Imagine the doors open, and thousands of people start pouring into the venue. Glaring lights. Loud music. Even louder guests. What do you do? Where do you start? You see the groom waving from afar and he is now walking fast towards you. With the right planning and know-how, a wedding can actually be a great arena to grow your photography portfolio. Here are some tips to guide you along. 

#1 Get to know the couple.

This is first on the list because it’s the big one. It’s all about the bride and groom. Knowing them better would help you fully understand their needs and preferences. They will also be more likely to open up to you. Comfort is what brings out the best photos!

#2 Understand their photography style.

Position yourself to capture that exact theme. This way, every shot will be a close reflection of the couple’s personality – this should be the key goal of every wedding photographer.

#3 Know who’s invited.

Knowing all your guests lays the foundation for a successful shoot. Recognise the important faces, know their names and remember where they are at any given moment. Your ‘spy-like’ awareness will pay off when you find yourself at the right place and time for that perfect shot.

#4 Scout the venue beforehand.

Get a sense of the event space. Work out possible angles and strategic placements that hide you from the limelight, yet right at the centre of all the action. The early photographer always captures the best moments.

Check out location inspiration HERE

#5 Make a photoshoot list.

Having a battle plan will serve you well when the wedding kicks into high gear. Memorise the wedding sequence, and where you should be at each segment of the event. Take note of every special request by the couple and weave it in your photoshoot.  

#6 Take as many shots as possible.

The last thing you need is the lack of choices. The more you have, the better your choices during the editing stage. Make full use of Continuous Shooting Mode, as it allows you to get most of every moment. Use this mode to capture all the important moments, like the confetti throwing, the ring exchange or other candid moments.

#7 Always shoot in raw.

Speaking of the editing stage, shooting in a raw format would make editing a lot more efficient and true to what you’ve captured on the event day. When you shoot RAW images, you have a better control on how the images should look. Shooting during weddings, where things are moving very fast, can result in over or under exposed images. With RAW shooting, you can easily correct the images without compromising the quality.

Here are some useful techniques for in-camera RAW image processing.

#8 Be on the move.

Stay at one spot and all your photos will look the same. Make your shots more dynamic with different angles and backgrounds, taken from different spots around the venue.

Tip: Be creative and aware of lighting conditions during the ceremony as you need to move around, put your cameras in Shutter Priority Mode to prevent blur images.

Learn more about camera basics to brush up your photography skills.

#9 Look like a pro.

Make it all about the work, all about serving the couple well through your photos. Every guest is a potential client. So, make a lasting impression and look the part. 

#10 Partner up!

You don’t have to cover the event alone. With other photographers situated at different spots of the venue, you’ll have more freedom and time to focus on each shot. No more rushing here, there and everywhere. You can be still and wait for the perfect moment.    

If you are interested to start a business in wedding photography, check out this article for some basic knowledge.

You can download a copy of this infographic here.

 

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