Being a wedding photographer is no easy task! There is so much on the line on a wedding day and you only have ONE shot at getting all the images you need. Once the day (or even the moment) is over, its over. The day is quick paced and your mind is racing with camera settings, what time it is, helping the guys get their boutonnieres on and so much more! If there is not a wedding planner most of the time the photographer is running the show. and not only are you running the show now but you have to make sure you still get every shot on the wedding shot list.

These 5 quick tips to easily improve your wedding photography will help bring your photography to the next level and before you know it be second nature to you – so you can feel confident in every shot you take! Ok let’s dive in!

Get to Know Your Couples

If you haven’t already met, zoomed or chatted with your wedding clients before their engagement session, make sure to take a few minutes to chat with them at the beginning of your session. This will help you get to know how there personality are like and what they will react to once you start photographing.

Some couples may have a really silly playful side well others are shy and more reserved. Knowing a little about them will let you know what prompts and poses to use that will fit them best!

For a more playful couple you may use a prompt like ” in your sexiest voice talk dirty “insert his favorite hobby” to him. My couples always find this hysterical and I get some great laughing shots!

For a more shy couple maybe try a prompt where they are facing each other, foreheads touching, eyes closed and think about the moment they know this was it? Have them open their eyes and tell each other their moment. This will give you sweet romantic photos.

Not to say that you shouldn’t try both of these prompts on all your couples but you may find that some prompts work better on some than others.

Use Multiple Lenses

Consider switching out your lenses during your session or shooting with two camera bodies to capture different perspectives. I like to have 2 camera bodies for ease of use and quickness. Being able to quickly go from a tight shot to a wide overall shot give variety to your client galleries. My favorite lens for an engagement shoots are my 70-200mm f2.8 and 24-70mm f2.8. For weddings I also use 85mm, 35mm, 105mm macro.

Invest in good lenses. High-quality lenses can make a world of difference in how your photos look. With the right lens, you can capture sharp and clear images. I recommend when first starting out to stay with zoom lenses like the 70-200mm f2.8 and 24-70mm f2.8 these lenses will give you more flexibility then primes and to this day are still my main lenses!! I don’t know what I would do without my 70-200mm. Don’t get me wrong I love my prime lenses but I think when starting out you get the most out of your investment with these zoom lenses.

Change Your Point of View

Another way to add variety to your client galleries is to experiment with angles and different perspectives. Get high, get low, move around your subjects to see different point of views, Is there anything interesting you can add to the foreground? Where is the horizon line in your image? As the newlyweds share their first dance look for loved ones reactions, or look at the groom as his bride to be walks down the aisle. Keep your eyes open to the details and any opportunities that may arise. Play around! You might be pleasantly surprised by the results!

Watch the Crop

Make sure to watch your crop! This is a big one! watch to make sure that you are not cutting off feet, hands or at any odd points or joints. They should be in or out. A crop can make or brake a photograph.

Another thing to watch out for when thinking about your image crop is when photographing larger groupings to always leave about 10% extra space on the side for straightening in post processing.

I don’t know about you but – no matter how hard I try I am always just a little off on my straightness for larger groups and if you don’t leave an enough room for a crop in post you cant fix it. Well not without cutting off someones feet – and we don’t want that! Now do we?

Raw Format

Shooting in RAW format gives you so much more flexibility when it comes to editing your images. It also helps preserve more details and colors in your photos. This means if your coloring is off you have more room to play in post to fix it.

That being said I still do recommend that you know your camera well and that you do your best to get everything as close to your desired deliverable image in camera as possible. You will thank yourself later if you do, I promise!

Like These Tips

I hope these 5 quick tips to easily improve your wedding photography help you take your wedding photography to the next level. If you have any questions or would like to work with me 1:1 to improve your wedding photography send me a message today to get started! I would love to help you on your photography journey.