Wedding photography can be a real challenge, even for those who are already doing it professionally, because it involves almost every kind of photography. Portraiture, still life photography, action shots, travel and landscape photography, and maybe even underwater shots. You name it, professional wedding photographers have most likely done it on the job.
That said, it can be particularly difficult for beginners to cover their first few weddings seamlessly. However, it’s not impossible, especially with our list of the most fundamental tips for wedding photography.
Wedding Photography Tips:
- Get to know the couple
- Create a personalized shot checklist
- Hire or be part of a team
- Bring the right gear
- Familiarize yourself with the program
- Figure out the lighting situation beforehand
- Get accurate exposure for the bride’s dress
- Stay alert and be ready for anything
- Be authoritative and professional
- Know when to keep your distance and when to move closer
- Don’t manipulate or interfere with your subjects
- Learn from each wedding you do
Wedding Photography Tip #1: Get to know the couple
Take the time to get to know more about your couple during your initial meetings. How did they meet? How long have they been together? Do they already have children? Answers to these questions may serve as your inspiration for covering their wedding and for the story in your images.
If possible, also do their prenup photos. It will serve as an opportunity for both parties to be more comfortable with each other—a huge benefit for when the big day arrives. At the same time, it helps you figure out your couple’s best angles!
Wedding Photography Tip #2: Create a personalized shot checklist
We intentionally saved this for second, even though it’s one of the most important wedding tips out there. After all, the only way that you will be able to find time to complete your shot checklist is to first find out when you can do each of them.
More often than not, couples now hire photographers based on how well they can document the entire wedding, down to the key details. Every bride hopes to be able to look back with their wedding album many years after and be reminded of the beautiful venue set up, what the dress looked like, how happy everybody was, and a couple of other things.
Sit down with the couple at least once before the wedding and ask them what they specifically want to include in your shot checklist. They’ll probably say it’s up to you, but they’ll think about it more if you share with them the standard wedding photo list below:
- Bride and Groom Preparations
- Key Items (Invitation, bouquets, rings, dress, jewelry, wardrobe, etc.)
- Family Portraits
- Church & Venue (Empty and packed)
- Entourage
- Bridal Car & Entrance
- Groom’s Reaction
- Wedding Ceremony
- Décor & Details (Flowers, cake, venue, place cards, table settings, etc.)
- Reception (First dance, cake cutting, toasts & speeches, dance with parents)
- Entire Wedding Party
Don’t forget to get to know who the important members of their wedding party are, such as their immediate families and closest friends, so you don’t miss any of them.
Wedding Photography Tip #3: Hire or be part of a team
Needless to say, a lot goes on in weddings. It’s nearly impossible for a single shooter to cover everything, mainly due to time constraints and difficulty in multi-tasking. Couples usually go for a team of at least three wedding photographers, with at least one assigned for each of them. This way, the photographers can have required shots distributed among them and have less chances of missing a moment. You may also hire an assistant for your gear and lighting set-up. It clearly benefits you as a shooter too, as it helps you become more at ease on the job.
Wedding Photography Tip #4: Bring the right gear
Good wedding photography gear significantly increases your chances of a successful wedding coverage. Invest in the best cameras (yes, plural, because you’re definitely going to need a backup camera) and lenses for wedding photography that are within your budget, as this will greatly improve the quality of your images and your ability to correctly capture various scenes. For example, a great camera to start off with would be the Canon EOS R5, Sony Alpha a7S III, or the Fujifilm X100V to take wedding photos.
Your kit should include comfortable walk-around lenses, ideally one prime lens and one wide aperture zoom lens, that allow you to get close and walk among the guests without drawing too much attention. A good wide angle lens is also essential for group shots and for capturing the venue, while a telephoto (whether prime or zoom) is also important for instances when you need to shoot from a distance.
Another useful item is a reliable external flash that you can direct towards the ceiling for more natural and diffused lighting, if you don’t have a diffuser for it. Pop-up flashes are no-nos, as they produce harsh lighting and are hardly attractive for portraits.
You would also need a handy tripod to help you capture steadier and sharper shots.
Finally, and this should go without saying—bring extra batteries and memory cards!
Wedding Photography Tip #5: Familiarize yourself with the program
Aside from learning how to photograph a wedding, it’s equally important to know the kind of wedding that you will be covering. Some cultural weddings have different symbolisms and rituals, and you have to be aware of them so you don’t miss important moments. It would really help both you and the couple if you could also get a copy of their reception program so you know what to expect and can plan your shots accordingly.
Part of the job is to also know the schedule for the day, from the time that you have to turn up for the bride and groom preparations to the end of the reception.
Wedding Photography Tip #6: Figure out the lighting situation beforehand
If possible, visit the venue a few days before, around the same time as the actual wedding, so you can see what kind of lighting situation you will be working with. Walk through the entire venue and take note of what kind of lighting you will get in each spot, whether indoors or outdoors. This will allow you to properly prepare for it and figure out what kind of lighting equipment and accessories you may need to bring.
Needless to say, you should bring your camera and lenses with you! Take some sample shots of each part of the venue so you can figure out the best settings to work with. This should help save you some time during the actual event, as you won’t have to waste your time trying to come up with the right settings for each given lighting situation.
Wedding Photography Tip #7: Get accurate exposure for the bride’s dress
Here’s a tip that some wedding photographers might overlook: make sure to get accurate exposure when photographing the bride’s dress! If you have a very traditional bride, who most likely went with the traditional white dress, you need to remember that the white color can be tricky to photograph correctly, especially in certain lighting situations.
To help you get the right exposure that allows you to capture the brightest tone of the dress without sacrificing the necessary details, you need to learn proper metering technique.
Wedding Photography Tip #8: Stay alert and be ready for anything
When you’re an event photographer, there’s really no time to relax. You may have your shot checklist at the ready, but what makes priceless photos are often the ones that are unplanned. Be aware of what’s happening and be prepared to whip out your camera in an instant, especially when somebody suddenly bursts out crying or when the young bible bearer decides to leave the book in the middle of the aisle. Don’t just stay with the couple throughout the day; feel free to do quick shots of the guests as they wipe their tears or burst out laughing.
Remember, it’s those little behind-the-scenes moments that make some of the best wedding photos.
Wedding Photography Tip #9: Be authoritative and professional
This one may need a lot of practice and confidence. Even professional wedding photographers struggle with being in control of situations and directing people in the middle of all the mingling and celebrating. You need to learn how to be somewhat bossy and confident about taking front and center during group photo ops and other ceremonial moments. It helps to remember that you are being paid and therefore have the license to (respectfully) tell people what to do in order to get the best wedding photos possible.
It’s also important that you dress for the occasion. Ask about the dress code and wear appropriate clothes that are comfortable enough for you to walk around in, but formal enough so that you don’t stick out like a sore thumb.
Maintain a professional yet approachable demeanor—after all, people are watching. Even if your photo set is amazing, nothing turns other potential clients off more than an unprofessional photographer.
Wedding Photography Tip #10: Know when to keep your distance and when to move closer
It helps to establish your authority among other guests armed with cameras, but don’t overdo it. Unless you have to direct the party for wedding photo poses, keep your distance. This is particularly important when the wedding ceremony is taking place and when speeches are being delivered. Don’t be an annoying, hovering photographer; make use of a good zoom lens so you can capture those moments without getting too close.
On the other hand, going closer allows you to get a better variety of angles. The bottom line is, a good photographer should know when to keep his distance and when to move in for a certain shot.
Wedding Photography Tip #11: Don’t manipulate or interfere with your subjects
When taking photos of the bride and groom preparations, natural is the way to go. Let things happen organically. An overly directed shot can look awkward and fake, no matter how good of a model or actor your couple is. Of course, it helps to direct the couple, entourage, and guests to do a couple of creative or traditional poses for group shots and the photo shoot before the reception.
But unless the photos require some directed posing, it’s best to stay out of the way to keep yourself from influencing the behavior of your subjects. Allow them to do what they want to do in order to get some spontaneous candids, as they might even prove to be better than what you had originally planned!
Wedding Photography Tip #12: Learn from each wedding you do
One of the best wedding photography tips anyone can give you is to use each gig as an opportunity to learn. You’re never going to get things perfect on your first wedding gig, but you can use that experience to gain more knowledge and learn more about wedding photography. Take note of everything you did right—as well as everything you did wrong—every time you do a wedding, because as they say, experience is the best teacher. Not only will this help you improve your wedding photography skills, but you’ll also learn other things such as how to handle the initial negotiations with the bride and groom, how to act around the guests so you can get the right emotions, how to achieve tricky shots, and how to think on your feet (which is extremely important when covering events).
If you can, apply to be a second or third shooter for a professional wedding photographer to get personal tips and gain first-hand experience without being put under too much pressure.
And here’s one final bonus tip for you: RELAX and HAVE FUN. This is a celebration, after all. Don’t take things too seriously to the point where you forget that this is supposed to be a happy occasion, and just because you’re not technically a part of it, doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy yourself in the process. You chose the wedding photography niche for a reason, or perhaps even a number of reasons, and one of them is likely to be the fact that you enjoy it. Don’t take the enjoyment out of your craft by forgetting to have fun while you do it.
If you’re truly enjoying yourself, chances are, it’ll show in your final output.
