BEHIND THE SCENES OF WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY

What goes on behind the scenes in a typical Wedding shoot? This blog will open your eyes as to how I operate before the day, on the day and after the day. The most important thing for a wedding shoot is YOU, the couple who are tying the knot, for without you there would not be a wedding to shoot. The day that you choose me as your wedding photographer is the day that I start working behind the scenes to make your wedding shoot the best one yet! I will aim to get to know you as a couple, what you like and what you do not like. This small bit of personal knowledge will help me style the shoot around you as a couple. After the initial consultation, the date for your matrimony is set in concrete on my calendar. Some messages and ideas will transpire between us, images of other weddings could flow back and forth, so that we can develop our own plan for the wedding. 

By the time the big day comes I will already have a picture in my mind of the style to go for. Classic, carefree, boho, traditional, rustic, romantic, vintage, etcetera. All these types of weddings come with their own styling nuances, and these nuances also affect the way that I style my final images. For example, if you were to have a vintage style wedding, then my output would probably include a great deal of classy black and white prints, maybe with a touch of sepia toning. 

The night before the wedding:

You are nervous, you are also excited and your head is filled with what needs to be done on the big day. Guess what, your photographer is doing exactly the same. The night before a wedding is my final check of all the gear I am taking. I have a wedding gear checklist that covers gear, personal supplies and emergency supplies. My camera bag includes not only camera equipment but also Panadol, water and a few muesli bars. There is also the “emergency kit” which has all manner of things in it.

The day of the wedding:

Seven in the morning, and it is all go! Breakfast needs to be a big one, because it is going to be a long day. I sit down, have breakfast, and a good cuppa. Then it is time for me to get dressed up too. I am a professional so I cannot show up in shorts and a t-shirt. Depending on the style of wedding it will either be a button up shirt and dress pants or a full blown suit complete with tie. Nothing looks worse than someone casually dressed for a fancy wedding.

The Brides preparation:

Once I am suitably attired it is off to the bride's house. She is the centre of attention, she is a princess surrounded by her ladies in waiting. The make up artist is normally present along with a hairdresser. The bride's mum and dad will often be present as well making this a full and busy household. As the photographer, I like to ease myself into the day. The way that works for me best is by starting on detail shots. These shots would be of the wedding dress, shoes, rings, bouquets, and other items that come into the picture (excuse the pun). By getting these shots done the bride and party start to get comfortable with me being about and snapping away.  Often at this stage there is someone getting made up, or hair is getting done. The detail shots for these come out as well. 

Close up shots of makeup being applied, or hair being frizzed up fill my preparation shots. Sometime during the prep it is common for a few bubbles to be served and a bit of girl fun. These are worth shooting too as the girls shoot hoops. The final shots I like for the preparation of the bride are of the bride getting dressed. As I am a guy I am very cautious about how I go about getting these shots. I will only come into the room when the bride is close to fully dressed. Coordination with the bridesmaid or mother of the bride is vital to achieve these photos. The shots I am looking for at this point are of the mum or bridesmaids doing the final tweaks to a dress. Mirror shots are also another that I look for at this stage. 

The Groom's preparation:

The groom and his cohort are easier to photograph. Generally there is not the flurry of activity around the groom. These guys are chilled as a cucumber, sometimes even putting a few (beers) back in their preparation for the ceremony. The only nerves seem to be around the Groom himself, heck, it is a big day for him and his bride! The shots I am after here are of the Groom and his father fixing ties, the shoes and any other detail shots that may be needed. I also do my best to get photojournalism shots of the guys on the day. This is also a good opportunity to get detail shots of the bridal car.

At the Ceremony:

It does not matter where the nuptials take place for them to be so very special. The promises bound by the couple on this day are so very beautiful. This is where it gets so very emotional. As a wedding photographer I love this part of a wedding. It brings out the hidden romantic in us all. This is where the key shots are. I need to be on my game at this stage. There are too many key shots to list, but by far the most important in my opinion is that first kiss as a married couple. 

As a side note, if you are reading this whilst planning your own wedding, please choose to make your wedding unplugged. Ask your guests not to spend their time looking at the back of phones while trying to photograph or video the auspicious occasion. Let them know politely that you have chosen a photographer to capture the moment so they do not have to. An unplugged wedding makes it so much more pleasurable for the couple, for the photographer and also for the guests.

Formal Shots:

The formals are the group shots of family members, friends and workmates. It pays to be very prepared for these shots otherwise some of the combinations can be left out. I ask my clients months in advance to build up their list for these shots just so no one will end up left out. Great Auntie Ethel will thank you for it! It is preferable for the MC or a groomsman to organise the groups. Someone whom people will listen to and who knows most of the people involved will do well in this position. We want the formals to be well organised and over quickly, they can be very draining on the bride and groom. 

Bridal Shots:

As a rule, the bridal shots are after the formals, however, this is not always the case. Sometimes the bridals occur even before the ceremony so as to manage time if time is tight. These shots should take roughly an hour or so, if travel is involved maybe longer. For me this is the fun and creative time. It is also a good opportunity for the bridal party to capture their breath after the ceremony and formals. I am looking for some posed and some candid shots in this segment. I will often direct the couple as to where I want them and their poses, although for some people this comes rather naturally. By this time, myself and the bridal party should have a real flow going, and the shots captured should be easy to set up. My advice here is to relax, and enjoy the moment.

At the Banquet:

By this stage I have done most of my work. I am though still around for a few more hours, and I will do as photographers do, clicking away. The photojournalism stage comes out of me at this time and I am trying to capture the feel of the moment. Consider me a fly on the wall photographer by now. Often, some detail shots are needed of the head table and the ambiance of the reception, so I will try to sneak in early to capture those shots.

The last few key shots are at the speeches, at the cutting of the cake and at the first dance. Once the first dance is done I often consider my work done for the day and will relax with a beer or two if invited. It has been thirsty work and that beer does taste good (there is a subtle hint in that).

Post Processing:

The daunting task is well at hand now as I go through all the shots. I am ruthless in culling out any shots that do not make the grade, and end up with a selection of shots that need final processing. The processing involved are actions like colour correction, cropping, styling and all other wizardry through Photoshop. Many shots are retouched in detail to get the desired style. As a rule, if I spent 10 hours at a wedding I will spend at least 20 hours post processing. 

Social Media:

Snippets of the wedding will be sneaked out before you receive your final images. These “teasers” are there to keep the energy flowing. The teasers are often fun images, or wonderful images from the wedding. These images also start to show the style of which other images are being processed in. If you are ecstatic with the images then I know I am on track.

Delivery of final product:

The wedding is done, the honeymoon is over and life is settling back into it’s routine. My job is done, and my last task is handing over a USB full of beautiful images. Depending on the package there may also be other goodies like a photo album. It is a total thrill to me seeing your reaction to the photos. These are my babies I am handing over. Every one of these images has been edited by me and they contain an essence of me in their styling, so it feels emotional to me. When you flick through these images I see your eyes sparkle as you see Uncle Joe crying, or see Cousin Anita grinning happily at the thought of her little cousin now married. You will see the image of your husband with a silly grin on his face about being finally married, that glint of pure happiness at the corner of his eye. When you see that image all your emotions will come tumbling out. 

That is why I do what I do, I love the emotions that weddings bring out. I am always honoured to be the photographer at a wedding, and I hope that whoever you choose as your photographer feels the same way as I do.