WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY TIPS AND IDEAS FOR BRIDES TO BE

If having professional, memorable, and cherishable wedding photos is important to you, then hiring the right photographer should be equally as important. Creating and capturing these moments on film can be a collaborative effort between you and your photographer. This helps ensure that your wedding photos will be as amazing as you are hoping.

HAIR AND MAKEUP

Plan your makeup and hair in advance. Do not try experimenting on your wedding day, you will have enough on your mind and need not add undue stress to a joyous day. Do a trial or practice run a few days in advance. Make sure to choose a hairstyle and headpiece that complement each other. Again, collaborate with your photographer on this too. Chances are he may have some ideas and possibly he can take a few shots.

PROPS

Props is another area where you and your photographer should collaborate. He can lend his creative expertise and together you can decide on ideas. The goal of using props is to take a typical, standard photo and enhance it; taking it from ordinary to extraordinary. When ordering flowers for the wedding, pick up an extra single flower, balloon, or anything that you think might add some excitement to your photos. Not all props will be ideal for your photos, so it is important to get advice from your photographer.

ENGAGEMENT PHOTO SHOOT

An often overlooked but extremely useful affair is an engagement photo shoot. Think of it as a “rehearsal” shoot. Between you and the photographer, most likely the photographer is the more comfortable one during the shoot. The engagement photo shoot gives you time to become more comfortable being the subject.
It also allows more time for collaboration between you and the photographer. Try to get to know your photographer, and help him get to know you. Let him know what makes you happy, what makes you laugh, what your passions are – be yourself! The photos you enjoy most are the ones that capture a genuine moment in time. The more the two of you understand each other, the more fulfilling the shoot will be. This will lead to a photo that when people look at it they can feel the love emanating from it, because the emotion will be genuine and evident, instead of contrived.

BACKGROUNDS AND ANGLES

The focus on the wedding day is you, keep this in mind when thinking about location and background. Too much or too little emphasis on background can really detract from what could otherwise be a phenomenal photo. A complex background will take away from the central focus and a drab background will feel too plain. Pick a clean room or location, free of clutter and distractions. Have fun with it and try out different positions and angles so you have a healthy selection of photos.

LIGHTING

Lighting may be an area where you rely more on the expertise of your photographer, however there are a few basics to know which will save you time and possible aggravation. If you are having an outdoor wedding, 1-2 hours before sun down offers some of the best lighting. For an indoor wedding, locations with limited natural lighting from windows or dark and high ceilings should be avoided. Keep in mind, natural lighting looks significantly better than fluorescent lighting. Any professional photographer will assure you that fluorescent lights will change the way you look. Lastly, laser lights or other lighting effects used by DJs can lead to funny, albeit colourful, spots, so it is best to kindly ask him to turn those lights off for photos.

If you’re getting married, please contact me and ask for my availability! 😉