Most wedding pose mistakes come down to the couple acting stiff and unnatural. That’s why wedding photographers and videographers tell the couple to pretend they’re not there—but that’s easier said than done. So what are some easy fixes to pose naturally with cameras snapping? close-eyed kissing: kissing with open eyes is hardly natural, but couples nervously adopt this style on the wedding day. The photographer should remind you about this, woodruff says, but when in doubt kiss naturally. Too much kissing: that said, it’s not a make-out session. “we want neat and clean kisses,” woodruff says. “also, turn your head enough so you’re not squishing your partner’s nose in.

When you and your guests are eating is the one time in the wedding day that most photographers will put their cameras down and take a breather. We find that no-one looks their best with a mouth full of food! your photographer will really appreciate a meal too! they’ll be running around, capturing tons of beautiful images of your day and its hungry work! if they need to leave your venue to find something to eat, they may miss a really important part of your day—like the speeches. It’s also usually best to serve your photographers first, so that they will have finished their meal by the time the speeches begin.

Basically, as little as possible, but enough to cover all eventualities! confused? i know. But don’t worry, what we mean is travel as light as possible. You’re going to be on your feet for hours, so you don’t want heavy bags, check out the weather beforehand so you’ll know if you need to take provisions. Try to borrow or rent a backup camera (something you’re familiar with) in case the worst should happen during the wedding – it’s rare, but not implausible. Compact cameras are in truth, useless for weddings, they will not operate fast enough to capture all the fleeting moments of the day.

Whilst having pro dslrs is helpful for the majority of shots, it can be very useful to have a smaller camera along in addition to help with candid shots. Some of the newer mirrorless cameras, such as the fuji x range , provide high quality shots in a far more compact body, helping to make you more unobtrusive.

9. Consider bringing a second wedding photographer

Your wedding day team matters! having the best wedding photographer doesn’t matter if you don’t’ get any time with them. Hiring a great coordinator, florist, and venue will all help your day run as smoothly as it can. The best wedding photographers, planners and florists book up quickly, so it’s important that you book early. Most photographers book out a year in advance or more. Closer to your deadline than that? no need to fret, there are plenty of vendors that will travel around the country for your wedding. Look into destination vendors, bringing in a photographer or planner from another state won’t typically cost much more (if any) than a local vendor, and sometimes with better results! vendors also flock together, so be sure to ask for recommendations.

11. Learn how to use diffused light

You can still be creative in the harsh midday sun. This tip is appropriate for all forms of photography , but at weddings, it’s all the more important. Obviously, you have no control over the weather on a wedding day, but that doesn’t mean you can’t use light to your advantage. Learn how to create shade on the face of your bride at high noon during bridal portraits by angling the groom to block the harsh light. Learn how to find diffused light under the tree canopies, or how to use directional light to create depth and contrast. Position bridesmaids near window light during their hair and make-up preparations, or if all else fails, use the make-up artist or hairdresser’s ring light for a diy glamour shot!.

Having the best camera equipment is very important in being a professional wedding photographer. You need a full frame dslr or mirrorless system that can handle everything this type of event can throw at you. There are many different styles and locations you will photograph. The camera you will use may need to change at a moment’s notice. That means offering the ability to work in high iso and full frame sensor size. Having great focusing points will also help. Shooting in raw is a necessity, as this will give you more play when it comes to editing. Your system needs to be able to deal with different lenses too.

Photography, like any art form, can vary immensely from artist to artist. It’s up to you and your fiancé to decide which artistic style you like best, and let that heavily influence your decision. Are you drawn to fine art photography? these photos tend to have more muted colors, less contrast, more brightness and cool tones. You’ll tend to see more posed, “still life,” artful shots. Often, fine art photographers use film to help achieve this distinct look. Because film has been around for generations, these photos will definitely stand the test of time, but film is also more expensive to shoot and requires a different skill set than digital photography, so you can expect to pay more for someone who incorporates film into their work.

As you gain experience in the wedding industry you’ll start to recognize the different styles. And as i mentioned earlier, your style will impact your brand and thus the clients that you choose to serve. That’s the shift, choosing to serve certain clients. If you landed on the “wedding details suck” end of the spectrum then you might be looking for a different client than the photographer who is definitely going to shoot all of the pretty details. Wedding photography styles vary and there’s a wide range from the traditional posed and planned to the raw photojournalism. There’s also a variety of editing styles, posing styles, and more.

Take advantage of your camera's raw file capabilities. Any underexposed or overexposed shot can be saved if you shoot in raw. This is no time to make a mistake but if you do, you will be glad you have the file in raw format when you go to edit. If your camera doesn't shoot raw or you simply don't want to shoot in raw because it makes things more complicated, you'll be fine with jpeg images. But just know that a raw file is going to give you more latitude in editing if you plan on doing any post-processing to your images.