Wedding Photography Principles
Show up earlier than my start time.
The saying is true; You’re on time if you’re early and you’re late if you’re on time. I always show up 45 minutes to an hour earlier than my start time, even if the doors are locked for the venue. I always leave early in case there’s an accident or traffic delays, even if it says there’s no traffic on Google Maps. I’ve cut it close a few times in the past when I first got started doing wedding photography and I always stressed out. I might have shown up on time to fulfill my contract but I was mentally shaken and not ready to start shooting. This is why I always show up early. I always get nervous before a wedding. That’s a good thing in my opinion. It means you care about the work that you do. When I show up early, I can relax before I actually start the day. I also like to scout out the locations at the venue, looking for good spots to do family portraits.
2. Don’t drink unless invited
I very rarely drink at weddings including the reception. However, I will accept an alcoholic beverage if I’m invited by the couple or someone close to them. In my opinion, you look unprofessional if you show up when everyone is getting ready and you grab a glass of whiskey to ease your nerves.
3. Messy rooms are ok.
I learned early on in my career that a photojournalist doesn’t change the environment to get a better photo. I always work with what I have and believe it’s my job to make a worthy photo that fits into the story of the wedding. I look for a spot with good light and/or a good clean background to take my photos. Sometimes I don’t have that luxury but I do my best. My whole brand is to “create authentic memories.” It’s not authentic if I move things around. A little mess is ok because it helps tell the story.
4. Don’t interrupt the moment
This rule goes along with the last one. I always shoot through a moment by not disrupting anyone. If the bride is crying along with her best friend then I quietly move around to capture the moment. I never want to make it about me. It’s my job to document the events unfolding throughout the day without fabricating them. This is why I never ask to take posed portraits. I’m happy to take them if asked but if there’s another great moment happening at the same time, I’ll always capture the moment first and defer the portrait till afterwards.
5. Always have a backup plan
Sometimes things don’t go to plan. Bad weather, bride or family member is running late, etc. This happens a lot so this rule applies to all professional photographers. Just recently, the plan was to take family portraits outdoors by a beautiful garden. However, the rain didn’t stop so I had to come up with a plan B. It was a bit tricky since the bride didn’t want to get any part of her dress wet. I wanted to get some photos inside of a pole barn with the door open so the background of the portraits would show the green nature. However, the venue owner couldn’t find the key so we had to go to plan C. Take all of the family portraits inside the barn with the doors closed instead of rolled up. I chose that location because it was a big open white space that had a clean background. It wasn’t ideal but was the best solution given the circumstances. We ended up getting more bride and groom photos outdoors after the ceremony so it all worked out.
