Photos of the couple getting ready are often part of what the bride wants on the day of the wedding.  Notice I said what the bride wants! Generally the groom doesn’t care!  When this is requested, your wedding photography timeline will begin here. Personally, I am a huge fan of these “getting ready” pictures.  Here’s why:

• Using this time prior to the ceremony will give you a chance to bond with the bride and her bridesmaids.
• You get a chance to capture some great detail shots.
• Its a great warm up before the ceremony, so you get your jitters out.

Have a Plan

I always try to plan it so that I arrive when the make up is being finished and the bride’s hair is almost done. The reason for this is because the bride will sit there for at least 2 hours getting her makeup and hair done, there is no need to take pictures of these things for that long.

So I will arrive about the time that her mascara is being applied and her lips are having color added. I love getting shots of the bride’s eyes when she is having her mascara applied! Her hair will be getting the last few curls and pinned up, so it is also a great time to get shots of how the hairstyle comes together.

While I’m waiting for something new to happen with the bride (because you can only take so many photos of mascara or curls), I will spend some time taking photos of the bridesmaids getting ready as well.

Photographing the Groom

While I am taking care of the bride, my second shooter is with the groom – taking pictures of him getting ready. Those photos usually include the groom buttoning his shirt, putting on his cuff links, doing his tie, putting on his jacket and tying his shoes. It takes much less time for the groom to get ready, so if all his groomsmen are with him, the second shooter will get some fun shots of all the guys together which will save time later in the day.

Photographing the Bride Getting Dressed

Now that the bride has her make up and hair done, she’s ready to get into her dress. MAKE SURE BEFORE SHE PUTS HER DRESS ON, YOU’VE TAKEN PICTURES OF HER DRESS HANGING.

Once she has the dress on, I start clicking away. You want to be sure to get pictures of the back of her dress being buttoned, tied or zipped (sometimes all 3), a sash being tied and then pull back so you get pictures of the people doing those things to her dress. This is about the time the bride will look into a mirror and cry.  So be ready for that!

She still has shoes to put on, which someone usually helps her with. I usually get on the ground to get those pictures so that the angle is good. Remember that the bride’s garter goes on the right leg (memorize that)! You will be asked at almost every wedding you do and nobody will know which leg to put it on, so they will expect YOU to know!!

Now that the bride has done with all of this, she has her jewelry to put on. There is usually a large or long mirror in the room, so I ask her to put this on while looking in that mirror – this makes for some really pretty photos. She also has to put on her veil, which someone else usually does for her, be sure to take photos of that as well.

When the bride is completely ready, you can head to the ceremony site and wait there for the wedding ceremony to begin. 

Here are some key points to remember when taking photos of a bride getting ready:

• Photograph EVERYTHING! The details in the room from the night before, her bridesmaids, all the details you see, photograph them.
• Change angles a often – do not just shoot straight on. Change your angles and the way you look at the details. Try getting on the floor to get those shoe shots.
• Get lots of pictures of the bridesmaids if they are there getting ready with the bride as well. They are a huge part of this day and candid of them are great. Try to get a few pictures once the bride is ready of all the bridesmaids with the bride together. This is fun to do on the bed, at the edge of the bed or a table or anywhere they will all fit in one spot!
• Move around the room so you have a chance to see everything.
• Your camera settings may be difficult. Your shooting inside with what may be really bad lighting.  Your ISO will probably need to be very high, but your shutter speed can be low because these girls aren’t going to move too fast.  You can shoot more wide open if you are doing the detail shots of one person, otherwise, remember to increase the aperture if they are not on the same plane.

There’s plenty of information on the internet about how to grow your wedding photography business but there’s one general rule that guides over 90% of all sales & marketing advice – understand your clients and their needs!!

Yep, 6 words is all takes but much easier said than done. In my career I’ve had extensive discussions with over 350 couples who were looking for a wedding photographer. Most of them opened up to me about how stressful the process of selecting a wedding photographer is. Trust me, these people are in pain and we are the reason.

Now here’s 3 things that you should start doing immediately to take away your clients’ pain and in the process, get more clients who trust and respect you.

1. Respond and Respond Quickly

   I can not stress this enough – when you get an inquiry or email from a client, respond as quickly as you can. No client email should go unanswered for more than 12 hours. If you’re too busy to send a detailed response, at least send a one line acknowledgement and if you do get delayed in sending a response, apologize for that delay.
   A large number of my clients have told me that they liked me from the beginning because I would respond to their emails very promptly especially when compared to a lot of photographers who either won’t respond at all or directly send across a quote after 4-7 days. This is not professional behavior.
   Remember – Sending a delayed response to a client doesn’t make you look like a busy, hotshot photographer. It only makes you look like the guy who doesn’t care and that won’t earn you their trust or their business.

2. Make it Personal

   Please don’t send a quote or even worse, a list of packages as a first response to a client inquiry, even if that’s exactly what a client asks for. Yes, money is a big part of the equation but let’s not forget that we are in a business that is all about emotion. We want a working relationship with our clients and not a transactional deal. Sending a dry quote upfront is a surefire way of attracting clients who only mean business and will treat you like just another paid vendor (read shit).
   In your first response, briefly tell them about your work and try to set up a meeting or a telephonic conversation. Engage with your client to understand who they are, what they are looking for and then advise them to the best of your ability. Only once you deeply understand their needs is when you give them your solution along with the relevant quote/packages.

3. Help Clients Understand Your Work

   Our clients are not photographers. A client may have contacted you because they “liked” your work but they’ve probably equally liked ten other wedding photographers. The onus of helping a client understand your work, your vision and the value of what you bring to the table lies on you – the photographer!
   While talking to clients, I often ask them which other photographers they are considering and they usually respond with a list of photographers whose work has little in common with mine. It used to leave me puzzled in the beginning but now I understand that they are doing this for the first time and it is easy to get overwhelmed by the sheer number and variety of choices available.
   This is where you step in. You need to know your clients better, handhold them through your work, explain your vision (in a language they understand) and help them figure out how it matches their requirements. This is what makes you a trusted adviser as opposed to a paid vendor.

More often we get questions from clients about what all details and things they need to take care of helping us achieving those amazing photos out of their wedding day. Well it’s not that hard to understand few factors affects your wedding photos to a great extent, we decided to share these points.

Let us give few Tips for Getting Best Wedding Photos of your big day

1. Know your photographer

Wedding photos are unique to the couple depending on their individual taste, and photographers have their own styles and their own strengths. So, for starters, it’s essential that both get on to the same page. That means you’d have to do a little homework, research various styles, and shortlist the ones that you think are suitable for you. Surf the Internet, check out the photographers’ sites that you have shortlisted and opt for the one that you think will do a great job. The best wedding photographers and the best candid photographers are artists that can create soul-stirring images that are timeless, ageless and eloquent celebrations of romance and wonder!

Getting to know them and allowing them to know a little about yourself will establish a rapport. This way, you don’t feel awkward and clumsy in their presence but feel pretty comfortable. Common ground yields to small talk and better understanding. Do not feel shy to be vocal about what you want.

2. The venue is important

Photographers want the room to move around and take pictures at different angles- the more space they have, the better they can function. The use of color plays a great role- White floor and pastel colors for decoration helps a lot and blends well. Dark colors used for decoration are not photo friendly. Vibrant LED lights on stage are a big NO NO. Make sure your attire and background colors are jellying well too.

3. Why lighting at the venue is important

Venue lighting is of paramount importance because the lighting is one of the most important factor for good photographs. Just as a great painting is the good use of shade and color, good photography is all about “painting with shade and light”. Most of the time the best wedding photos are taken where there’s an abundance of natural light. Natural indoor/outdoor lighting will always help to add an elegant touch to your photos. That said, professional wedding photographers carry portrait lights and sets of flash for changing light conditions.

4. Portrait sessions

Some candid shots during your makeup is always a good idea as you can go down memory lane when you see those photos. It would be great if the bridal preparation room is not cramped- photographers want more than elbow space to capture the best wedding photos.

It’s important to time your group portraits so that nothing of value is lost. Maybe you can squeeze this in when there’s a breather between two sessions but ideally, the best time would be before the functions and rituals begin. Your make-up is fresh, you feel fresh and everyone is in a relaxed frame of mind. If you can coax your beautician to come early and get everything ready early, you can get your couple portraits on time. It’s good to get this done in your photographer will not miss out on important firsts and WOW moments. Candid photographers know how important these moments are and how much they are treasured by the couple. If you plan your time well, you’ll be rewarded with beautiful portraits that spell ‘elegance and eloquence’ along the line! Plus you would get enough time for touch up before you event starts.

5. Keep photographers informed

Candid photographers and wedding photographers know how to be creative about their job, but it’s always a good idea to let them know in advance of any specific moments or particular events that you have planned and want to be captured. That way, they are prepared for the unusual and are alert for that particular moment or surprise element. Give them as free a hand as possible and the result will be visible in their output. Trusted wedding photographers are artists in their own sphere and will excel every time, provided their style is not cramped in any way.

6. Relax and enjoy your wedding

These are the keys to great wedding photos –

# Keep smiling through and enjoy every moment of it and all of it will come through in the pictures.

# We know you might be conscious or nervous, stay calm and avoid serious discussions throughout your day/rituals.

# Your wedding photographer are always looking for a random look at your partner with a smile.

# Be yourself and forget about the camera

Remember, your photographer is looking to capture those rare moments that make your album ‘a storehouse of joyful memories.’

Trust and respect your wedding photographers. They will always try and give you the best memories possible out of your day. As wedding photographers it’s not just an assignment, they also put in efforts to make your day memorable.

Have a blast and leave the memory making to your wedding photographers

Hope these Tips for Getting Best Wedding Photos have helped you.

Post by DS Photography Team, Madurai, India.