Capturing eternity at a click... few simple advises
Close your eyes and imagine a green pasture before you, strewn with the multicolored facets of different flowers and plants. As you walk further into the lush greenery, you see a white gazebo framed with flowing white satin curtains and pink roses. You hear church bells somewhere in the distance. You start to notice people moving behind you, clapping, cheering and some sobbing. You look further forward to find a man and woman standing in front of the gazebo, lovingly clutched in each other’s embrace. A blush slowly creeps onto the woman’s cheeks as the man bends down toward her. You realize that they both just shared their first official kiss as husband and wife. You hear a soft click, and realize that you’ve just captured one of the most important moments, frozen in time.
Photography gave humans the unique ability to freeze the most important moments in life at a click of a button. One might even say that photographs can be the windows to one’s past. It is because of this that some would say wedding photography is the most significant type of photography we do. It tells the story of triumph, celebration, family, and most of all, love.
Owing to the significance of the occasion and the pressure people put on the photographer to produce perfect photographs, even experienced photographers find this to be a daunting and stressful ordeal. You may find this especially overwhelming and doubly stressful if you haven’t had much experience in photography. Despite all the challenges present, do not fear! Whether you are the veteran wedding photographer or have just recently become interested in getting into the business, here are some useful tips and pointers to help allay your worries and dispel your stress.
First thing you need to do is research about certain techniques that are not too hard to execute. For example, you can research about flash and how you can use it to produce higher quality photos. One technique that is fairly easy to apply is the bounce flash. Usually, using the built in flash available in most cameras can be a bad idea, since it creates an unnatural look to the photo. With bounce flash, you are able to redirect it towards your subject. This can create a much more professional look.
The second thing you need to consider is the other detail you might encounter during the event. You would need to figure out how to capture the perfect picture with the equipment you have available. Other questions that may plague you would be how you would illustrate love through a photograph with just the right pose or what the right lighting is for certain angles. If you find yourself stressing over things like this too much, it can hamper instead of help you in the long run. Take a step back and take a deep breath. Start by conceptualizing a theme that you want to work with. As soon as you have a theme in mind, the details of each photograph will become clearer and easier to execute. You need to frame each shot just right. You can scope out the venue before the event and pinpoint areas that match the kind of theme you envisioned. Try to do some test shots with your camera, and explore how you can use the natural lighting available to your best advantage. By doing this in advance, you can avoid problems later and purchase the right equipment for the shot you would like to do during the actual event.
Third, be realistic about the kind of equipment you have available and make the most of it. If you find that you lack the right lens for a certain angle, don’t force the issue. Try to make the most of what your camera can do instead. If you know your camera has difficulty doing focused close ups, try to work on other angles that can still capture the moment in a different way. For example, you can maximize the use of the venue or focus on faces and specific objects that can help you tell the story of their romance.
Lastly, be sure to do your research before the event. Research should not just be about reading articles on photography or reading about the right angles, poses or lighting to use for each shot. Research should include involving yourself in the entire event so you can get a glimpse of each phase of the wedding. Try to capture all the moments with the bride and groom, whether it be picking out a dress for the bride or the cutting of the cake during the reception. If you know your skills as a photographer are not that great, it can give you more options to work with in addition to helping you weave a more meaningful and memorable story around the other family and friends who share in the occasion. This will have more of an impact on the final product since it focuses on the people involved instead of your skills as a photographer.
After the day is done, the most important thing we should remember is that photographs should always be centered on the people involved. A wedding is a celebration of love between two people. In the years to come, photographs might be the only souvenirs they have that can take them back to a moment of celebration, youth and love. As a photographer, you can preserve and capture these moments forever. The significance of what we do for our loved ones must never escape us. Whether you are the amateur or experienced photographer, the bottom line is really making sure that you successfully capture the moments of their day so it can narrate the story of their love in the years to come.