Did you ever wonder what it takes to be a wedding photographer or fancied the job yourself? If you have then the following may either inspire you or strike fear into your heart so you never consider the question again! Someone once said to me that a wedding photographer has to be a clown with nerves of steel... and that’s not too far from the truth!
What I’m about to tell you is my approach to photographing a wedding... it’s not meant to be a “how you SHOULD prepare”, but it’s my approach and it’s how I like to work.
“One Month Before the big day”
Contact the couple and check that all is well and there hasn’t been any last minute changes to the schedule (which was created months in advance of the wedding!).
“Two days before the big day.”
Format all the memory cards to be used on the day and put batteries for both primary and backup camera on charge. Also charge the batteries for the flash and the backup flash (yes, backup equipment is vital!).
“The night before the big day.”
Go through a full systems check and ensure all equipment/materials are prepared;
· Batteries and memory cards in the primary camera and flash – take test shots. Delete test shots(!)
· Batteries and memory cards in the backup camera and flash – take test shots. Delete test shots(!)
· Clean lenses (18mm-200mm and 15mm prime)
· Flash equipment
· Check off camera flash equipment
· Check the Tripod is working ok
· Ensure the camera bag contains; lens wipes, confetti, hankies, mints, headache tablets, Rennie, Bottle of water (I could need a combination of these on the day!)
· Umbrellas (x2)
· Blanket/white sheet
· Sandwiches/snacks/drinks for the day
“The morning of the Big Day”
Now is the time to go through the above again and ensure it’s all packed in the car safely. I would also use the time to review the running order of the day and highlight any key points (such as special ‘Must Have’ shots).
“The Venue.”
Arrive at the venue early and if it’s a church, ensure the car is parked somewhere I can make a quick get-away before the guests! Once at the venue I'll let the Bride know that I’ve arrived and go to their room when they're ready for me.
“Picture time!”
Time to start taking those all important pre-wedding shots, which depend upon the wants and needs of the couple. This could mean taking pictures of the brides preparations, the grooms preparations or both. Either way, the day starts with a flurry of activity and it’s when the nerves of the photographer start to be tested. Personally, I love this part as it’s all about meeting new people and establishing a rapport with the bridal party.
“Show Time!”
It’s the time of the wedding and now there’s the all important ceremonial shots to capture. By this stage I’ll have already spoken to the wedding official and the wedding organiser to establish where I can stand and what shots they are happy with me taking (i.e. flash, or no flash!). The bride enters the room and the music strikes up... the time to capture those special moments really steps up a gear and capturing the emotions on people’s faces is key. So it’s important not to get lost in the moment!
Capturing all the special moments, like the first kiss is important but it’s important to capture the smaller details too... little looks from the bride to the groom, a simple smile or the touch of a hand. It’s these special moments which make each wedding individual and all the more special to document.
“The Register”
The signing of the register is always an interesting event as it offers a little time for the bride and groom to sit and relax a little as they make their union legally binding. The wedding official will generally let me know when they’re ready for some ‘posed’ shots, and it’s here where a little direction helps to get the couple looking as comfortable as possible. For me it’s also one of the first opportunities to offer congratulations to the happy couple... and always an honour to be able to do this.
“Arrrhgghhh.... Group shots!!”
Once the ceremony is over and everyone is led out of the ceremony room, or church it’s time to capture some lovely candid shots of friends and family congratulating the happy couple. Then, it’s on to the ‘dreaded’ group shots!!! Dreaded by most because of past experiences or because of pre-conceived ideas of what it’s all about. My role is to make the group shots as painless as possible and to make them fun for everyone (honest! They CAN be fun!). For me the trick is to complete the group shots as quickly as possible and this means knowing what the Bride and Groom want and who they want in which shot... it’s all about prior preparation!
“Aaahhhh... Romantic shots”
Ok, so the group shots are out of the way and the guests are making their way to the bar. Now it’s a little time with the couple to get some individual shots of them, relaxing or enjoying their first few moments as man and wife. I don’t like to stage these shots too much, as each couple and each location is individual so I look for shots where the couple can engage with each other and I am looking to capture those moments and the little things between them. This makes a picture standout and really adds depth, colour and individuality to their album.
“The Wedding Breakfast”
Some are formal, some are very relaxed. Either way the wedding breakfast is eagerly anticipated by everyone as they’re usually hungry by this time! The couple are announced into the room to a rapturous applause and I’m there to capture them entering their special meal as Mr and Mrs! It’s at this point that I leave them all to enjoy their meal whilst I go and have a well deserved Coke and a sandwich. It’s during the wedding breakfast that I get my first chance to go over all the pictures I’ve taken that morning. Basically, here’s the routine;
· In camera editing of all images taken so far (including deleting duplicate pictures or one’s I’m not happy with)
· Eat sandwich
· Change memory card
· Change battery in both camera and flash to new, fully charged ones.
· Eat more of the sandwich... finish sandwich... take a drink (you get the idea!)
“Speeches”
Once the wedding breakfast is over it’s on with the speeches! It’s enough to bring a grown man to his knees and I’ve seen some big men crumble at the prospect of speaking in front of their family and friends. Here’s my advice for anyone giving a speech;
Groom – You can say ‘virtually’ anything! Just remember to thank everyone on behalf of you and your ‘beautiful wife’.
Father of the Bride – Again, you can say ‘virtually’ anything! A few jokes about the bride growing up and sincere thoughts and wishes for the future are fine.
Best Man – (The toughest job of all!) You can say most things about the Groom, but remember that he is your friend and you should not use bad language or jokes that may offend (there may be children present!). One tip I would give to any best man, is share the speech with the Father of the Bride. If they don’t get offended then you’ll probably be ok!
I’ll take candid shots of the speech makers and the audience, looking for emotion and reaction to the sentiment and the jokes being relayed. It’s often a mix of the two which gives the greater depth of feeling of the day and I really look forward to hearing the speeches because again, they are always different and as individual as the couple getting married.
“Time to relax”
Ok, so all the formality of the day is over and it’s time for the Bride and Groom to relax with their guests until the evening. It’s at this time that I take more candid shots of people relaxing in the bar, catching up with each other. If I’m able to, I pull together small groups of friends and get some additional group shots together to add a little more diversity to the usual group shots. This enables the time between the day and evening to be used constructively and offers the Bride and Groom more than they expected.
“The Evening Guests”
It’s night time now and the evening guests are arriving. Usually to screams of excitement as the Bride see’s friends from across the room and then run over for a huge hug! Great pictures to capture now as friends and family excitedly talk about the day’s events, how gorgeous the bride is and how beautiful the venue is. As more and more people arrive, the evening is starting to buzz with excitement as the moment where the cake cutting will happen and then on to the first dance!
“The Cake Cutting”
The DJ announces the cutting of the cake and everyone (including me) makes their way over to the area where the cake is standing. I’ll direct the groom to hold the knife and place his arm around his new wife as she places her hand on top of his (she’ll have the upper hand from this moment on! J ). Then on the count of three, the cake is cut; One... The couple look nervously at the cake. Two... The cake is about to be cut. THREE... The couple cut the cake and burst into laughter! As a loud cheer erupts and cameras flash in all directions. A couple of shots of the couple kissing and even taking a bite of the cake and then it’s on to the dance floor, for...
“The First Dance”.
The final shots of the evening are generally the first dance and it’s this special moment that presents the opportunity to capture more amazing shots. The music, the lights from the DJ and the gathering crowd all make this an emotional part of the day and is such a joy to photograph (but also a challenge too, as the lighting is often very low!) . Not wishing to kill the emotion of the dance, keeping flash to a minimum is important, but I can’t miss the important points of the dance. A few changes in position allow me to capture the lights in front, behind and to the side of the couple which allows me to mix the final shots to give them a variety to chose from.
“The end of the day”
Once the dance is over I will wait for an appropriate time and then will look to bid my farewell, thanking the Bride and Groom for their hospitality and also remembering to thank and bid farewell to others I have met during my day with their family.
“Home”
For me the wedding party is over and it’s time for the hard work to begin. When I get home my routine is generally a simple one; I down load all the photos taken, onto my computer and immediately back these up to protect them. I then have a beer and toast the newly married couple! Then it’s off to bed, because tomorrow I’ll have circa 700 photos to run through and polish, so that every picture I deliver shine’s perfectly.
So that, in a nutshell is the process I go through for a wedding... It has many variations as you would imagine but it gives you an insight into the work and planning that goes into capturing those all important moments.
I'm sure you'll agree that there's a lot to think about, but I love every second of it and the day literally fly's by! Amazing :-)
