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For many couples, planning their wedding is a long process where (almost) everything is thought down to the last detail. Since you can never have enough help, here are five photography advice coming from a photographer’s perspective every bride should read for a picture-perfect wedding!
The light
It’s one neglected aspect, but it’s so important when documenting your big day! And for a good reason, the word photography literally means « painting with light ». Because of its importance, I will split this advice in three major points to consider.
1. Lack of light.
Outdoor ceremonies rarely lack natural light. However, several indoor venues have difficult lighting conditions.
Some churches can be very dark, which might require the use of an external flash to guarantee a better image quality. When used correctly, a flash can be used in an organic way that mimics natural light. However, some wedding officiants forbid the use of flashes for cultural, spiritual or personal reasons. In this case, I will have to push my camera settings to their maximum, which will leave a noticeable grain on the images.
For this reason, shop for your ceremony location like for every other aspect of your wedding. If you prefer light and airy images, pick a location with large windows and white walls for a light and airy look. However, if you prefer contrasted and dramatic images, you will be happier with a location that has woodwork and light fixtures, which work well with a flash.
2. Too much light.
In a similar manner, having too much light can also affect the photos. During summer months, the sun is very strong, especially between 11AM and 3PM. For this reason, most photographers aim to do outdoor portraits outside of this period.
My favourite period is called the « Golden Hour », as it offers a soft and golden light. From May to October, this moment happens between 6PM and 8PM in Quebec, right before sunset. The closer to the solstice your wedding date is (June 20 or 21), the later it will happen in the evening. You can actually calculate this time window no matter where you are in the world for every day of the year with the website Golden Hour Calculator.
Of course, not all weddings allow us to photograph these moments so late in the day. If this is your case, don’t worry! It’s still possible to get beautiful outdoor photos earlier during the day. If the sky isn’t overcast, one simple, yet effective way to achieve this is to find a spot in open shade. This can be under trees, against a brick wall or under a balcony for instance. This way, the light will be softer and you will avoid squinting.
If the weather allows it, I highly suggest taking 10-15 minutes before sunset to snap a few last romantic photos. The different light colour will give a totally different feel to the images, which you won’t regret!
3. Coloured light.
During the reception, some venues use a lighting set-up made entirely of coloured LEDs. Even though it looks nice, it doesn’t photograph as nicely. Your clothes, skin and hair will be tinted in one colour. This effect can’t be saved in post-production, no matter how much I try. In this case, I use a flash to light people with a neutral colour.
In order to limit the use of a flash, one easy solution is to install white lights over the tables and keep the coloured light next to the walls. This way, your reception will still keep its joyful atmosphere and the photos will nicely depict all the fun you had while partying.
The portraits location
I addressed this briefly earlier, but I believe it needs its own category. The location where you will take your photos, whether it is with your bridal party, family or your couple portraits, should be well thought and decided in advance.
You might have guessed it already, but I strongly favour outdoor places. I personally find that several indoor locations have too much visual distraction and often have difficult light conditions, which makes it hard to create beautiful photos in the limited time that is available to us. By working outside, we can have a more consistent environment that gives many more possibilities.
Ideally, the location should be uncrowded to put you at ease and have a pleasant experience. For this reason, it can be difficult to capture your newlywed portraits in the Old Montreal or Old Quebec City for instance. Not only will there be a lot of tourists, but many other couples might be there to capture their own portraits. If you’re shy or anxious, a private location where no one will bother us might be a better fit for you.
In order to use the time efficiently, the portrait location should offer different options. Since a wedding day is busy, we usually have around 45 minutes for couple portraits. The more we need to drive around and wait in traffic, the less time we’ll have to capture the photos! The ideal spot will have a varied landscape, preferably at a walking distance. For instance, a field on one side, a forest on the other and a pretty building facade.
In case of rain, having a protected place will allow you to quickly move on to Plan B. This can be under a porch or in a luminous indoor room with large windows. Combined with clear umbrellas, this will allow you to transform a disaster into unique portraits!
Electronic disruption
With the overabundance of electronic devices nowadays, they’re definitely one of the biggest sources of disruption during ceremonies. Some guests forget to turn off their smartphone and receive phone calls right in the middle of the ceremony. Others let their children play loud games on their tablet to pass time. A few others decide to become professional photographers for the day.
Even though the first two cases are disrespectful to you, the third makes my job very difficult. More and more guests stand up in the middle of the aisle or straight up get in front of the couple to take their own photos of the event. Not only does it prevent me from doing my job, but I can also miss key moments. I personally missed the first kiss because a guest decided to push me to photograph it with their tablet! If there is a moment you want to capture, it’s definitely this one!
One solution is to have an unplugged wedding. Just like the name says, the unplugged wedding bans the use of electronic devices during the celebration. Before the beginning of the union, the officiant will ask them to turn off their device. You can also put a sign asking guests to do it right in front of the ceremony location. This guarantees that everyone will fully be there to witness your union from their eyes instead of the back of their device. The photographer you’re investing thousands of dollars in to immortalize this beautiful day will thank you for it, and so will you!
I hope these advice will be helpful to plan your wedding!
For even more preparation advice about weddings, read my other blog posts.
Last update: January 2023
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