Wedding Photography, Portrait Photography, Wedding Videography, Photo Albums, Professional Photographic Studio - Sydney, Australia Ph. 02 9980 1152
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Wedding Photography Tips
This is a question I have been asked far too many times. Summit Photography has
been involved in the wedding photography industry for well over 15 years, so
thought now might be a good time to shed some light on how to get great wedding
photos.
Although certain key formalities remain, wedding photography is always changing. Most of the time we are asked for a candid, documentary style, setting very little up and capturing more of the location and guests in the photos. Couples go to a lot of time and effort to personalize all aspects of the day, so be sure to capture all this detail as it is important in the story telling/documentary style wedding photo.
There are 4 key points that you should look at:
1) Ensure you have a good quality DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) camera
2) You should have two lenses at least a wide angle and a telephoto (or zoom)
3) Create a shot list - things that are important to the couple e.g. family, friends, presents, scenery
4) Location - the better the location the less you will need to set up
5) Relax - it is very hard for the couple to relax if you can't
Camera Equipment
Summit Photography uses all Canon equipment, but any good DSLR above 10 megapixels will be fine. A lens range from a wide 28mm to a long portrait lens of 200mm is a good set up. The two lenses that make up the most part of our day are 24-105mm F4 and 70-200mm F2.8, but please keep in mind if your camera does not have a full size sensor you will need to multiply the lens by 1.5 or 1.6 depending on your brand of camera. A good flash is also a must.Planning
A week or so before every wedding we meet with our couples to talk about the day. The one thing we always talk about first is what they plan to do with the photos. We prefer to work backwards. Once we know what they expect we can then start to plan the best way to get it.A family photo list is a great idea. Get your couple to make a list of each family group because missing out on somebody is an unforgivable sin that is easily avoided, but almost impossible to fix after the fact. Some couples even come to the final meeting armed with a photo scrap book which is a great way to see what sort of shots they are after.
Location location location
The most important thing to talk about is photo location. You will not be able to pick the ceremony or reception locations, but if you are able to pick a great formal shoot location it will make your day much easier. Talk to the couple about what they like and how much time they will have.Plan a location that has good photo opportunities but also gives you enough time to get what you need. Plan to go to the location the day before at around the same time as the shoot will take place so you can look at lighting and the best spots. During the day keep your eyes open and camera ready - sometimes the best shots are the ones while on the move from one location to another.
The three R's!
Relax, relax, RELAX! If you are uptight and visibly stressed, how do you think the couple are going to feel? If you have taken the time to plan your day, you will find that Wedding Photography is one of the most rewarding jobs there is.Good luck!