Crash Course on Professional Wedding Photography

By Kenneth William Caleno

Crash Course on Professional Wedding Photography – Essential Equipment

Two camera bodies that share the same lenses
Two flashes (strobes) plus cables, etc.
28mm Wide-angle prime lens, or 28mm-70mm zoom
50mm standard lens F1.8 or even better F1.4 for low light situations
Not essential, but handy for candids and from back of church images is a 75mm-300mm zoom lens or similar
Twice as much film as you think, or minimum of two large capacity (250MB – 1GB) digital storage cards depending on your camera
At least twice as many batteries as you think you will need
Two white reflectors
Diffusion (soft-focus) filter
Red filter (for black & white only)
85c warming filter for grey days
Tripod for formal photos
Lens hoods to control flare

Crash Course on Professional Wedding Photography – Planning the wedding shoot

You must have a timetable to work from, or you will fail miserably.

You must always remember:

The Bride is never on time
Cars are sometimes late arriving
Ministers will often talk for longer than expected
Traffic may be chaotic
Something may have been forgotten somewhere

Murphy, being the Patron Saint of Wedding Photographers, will no doubt ensurethat if anything can go wrong, it will, and usually at the most inopportunemoment. Allow for plenty of time for each section of the shooting script.

Crash Course on Professional Wedding Photography – Planning Session

Planning is crucial, so make sure that time has been allowed for photography,and travelling to each location.

A: Who is Paying?

Find out who is paying for the photography, because the person footing the billis the client, and needs to be consulted. If the bride’s parents are paying,and want nice, classic portrait shots of Bride & Groom, and the Bride wantscross-processed, arty, or black & white images, you had better get nice safephotos for Mum and Dad!

It is very important to find out and determine EXACTLY what the client wants,and is expecting to get. Quite often people do not know what they want untilyou have shot it.

What you don’t want to hear is: “We didn’t want half of this stuff, we want a refund!!!”

Whoever is paying, make sure you get paid up front. I usually ask for 1/3 ofthe fee on signing the contract, and the balance seven days before the weddingdate. (This saves you wondering if and when you are going to be paid, and savesyou chasing clients for payment.)

B. Working with schedules and timetables

Once you have found out what is wanted and who is paying, start working outyour shooting schedule. I usually type these out and give to attendants in thebridal party, to organise everybody for their photo to save time.

I also type my schedule on small cards for my pocket while I am shooting, so Iknow when the next sequence is due, or when to change film.

Let your clients know that formal photos of the bridal party should takebetween one to one and a half hours. Any longer will drag the proceedings, andany less time will limit the number of set-ups wanted.

Subtly point out that the guests should be advised of what is going on.

It is important to let the client know that if they cut your time, you willneed to cut the amount of photography to shoot.

Crash Course on Professional Wedding Photography – Protocol and family Politics

You need to tread very carefully where family politics are concerned, as youset up groups, think about ex-wives versus new wives, step-children and recently divorced couples for example. Better to let people sort themselves where they want to be, then just arrange the set-ups accordingly.

If everyone (guests included) know exactly what happens, when, and with Whom, it will alleviate the Bride and groom’s stress, your stress, and youwill get results that please your clients.

Once PLAN “A” ( Beautiful sunny day with no wind) is in place, work out some alternatives, “B”, “C”, “D”, etc. You will need somewhere to photograph if it’s raining, snowing, gale-force winds etc. and a choice of idyllic locations.

Crash Course on Professional Wedding Photography – A Typical Schedule Plan

a) Groom’s House

Photos at the Groom’s house happen rarely, but if they are wanted, then you must make sure things run on time in order to get to the Bride’s house on time.

b) Bride’s House

Get to the house early, showing you are both organised and professional. The Bridemay be very nearly ready, and being the early bird may give you a chance to getthings in order without rushing. Confidence is the keyword, so compliment the Bride, say she looks nice, and has nothing to worry about (Do not, under anycircumstances tell her she is beautiful, because if she isn’t, she will know and this could turn her against you.)

If you can help the bride and her family to be calm at the house, the tone ofthe whole wedding will reflect on this. Let the family know what you are going to photograph outside the church or wedding venue.

c) Church or Wedding Venue

Get to church, or wedding venue as soon as you can to get set up for whatfollows.

Talk to, and photograph the Groom.
Talk to minister/celebrant, checking all is ok, use/non-use of flash etc.
Wait outside for cars to arrive.
While the ceremony is taking place, look around for photo opportunities, is the Bride’s mother crying? Is her father crying or smiling?

Once the vows have been made, and the register signed etc, the Bride and Groom will walk down the aisle or things will just finish. This can be an awkward moment and one of two things usually happen:

i) The Bride & Groom will be surrounded by guests, and if there are lots ofguests the crowd may take a time to clear.

ii) (Usually at churches) When the Bride & Groom come out there is no-one at first,then all guests file out slowly and stand around the couple looking at them.

Some guests will want to take photographs at this point, so set up the shot andlet them fire away after you. Work politely and professionally with these people throughout the day, and you never know, some of these people could become your next client.

Start the family photos, beginning with the Bride’s side, then the Groom’s,then all the friends and hanger’s-on.

d) The Formal Photos

After all the ceremony “kafuffle”, the bridal party will want to relax a bit, maybe have a drink and a smoke for 10 minutes or so while you are getting ready.

But when you are ready, you need to get them back on track to get all required images of the Bride and Groom done on time. At this point, the couple aren’t usually the problem, it’s generally the best man wants another beer, or the maid of honour who wants another smoke, or someone gets loud. You need to gain control of this.

If there are children in the party, use them first, as they have a very shortattention span.

No matter what happens here, stay calm even when things go wrong, keep calm because you won’t get good photos if you are stressed.

When you think you have finished, better check with Bride and Groom that youhave all they wanted, or if you were pressed for time, that you have the set-ups they wanted the most.

Now you have to get back to the reception before the wedding party and set up for…

e) Mock Cake Cutting

This is done when budgets are tight, and you aren’t required to attend the reception.

f ) The Reception

Get to the venue before the bride and Groom and be ready to catch them arriving.

Things that usually happen at reception are: (in any order): speeches, toasts,food, then the first dance. While there is potential photography, don’t eat,or drink, just in case you miss something worthwhile.

Before leaving, be sure that the Bride, Groom and whoever is paying for thephotography, have all the shots they need with nothing missed.

g ) After it all

Get the finished prints to the Bride & Groom as soon as possible, that’s goodbusiness, You will want them to see the prints while the day will still befresh in their memory. Do not get caught in the middle of any disputes. Theprints are always to be delivered to the married couple, and not to anyoneelse (unless arranged otherwise).

If someone other than the Bride & Groom is paying for the photography, it should be explained to them beforehand that the Bride & Groom get the prints.

When sorting out the finished prints, take out the blinks, and the ones thataren’t up to par.

Crash Course on Professional Wedding Photography – The Photography

A blow by blow account of a typical wedding – Ceremony at 4pm

You have your little schedule cards on a loop of string
You have your flash/strobe set to ¼ Iso (for fill-in, or all outdoor photos ifyou want to play safe, use at full Iso for indoor shots)
You have 50mm/28-70mm zoom lens on camera

1. At Groom’s house 10:00 am – 11:30am ( All times can only be approximated)

Groom, getting ready,
Groomsmen, playing around
Groom, in mirror
Groom dressed, GQ pose, jacket over shoulder
Groom Full length
Groom with mother Close-up
Groom with Father Close-up
Groom with both parents full length
Groom with both parents close-up
Groom with Grandparents Full length
Groom with Grandparents close-up
With sisters
With brothers
With immediate family
Groom and Best man full length
Groom and Best man Close-up
Groom and best man shaking hands
Groom and all groomsmen

2. At Bride’s house – 12:30am – 3:00pm

Bride dressing
Mother helping with veil
Mother/maid of honour adjusting veil
Bride looking in mirror
Bride with mother looking in mirror
Bride putting on garter
Bride putting on garter with bridesmaids looking on
Bride full length
Bride half length
Bride close-up
Bride with Mother close-up
Bride with Mother full length
Corsage being pinned on Mother
Bride with Father full length
Bride with Father close-up
Bride pinning-on Father’s button-hole
Bride with both parents, full length
Bride with both parents, close-up
With Grandparents close-up
With Grandparents full length
With sisters
With brothers with immediate family
Bride and maid of honour full length
Bride and maid of honour. Close-up
Bride with attendants
Bride with flower girl/ring bearer
Bride leaving house with parents and Bridesmaids
Father helping Bride into limo

3. At the Ceremony 3:30pm – 4:45

Groups of guests and everybody [ 28mm or 28-70mm zoom]
Flower girl walking down aisle
Ring-bearer walking down aisle
Maid of honour walking down aisle
Bridesmaids walking down aisle
Father walking down aisle with Bride
Father “Giving Bride away” [You may choose to change to75-300mm zoom
Bride & groom exchanging vows for these shots]
Bride and Groom exchanging rings
The Kiss
Bride signing register
Groom signing register
Bride and Groom walking back down aisle
Bride and groom outside church
Bride and Groom getting into limo

4. Formal Photos 5:00 – 6:30

Bride alone Full length
Bride alone ¾
Bride alone close-up
Bride alone head shot
Bride alone peeping over flowers
Bride & groom Kissing
Bride & Groom full length
Bride & Groom close-up
Groom full length
Groom ¾
Groom close-up
Close-up of rings
Group shot of bride & bridesmaids [28mm wide-angle or 28-70mm zoom]

5. At reception

Wedding party announced
Bride and Groom announced
Bride & Groom’s first dance
Wedding party dancing
Bride’s dance with Father
Groom’s dance with Mother
Best man toasting Bride & Groom
Bride & groom toasting each other
The cake
Bride & Groom posed at cake
Cutting cake
Bride & Groom feeding each other cake
Throwing bouquet
Bouquet catch
Groom taking off garter
Groom throwing garter
Garter catch
Bride & Groom with catchers
Guests leaving
Posed departure of Bride & Groom ( Kissing, waving etc.,)
Bride & Groom leaving reception venue
Bride and Groom leaving in limo
Close up of invitation
Picture of band or DJ

Crash Course on Professional Wedding Photography – About the Author: Kenneth is 64 years old and has been a photographer for 45+ years. He still photographs weddings and portraits and lives in Masterton in New Zealand.

Email: gloriaj@xtra.co.nz