Wedding Photography Tips for Starters

Weddings are definitely one of the most memorable celebrations we could experience, and one good way of preserving the moment is to take pictures. Whether you’re an actual photographer, a hobbyist, or just someone who was handed with a camera to take some shots, we all have to start from the basics.

Especially if you’re still a starter, it’s easy to worry over the nitty-gritty details of wedding photography and obsess over every shot. After all, this is an important celebration, so there should definitely be no room for errors here!     

Luckily, it’s not as complicated as you think. While it may be intimidating for you, wedding photography surely can be simple. Here are some tips that starters will find helpful:

1. Be Patient

If you’re a budding wedding photographer, don’t get booked if you think you’re not ready yet. This means that you should do your experimenting and studying first before you take pictures in an actual wedding. This is not only considerate for the part of the couples, but this will also save you from long-term damages such as a tarnished name in the industry.

What you can do is learn as much as you can and develop your own style and portfolio. In this way, your clients will know what to expect and you will know what to actually do.

2. Be Prepared

During a wedding, always bring backups. If you’re still starting, this is significant because your name is at stake. That’s why you’re encouraged to bring extra lenses, camera bodies, cards, lighting, and batteries. Weddings are an important event and you don’t want to ruin this by not preserving every angle of the event.

If you don’t have all the necessary gears to start with, then what’s there to bring? This is understandable especially if you’re starting so you can try renting first. It’s totally affordable and it eliminates the problem until you’re ready to buy your own.

3. Stick to the Theme

Going spontaneous is a creative and fun way to take pictures. However, you should be mindful enough to stick to the theme of the wedding. If the couple has a Greek wedding, be a Greek wedding photographer for the day. If they’re having a garden wedding, incorporate styles that accentuate the venue.

It’s easy to get distracted during the event and some photographers even go blank when they get overwhelmed. So to counter this, you can come up with a shot list wherein you can write all of your ideas for inspiration.

4. Know the Location

Whether you’re already in the wedding venue for the actual wedding or you’re booked for a wedding photo shoot, it’s important to know your location. Doing so will allow you to use the area to your advantage, thus capturing stunning photos.

You can study the area by coming in early. Stroll around the place and imagine your models posing on certain spaces that capture your eye. The key here is to use the location to your benefit.

5. Master your Equipment

Because you are still starting, you’ll need to spend time learning your tools and equipment and knowing how to use them together. This is an essential step as you’re going to be subjected to a lot of drastic changes in either the environment, lighting, or any circumstances that would affect the way you photograph. Master your equipment by researching and experimenting. In time, you’ll figure out what will work for you and what wouldn’t.

Wedding photography and video is not that difficult to master, but it will certainly take some time. Fortunately, these tips can somehow speed up the process, so definitely give them a go.