Your wedding day is one of the most important and special days of your life. Wedding photographs will capture the special moments of this beautiful occasion and provide you with long lasting memories you can share with your children and grandchildren, so getting the right images is key!
Take your time choosing a good wedding photographer – ask to see their portfolio of previous photographs. All professional photographers can capture a good image, but each one will have his or her own unique style so you need to find the one who takes the kind of shots you want.
Perhaps that’s the traditional group photographs – bride and groom, bride and bridesmaids, the whole family… or maybe you want some funky shots from unique angles, or ‘un-staged’ shots that capture every detail of the day as it happens, without needing everyone to stand around and pose.
Once you’ve found your photographer, it helps to give them some guidance – you’re not doing their job for them, but this is your day and you want to make sure you’ll end up with the photos you want out of it! Don’t keep quiet and then regret not getting a photo of your beautiful bouquet every time you get the wedding album out.
Here are my tips on getting the best wedding day photographs you possibly can:
1 – Plan the Photos
Firstly, you should make a list of all of the different photos you wish to be taken on the day and who you want to be included in each – give it to the photographer so they can tick them off as they go and make sure none are missed out.
Think about what specific photographs you want, for example separate family photos of the bride’s family, the groom’s family… You could plan a timeline of photos starting from the ceremony to the reception.
Also note down specific objects you want to remember – the place settings, the wedding cake, the rings, even your bridal shoes!
2 – Location, Location, Location
After doing this, you should consider the location for your photographs. You might want to invite your wedding photographer to the wedding venue before the big day so that they can become familiar with the surroundings and check out things such as where the best lighting is – all that stuff photographers know about that can be the difference between a great shot and an amazing one!
3 – Prepare for the Worst
Additionally, a useful tip may be to ensure you have a back up camera and equipment with you (or, if you have a good photographer in the family, ask them to bring their camera) so that you are prepared for worst case scenarios such as camera damage or the photographer not showing up – it’s very rare, but it has happened to a handful of very unhappy brides!
Follow these tips and you’re sure to have a fantastic portfolio of images to choose from after the big day! Why not print out your favorite one of each guest, and have it made into a postcard or folded card to send them as a ‘thank you for attending’ note?
Do you have any other wedding photography tips?
About the author: Michelle Star writes for Syl Ojalla Photography, a Windsor based photographer offering fantastic, professional wedding photos as well as fashion and portrait photography too!
Photo credit: Jill Saperstein