The Essential Guide To Getting The Best Photos of Your Wedding
Once your big day is over, the food has been eaten, and the champagne drunk, you will be left with the most wonderful memories. Of course, the best way to keep these as clear and fresh as possible is to make sure you have amazing pictures of your wedding.
Now for most couples, their wedding day will be the first time they have worked with a professional photographer and it can be a bit nerve wracking. So here are my top tips for getting the best out of this.
Have a Pre Wedding or Engagement Shoot
Some photographers include an engagement shoot in their wedding packages or you can book one separately with your photographer. This is a great idea as it gives you the opportunity to get used to being in front of the camera. It also enables you to get your know your photographer a bit more so you will feel more relaxed on your wedding day. And of course you get another set of beautiful memories!
Get some practice in
Lots of people think that practicing your poses is vain, but it really isn’t! After all, your wedding photos are something that you will look back on for years to come, so you will really want to look your best in them.
Just think of it in terms of the effort you have put into the other areas in your wedding such as your clothing, and decoration and practicing your poses and finding your best side seems sensible after all.
Although, it is also worth bearing in mind, that your photographer will get plenty of unposed shots as well. A mix of both options is usually the best way to guarantee the best pictures and most photographers will work like this.
Find the best wedding photographer for you
While we are on the subject of wedding photographers it is important to highlight that finding the right one is crucial. Indeed, just as not all wedding planners, officiants, or venues will suit your needs and tastes, choosing the correct Wedding Photographer can be an involved process. Although it is definitely worth the effort!
In particular, look out for a photographer that has plenty of experience, but that is also willing to listen to your ideas and suggestions. Never book a photographer without seeing their website or portfolio and checking that it matches what you are looking for. Also if possible try and use a photographer that has either word of mouth recommendations or positive reviews on independent review sites. You can see more here on top tips for choosing the right photographer for you.
Consider your shot locations beforehand
One of the most vital elements of successful wedding photos is where you have them taken in your venue. That is why it is important to plan the locations of your couple shots ahead of time.
Of course, you will need to inform your photographer of these ahead of time as well. Ideally you will have a meeting with your photographer at your venue so you can walk around and consider the various locations together. But it’s not always feasible to do this. Always be open to other suggestions from your photographer though, they will have a great idea for locations which will be the perfect backdrop and make interesting shots.
It’s also a smart idea to come up with a plan-B in case of bad weather too. After all, even if it does rain you will still want amazing pictures from your big day.
Decide what to do about guests and social media
Everyone has a digital camera in their pockets these days, and no matter what you say people will take pictures of your wedding as it happens. However, you can ask guests not to share images on social media. You can see more here about having an unplugged ceremony.
Sometimes a better approach is to set up a social media site for your wedding and ask guests to share their images there. Then you can set the account to private until after the big day, giving you time to review the images and deciding which ones get shared.
I hope this was helpful and gave you some food for thought. If you need some more one to one support with your planning, you can contact me and lets chat about how I could help you.
Louise
