One thing i always hear photographers saying is ” its not the camera that takes a good picture its the photographer” now while i agree that photography skills are the most important factor for any photographer limiting yourself to low standard equipment is never going to you get the result you and your clients are looking for. As a professional wedding photographer you are going to need the right equipment to do the job at hand to the highest standard possible and while some of the cheaper models can do a good job, is good really enough?

Your camera.

Ok so the hundreds of extras on professional SLRs these days may be a little bit of overkill but there are also many aspects of a pro body that are simply a necessity with the modern day expectations of a wedding photographer. Most of all is the ISO capability. Many venues are poorly lit, dark places that do not allow the use of flash and often you will find your self stuck at the back just to make life a little harder. Sometimes the only option is to boost up the ISO and you really want to be able to push the camera to very high ISOs to handle the low light without losing quality. While you may get lucky with a body that can barley handle ISO 800 at a few well light venues or nice summer weddings when you are stuck in a big dark church 50 yards away from the couple you will wonder how you ever managed with your consumer body.

Your Lens.
The glass on the front of the camera can be one of the most important investments you make. Not only does a fast lens such as the Nikon 70-200 f2.8 also help you out in the low light situations just as much as the ISO handling but the supper sharp images are somthing you will never get with a cheap lens.

Flash
The fact that even some pro level SLRs (such as the Nikon D700) still have pop up flash confuses me. Why would any pro photographer even consider using the on camera flash? A good external flash gun is a must have accessory for any wedding photographer. Its all about the control, meaning you can direct the light, set the power level and even take it off camera to get exactly the results your looking for.

Know your gear. Just having the right gear is all pretty worthless if you dont know how to us it, and the wedding day is not the time to learn. Master all your equipment before the day so you can get the most out of what you have.
The best results mean the full package and that means Photography skills, personality and the right equipment to reach your full potential.

If you are going to break into professional photography then your equipment is going to be a very substantial investment. Everything from SLR bodies to speedlights are not cheap and the last thing you want to happen is to have to replace items due to unnecessary damage or carelessness. That is why protecting your equipment is always a priority and there are some simple steps that can be taken to help your camera equipment stand the test of time.

Your camera bag.

A good bag for your equipment is a great place to start when looking for camera protection. There are so many bags on the market to choose from but the important thing is finding a bag designed for photography. These bags should have specially designed compartments and padding to hold your camera, lens, flashguns and all other bits securely without them moving around in transit. When looking for the right bag for you find one that has enough space for everything you have and a bit extra room for any new gear you may buy. Trying to squeeze 2 bodies and a range of lens into a small shoulder bag is only going to result in damage.

The bag I use is the Lowepro Pro Runner 450AW. This is a large rucksack type bag that has room for me to carry 2 body’s and several speed lights and lens with me. I even carry large items such as my Nikon 70-200 f2.8 without any problems at all. The padded dividers inside the bag can be removed and reworked to fit your specific needs and it even has a very safe lap top compartment on the back and a tripod or stand holder on the front. The bag is extremely comfortable and I have even used it on long walks with a heavy load without any back problems. The only down side I would say to this style of bags is fact that you cant get things from it on the move like some top loading shoulder bags.

The Lowepro bag is not the cheapest but is very good quality. There are cheaper versions and smaller versions such as the amazon basics bag, great for shoots involving less gear or for those on a budget.

Filter your lens.

This is an issue that has photographers in disagreement time and time again. To filter or not to filter that is the question? Well if you care about your nice expensive glass I would say get a filter on there every time. A good UV filter will have no noticeable impact on your images at all yet it keeps your lens clean and scratch free. If you do damage the end of the lens simply get a new filter.
Filters come in a range of prices and I would say get the best one you can afford. Don’t forget top make sure you get the right size for you lens.

Tripod and stands

If you going to be leaving your camera on a tripod or lights on a stand make sure you get a good one. The key really is the heavier the better. The only problem with that is when you’re using a portable setup and need to keep things light. I use a Manfrotto 055CXPRO4 this Carbon Fibre tripod is great for using on the go but is still very sturdy.
The same goes for light stands, I am forever fighting between the benefits for lightweight and stability when using off camera flash. I can tell you now that when shooting without an assistant its not uncommon for a light stand to go crashing down. If you can get your self a sandbag for the light stand like the one from Walimex below. Fill it with sand or some stones and hang it over the legs of your stand. This will add some weight to the bottom and stop it from falling over.

 
Insurance

I am thankfully not an insurance salesman’s so I am not going to give advice on where to get your insurance or what you may need. However if worst case something does happen the right insurance policy can be there to save the day. Make sure you do your research look at everything that is covered and to what sum. Also look at your excess amount as if it is more than the value of you most expensive item it would be a worthless policy to you.
So what’s my point?
I have to say I am a very clumsy photographer, I am also very well know very putting my gear through its paces and abusing it to its full extent. Even for the most carless photographer a few simple steps can stop unnecessary mishaps and save you money.

Being photographers easy these days right? Cameras do all the work so all you need to do is turn up switch the camera on and press the button. …Or maybe not.

Ok so modern cameras do a pretty good job when in fully automatic or programme mode but if you really want to produce professional images in you need to learn how to use the manual setting.  This means having an understanding of Shutter speed, Aperture and iso to really start shooting like a pro.
If you are thinking about professional photographer I will assume you have a basic understanding of how to use a digital SLR camera but you will be amazed how many people who call them selves professional never take there camera out of auto.

The problem with going manual is that if you don’t have your settings perfect you can end up with an image that is unusable and end up getting exposed as a low level photographer. Without a basic understanding of the different settings and how to use them for the effect you want don’t even think about charging for your services.

ISO
The ISO speed is the same as then ISO speed used on film, this describes how light sensitive the film is. It’s just the same with digital the higher the ISO , the more light the sensor can pick up. For example in low light situations such as a dark church you may need to set your camera to an iso of 800 or more, well exposed image.

This also produces “noise” and the higher the ISO speed, the more “noise” in the image and the lower quality the image will be. For this reason aim to use the lowest iso possible for the lighting conditions.

Shutter Speed

The shutter speed is simply how fast the shutter opens and closes when you press the button. The faster the shutter speed the better the camera will freeze the action but allow less light to enter the camera. Slower speeds will produce blur but also allow more time for light to enter the camera. the shutter speed also affects the amount of light that hits the sensor.

Aperture
Understanding aperture can seem very complicated at first. The aperture is adjusts the opening in the lens that controls the amount of light that can enter the camera. The aperture setting is described in f-stops with the largest opening having a smaller number so a wide open aperture is going to have an f-stop of around f/1.4.

The aperture setting not only affects the amount of light entering the camera but also when it really helps with producing profusion images is its effect of depth of field. This is the amount of the image that is in focus

As with everything in photography the key is practice. Spend some time behind the camera in manual mode and try the different settings available. It may take time but you will need to fully master these before you think about taking the plunge into professional photography. Leaving your camera on auto will produce nothing more than anyone else could with a good camera.  Switching to Manual mode will give you full control of every aspect of the image and means the result is truly your vision or your clients brief not simply a lucky shot that the camera has produced for you.

Be a true pro, switch to manual and master your settings before you take the step into professional photography.

For the bride and groom a wedding day is the one of the most important and often most expensive days of there life.  All that time and effort is put into one day and when it’s all over only one-thing remains and that is there photography. The wedding album may be the key to their lasting memories and money they spend on their photographer is an investment into these memories.

Wedding photography can be very stressful and lots of hard work. The first thing to decide is whether you actually want that responsibility. Maybe you’ve been asked to photograph a friend’s or family members wedding or maybe you have been booked by a bride looking for a cheap deal, or maybe you are taking the steps towards starting your wedding photography business. Either way this is the time to take a step back and ask you self if you are really ready to shoot a wedding day.

As I have said in previous posts experience is the key. Even the greatest landscape photographer mall fall to pieces at a high paced wedding or find it hard to handle difficult situations with only one chance to get it right. Nothing beats hands on wedding experience such as being a second photographer or assistant. It may be hard to get that big break with a photographer but keep trying and maybe go out of your area and you will find someone willing to give you a chance. Its better you make these mistakes then rather than when you are the sole photographer expected to deliver the results.

While many people will say that the equipment you have does not matter and it’s your photography skills that produce the images this I am afraid is not always the truth. Weddings are often shot in low light for example or even from a distance if the church only allows you to shoot from the back. For this reason having equipment that can handle all situations and still produce a great result is a must have. Don’t forget as well that you need to be able to shoot in the case that your camera breaks so everything needs a back up.

This all works on the flip side to. The term all the gear and no idea come to mind when I speak to many photographers. Don’t think just because you have a fancy camera it’s going to do all the work for you. You need to master the features of your equipment to take full control of the results.

The answer to the question “Are you sure your ready?” can only really be answered by you and your client but if you are not sure then don’t risk the bride and grooms big day and also don’t risk your future reputation and career as a photographer. One mistake could stay with you for years.

The main things to think about when taking on a wedding.

Do you have a high quality camera such as a dslr?   Cheap consumer SLR just won’t do, as you will need something that can handle high ISO. I recommend something like the Nikon D700 as a good starting point.

Do you have a backup for all equipment?  Backup is not only needed for your camera body. You need to think about what you will do if your camera breaks, flash fails or memory cards corrupt. Double up on everything.

Do you understand how to use flash?  People who say they only like using natural light say so because they do not understand how to use flash. Flash be it on camera or off camera may be one of the most important skills you learn especially in the main wedding season when the sun is bright.

Do you have insurance? Business insurance for a photographer is a must have. Many wedding venues will not allow you to work unless you show them your public liability insurance. Get it in place first.

Do you have a contract? Having a contract in place is the single most important part of any wedding. This sets out what is expected from both you and your client. Failing to have this agreement in place cannot only end up costing you money but could also end up costing your reputation.

So Are you sure your ready?

I am sure you have all heard people telling you to only shoot outdoors during the “Golden Hours”. This is the first and last hour of sunlight in the day. The sunlight during this time produces soft warm hues, as oppose to the overtly harsh tones you’d find during midday.
This is great in practice but as a wedding photographer we don’t have the option to dictate when we shoot, as we have to work around the wedding schedule. This often means we are shooting in the middle of the day and even in direct sunlight.
Shooting in direct sunlight can (if we don’t get it right) can lead to images that have high contrast, blown out highlights, lens flare and most of all terrible shadows across a subjects face.
So how can we get around this problem when we are often forced to shoot during this time?
Here are a few very simple tips to solve this problem during a wedding.
Use the shade
With most weddings it’s pretty easy to find some shade. Especially for bridal portraits or smaller groups. This has to be your simplest option and it may sound obvious but I have seen many photographers at work who all think that being in the sun is always the best option. Finding an area of shade should mean the sunlight is much more even and easier to control.
If you can’t find an area of shade you could always make your own shade
This can be pretty hard to do for larger groups or multiple people but for some shots you can always create some shade. Hold up umbrella to block the sun or even a large piece of card.
Pick The Time of Day to Shoot
OK many parts of a wedding it is impossible to choose when we shoot but that does not mean we cant plan the most important posed shots for a time of the day with better available light. Try and shoot your portraits of the bride and groom during the golden hour.

During the Golden hour the light is low on the horizan with warm soft tones. This image was taken using natural light around 20 mins before sun set.

Using Filters
Filters are not something I use often myself but sometimes a filter can be handy when shooting in bright sunlight. A polarizing filter will help cut down on reflections and reduce the light getting into your camera to let you use slower shutter speeds and smaller apertures if you’re looking for more control over these elements of exposure.

Using Fill Flash
Often photographers will use flash only as their main light source for when the image is too dark. Fill flash is actually simplest way to use flash and to correct the problems caused by harsh sunlight. Fill flash will lighten the shadows while the main exposure will be set to the ambient light.
In order to maintain the ambient light as your main light source you will want to set the flash output so that it only illuminates the shadows rather than acting as the main light. This will vary depending on how bright the sun is. With some cameras you may be limited to using a shutter speed of 250, which can result in over exposure in very bright sunlight. Modern SLRs such as the d700 combat this problem as do off some triggers such as the pocket wizard flex and mini.

This image was taken in direct sunlight with no shade. An sb800 was used on full power with a small softbox to fill soften out the shadows.

Backlight
Many photographers have been trained to put the sun behind them when taking a photograph so that your subject will be well lit. Shooting into the sun alone can result on dark subject or a silhouette – but at times it can be used to gain great results. Back lighting can work particularly if you use a flash to light the main subject while the sun acts as a natural rim light.

This image was taken using a combination of backlighting from the sun and a large silver reflector to light the face

Use a Reflector
A reflector works in very much the same way as fill flash does only by bouncing the light up onto the face and filling the areas that are shadowed. Again this works great when using the sun as a back light and in areas of shade.

Change Your Position
When shooting a wedding it is often impossible to move your subject or even interfere with the subject in anyway. There are even some occasions when using flash is not allowed. IN this case simply but moving around can give a very different impact on the image.

Correct Metering
Direct sunlight makes correct metering hard work. In these conditions and when using a DSLR spot metering on the main can work well. Alternatively pick a mid-tone area to meter from if you want everything to be exposed relatively evenly. The great thing about digital photography is that you can Check your shots right away or use the histogram. If you have the time its good to take a few shots with various settings to make sure you have it spot on.

Get creative.
Why not take full advantage of the light and get a little creative. Shoot silhouettes, use flairs, and play with shadows. Remember with photography its ok to break the rules sometimes if the shot works.

Written by Andy Warner-Simpson. Wedding Photographer Milton Keynes

Weddings can be a stressful day for any couple and it is often the job of the photographer to eliminate many of the logistical problems from the day.  The key to this is to communicate with the couple or wedding planner in order to have atleast some type of strategy.  While many experienced photographers will prefer to take the day as it comes this does not mean simply winging it and hoping things work out.  Knowing whats happening, when its happening and where can have you prepared for the day and not feeling rushed when the moment comes.

Not having a shot list

Create a “Shot List” with the couple. This does not mean a list of each and every single shot you are going to take but at least the important must have shots.  This will avoid the possibility of the couple being disappointed that they did not get a shot with there favourite aunt Mary who travel 500 miles to be there.  Its also a good idea top ask an usher or family member to have a copy of the list so they can help you find people you don’t know.

Not getting to know the bride and groom

One of the most important things for any photographer is to ESTABLISH A RAPPORT WITH THE BRIDE AND GROOM, So that they feel comfortable with you and so that you know how they will pose. A great way to do this is to have an engagement shoot or pre wedding shoot.  Not only is this a great selling point for your package but it gives you a chance to learn how to communicate with the couple and build a level of friendship and trust.  Spend this time not only getting some great shots   and building a buzz for the couple but getting to know there sense of humour and learning just how to get the most from there photography.

Being under prepared

As with any other job it is important as a photographer you COME PREPARED. It goes without saying that having the proper equipment needed for the day is vital. While a great photographer will still get some good images with basic equipment it is important you do not have to be hit with the limitations of your camera or other equipment.  Fast lens are a must have for any wedding photographer. Often you will be dealing with very low light situations without the use of flash and the right lens can really be a life saver.  This also goes for a tripod, while I do not use a tripod for much of a wedding in a dark church it can really make the difference to the final result of the images.

Not having a backup

Always bring a BACKUP CAMERA. I have heard from so many photographers who do not carry back up equipment with them at weddings. When asked what they would do if there camera broke most simply reply that its never going to happen to them, The problem is it does happen and at some point in every photographers career it will happen and being able to carry on regardless is vitally important. How would a bride feel if an hour into there wedding your camera broke and you couldn’t carry on shooting.

Rushing the day

RUSHING usually results in bad composition and silly mistakes. With everything going on it can be very easy to try and rush a shot to save time and forget the very basics of photography. Bad composition could mess up a great shot and result in mediocre or unusable photo. Often these moments cant be recreated and are forever lost.  Take your time with your shots and even ask the bride and groom to provide you with enough time to work . Don’t forget the basics of lighting, comostion and exposure – sometimes this takes time.

Sure, they might grumble that your taking them away from the party, but the Bride & Groom will thank you later when they see the results.

Undershooting

Now I am not saying you should take 20 shots of each pose or 5000 shots from one wedding but in the digital age you are not limited to the amount of frames on the film. Bring plenty of memory with you and shoot away. Once you have all the elements right then take a few exposures and pick the best one later.

Being Negative.

The wedding day is a happy day when everyone should be having fun. For a photographer it can feel stressful, maybe the couple have not set enough time for group shots or an uncle bob keeps getting in your way, no matter what is getting to you always stay calm and stay positive. Tell the couple what a great day you’re having and how well they are doing. Any negative attitude will put a downer on the day and reflect in the photos.

Going Solo

Ok so shooting a wedding solo is doable. Infact it’s totally fine and some photographers will always do this. However having an assistant even if just to hole lights and carry great will make your life so much easier.  Choose an assistant that understands your work and how to use your equipment.  This way when your setting up group shots they can be getting your lights ready or vice versa.

Slow turn around times

This is especially important for photographers who rely on reprint sales for there income. After the wedding there will be a buzz of excitement. Strike while this is still fresh. I try and proof all of my weddings no later than 2 weeks after the date if not sooner. This way when the guests see the images they are still thinking about what a great day they had.

Not keeping up with trends.

Wedding photography trend are always changing and as a photographer it is important you keep up with fashion. This does not mean totally changing your style just adapting to the customers needs.

I am sure there are plenty of other common mistakes that wedding photographers make. Feel free to share them in the comments.

As with any business most wedding photographers start out small. Many will have full time jobs and try and juggle their photography as a second job while still paying their way with their day job.  While this can be a great way to start there is only so far this will take before you have to allow your business to grow.

Growing any business takes time; nothing will just happen over night and it certainty wont happen on its own.

Never stop growing

From the moment you start your business you should always be growing. Each client you speak to each image you take each job you do means growth for your business.  Sometimes you may feel your business has not moved forward but only looking back can reveal the true growth. With each shoot your photographs will be much better, your contract will be better prepared, and the you will gain a better knowledge with every bit of experience.  While it is important top plan for the future spend some time to reflect on the past and see just how much growing you have done.

Attracting the right type of client.

Many photographers at the start think they need to settle for any clients they can find. And often do this by setting their prices low and undercutting the established professional. While a competitive market is important if you start out with a type of client interested only in price you will find that standard of clients continues. The ideal client for every business is not always simply the one who is willing to pay you if you want to grow.  Finding the type of clients that are booking you for your photography and not just your price will mean more future referrals and repeat business; these referrals will hopefully also be quality clients and create a snowball effect of quality referrals.

Pleasing the modern day client.

Clients have changed over the years. What one client wanted a few years ago is totally different to what a client wants today and it is important you keep up with the trends. For many people prints and canvases are old news and all they want is to share your images on facebook. Refusing to follow this trend could simply lose you sales. Also choosing to not protect yourself against this could end up with your images being stolen. If you can work current trends into your business model and even make it work in your favor you sure to not get left behind.  One example would be selling your sittings at a package price that includes low-resolution images for facebook. You may even want to watermark these or tag your own facbook in these so all their friends check out your page. What ever you do you still need to be making a profit so make sure you charge the right price for this services and don’t sell yourself short.

While todays trend is facebook who knows what it may be tomorrow so its your job to keep up with what clients want and even be one step ahead of the trends.

Invest in your photography business.

Everything you do from spending a few hours on marketing to paying for an advert is an investment in your photography business. Simply sitting back and hoping it will work is a route to failure. The only person who is going to invest in your business fully is yourself. This does not mean you have to spend thousands on advertising or work 16 hour days but the more you put in the more you will get out.

Admit what your failing at.

We all have things we are not good at and from time to time we need to admit that so we can learn to improve. Having a third party take a look at your business and point out the flaws in both the photography and the business model can be a lifesaver. While your ego may take a hit sometimes we can become blind to our own flaws. Learn to be hyper critical of your self and aim to always improve.

There will be many stages of your business and sometimes it may feel like your never going to make it. There will also be times when you have to take risks and jump in with both feet to grow and move. Don’t be scared and take the jump.

Number 1 marketing technique for wedding photographers.

As a new wedding photographer you will realize very fast that one of the most important aspects of success is running a great business. Even some of the greatest photographers out there have failed because of a lack of any business skills.  One of the most important aspects of any business is good marketing.  There are hundreds of marketing experts out there that will share their secrets and promise garneted success. The truth is there is only one marketing technique that comes with a 100% guarantee and that is a happy customer.

For a wedding photographer referrals can bring in more and more business every year and help your company grow each and every year. If the bride and groom are happy then they will tell there friends and family and show them there amazing wedding album made by there amazing photographer.  Each and every album or even photo is an advert for you company and each and every family member is a testimony for your business. There should be no unhappy customers, family members or friends.

How do you please everyone?

The key is personality. Weddings are there to be fun and the photographer should keep that fun going even when “work” needs to be done.  If you can get the shots and keep up with the stress of the day without losing your cool you should be able to maintain a great atmosphere even during the longest of photography sessions.

Get to know your couple.

In order to keep your clients happy you should know exactly what there looking for. Don’t forget that its there wedding day and not yours so what you may think is right is not always what the client wants. The more you know about your couple the better you will be able to provide them with the images and service they want.

Don’t delay.

From the very first contact you should aim to respond to your client as fast as possible. People hate to wait so to maintain a good customer service I try and respond to all emails and phone calls in less than 24 hours. If I can I respond right away. This fast response time should continue all the way even after the wedding. While some clients may seem to want to talk about everything it makes them feel secure and happy.

By seeing each and every client as a walking testimony your business will grow naturally and rapidly every year. When you combine this with other marketing methods and plenty of hard work you will have a successful and profitable photography business in no time.

While as a photographer you may feel that you know better than your client understanding your client’s wishes can make a big difference to both print sales and referrals in the future. It is very easy to look at wedding photography with the mindset that each and every wedding is the same and therefore you should shoot the same shots, yes many weddings follow a similar if not the same layout to the day and often have the same traditions but each and every client is different and this should always reflect on there photography.

Get to know your client.

Getting to know your clients personality is a great way to understand what they will want from their photographer. There is only one-way to do this and that is to spend time talking to them. From the very first meeting don’t spend all you time talking businesses. Some first consultations have taken me up to 2 hours simply because I have spent much of the time talking to the client about there wedding, there interests and there life. Not only will this help you gain a relationship with the couple but it will also give you an insight into who they are and what they do. Are they a young couple with modern interests or are they from a more traditional background. Are they comfortable with difficult posing or would it be easier to keep things simple. These are all things you can learn by getting to know the couple. This is also where a pre wedding shoot is helpful and any other meetings you may have with the client.

Get to know their family.

Even if you cant meet the family ask plenty of questions about them. While the wedding photography should be aimed at the bride and groom it can always be a benefit to please the family. While the bride and groom may want a candid approach to the wedding will the mother of the bride want some family formals.

Let them get to know you.

The more your client knows about you the more relaxed they will be and the more information they will give you.

Don’t pigeon hole yourself

As photographers it’s easy to use jargon. Words like traditional or reportage get thrown about the place all the time. The problem is what it means to one persona may be very different to what it means to someone else. Why does a photographers have to be a reportage photographer? Why cant they simply work in a way that meets the client’s needs? If a client sees a label they may not even contact you from the start.  Even if a client books you for your amazing candid’s this does not mean they don’t want formals.

I guess the point of this post is to bring a little more customer service into the wedding industry. OK so no the customer may not always be right, but it is there wedding, there album and there photos so why not shoot in there style rather than your.

For any wedding photographer the first solo wedding shoot is a daunting task. And this one wedding could set the path for a successful carrier as a professional wedding photographer. The importance of this one wedding could make or break any photographer and lets not forget the importance it holds for the bride and groom.

I have already talked about the importance of be ready to shoot a wedding and having the skills, equipment and confidence in your work to provide the images to standard that happy couple will love.  If your not there yet then simply don’t do it. Pass the work on and try and build your skills. If however you are ready for your first solo experience as a wedding photographer preparation is the key to getting things right.

Ask Questions.

Your one focus for this day should be to impress the bride and groom and provide them the images they want for there day. The key to this is to ask as many questions about there wedding as possible. From the very first meeting try and learn as much about there wedding, their style and there personality. This way you can transfer what you have learnt into the couple’s images, you can gage if they are a traditional couple or more modern and fashionable for example.

The Venue.

Get to know the wedding location as well as you can. Take a visit to scout out some great location for the different shots. Try and find areas that will provide shade if there is bright sunlight or large areas for group formals. The more you know about the venue the easier it will be come the wedding day.

Schedule.

Get a good idea of what is happening and when at the wedding. While not many weddings will stick exactly to times having an idea of what is coming up next will help you be ready to get the shot. Don’t miss out any details. Everything from when the bride will be putting her dress on right up until the time of the first dance try and get a time for it all.

Assistants.

Having an assistant at a wedding is a godsend for even the most experienced photographers. Even better if you can get an experienced photographer to help you for the day. Any help you can get will make your life much easier and end up with better results.

Shot list.

Make a shot list of all your must have shots. Don’t let this stop you from taking more candid moments but let it lead the formals so you don’t miss a thing if your start to feel the pressure.

Roll with the punches.

No wedding is ever totally the same and no matter how well you plan you need to be ready for anything with camera in hand. IT can seem very stressful keeping on top of the going on at a wedding but if you pull it off the result will be wonderful. The mark of a good photographer is always someone who can adapt to each wedding and still capture perfect memories.

Pack you gear.

The day before the wedding get all your gear out of the bag and test it. Make sure everything is working perfect and it is all clean and ready to go. Make sure all your batteries are charged and memory cards formatted. Have a tick list ready to make sure there is nothing you have forgotten to pack and double check it.

Final call.

Make sure no last moment changes have been made the day before the wedding. Staying in good contact with the bride and groom will help avoid any surprises.

With enough preparation you should be able to enjoy the day and concentrate on the photography. Leave nothing to chance and always expect the unexpected. Wedding photography is about experience so there is no better preparation than actually being at a wedding.  Get, as much hands on experience as an assistant or second photographer as you can and I know I have said it before but if you’re not ready don’t do it.