So you’ve been asked to take the photos at your friend’s wedding. You’ve tried to persuade them to hire a professional, but they are happy with you. Don’t panic, they asked you because they like your style. Wedding digital photography is no different from other photography, but there are a few things you need to consider when planning for the big day.
Turn off the sound on camera – there is nothing worse than the sound of electronic beeping during a solemn moment.
Take more photos. A perfect moment will only happen once so don’t stint on the number of photos you take, this is one of the occasions where doing less is definitely not wise. And don’t automatically discard shots you don’t think is good enough. Judicial cropping or editing may capture a moment you didn’t expect. The blurred shot of the flower girl may turn out to be an artistic photo. Stand back and objectively (or perhaps subjectively) evaluate each shot for its own merits.
Make lists and stick to them – don’t leave anything to chance. Check your batteries and make sure they are fully charged. Check your memory cards and made sure they are clear of data. Take time before the wedding day and get familiar with the wedding venues and scout the positions you will be able to shoot from. Pay close attention to the lighting conditions and where people will be situated. If there is a wedding rehearsal make sure you are there to rehearse your part.
Be comfortable with the operation of your camera. A wedding is a busy event and at times a quite stressful one. There will be little opportunity to repose or re-shoot if you hesitate with a shot. One option to reduce stress on you the photographer is to have an assistant. This could be someone nominated from the happy couple or someone you organise yourself. This person can spend time rustling people into groups, setting up shots and generally keeping things moving. This will leave you free to concentrate on the wonderful and flexible shots that come from wedding digital photography.
Think about using the continuous shooting mode if your digital camera has this capability. This will allow you to capture a second shot after the main shot has been taken. Sometimes you can just guarantee everyone will have their eyes open and be smiling one second after the shot is taken – don’t miss that opportunity.
So be the non-professional photographer at the wedding doesn’t mean it will be an impossible task. Remain calm, be prepared and know your camera. The shots you take will be a treasure for the happy couple.
Read more about wedding photography digital. Vince also shows you how to make money with digital photography
