Your wedding day is an amazing event. It’s something you plan for months and that many people dream about for years. You invest so much time, energy and money into coordinating the perfect celebration of your relationship but, guess what? You need perfect wedding photos for one simple reason:
It all goes by in a blur.
There’s so much excitement and so much going on that it’s impossible for the lucky couple to see and remember everything about their special day. While your wedding day is unforgettable, the details can be lost quickly.
One surefire way to make sure you remember your special day is to hire a photographer. This is a pretty standard part of planning a wedding, but sometimes couples add a photographer more as an afterthought.
While professional photographers will be happy to deliver their standard package and service, doing some planning and prepping ahead of time can make the difference between nice pictures and perfect wedding photos.
Hiring: Do You Need a Professional?
Many people decide that they don’t want to get a professional photographer for their wedding, and that is totally okay. Having the pictures taken by close friends or family is definitely a cheaper alternative and can be easier to coordinate in the end.
Having said that, working with a close friend or family member comes with its own set of risks. Avoid hurt feelings and disappointment by being upfront about what you want – number of poses, types of photos you’d like – as well as what you’re going to pay. Don’t assume that because the photographer is a friend that they won’t want to be compensated for their time. Discuss pay before you agree to work with one another and get everything in writing.
No matter what you decide, it’s important to be your own advocate to ensure you get the photos you want. There are many factors you should consider in order to get the right shots.
We’ve collected tips and tricks that will help you get professional results no matter what.
Set the Scene for Perfect Wedding Photos
When taking the perfect picture, always make sure you’re setting up the perfect angle. Creating the right angle creates purpose to your photo as well as defining a voice in the picture. Where you choose to position yourself, the background, and even the amount of people are all different factors that will change the outcome of your image.Those factors that you include in your image help create a focus and create a story. The smallest changes in your choice of angles can make a world of differences. Try posing in front of blooming trees, a place you and your significant other love to go to, or even just a simple angled picture of you guys on the grass can make all the difference in how your image comes out.
Choose Flattering Clothes
Taking wedding pictures is a big part of your special day, don’t you want to look your best? Of course you do, dress the part. Wedding attire is something you and your significant other should be sure to make clear to your guests. When you make your attire views clear, it will help everyone to show up in the proper clothes and make your images stand out more. Nobody wants a fancy wedding where someone shows up in jeans and a nice shirt. Express your thoughts in wedding invites so your photos can come out as elegant as desired.
Get The Small Details
Taking wedding pictures shouldn’t be limited to just people smiling and showing their happiness for the newly weds. Consider having a special table set up for pictures of mementos that are special to you and your person. Include pictures of rings, dresses, tables, and even shoes. Having small details added into your photo album will allow you to have memories of the small things to look back on. These images will be much more personal since they come from your own personality quirks. They will also add more dimension to your album.
Know Your Angles
Get ready ahead of time by determining your best side and how to hold yourself when being photographed. Get with a friend or the photographer you plan to use in the days or weeks ahead of the wedding. Dress up and go through some different poses and angles to determine what is most flattering to you.
Quick tips for taking a great picture include:
- Stick Your Chin Out – This elongates your neck and prevents double-chin in pics.
- Keep Your Chin Down – This sounds counter to what we just said but if you stick your chin out but angle it down with your head at a three-quarter turn, you’ll create a stronger jawline. The pose may feel funny, but it looks great on film.
- Use a Genuine Smile – This will be a happy day so hopefully you won’t have a problem generating a true smile. But if you need an extra boost simply think of a truly happy moment and let that smile. A genuine smile is always more photogenic.
- Tongue to Teeth – Put the tip of your tongue on the back of your top teeth. This can help avoid a too-wide grin.
Find the Best Light
Lighting makes a huge difference in how photos turn out as well. Avoid places with a lot of shadows since this will bring out imperfections in your skin as well as everything else. Overly bright lighting is also a problem as it makes you look washed out.
Choose places inside or out that have natural, diffused light. Curtains, reflectors and lamps can all be used to create the right light source. Look for lighting that creates an even glow without harsh shadows.
If possible, scout out your photo locations around the same time of day that you anticipate doing your photo shoot. That way you can see what the light is like and even do some practice shots so that there is less guesswork on the day.
Create A List For The Shots
Ensure that you are thinking ahead of time what poses that you would like to be captured. Try creating fun poses for your family to do, whether it be everyone smiling together or just shots of you and family members that are close to you or your significant other. A great way to find the poses you love is looking online for wedding photos of others, many people will try to incorporate even animals in your photos. Be sure that you don’t let anyone feel left out as well, your guests are just as important to your special day as you are. Being prepared for a wedding is the one thing you should never avoid, so why avoid being prepared when it comes to taking your pictures
Be Prepared For The Unexpected
Anything can happen during your special day. Rain, snow, wind, and even too much sunshine can ruin the setup for the perfect wedding photo shoot. Even something as small as a shoe being untied, or someone having a lipstick smudge.
Things will go wrong, don’t stress.
Do more than cope with the stress and less than perfect moment. Instead, embrace them! They’ll likely become the memories that make you laugh the most in years to come.
