Wedding Photography Do's and Don'ts

Author: Ashley

Do's

- Choose your photographer carefully. You want to hire wedding photographers, who make you feel comfortable, are mellow, and have an overall pleasant demeanor. Choose a photographer you really feel gets who you are, and can capture the essence of your coupling.

- Contact your wedding photographer at least one week before our wedding to go over last minute concerns. This is the time you want to be upfront about your expectations, express any of your ideas, and make the photographer aware of any don'ts. For example a "photography don't" would include if your ceremony is located at a place of worship. There may be certain areas of the building where photography is not-permitted. It is your job to let the photographer know of such limitations.

- Make a list of the type of photos you would like taken. While planning your wedding you will be flipping through dozens of pictures. Clip out any shots you would like and show your photographer so they have an idea of what you are looking for.

- Have the photographer shoot until the end of the wedding. Most couples tell their wedding photographer to stop shooting an hour before the reception is over. However, that is a time when some of the most interesting moments happen, so to be sure you don't miss one photo opportunity have your photographer shoot through the entire day.

Don'ts

- Do not take stiff, posed pictures. Formal pictures are to be expected, but do not forget to take some silly fun pictures with your bridal party. These pictures show more emotion and joy of the day than any posed "perfect" pictures taken through the day.

- Do not schedule your pictures to be taken around noon. Noon is the time of day when the sun is the highest. At this time of day the sun creates shadows and unflattering light that no bride wants to be caught in. It is better to schedule your photo session later in the afternoon.

- Do not underestimate the time it will take for your photo session to complete. It takes time to shoot a variety of pictures and when working with large numbers of people, photo sessions may run longer than you expect. It would be in your benefit to block out a large amount of time for your wedding photos; otherwise you will be limited on the variety of photo choices.