I wrote this for a UK digital photography magazine recently called Digital Photographer Magazine The topic was how to improve the amateur photographers wedding photography techniques.
12 Tips on shooting more creative wedding photographs - written for amateur photographers wishing to enhance their skills at wedding photography for Onlineweddings, WeddingPhotographers London & UK, USA, Caribbean & Worldwide Directories (inspired by Bambi Cantrell).
1/ The use of the widest aperture your lens permits (creating a narrow depth of field) can create a very appealing effect for wedding photography making the background blurred and your subject in focus. Make sure you carefully focus on your subject though or you'll end up with lots of out of focus images!
Most proffessional lenses go to 2.8 but if you're not able to use 2.8 just use the widest possible.
2/ As long as lighting conditions allow it (e.g. above example) try and shoot as many shots as you can without the use of flash for giving your images a more ambient natural look. You'll need to up your ISO rating to compensate possibly but the use of flash can kill an image if it's not balanced properly.
3/ If using flash try and use a slow shutter speed e.g. 1/25 - 1/30 to make the most of ambient lighting. If your flash permits it increase the power by one stop to freeze the image movement if the subjects are moving.
4/ For flattering images of brides make sure they never have their arms bent (a slight bend is best-but not straight!) while holding her bouquet and if possible ask her to create an 'S' bend with her body similar to the way fashion models pose. Read though womens magazines like Vogue and Cosmopolitan to see how the models pose to get an idea.
5/ Try and make the most of strong architectural lines e.g.pillars for backdrops to your wedding photographs when possible. Remember if you sort out the background the foreground falls into place to create the perfect composition.
6/ If there are any interesting light patterns outisde the church or registary office you can use this to add impact and drama to your images.
7/ Camera tilt adds a sense of motion to an image; this works on some shots very well-you don't have to always keep the camera landscape or portrait format, be adventurous and align the composition lines at diagonals in the image to create impact. As with all techniques don't over do this however, 1-2 images is ample.
8/ Use Black & White film or if using digital camera you can convert certain images to B&W to give a sense of reportage style and impact. Judge the use of using B&W well-if the subject has strong colours you may want to keep the image as it is.
9/ Don't be afraid to zoom in on details like the bride and groom holding hands or as they put the ring on;close-ups of the nervous look on the grooms face as he eagerly waits his bride before the ceremony or simply a flower arrangement that catches your eye-a lot of money is spent on wedding flowers and it's nice to show the couple simple generic images that bring back memories. Some photographers take still life shots of the brides shoes or if her dress has an unusual feature.
10/ If you're shooting a wedding on a day with very strong sunshine try and move the couple/group into the shade for a better exposure using fill in flash to balance the scene.
11/ When taking pictures of the couple with their bridal car-try being creative using the windows to frame people or even jump inside the car and get a shot of the couple outside the window framing them with the window frame etc.
12/ Try experimenting taking pictures of the first dance using a very slow shutter speed giving your images a sense of movement and if possible use only ambient light to accentuate the mood.
There are some excellent wedding photography books on the market for inspiring wedding photographers. For more ideas and tips I highly recommend looking at Bambi Cantrells books (acclaimed WeddingPhotographer and member of Onlineweddings) which have been a major inspiration to me and thousands of other wedding photographers in the business. Her first book ‘The Art of Wedding Photography’ is a must have and just about to be released is a book specifically for digital wedding photography aptly named‘The Art of Digital Wedding Photography’ .
Recommended Gadgets for photographers:
1/ If they haven’t yet got one-a flash diffuser box to attach to the flash head.
2/ A stobeframe. A frame which you attach the flash unit on which lifts the flash a few inches above the lens eliminating shadows on the subject. This frame works on a hinge mechanism and enables you to move the flash for portrait shots or landscape format shots accordingly.
12 Tips on shooting more creative wedding photographs - written for amateur photographers wishing to enhance their skills at wedding photography for Onlineweddings, WeddingPhotographers London & UK, USA, Caribbean & Worldwide Directories (inspired by Bambi Cantrell).
1/ The use of the widest aperture your lens permits (creating a narrow depth of field) can create a very appealing effect for wedding photography making the background blurred and your subject in focus. Make sure you carefully focus on your subject though or you'll end up with lots of out of focus images!
Most proffessional lenses go to 2.8 but if you're not able to use 2.8 just use the widest possible.
2/ As long as lighting conditions allow it (e.g. above example) try and shoot as many shots as you can without the use of flash for giving your images a more ambient natural look. You'll need to up your ISO rating to compensate possibly but the use of flash can kill an image if it's not balanced properly.
3/ If using flash try and use a slow shutter speed e.g. 1/25 - 1/30 to make the most of ambient lighting. If your flash permits it increase the power by one stop to freeze the image movement if the subjects are moving.
4/ For flattering images of brides make sure they never have their arms bent (a slight bend is best-but not straight!) while holding her bouquet and if possible ask her to create an 'S' bend with her body similar to the way fashion models pose. Read though womens magazines like Vogue and Cosmopolitan to see how the models pose to get an idea.
5/ Try and make the most of strong architectural lines e.g.pillars for backdrops to your wedding photographs when possible. Remember if you sort out the background the foreground falls into place to create the perfect composition.
6/ If there are any interesting light patterns outisde the church or registary office you can use this to add impact and drama to your images.
7/ Camera tilt adds a sense of motion to an image; this works on some shots very well-you don't have to always keep the camera landscape or portrait format, be adventurous and align the composition lines at diagonals in the image to create impact. As with all techniques don't over do this however, 1-2 images is ample.
8/ Use Black & White film or if using digital camera you can convert certain images to B&W to give a sense of reportage style and impact. Judge the use of using B&W well-if the subject has strong colours you may want to keep the image as it is.
9/ Don't be afraid to zoom in on details like the bride and groom holding hands or as they put the ring on;close-ups of the nervous look on the grooms face as he eagerly waits his bride before the ceremony or simply a flower arrangement that catches your eye-a lot of money is spent on wedding flowers and it's nice to show the couple simple generic images that bring back memories. Some photographers take still life shots of the brides shoes or if her dress has an unusual feature.
10/ If you're shooting a wedding on a day with very strong sunshine try and move the couple/group into the shade for a better exposure using fill in flash to balance the scene.
11/ When taking pictures of the couple with their bridal car-try being creative using the windows to frame people or even jump inside the car and get a shot of the couple outside the window framing them with the window frame etc.
12/ Try experimenting taking pictures of the first dance using a very slow shutter speed giving your images a sense of movement and if possible use only ambient light to accentuate the mood.
There are some excellent wedding photography books on the market for inspiring wedding photographers. For more ideas and tips I highly recommend looking at Bambi Cantrells books (acclaimed WeddingPhotographer and member of Onlineweddings) which have been a major inspiration to me and thousands of other wedding photographers in the business. Her first book ‘The Art of Wedding Photography’ is a must have and just about to be released is a book specifically for digital wedding photography aptly named‘The Art of Digital Wedding Photography’ .
Recommended Gadgets for photographers:
1/ If they haven’t yet got one-a flash diffuser box to attach to the flash head.
2/ A stobeframe. A frame which you attach the flash unit on which lifts the flash a few inches above the lens eliminating shadows on the subject. This frame works on a hinge mechanism and enables you to move the flash for portrait shots or landscape format shots accordingly.
