There is nothing worse than terrible pictures or no pictures of one of the most important events in a person's life. A wedding may very well take place in heaven, but problems often lurk in the details. Skip some important points, and you may wish you were in the trashcan with the rubber chicken and leathery lettuce.
Here are some tips to help you negotiate this photographic minefield.
Hire a professional.
No? Do not want to do it? You think Uncle George can do it fine on the cheap? Save a few bucks and spread the joy around? So read on, reckless fool ...
Be prepared.
Emotionally, spiritually, intellectually and photographically. You'll need more than just a strong heart and nerves of steel. You need the extra memory sticks, extra batteries, flash equipment, a tripod and a zoom / wide angle lens. You'll also need a decent image editing program to produce the final product in an acceptable form.
Have an assistant or a helper.
You must have plenty of things to carry around, and you need someone who will see your gear when you're busy. Get someone to help you. It's also good to have a relatively sensible to talk to.
ALWAYS shoot for the bride.
Men do not really care about photos of themselves. Well, this is a generality. 99.9% of men are indifferent. Usually the only time a man looks at a wedding picture under his own volition is just after the divorce with a drink in the other hand.
Get a list of wanted shots.
Do not go into this blind. Find out what shots the happy couple expect and try to force. Weddings are generally in 4 phases: dressing, the ceremony itself, after the ceremony (time of less formal shots of the newlyweds) final reception cover groups, cake cutting, etc. Take your lead from the bride not Juiced up guests at the reception.
Shoot a lot.
This is good advice for a shooting. At a wedding, you are dealing with human nature at its most confused. There can really tell what shots will be the big sellers? Just cover everything (even the speeches) and shoot everything three times and be safe.
Few groups.
Groups are important, but be careful here, because semi-inebriated guests wishing to be photographed with pot-plants, foxy waitress, another, perhaps the bride and groom, and towards the end of the evening fascinating cloud formations. Learn from the bride to be in what group. Live with her.
Get the proofs to the bride as soon as possible.
Forget it just to be good service, it is also smart business. Happiness and promises of marriage can be volatile. Get your wedding picture bill before the first match, if possible.
Definitely before the divorce.
Be a professional. Weddings can be scary things.
They are all about love, sex, eating and drinking. Passions and confusion can be rampant. Get your images first and party later if anyone is left to party with. If you are in the end only with your camera, at least you can comfort you that you have completed your mission.
Have your own quality control before sending the evidence.
Your reputation can be ruined by a handful misaimed pictures of the bride or her friends. People often remember a shot where the matron of honor looked as if she was dead tired because it was only a premature flash. If it sucks delete it. Better late than never.
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