Advice on working with your wedding photographer

It’ll be no surprise to you that your wedding day is one of the most important days of your life. The elements which go into making your day so special, such as the cake, the cars and the flowers all combine to create the day you had in mind. What these elements have in common is simple – they all play a special part in your wedding day but they won’t be the lasting momentum of it. This is where wedding photography comes in – perfectly capturing all those little details of your day for you to remember for years to come.

It may surprise you to hear that wedding photography isn’t easy. A good photographer will have dozens of variables in their head which they must consider in order to capture that perfect shot. Things like lighting and exposure, and even making sure a strand of hair doesn’t fall in front of the bride’s face.

As the only real physical reminder of your day, no doubt you’ll want your wedding photography to be as perfect as possible. This is where working efficiently with your photographer comes into play. Ultimately, you are paying for a service and in order to get the best possible outcome there are a few things to keep in mind.

Communication

The best way to ensure everything goes exactly to plan, is with good communication, not just with your photographer, but with all your vendors. Think of it like this – your wedding day is the wheel. Your vendors, including your photographer are the cogs in that wheel, ensuring it is a smooth running process, holding the entire day in place. When one of these elements wavers, the vision for your day changes.

With only one shot at your dream day, communication is key. When it comes to choosing your wedding photographer, you should already have spoken in length about what you want from your wedding photos. It’s also vital for your photographer to know if there is anything you aren’t comfortable doing. Chances are, you and your other half won’t have been professionally photographed before so a great way to break the ice and get used to being in-front of the camera is with an engagement shoot. Think of it as a warm up for your wedding day. You can practice poses together so that when it comes to the actual wedding, you’ll be a pro. It will also give your photographer a greater sense of what you want from your photos, all-in-all making the process much smoother.

Trust

Your wedding photography will go much more smoothly if you trust in your photographer. Remember, you have chosen this person for a reason; you love their photos, their style of photography and you get on like a house on fire. If doubts creep in, remember this. Your photographer will be able to sense your nerves, so if they can feel them, there’s a chance the camera will pick up on them.

Listening to direction is also a must. Brides are often surprised at some of the weird and wonderful poses I ask them to adopt. However, they have seen my work and know what to expect. Then, when they see the actual shot, it gives them a real ‘wow’ moment. Your photographer knows what they’re doing and they always have the final outcome in mind so always remember those reasons you booked them and trust what they have to say.

Finally, you don’t need to provide your photographer with lists of photos that you want. If they’re a professional, they’ll have photographed hundreds of weddings and will make it their mission to ensure every single angle is covered. If however, you do have something in mind that is a little out of the ordinary, tell them in advance, especially if it requires a different location or props.

Timings

Ask any bride about their wedding day and they’ll tell you it’s the quickest day of their life! With so much going on and so many people there who are important to you, it can be easy to become distracted. It’s essential to allow yourself time for those wedding photos. Speak to your photographer about timings and make sure you include a slot for not only group photos, but also photos with just your other half. A good photographer will be meticulous but also speedy so you’ll be back to enjoy your wedding in no time.

In a nutshell, communication and trusting in not just your wedding photographer, but all vendors involved in your wedding day will ensure you walk down that aisle without a glitch, with the perfect wedding photos to prove it!

Posted in Blog.