Weddings are one of the highest-pressure gigs in photography, and also one of the most rewarding. If you’ve never photographed one before, you may well be anxious, so let’s explore some ways to get prepared for the big day.
Wedding photography is a great opportunity to get creative as a visual storyteller, but these are also high-pressure jobs. The fast pace of the day might leave you feeling like you need to be in two places at once, and there is always the added pressure of knowing a wedding is unrepeatable – you can’t just go back and photograph the vows again if you miss them.
© Miles Witt Boyer
The key to managing this pressure is to be meticulous in your planning and preparation, so you know what is happening throughout the day, how you’re going to photograph it, and that you have all the kit you need with you. Let’s break down the day into stages.
Research
The first thing you need to do is meet the couple and ask them what kind of pictures they want. Are they looking for a certain style, specific images, or are they happy to leave things to you? You’ll also be able to gauge their personalities from this meeting – are they outgoing, confident, shy? And they’ll get to meet you, so you’re not a stranger on the big day. Some photographers even create an engagement portrait, which aids this getting-to-know-you process.
© Phillip Porto
If possible, it’s also good to visit the venue before the big day, and try to do this at roughly the same time of day and time of year as the service is taking place. You could always take the couple along with you so they can show you what’s happening. You could even have your meeting or engagement photo session at the same time.
Make sure you find out if anything crazy is going to happen (ring-bearing owls, bagpipers playing, or a choreographed first dance) or if the couple would like any specific portraits or group images.
Equipment Preparation
Now you can select the equipment you need. Versatility is imperative when documenting weddings, which is why most professional wedding photographers work with a pair of fast aperture zoom lenses: one standard zoom like the FUJINON XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR and a telezoom like the XF50-140mmF2.8 R LM OIS WR. If you work with two camera bodies, you can have your standard zoom on one and your telezoom on the other, or just swap over lenses quickly if you’re working with one camera.
Zoom lenses like this let you switch focal lengths quickly, so you won’t miss something while you’re trying to swap lenses, but prime lenses also have their place. The FUJINON XF56mmF1.2 R is very popular with wedding photographers for its ability in low light and to restrict depth-of-field.
Also consider a flash. You won’t use it very often – and certainly not in the ceremony – but it really helps when you’re struggling for good light and can make the difference between making an image or not.
© Paul Von Rieter
Pack everything you’re going to need the day before the wedding, along with plenty of freshly formatted SD cards, fully charged batteries, and accessories like cleaning cloths, a notebook, and collapsible reflector/diffuser.
If your camera has two SD cards slots, put identical cards in each one and set the camera to back up by saving images to both at once. Do this by:
- Pressing MENU OK.
- Selecting the SET UP menu.
- Then navigate to SAVE DATA SET-UP > CARD SLOT SETTING > BACKUP.
On the Day
Be super organized! Have a timetable of where you need to be at what time and stick to it as much as possible. Before the ceremony, get some pictures of the bride getting ready, but don’t get in the way if things are stressful. Groomsmen can often be found at the venue enjoying a drink before the service – also a good opportunity for some portraits.
© Alison Conklin
The Service
Before the service starts, talk to the celebrant and ask them if there are any restrictions on where you go to make pictures.
© Phillip Porto
Make sure not to cause any distractions by switching to electronic shutter mode, making sure any ‘beeps’ are turned off, and finding a place you can photograph from without moving about too much. You’ll want to see the faces of the couple, so you can frame their reactions and emotions, and the all-important first kiss. You can also make candids of people in the congregation with your telezoom lens.
After the Service
As the couple come out of the service, try halting them for a spontaneous portrait; their expressions will be wonderful. If the ceremony is indoors, make this image just inside the doorway as it’s often an excellent location for light.
As the newlyweds and their friends and family enjoy some drinks, frame some candids with your telephoto zoom. It’s also a good chance for some portraits and group photos of guests!
© Alison Conklin
This is also a good time to borrow the couple for some portraits, but do make sure you don’t take too long about it. Thirty to 45 minutes should do, if you’ve identified your locations and know exactly what you’re going to do.
Photography and Food
While the celebratory meal is a big part of a wedding day, nobody looks great when they are chewing food or slurping a drink, so try to make some pictures of the tables beforehand, taking in the small details the couple have agonized over, such as name cards and table decorations. Then make some candid pictures of people arriving at their seats. Now make yourself scarce and take a break – weddings are physically demanding, and you’re not finished yet. You’ll need your strength for the rest of the event.
© Paul Von Rieter
The Speeches
Towards the end of the meal, it’s customary for members of the wedding party to give speeches. This is a great opportunity for pictures of guests enjoying themselves and some emotional moments from the bride and groom. Your telephoto zoom lens is a great option here – open it up to its fastest aperture and take bursts of images at high ISO sensitivity.
© Alison Conklin
The First Dance
Flash is a really good idea when getting images of the couple on the dance floor, but it isn’t essential! Keep the high ISO settings from the speeches and see what you can create with the ambient light in the room.
© Alison Conklin
If you do opt to use flash, combine it with a longer shutter speed or higher ISO (or both) in order to convey some atmosphere and some ambient light. If you’re using on-camera flash, try manually zooming in the flash’s zoom head to a focal length that’s longer than the lens you’re using. This will light up only the center of the frame, helping you retain the ambient light at the edges.
You can also you use your flash (or multiple flashes) off-camera, positioned on stands around the dance floor. This is really effective, especially with the flashes in TTL mode so you don’t have to worry too much about exposure.
Your Next Steps
- CHALLENGE When you’ve shot your first wedding, why not show us how it went by sharing on social media? (But be sure to ask the couple first!) Use the hashtags #MyFujifilmLegacy and #wedding. You can also submit your work here for a chance to be featured on our social media channels.
- LEARN Download our booklets Michelle Turner’s Guide to Creating Amazing Wedding Images and Alison Conklin’s Guide to Beautiful Wedding Photography with the FUJIFILM GFX System
Header image © Phil Porto