As a wedding photographer or videographer, your job is to capture the most important day in your client's lives and produce timeless memories. But with so much happening on a wedding day, it can be challenging to capture all the important moments.
We've put together this guide full of tips and tricks to help you master the art of wedding photography and videography. These tips will help you create stunning images and videos that your clients will treasure forever.
1. Plan ahead
Before the wedding, meet with the bride two times at the minimum to discuss their vision for the wedding. This will help you understand their preferences and plan accordingly. One thing you can do is share a sample shot list with them and ask them if there is anything missing that they want to capture or anything they don’t want.
It’s also a good idea to ask them to designate someone besides the bride that you can call the day of and the night before in case you have last-minute questions. If they have a wedding planner it will be them, but if not the groom’s mother or the maid of honor are often good choices.
2. Religious Weddings
Weddings have long been a part of religious life and a lot of people incorporate their religion or their family’s religion into their weddings. You’ll want to ask about any restrictions to you as the photographer or videographer if you’re shooting in a church or during a special ceremony.
Catholic weddings for example will take place in churches. These are often dark and the clergy may not allow the use of extra lighting. You’ll want to practice your low-light skills beforehand. They may also request that you not get too close to the front or move around a lot during the ceremony. Each church is different though and you’ll want to ask the couple about requirements.
Every church and religion is a little different so make sure to ask beforehand. This shows the couple that you care about them and it will help you to be respectful while you work.
3. Be prepared
You should have extra batteries and memory cards on hand in case of any technical difficulties. The night before each wedding, ensure sure that all of your batteries are charged and that the memory cards have plenty of space on them. It’s important during the busy season to be backing up your memory cards to a hard drive and the cloud after every wedding. That way you have multiple copies if you need to make space on your camera’s cards.
It’s also a very good idea to have a backup camera and multiple lenses in case of any unexpected problems. If you don’t have the budget to purchase two new cameras consider holding onto your old camera when you upgrade or getting a slightly less expensive one as the backup.
For example, If your main camera is a Sony a7III you may consider getting a Sony a6400 as a backup. The 6400 is not necessarily ideal for a career in wedding photography, but it is a good backup camera and will be able to use the same lenses.
This can be difficult when you first start, but it pays to be prepared. Having extra batteries beforehand may put you out $100, but refunding part of a wedding package because you ran used up your battery life and missed half the wedding will be much more expensive.
If you need suggestions on a videography camera, check out our blog post on the best cameras for wedding videography in 2023.
4. Get Creative with Lighting
Lighting can make or break a photo or video. In order to get the lighting right, take the time to understand the different types of lighting and how they affect your subject. Natural light can be soft and flattering, while artificial light can be harsh. Experiment with different lighting setups and pay attention to the direction and quality of the light to create the desired mood and effect in your images.
Remember that no matter what lights you may have you still need to learn the fundamentals of lighting and how to deal with different lighting situations. Youtube has some great resources for this.
5. Take Advantage of Different Camera Angles
Instead of just taking photos and videos from the same angle, try experimenting with different perspectives to add visual interest.
Make sure to get lots of Horizontal and vertical shots. Horizontal photos are better for a lot of things, but vertical shots are becoming increasingly important.
If you’re a videographer and will be making content for social media for the couple (or your own portfolio) get at least a few good shots in a vertical ratio that you can use later.
6. Don't be Afraid to Move Around
Capturing the action as it unfolds is key to getting great photos and videos. So, don't be afraid to move around a lot.
For example, if the venue permits it make sure to be moving around during the ceremony. This will make it so the pictures don’t all look the same. You might get some funny looks, but this is essential to capture the full story of the day.
7. Capture Candid Moments
In addition to posed shots, be sure to capture candid moments throughout the day. These can often be some of the most meaningful and emotional shots. They will give a sense of realism to the wedding and make it look more natural.
8. Take Advantage of Different Weather Conditions
Different weather conditions can create unique and interesting lighting effects. Be sure to take advantage of the natural light. Overcast skies often create excellent soft light so while your couple may not think it’s that great those skies will be your friend.
When it’s sunny out encourage them to make time for photos around sundown. This will make for absolutely beautiful wedding photos. If they only have time earlier in the day for photos try and take those in a shaded area. You could even experiment with foreground objects. If there are trees nearby you could try capturing the light coming through the leaves to create a fun atmosphere around your couple.
9. Use Different Lenses
A variety of Lenses can help you capture different types of shots. We all love our nifty 50s, but changing things up can lead to a more interesting final gallery.
As a general rule, wide-angle lenses are great for capturing large group shots after the ceremony or for venue shots, while lenses like 50mm or 35 mm are great for capturing details and portraits of the couple.
10. Get the Details
Don't forget to capture the small details that make the wedding unique, such as the rings, the dress, and the decor. These details will help tell the story and will make the gallery or video feel more complete.
Couples often spend a lot of time and money making decisions on these details. They may not be the pictures the couple puts on the wall, but they are details that the couple will want to remember later.
11. Work with Your Couple
Every couple is unique. Encourage them to relax and be themselves, this way you'll be able to capture their true emotions and personalities. Capturing photos that are true to them will make the pictures and videos more relatable and natural. There’s nothing like capturing a photo of a real moment that didn’t have to be manufactured.
Come Work with Us!
If you’re looking for a team to join Starr Photo & Video is always open to bringing new creators onto our team. If you’re interested in working with us as a photographer or videographer feel free to email us at contact@starrphotovideo.com for more information and our qualifications
At Starr Photo & Video, we understand the importance of capturing every precious moment of your wedding day. Our experienced team of photographers and videographers will work closely with you to create beautiful, timeless images that you will treasure forever. Contact us today to book your Idaho wedding photography and videography services!
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