a willing BF or child or spouse.. and set a time frame including posing.

 

Again, great job on the list!

You about have it covered! I can only think of two other things. Turn OFF your cell phone before going in to the church or other place where the wedding will be held is one, the other is that idealy both camera bodies and flashes should be the same and of course all your lenses should turn in in the SAME direction to focus and change f-stops. Then practice grabbing one lens in each hand, pressing the lens release buttons with your thumbs while removing BOTH lenses AT THE SAME TIME, and putting them on the opposite bodies. That way if your body with the 35mm lens runs out of film you can almost instantly be shooting up the 27 exposures still on the roll in the camera that had the 85mm lens half a minute ago. Change to a full roll as fast as you can as soon as you get the chance.

Great checklist now all we need is a way to make this sticky so it's easy to find

and doesn't get buried in the archives.

 

C.

Good list. I am not sure about shooting 400ASA (ISO). I use 200 and carry a couple of 400's for flashless situations.

Great list Melisa. That must've taken all morning to type :)

 

<p>It's amazing looking at that list to see how much stuff there is to remember and do as if it was second nature. As part of priming, one of the most important things in my opinion is practicing/familiarizing yourself with equipment and technique to the point where these things ARE second nature. There is no worse place to start having to pause/think/second-guess than in the middle of a one-chance only shot, and getting increasingly flustered is no good at all at a wedding.

 

<p>Here's a few things that I'd add:

 

<ul><li>neckties and camera straps often do not get along

<li>watch your exposure count - don't have your camera noisily rewind and/or have to swap rolls in the middle of one-chance shots (e.g., ceremony)

<li>don't pose larger/heavier people so they look disproportionately huge in the image

<li>with standard people shots, make sure the eyes are in focus

<li>watch out for distracting elements in the background (don't put trees growing out of people's heads, or lines running through heads)

<li>watch out to not accidentally cut off heads/feet/arms

<li>if you have room, packing a white shower curtain works well for a) something to sit on if the ground is wet/dirty, and b) a big diffusion screen/reflector

<li>be polite, but don't be afraid to take control of the situation where needed

<li>make sure you have time to get some good shots of just the couple

<li>don't miss spontaneous moments - always be ready to shoot, and anticipate them

Great list!

 

My $.02!

 

Prior to the wedding, I check out the ceremony and reception location, usually attending the rehearsal. This gives me time to get to know the family, but I also scope out the Church, parking, hopefully reasonably close so I don't intefere and have a short distance hauling my equipment. I also make sure I introduce myself to any security people, if they are around, also any people like singers, cantors, lectors, choir, wedding coordinator and get to know them and that I'm here to help them.

 

Just this past weekend I did a wedding downtown Minneapolis at St Olaf Catholic Church and security let me park in a lot right next to the side entrance to the Church. I had a wonderful conversation with the Presider - Priest and after visiting with him, he gave me permission to do whatever I believe is appropriate for the ceremony. He left the decision to use or not use a flash up to me.

 

I work at getting anyone who can help me for a wedding as a part of my team for success. It usually works.

 

Thanks for the list. Can you believe we go through all of that?

 

I love wedding photography!

Thank you everyone, so happy to help. Great suggestions by all!

I was also shocked when I realized how much there is to remember and consider--took me 2 naptimes to compile and type. Keeping a notebook has been a real help for keeping tips and techniques in, I review it often.

 

Eric, of course it would be an "accident". (do you here my angel wings flapping?)

 

Capt Al, I had a Wild West theme playing in my head and a vision of you switching your lenses like you a cowboy ready to do battle. ;-) Love it and a great suggestion!

 

Nancy, you're right! Try to keep your head straight and work quickly. After a wedding, I'm wiped out from thinking one step ahead for 8+ hours.

 

I did have another thought stemmed by the quiet film rewind suggestion, some have mentioned liking the noise of the rewind so they don't open the back prematurely. I had a film exposure recently and there's nothing more sickening, fortunately I only lost a frame!

(Murphy--always lurking)

 

Take Care.

Always test all of your synch cords before each job. This INCLUDES brand new bought-'em-yesterday synch cords still in the box or blister pack! Even brand new ones can be duds! Straight cords hold up much better than coiled cords.

I've been doing weddings for 15+ years and your list is priceless. May I make a copy for my personal use.

 

You've got this nailed...my blessings for great success in this endeavour.

OOH I have another to add, for ladies never where just a bra with

a blouse, no matter what color, being that we are sometimes

acrobats a button could fly off, so I always where some sort of

supportive tank underneath instead.

Thanks Todd, that's exactly what this list was meant for, print away!

Oh my... I wish I had this list months ago! Beautiful job, Melissa...

;) mary

I really appreciate all of the non-camera things that can get lost in the back of my mind

when I'm mentally preparing for the day, like the gas, keys, food, etc. ;-) I hope we can

keep adding to this list! Scouting locations is invaluable to me- it's so much more

relaxing when I know what is going to happen where and when as well as being able to

plan great portraits with available scenery. Thanks for the post!

nice post.

 

Tahnk you for the nice copilation of tips.

 

"Shoot the shutter speed of the focal length of your lens. Example, use 1/60 for a 50mm lens"

 

"Learn to zone focus for the processional."

 

could any body be so kind to elaborate on this 2 points ? Please

To zone focus you need to set an aperture you wish to shoot at, say 5.6 for the procession with a 50mm lens, then you manually set your focus point for say 15 feet away. Some lenses come with a distance scale, but you can use a pew or a person to focus on too. In this example, anything from 12-21 feet will be in focus. No oops with the auto focus, just wait til they hit your sweet spot. You do have to have some knowledge of DOF with different lenses if you do not have a DOF scale on your lens. Note the Depth of Field Calculator link--really helpful.

 

To avoid camera shake, handholding shutterspeed should be equivilant to the focal length of your lens. It's a safety measure, many can handhold shutterspeeds well below, but it's safest to stay close to the focal length of the lens. I shoot no lower than a 1/60th with my 85mm and 1/30th with my 50mm.

 

Take Care!

Got it!

 

Thank you.

 

that Zone focus sounds as if you have to really practis is so you get good at it and also seems like it is a very valuable skill to master.

For zone focusing,try a 35mm lens at F8.Set to about 10',or hyper focused to allow 5-15' in focus.This "zone" covers a myriad of hard to focus wedding situations.

Melisa

 

Thanks for putting this so succintly for those who want to start, and even those who have been in this business for many years.

 

Thanks

Melisa, thanks for the WONDERFUL list! I'm going to print it and carry with me at all times! Another little something for newbies like me to remember is to be sure the groomsmen's boutineres are in place before shooting any pre-wedding poses of them, or you'll have to do it all over.