8/8/2019 10 Tips 4 Wedding Beginners

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A Fly on the Wall – 10 Tips for WeddingBeginners

by Elizabeth Halford 

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People often ask me if I ‘do weddings’. That’s a funny question for a photographer. Perhaps like asking a chef if he ‘doeschicken’. I’m a photographer and I have the ability to photograph anything. Do Ibase my business solely around weddings? No. Can I do them? Certainly! And I loveit.I’ve never taken a class on how to photograph weddings or read a book on thetopic. I have my own way, my own style and my own rules and my clients are happywith me so I must be doing something right!

As a woman, I really feel at an advantage in the world of wedding photography.Firstly, I can capture the excitement of the bride getting ready in a way a man can’tbecause, let’s face it, most brides don’t want a man hanging around while they’regetting dressed.Kelebihan photographer wanita:Dapat merakamkan saat keseronokan pengantin perempuan bersiap (bermake updan berpakaian).

I have also been a bride and I see things in a vastly different way than a man evercould. Having started as a makeup artist, I’ve been involved in many weddings andhave watched many-a-photographer sit and drink or flirt with the bridesmaids whileprecious moments are slipping by un-photographed (like the mom fitting herdaughter’s veil).

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Mind you, I have only done a few weddings and I don’t

claim to be an expert by any stretch of the imagination. But I do think that I have afew tidbits I can share with anyone who is just starting out or perhaps is a man inthe business looking for a little female perspective.1. Don’t Manipulate / JANGAN MANUPULATWhen the bride is preparing on the morning, don’t get in the way and ask for smilesor stage the dressing. Just be on your toes and try to anticipate what’s next.Is her hair and makeup finished? She will probably be getting into her dress next. Isshe in her dress? Get yourself to the bottom of the stairs to shoot her coming down.

 There is no time to relax if you’re the photographer!Semasa pengantin perempuan sedang bersiap, jangan dok sibuk-sibuk suruhsenyum.

 Tiada masa untuk relek kerana anda mungkin terlepas merakam saat

2. Fill In/ PENUHKANIf allowed, wander around the house or hotel room and snap photos which can beused to fill-in spaces in the album to create a sense of ambiance and location. Ialways snap the makeup brushes, dresses hanging up, important things around thehome.If you’re at the bride’s family home, there will be loads of memorable things aroundthe house to photograph. Family photos around the home, her childhood bedroom.

 Jika dibenarkan, berjalan-jalan di sekitar rumah atau bilik hotel. Snap gambar yangmana boleh digunakan untuk mengisi ruang dalam album bagi melahirkan rasa

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ambiance dan suasana tempat itu. Contohnya, berus make up, baju pengantin yangtergantung

3.Get Alone / BERSENDIRIANSpend a couple minutes alone with the dress, the shoes, the flowers, etc. to take

meaningful photographs without anxious people rushing you. There should beplenty of time while you’re there.But when you’ve got what you need, remember to leave in time to photographguests arriving at the ceremony and the groom as he waits for his bride.Luangkan masa untuk merakamkan gambar baju, kasut, bunga dan sebagainyadengan penuh makna tanpa ada orang lain mendesak andaApabila anda telah merakamkan apa yang anda mahu, tinggalkan. Pergi rakamkansaat pengantin lelaki menunggu pengantin perempuan dan juga ketibaan paratetamu.

4. Be Bold

Don’t be shy in front of the audience.

Obviously, use a zoom lens so you’re not hip-to-hip with the priest but be strongand bold and remember that you have a license to be there! You were hired andeveryone knows that so don’t worry about moving around and shooting from behindthe priest if it’s appropriate.Editors Note: Check out these Wedding Photography Tips from a CelebrantsPerspective.5. Dress for the OccasionIf you’re a woman, forget wedding protocol and wear trousers! No trying to lookpretty. Before I figured that one out, I was holding my skirt down more than I washolding down the shutter. Quiet shoes are a must – you don’t want to be tip toeingaround like a criminal.6. Remember the Others

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When I first started weddings, my clients werefriends so I generally knew one side of the family better than the other. It wasentirely subconscious, but I realised that in the ceremony, I was gravitating to thepeople I knew and leaving the others out.Find out who is family and make sure to get some images of them as well.

7. Be Bossy This part is (still) the hardest for me. There are two times I have to throw my weight

around: after the ceremony and during family set. I usually take the bride andgroom away to a location for 30 minutes of shooting privately and this can bedifficult as the guests often form a spontaneous receiving line and kidnap thecouple.

c Craig Johnson

Know who is driving you there and make it happen. The bride and groom have toldyou what they want and although they are often distracted away from their plan onthe day, they will thank you after if you make their original plan happen.For the formal portraits, it can take a precise military operation to execute such anendeavor and this bit still makes my palms sweat! People are anxious to get to thefood and dancing and I’m the only thing stopping them! Have a list arranged aheadof time of the specific groups the couple wants other than the usual his-family-her-family, him-and-his-guys, her-and-her-girls, etc.

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 The most important part in making this happen is to have your bossy go-to personwho knows everyone (perhaps one of his groomsmen?) to announce all of the familyand bridal party to step outside and then have him announce the groups you areneeding. You can literally take each shot within 30 seconds if you can gather themand get them to engage with you all at once. Not as simple as it sounds, but it canbe done. I just ask everyone to look at me and smile and then take about 10 shots

at once. You can use the PhotoShop group merge function to grab all the smilingfaces and put them into one photo if necessary.8. GearA few of my thoughts on gear. NEVER use a pop-up flash. Always have an externalflash ready to go and never point it directly at your couple. I always point it at theceiling or a wall. I shoot with two cameras. My main one has a zoom lens and a flashand the other has either a 50mm 1.4 or 85mm 1.4 wide open so no flash is needed.Be Professional

 True story: I once saw a big, sweaty, poorly dressed wedding photographer hawkback a loogie and SPIT on the ground during formal portraits. Absolutely disgraceful!It can be easy to fall into the fun of a wedding and obviously, you won’t be any goodif you’re uptight and not having fun, but if you get too lax and begin socializing, you

will miss important moments and you’re basically at work so remember to beprofessional.I would even bring my own snack to eat on the sly when you get a chance – I wouldnever accept an invitation to take part in the buffet. Remember that people arewatching you and a huge percentage of them are either looking for a weddingphotographer or know someone who is so be professional at all times.

c Craig Johnson

10. In My OpinionI never take posed table shots. I absolutely h.a.t.e. it when the photographer comesaround, interrupts your meal, wine or conversation and forces everyone to squeezetheir head into the middle of the table for a photo. What on earth would the couple

ever do with that photo? Certainly, it’s good to make a record of everyone who wasthere and you can do that without being intrusive and even do it in a beautiful way.But – and this is just my humble opinion – the photographer can easily lose guests’feeling of ease and comfort the instant he/she becomes intrusive. Make yourself invisible!I really love photographing weddings. It is HARD work and I actually ache for acouple days after. Bring an assistant who can help you (that’s a bonus tip!) and geta good night’s rest beforehand. Have a blast and be confident – the bride and

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groom already love your talent because they hired you in the first place. So besecure in that fact and own it!

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