Be Bold but Not Intrusive

Wedding Photography Tips for the Beginner

Being timid cannot get you the best shot, you need to be confident and bold. However, thinking ahead and timing are two vital factors that you need to consider so as not to disrupt the ceremony. Try moving around but time this to concur with sermons, longer readings or songs. You need to be bold during formal shots, know what you want and ask for it. You’re in control of the show at this moment, so keep things going. Don’t be shy to stand in front of the audience. Everyone knows that you were hired for this occasion, so don’t worry about walking around.

Learning How to Use Diffused Light is Very Important

The ability to use diffused light to your advantage is the key to getting quality shots. You may find that many churches have poor lighting. If you are allowed to use camera flash (some churches do not allow using flash ) think about bouncing the flash off a colored surface to add a colored cast to your photos. Also, you may consider having a diffuser to soften the flash’s light. If the church doesn’t allow the use of flash, you can use a fast lens at wider apertures and set the ISO to a higher number. A lens with image stabilization may also be helpful.

Shoot Raw

Some of the photographers shy away from shooting RAW because of the processing needed later. However, in a wedding, shooting in raw may prove to be helpful because you’ll have the flexibility of manipulating the shots after capturing them. Weddings may present tricky lighting situations, which may need manipulation of white balance and exposure. RAW can help significantly with this. Thus, when faced with a low-light scene, consider shooting RAW.

Display Earlier Shots at the Reception

The best thing about digital photography is that the results are immediate. You can carry a computer to the reception, upload photos taken early in the day and put them on slideshow during the evening. Be sure to include even the funny and unexpected images. This will add a touch of fun and enjoyment to the night.

Your Backgrounds

One of the significant challenges that presents itself when it comes to wedding photography is that people are moving here and there, altering the background of your images. For the formal shots, you can set a suitable place with an appropriate background, away from direct sunlight. You can also choose a place where there is a less likelihood of people wandering there. Also, you can carry your own background for formal shots or use aperture to blur the background. Backgrounds make an essential part of your shooting. They can be the difference between a quality shot and a poorly captured shot. So, pay keen attention to this factor.

Don’t Delete Your ‘Mistakes’

One of the temptations of digital photography is checking your recent images and deleting those you think won’t work. Do you know that you may be getting rid of exciting and usable images? Remember that photos can be manipulated or cropped to get abstract looking shots. Don’t delete, keep them. They may add interest at the end of the album.

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