Elegant Wedding Photography

The best wedding photography is reality-driven. It's celebrating the special moments that tell the story of the couple's special day to treasure forever.

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Elegant Wedding Photography Tips

2. As a photographer you have to have something meaningful to say. Once you know what the message is you want to convey, think about the tools that will help you to communicate it best. A great way to do this is by utilizing soft focusing to draw attention to a certain part of the image. You can dramatically improve the composition of a photography by considering which areas within the frame you want out of focus. Try using very large apertures, f/1.4, f/2, and shoot wide open. You can also utilize tilt-shift lenses to throw certain areas of the frame out of focus.

3. Keep it simple. Elegant wedding photography as an art form requires an eye for simplicity. Black and white photography is a wonderful way to achieve this because it disguises all the information that has no purpose in the image. You don't have to take what is in the viewfinder as gospel... make decisive decisions about space usage, color (or not), and props. Keep in mind that simple images are probably the most challenging to create, but it's all about what you leave out. Think simple lines ~ and you can't go too far wrong.

4. Be careful of providing too much structure. Think of what you're doing as documentary portraiture. Allow your subjects to be themselves while making sure the light is beautiful and the composition is pleasing. The more relaxed your subjects are, the more stunning your captures tend to be.

5. Master lighting. Use available light as much as possible, but consider using studio lighting on location too. You will find that it takes your images to a whole new level. Some of the best results can be achieved by using combinations of equipment such as a Profoto B600 batterypack, a super big softbox like you would normally use in a studio, and a couple of speedlights. If possible, take an assistant with you to handle the lighting.

6. Mingle with the wedding party and be as unobtrusive as possible. Make sure that you have everything you need on hand. Keep two cameras with different lenses on your body, and extra lenses in Shoots Sacs around your waist. You have to be ready for anything.

7. Shoot in manual, but also use Av (aperture priority) for that beautiful artsy look that is the core of elegant wedding photography. Consider using aperture priority mode—zoom lenses at 2.8. Set up a minimum shutter speed that you want to use to ensure the most important bits are in focus, while using an Auto ISO setting. If you want to show movement, use a shutter priority that's already set up around the 1/15 or 1/20s. When in manual mode, turn auto ISO off. Customize your camera so you can easily change back and forth amongst aperture priority, shutter priority and manual. Keep the EV exposure compensation on as well, and keep adjusting your exposure as the light changes. For example, if you have a dark subject against a dark background, underexpose by bringing it down a stop and a half. On the other hand, if you're photographing the bride or a really white subject, overexpose at least one stop. Also, with today's camera technology it is usually perfectly okay to mainly rely on autofocus and auto metering.

8. Prepare well. You will be a lot more relaxed during the shoot if you've taken the time to go to the location before the event. Remember, you have to be able to make any environment you have to work in sparkle ~ and there is no second chance to get it right. Identify scenes that could stand out and act as spectacular backdrops. It even helps to take a few photos to check lighting. It's often what you do before the shoot that makes all the difference in elegant wedding photography.

9. It pays to put thought and effort into creating a good workflow for post-processing. Marketing is an important part of your wedding photography business and if you're able to show your clients high quality work, it increases your sales dramatically. It's also essential to bring the time frames down so you can spend less time in front of the computer and more time with your clients.

10. Most importantly, enjoy the whole process. If you love creating elegant wedding photography images, your passion will shine through. Have a desire to deliver your absolute best for every client - with no excuses. Make each beautifully crafted photograph a work of art.

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