Ten Tips for Beautiful Wedding Photography
1. Avoid Harsh Mid-Day Lighting.
Using the light reflector to make shade.
Every bride wants a beautiful sunny day for her wedding, but the sun at high noon is not your friend for your photos. The high sun puts dark shadows in your eyes and exaggerates any flaws in your skin. But, never fear, a professional wedding photographer will be prepared with several solutions:
* Move into the shade, like under a tree or overhang.
* With the sun behind the subjects at a 45 degree angle, have high quality lights, like our Quantums, which are strong enough to fight the sun and get those shadows out of your eyes, but be careful not to "blow out" the details of the brides white gown. The consumer grade flashes won't do the trick.
* Prepared photographers bring a large reflector that can be possibly used to shade the subjects. (As seen in photo)
2. Avoid Your Up-do Looking "Up-tight."
Beautiful Hair from the Front and Back.
Why spend a lot of money and hours of time on your wedding day on an up-do, that's beautiful in the back, but really looks the same as having your hair in a pony-tail from the front? Leave some looser strands on the sides and/or top. Beware though, if the only loose stands are your bangs you will be fighting your hair all day long so your eyes will be seen. If you can afford it, do a practice run with your hair dresser and see how your hair will look to the camera.
This Bride's hair is beautiful from the Front and Back.
3. Avoid Bra Indentations with Your Strapless Gown. It's just a fact of life that when you take your bra off the marks from the straps remain for a while. To avoid this wear your strapless bra while you are getting your hair and make-up done. Or, if you are lucky enough to get away without it, all the better! Being comfortable is always the way to go.
4. Hire a Photographer with a Lighting Assistant to Get Romantic Back-Lighting.
With radio controlled lighting, we can turn the external light on or off right from the camera, and get beautiful lighting effects to make your photos stand out! We always bring two photographers to be able to provide these effects. Bonus tip - Keep your veil on until after the first dance if you want the beautiful light popping though it as seen here.
Radio Controlled Quantum T5dR light is inside the umbrella to create a Romantic feel. Taken at the beautiful Flourtown Country Club.
Laser Dot ruins a beautiful picture.
5. Avoid "Light Shows" that Aim Lasers at People. A beautiful reception can suddenly look like a pending mass assassination when the DJ turns on his lights. Tell your DJ to aim his lights at the ceiling.
6. Get a Good Nights Sleep Before the Wedding. It's especially hard when you're sharing a hotel room with your bridesmaids, but make it a priority. If you feel tired, you look tired.
7. Wear Comfortable Shoes. It's really sad when the bride looks stunning, but cuts the photography short because she's in too much pain. I've had that happen after the first shot with one bride. This is your day to enjoy, you don't want your main memory to be how much your feet hurt.
8. Schedule Down Time into The Day. Running around from one thing to another is stressful. Days that are scheduled too tightly usually result in frustration. Plan everything to take much longer then you think it will. We sit down with our couples the first time we meet them and go over the timeline of the day. Most of our couple don't have a wedding planner, so we're happy to use our experience of how long things really take to help you plan your day. Everybody wants the fun candid images of their day. That only happens when you have time to have fun!
9. Schedule a "First Look" or "Reveal" and Do Your Formal Photos Before the Wedding Ceremony. Of course if your heart is set on him seeing you walk down the aisle for the first time that day, then do it. But couples who break with tradition and do the photos first have a much better flow to their day. He still sees you for that first time, but then you have a couple hours to get fun, relaxed, romantic photos. You don't have to feel rushed because a room full of people are waiting for you. Plus, you just got your hair and make-up done and haven't had time to start sweating or have people kiss you and mess it up.
10. Assign an Assistant to Help Gather the People You Want During the Formal Family Session. This should be somebody who knows you family, but not one of your bridesmaids and not your mother. The bridesmaid has to be in the pictures herself, the the mother's are hosting and have their own duties. A cousin is a great choice for this task. Give her a list of your family members that will be in the pictures and she can make sure they are "on deck" when it's time. Keeping the photo sessions moving quickly and smoothly will give you free time to have a private moment together after saying your vowels and before being bombarded with congratulations at the reception. Remember if you want photos of romantic private moments, you have to build time into the schedule to allow them to happen. When you are relaxed and having fun it shows in your pictures. This will result in beautiful wedding photography.