Getting the best photos from your wedding involves more than just picking a good photographer. Once you've hired someone to capture your special day, you can make the most of your preparation time by finding just what you like, making sure your photographer has all the important details, and discussing what's most important to you.
Pick Your Style
Wedding photographers can shoot in a variety of styles, all with their own unique aesthetic. Before your wedding, it's a good idea to look around at different galleries to see which stand out and which you like most. It's especially helpful if you can point out pictures from your photographer's own gallery and tell them you'd like your wedding shot in a similar style.
Even if you're not after a particular style, you can still look for aspects of different shoots that you like. For example, if you see a few photos taken from flattering angles, creative family shots, or beautiful dance shots, point them out. Anything you can point to will go a long way toward helping your photographer know what to focus on.
Include Your Photographer in Scheduling
Weddings can get pretty busy, and with so many things going on, it's important that your photographer be in the right places at the right times so they don't miss a shot. When finalizing your schedule, make sure your photographer knows all the details. Primarily, this includes what people will be in what locations at what times, and what kinds of photos you'd like from these places. This can include things like getting-ready locations, ceremony locations, family portraits, dance photos, and others. Your photographer may have a questionnaire for you that asks for all these details, but make sure they have this information either way.
Talk Priorities
Beyond knowing what style photos you're after, it helps your photographer to know what your priorities are. For example, you might want to make absolutely sure you get photos of specific family members, special family shots, or even pictures of the decorations. This is also a good time to talk about what you don't want to include. If there's anything you don't want photographed for any reason, this is a good time to bring that up.
Apart from keeping your photographer up to date with your schedule, this is the best way to ensure you get the specific photos you're after.
Take a Venue Tour
Finally, you can help your photographer prepare by showing them around the venue you've chosen for your wedding. This can give your photographer some ideas as to the lighting, the places they'll need to stand for certain shots, where everything will be set up, and other details. This is also a good time to learn about any photography restrictions, such as rules against flash or anything else specific to the venue itself.
For the best effect, take your photographer to these venues around the time you expect to be there during your wedding. This keeps any surprises to a minimum and ensures your photographer will be fully prepared on the big day.
To learn more, contact a wedding photographer.
