So let’s talk Photography!!!! Something I know a little about. It won’t be a super technical post, so it could be helpful to anyone with a camera.
So by now a few of you know that I did a wedding in August. I had a few hiccups, and there were a few things I would have done differently, but overall it went well.
Here are a few things that I have learned over time about approaching an event such as a wedding.
Make Advanced Preparations
Making arrangements and preparations before a session will put you ahead of the game.
Check your gear
✅ Batteries charged. Have a couple on hand if possible as well as the charger itself, just in case. I don’t have one of the large battery packs that go on the bottom of some cameras, but I would love to know how much more camera life it gets you. Let me know in the comments if you have one yourself.
✅ Memory cards are emptied. Download all images currently on your card to your computer or hard drive and then format the card. Take multiple memory cards if possible; better to have too many than not enough. I’ve forgotten this step in the past and had an awful time trying to delete single images to make space while at an event.
✅ Lenses are working. Do a quick check of the lenses that you will be using. Lenses don’t often malfunction, but I had one that did. Thank goodness it wasn’t at an event.
Talk to your client
Ask your client if there are any surprises planned, that way you can position yourself to capture them. I learned my lesson at this last event. I knew that there was going to be a traditional broom jumping at the end of the ceremony, but I did not know that the bride and groom were going to run down the aisle at full speed afterwards. My poor 14-year-old daughter/ assistant was kneeling directly in the middle of the aisle at the time. She panicked and dove out of the way with no thought of trying to photograph them.
Make a list
Write a checklist. At this last event, I had a mental plan, but by the end of it, there were a few unchecked things. What did I learn; WRITE AN ACTUAL PHYSICAL CHECKLIST!!. Don’t depend on your mental fortitude because in the middle of the event, you will inevitably forget something. Write a quick list of the key shots you need to get. For example:
Before the ceremony – Bride and Groom getting ready, candids of guests and family. Photos of the location
Ceremony- Bride walking in and groom’s expression, wedding party procession, bride and groom during ceremony (sharing sweet moments), vows, rings, kiss, exit.
Reception- posed photos of bride, groom, family and wedding party. Photos of reception area, decorations, small details, and food. Candids of the reception ceremony and of everyone just having a great time.
Capture the Moment!
Having good gear and a solid plan will get you halfway to a great session. Having good technique and good composition gets you closer still. However, in my opinion, the most important thing to master to have a great session is capturing emotion. That’s where the hard work comes in.
Don’t put down your camera!
Feel free to ignore this tip because I believe it’s my OCD talking. It always seems that the best things happen when I put my camera down. 😂。 I have serious FOMO when I do events, so my camera is always in my hand.
Wait a little
My daughter/ assistant has great technique. She can compose a great shot but at the start of the event her photos were looking a little empty. The best advice I had for her was to wait; just wait a little before snapping, especially when observing a conversation. Something will always happen like a smile, laughter, surprise, shock, or even tears. It’s easy to just snap and move on, but waiting for the moment can be worthwhile.
Keep shooting
When in a fast-paced situation, like with individuals running and dancing, photo opportunities will come to you at full speed. Be ready and keep shooting. Don’t stop to check your shots because you will miss out. Check your pics after things have slowed down.
I’ve never been a fan of using the rapid-fire mode that takes multiple photos in an instant, As fast as things are moving, I still prefer to time the action and pick my shots, but that’s just my preference.
Make the Best of any Situation
With all your planning and skill, things can still go wrong, so don’t beat yourself up over it. You have to make the best of the situation.
Equipment Malfunction
My daughter and I shot the wedding together using two cameras. The second camera’s sensor started to malfunction just about an hour into the event. It created weird distorted lines on some of the images that I only noticed when I downloaded them to my computer. For days I tried to figure out how to salvage the images but I had to discard quite a few because of it. We still had hundreds of great photos, but I was pretty upset.
Uncooperative Weather
Sometimes the weather does not work with you. We were expecting beautiful golden hour sunlight, but we got an overcast sunless sunset. We made it work, and I was able to add a bit of warmth to the images in post processing.
Bad judgement
Sometimes you will make bad calls when you planning for your event. I thought I would be fine without a flash after I forgot to bring it with me from home. I thought my lens would be low light capable enough. Thank GOD a photographer friend of mine was at the event and had a flash available to lend me. I learned my lesson that it is better to be over-prepared than under. If you think you might need a piece of equipment, then take it with you if you can.
Have fun!
Remember to enjoy yourself. Yes, it is hard work, but it should be enjoyable work. I had soooooo much fun at this wedding. From the minute I got there to when we left, it was positive vibes. The people, the ceremony, and the music were so familiar, and welcoming, I needed it.
And those are my words or wisdom . I hope some of the info is helpful. Keep on shooting and have fun doing it.
From Sandbabies to Snowbunnies. This is our Life. 