Wedding Photography Tips to Ensure You Capture the Beauty of the "BIG" Day

If you are asked to do the photography for a wedding, this is a huge responsibility. Everyone has heard horror stories about wedding day photo disasters, and the last thing you want to do is disappoint the happy couple. The wedding day is one of the biggest events in a person's life, and one that they want to remember forever. Photos give them a way that they can look back at that special day. To make sure that you get great results when photographing a wedding, here are a few wedding photography tips to keep in mind so you capture the beauty of this special day.

Tip #1 - Find Out What the Couple Wants

First, you need to talk to the couple and find out what they want from their wedding photographs. Every couple is going to be a bit different. Some may want formal shots, while others may want more candid photos. Take time to meet with the couple before the wedding, get to know their personalities, and make sure you have a clear picture of what they want. The more you know about what their preferences are, the more likely you are to get the wedding shots that they want.

Tip #2 - Ask for a List of Specific Shots

Another of the important wedding photography tips to keep in mind is to ask for a list of specific shots that they want done. Have them think about what they want to remember about the day and the wedding album they would like to have. Let them list the shots that they want to ensure they get on their wedding day, such as photos with family, photos with particular friends, and more. With this list, you can ensure you get the shots they really want on their wedding day.

Tip #3 - Check Out the Wedding and Reception Sites

Before the wedding, take some time to check out the wedding and reception sites. This way you know what you can expect. You'll know the back drop you are working with and you will also get a good idea of the lighting conditions you will have to deal with. This allows you to take some time on your own to come up with good locations for some of the wedding photos as well and you'll have a better idea of the equipment you'll need to have with you on the day of the wedding.

Tip #4 - Always Have Backups

When it comes to equipment, one of the best wedding photography tips is to make sure you always have backups of everything. Have a backup camera, backup batteries, backup flash heads, extra film or memory cards, and a backup of any other equipment you plan to bring. This way if something goes wrong, and it can, you ensure you have a backup so the bride and groom are not left without photos of this important event.

The wedding day is extra special and a once in a lifetime event. Make sure you are well prepared if you will be taking the photos. With these wedding photograph tips, you'll be well prepared and ready to take beautiful photos that the couple will treasure throughout their married life.

Bennetta Elliott is a writer for Personalized Gift Express which sells unique personalized gifts and favors for every occasion. They have a great variety of unique wedding favors.

Top Digital Wedding Photography Tips

When you are looking into beginning a digital wedding photography career, there are a variety of different tips that you may want to consider too become a great wedding photographer.

First of all, you are going to want to consider the locations that are available in your area. Knowing what locations you have been available to get the best perspective for the couple is a great plus. You will also need to be sure that you are aware of places that you can position yourself during the ceremony, reception, and the formal shots as well. There are times that you may have to have the couple come with you to these locations so that you can take a few test shots.

You should also consider creating a list of the various shots. It is important that to a successful shot to know when and where the couple would like their shots to be taken. You need to be sure that you write down from beginning to end where each of these shots should be taken. Part of what you are getting paid for is the ability to create digital pictures to capture their special day. You should never be afraid to make suggestions or even tell your couple which ideas of theirs may not work. The best wedding photography tip here would be to be sure that you are confident in your knowledge of digital photography. After all you probably already know that all weddings use the same techniques and principles.

Another great digital wedding photography tip [http://www.bestweddingphotographytips.com] would be to make sure that you realize that planning is essential to all your digital wedding photography elements. You need to be sure that you are well prepared before all shoots. Be sure that you have plenty of batteries and all of your memory cards have been properly formatted. Just in case of bad weather you need to be sure that you and your couple have an alternate location setup. Make sure that you set up an itinerary for your wedding needs. Being well prepared to make all the difference in your career.

The final digital wedding photography tip for you is to be sure that you get creative. When you choose to use a unique style you will be assured of repeat customers. Be sure that you are showing your overall confidence and also be bold as well as decisive while at the same time being open to suggestions from your clients. This is a great idea for your business and gives you a great way to showcase your talent.

[http://www.bestweddingphotographytips.com]

Wedding Photography Tips For When You Hire a Professional Wedding Photographer

Today I went to interview a professional wedding photographer for my wedding occurring next year, and it sparked an idea to share my experience with my readers. As a wedding event planner, why not provide some wedding photography tips and a wedding photography checklist to help another fellow bride with her wedding?

I think it is important when you are researching a professional wedding photographer to let your groom in on the experience. (Based upon the fact that he's interested!) My fiancee happens to be a professional photographer so he has a vested interest in this part of the wedding.

Therefore, take a look at different photographers' portfolios, ask your friends, relatives, your wedding event planner for references as well as research online at various wedding sites that offer suggestions and wedding photography tips when you are first selecting your photographer.

Next, go and interview your potential photographer like I did today (well, I didn't really interview Michael since I have worked with him as a wedding event planner on other weddings)! It's important that you and your fiancee are comfortable with your photographer so that you will look relaxed and happy in your pictures no matter what happens at the party.

Discuss with your professional wedding photographer what type of pictures you are looking for.

* Do you want wedding portraits or journalistic-styled pictures?

* Do you want black and white and color shots?

* What type of wedding photography package do they offer?

Prior to the meeting, you should create a wedding photography checklist to help you focus in on hiring the right type of photographer for you and your fiancee.

Other wedding photography tips to think about include providing the photographer with the name of your other vendors, such as the DJ, wedding event planner and florist since many times they work together at other weddings and will talk amongst themselves as to what important shots should be captured that day.

Also, very important, well in advance of your wedding, create a wedding photography checklist for your wedding day. Remember to include and write down which type of family shots you want and who you want in them, ceremony shots, bridal room shots, candid pictures during cocktails and the reception and party shots to name a few.

Keep in mind where you're getting married (indoors or outdoors) as well as the time of day. You want to make sure that your photographer knows the people you want photographed by face and/or name so you might want to consider making a Facebook for your photographer. All of these elements are just the tip of the iceberg when you start to generate your checklist, and this is why you want to start early with your list and then continue to add to it up until your wedding day.

I hope you found these wedding photography tips helpful for when you start your selection of a professional wedding photographer. It is not only important to create a wedding photography checklist during the selection process but also one for the wedding itself. Until next time, remember the Budget Bash mantra: make it simple, delicious, stylish, fun & economical to all!

Andrea Wyn is owner of A Wynning Event http://www.awynningevent.com, a Los Angeles wedding and special event management company. She is a marketing & special event planner with over 15 years of experience and for the past ten years, she has been the event planner for the Screen Actors Guild Awards(R). She has taken her knowledge and special event experience and written an easy-to-read book called Budget Bash http://www.budgetbashbook.com where you can find more ideas and helpful tips on event planning including menus, decor, budgets, timelines, florals and more.

6 Digital Wedding Photography Tips For Successful Wedding Photography

Taking digital wedding photographs can be much different from taking pictures with a standard camera. You will have a number of advantages available; however, there are also other considerations that must be made. Below you will find digital wedding photography tips to help guide you through the process.

Digital Wedding Photography Tips #1: Getting the Shot without Disturbing the Service

One of the most important digital wedding photography tips that should be observed is how to make sure you achieve the shot without actually disturbing the ceremony. First, you should always make sure the sound on your camera is turned off.

Nothing disturbs a ceremony more than the sound of a digital camera. In addition, make sure you time your movements with other activity during the ceremony so that you can achieve the boldness you need to get the right shot without being obtrusive.

Digital Wedding Photography Tips #2: Being Prepared

Being prepared when taking wedding photographs is always important but it is even more so when using a digital camera. You will need to make absolutely sure you have an adequate number of batteries. Batteries tend to drain quickly and you do not want to find that your battery has run out of power before the end of the event.

Memory is also another critical element that should be observed. Make sure you bring enough memory cards with you.

Digital Wedding Photography Tips #3: Types of Photos

Ideally, you should go over the shot list with the bride and groom ahead of time. You can always provide a shot list to the couple and allow them to add or subtract the types of formal group shots they want taken. Candid shots are always popular for weddings. Both photos taken before the ceremony as well as during the reception can provide an excellent opportunity for natural, candid shots.

When you are working on the shot list with the couple is an excellent time to have them review some of your prior work. This can help to manage expectations and ensure the couple knows what to expect from your work. Of course, you should always have a signed contract to make sure all contingencies are covered in the event something does not go as planned.

Digital Wedding Photography Tips #4: Choosing your Equipment

A tripod can come in quite handy when shooting digital wedding photography because it allows you to set-up and maintain the shot with perfection. In addition, you should also make sure you bring along your extra flash just in case you need it. Try to predict in advance what kind of equipment and lenses you need, if possible by visiting the location before the wedding.

Digital Wedding Photography Tips #5: Editing

Digital wedding photography provides you with the unique advantage of being able to correct or enhance the photos after the fact. You can crop them in order to remove elements that are distracting or you can correct red-eye. These benefits allow you to focus more on capturing the image with the knowledge that you can always touch it up later through the editing process.

Digital Wedding Photography Tips #6: File Formats

When using a digital camera there are a number of different formats that can be used. RAW is one of the best formats due to the fact that this format allows you to manipulate the photos after they have been taken. It does require additional processing time; however, the benefit of being able to manipulate white balance and exposure can be well worth it for wedding photographs.

JPG allows you to achieve very high image quality along with good compression ratios. This is something that GIF is not able to do.

Even though JPG is a good compromise between file size and quality I would advise you to use RAW file format for all your digital wedding photography. The reason is the flexibility RAW format provides to adjust exposure and white balance.

You generally won't get a second chance to shoot wedding photographs and using RAW file format provides can help you recover otherwise hopeless photographs.

This can make the difference between a very satisfied or dissatisfied couple.

John Best is a photography enthusiast that has a hard time putting down his camera. John also likes to teach photography business and is currently building up a site with free photography tutorials at http://www.freephotovideos.com

Wedding Photography Tips

You wedding day is one of the biggest days of your life and one that usually takes much planning. It is the day when you will celebrate your love and marriage. You can never do too much planning when it comes to wedding photography. You want to capture the essence of that perfect day in a manner that befits your personal style.

Today, brides and grooms are interested in infusing some of their own unique style into their wedding photographs. With the advent of the Internet, choosing a photographer has become a lot simpler. Today, photographers are able to showcase their creativity and talents online, and you can go through their galleries to search for a style that caters to your needs.

Here are a few wedding tips that will ensure that this very special day will give you enjoyment that lasts for a lifetime through the pictures that it produces:

The most important tip of all is to be careful when you choose your photographer. He or she should be able to capture the message you are hoping to convey through photography. Make sure that you are able to look at samples of your photographer's work. His or her style should coincide with your own.


Another important wedding photography tip is to make sure that you get along with your photographer on a personal level. This is a person who will be right alongside of you during your wedding day capturing many of your most intimate moments. You should be able to put all of your trust in your photographer so that your wedding day can be relaxed and enjoyable.


Another unique wedding photography tip is to bring your wedding guests into the picture by making sure there are disposable cameras on all of the tables at the reception. When your guests are taking pictures, each one will capture his or her own unique experience on your wedding day. You will probably get some cool shots that you would never dream to have gotten with just one photographer.

You must also take into consideration whether you want your wedding photography to follow the traditional style that has been offered for many generations and still is the most popular with weddings. Today there are photographers that are branching out and are beginning to offer more non-traditional styles of wedding photography. These include not only candid shots, but journalistic style photography as well.

Digital photography has done much to enhance the quality of wedding photography. You are able to make changes right on the spot or you can enhance the photographs on the computer.

Remember to choose your wedding photographer carefully because these photos will define your wedding day for generations to come. Choose as to what best suits your style and personality, and you will certainly enjoy a lifetime of precious memories.

Learn how to save on your wedding cost for more tips on wedding visit www.WeddingCostAverage.com [http://www.WeddingCostAverage.com] today!

© 2007 Samuel Abdullah - All Rights Reserved Worldwide.