Slow Photo Weddings: 7 Secrets I Wish I Knew

For weddings, I try to do Slow Photography. This doesn't mean I work slowly. Slow Photograph is a mind set for making portraits. Professional wedding photography requires a planned approach with coordinated teamwork. 

   I wish I'd had these seven ideas in mind when I first started in wedding photography.

1. GAIN THE BRIDE'S TRUST.  
   The Bride's trust is the essence of all wedding photography. Build rapport with her. When you have her trust, you'll get great photographs because she wants you to create extraordinary images of her day and her family. Working closely together with her takes time and can not be rushed.

   To build her trust, make time to understand exactly what is important to her. If you don't have a studio, set up a meal with the couple to hang out casually with them. Learn about her hobbies, skills, and needs. Ask her permission to meet both sets of parents, and explain to the bride and groom that this will smooth communication with their families at the wedding itself. 

 

2. WEDDINGS ARE PORTRAITURE. 
   Relaxed portraiture can make wedding photographs special. Wait for the best light. Explore the difference in a portrait between a forced smile and a social smile. Decide how you will pose, or capture spontaneous moments, or a combination of the two approaches. 

   In hot weather, ensure the bride is in an air-conditioned facility, to keep her as comfortable as possible just before her ceremony. Each of  your deliberate actions, although invisible in the final image, are part of what make successful slow photography at a wedding.

3. PLAN THE DETAILS AND REVIEW THEM.  
   Plan every move the bride will make, and where you will be. Be deliberate as you think about what the bride is doing, and who will be with her. Find out where her airplane, hotel, cars, ceremony and reception will be. When you discuss a shot list with the bride in advance, imagine each memory you want to capture. This way, you'll be free to get those spontaneous, spur of the moment shots that are so much fun, and keep me going back to do another wedding shoot. 


 

   Take a slow walk with the bride and groom through the ceremony and reception locations. Try to do this at the same time of day as the ceremony.  It is helpful to attend the wedding rehearsal, especially if the wedding is in a church. This lets you see bokeh backgrounds, wall colors, carpets and interior light direction. Find out what and when the bride does not want you to photography, as when she is dressing.

   Repeat to the bride all you plan to do several times, in advance. For every couple,  emotions are strong and can take over on the day of the wedding. You may think you understand each other, but it helps to review.



4. FAMILY TRADITIONS. 
   Learn the bride and groom's traditions. Are they Muslim, Jewish, Catholic? Are they orthodox, reform, agnostic? This knowledge gives you a conceptual structure for their ceremony, and more importantly, may reveal what can't be photographed. I've been yelled at by a Catholic Monsignor, when I did not understand his rules about photographing a religious ceremony. I know now to ask about the traditions ahead of time. 


 

5. BACK IT UP. 
    As you prepare to photograph a wedding, imagine you are going on a NASA mission, and back up all your gear systems. After the shoot, immediately do a back-up of all digital files in three places. 

   If you are using film, double the number of rolls or sheets of film you take
in case you get a bad batch. Test your darkroom chemistry and keep it fresh. Take two camera bodies and two tripods if you are capturing video. Build in redundancy all along the way-- you do not want to have a dead camera, in the middle of the aisle as the bride and her father come towards you. I've been there, and done that when I did not properly lock my L lens on my Canon body, so its shutter would not fire.

   You must have a low light fast lens in your bag. F/4 does not cut it after sundown or in a dim cathedral. 

   I prefer not to change lenses at a wedding unless I have to, so I carry two zooms, one on each body. I pack mirrors, comb, paper towels, gaffers tape, aspirin, band aids, rubber bands, cold water bottles; anything I can think of to help someone in the wedding party feel better. Well, almost anything.

6. BE CREDIBLE.  
   Be totally professional. I've seen newbie wedding photographers go in to a ceremony wearing tennis shoes. Don't. Wear your best clothing, but keep it understated so you do not upstage the couple. 

   Dress for the forecast. I've taken a wool suit on a 95 degree day to an outdoor wedding: Oops. Drink bottled water at the wedding and do not be seen near the bar. You want all the guests to get a professional impression of your behavior, as they might hire you for a wedding years later.

7. DIGITAL OUTPUT.

   In today's economy, it helps to have affordable pricing. Today, the majority (about 66%) of brides want photographs they can print themselves, or share on social media. When a bride chooses not to order prints, I make sure the couple get a gift wrapped set of DVD's. I include a music video of their wedding so the couple can share with friends online. Of course, they get high resolution digital files for print. 

   Speaking of prints, the best digital retouching tools to create flattering photographs, are from NIK. Their Color Efex Pro plug-in, with its pro soft focus, blemish fixer and other great Wedding tools are excellent. 

I hope these ideas may help you with your next wedding. Thanks for your comments. Jim