There may have been instances where you were asked to do wedding photography for a friend or relative. While this may seem casual to some, to others there is a certain level of seriousness involved in taking wedding photography. Due to the wide variety of activities that take place at a wedding, wedding photography becomes very challenging, with the different lighting environments and different strategies involved in such an undertaking.
It all starts with preparation. In this field, a good rule of thumb is to prepare about two months in advance. There should be a wide period of acquaintance between the photographer and the bride and groom and a good assessment of their needs should be taken into account. There should be information on certain questions, such as how many photographers there would be or what the photographers’ preferences would be, such as portraits or candid photos or a combination of both.
Also take into account the number of guests expected for the wedding, including the ratio of family to friends. Wedding ceremony and reception locations would also be of great interest to commercial photographers. Wedding photography takes these issues into account for it to be successful.
As soon as you are able to obtain the locations, times and dates, the next logical step would be to conduct an on-site inspection of the designated locations. In the case of a church wedding, you may want to check the prevailing lighting, setting, and décor. During your on-site inspection, you may want to determine the strategic locations and positions you can take during the event for your wedding photography.
Check for limitations, such as a ban on flash photography in certain churches, which requires the use of special camera equipment. It is also important to check the reception location and its surroundings. Check the location of the podium where speeches will be delivered, the dance floor where the wedding dance will take place, and perhaps the seating arrangements for wedding guests. Through inspection, you can assess the strategic positioning for your wedding photography.
The next important aspect is the preparation of your camera equipment and accessories. It would be practical to set up the equipment you would need at least a month in advance. The first is the digital camera. It would be smart and prudent to carry an analog camera as a backup to your digital camera. Next would be the camera lenses and filters that you would need to capture the different shots.
A camera tripod would come in handy for those memorable portraits, including indoor and low-light photography. Carrying at least a couple of 1GB cards would come in handy, as you can’t imagine how many photos you’d need to cover an event like a wedding. It would also be nice to carry a portable drive with you on the off chance that you run out of space on your memory cards. A personal assistant would also be of great help to you, such as in cases where group shots are being prepared and arranged. This would relieve you of unnecessary stress.