Key points of wedding photography

Are there any skills and precautions for wedding photography? Of course, if you don't know, then learn together.

Wedding photography is one of the fastest growing fields in the photography industry. As a photographer, if you want to join this trend and expand your existing business, you must first understand the situation in this field. Once you master the relevant technology and creativity, you can better meet existing customers and attract new customers.

This time we invited three professional wedding photographers to talk about their experiences and feelings at work. The first photographer is dan harris from Florida, followed by Cory McNaboo, one of the top wedding photographers in the world by the Wedding Photographers Association, and the award-winning photographer Armando Solares.

equipment list

If you ask 100 photographers their equipment list, you will get 100 answers. Dan harris used seven different cameras at a grand wedding.

"I usually bring two cameras, one is a 24-70mm f2.8 lens, and the other is a 70-200mm VR f2.8 telephoto lens," Harris said. "It is safer to use a different camera than to change the lens temporarily. If a machine breaks down, it will only lose some pictures and will not miss the whole wedding. "

Harris will also bring some special lenses and filters, such as 10.5mm f2.8 fisheye lens, 85mm f 1.4 large aperture lens and 105mm f2.8 telephoto lens to take close-ups in the distance. Sometimes, starlight filters and candlelight filters are used to add special effects.

"I have two digital SLR Nikon D3, which I take with me every time I shoot, and two Nikon D2X as backup." Corey McNabb said, "I have many lenses, but I usually use two of them to shoot weddings, including a 14-24mm f-2.8 wide-angle lens and a 70-200mm f-2.8 VR telephoto lens."

Flash and natural light

Although the use of flash may have negative effects when shooting, sometimes you have to say, "Without light, you can't shoot," Armando Solares said. "The key is to learn to find a balance between flash and live light. Sometimes you prefer underexposure."

"I like to use natural light completely, but as a photographer, you should just be a bystander and nothing can change. Sometimes the light may not be so perfect, "Harris said. "If possible, I usually try to shoot in natural light. If not, I will still borrow reflectors and flashlights, and sometimes I will use split or reflective flashlights. "

Set ISO parameters

In the process of wedding ceremony and receiving relatives and friends, you may encounter different lighting conditions, which requires setting different ISO parameters. Low ISO can take more delicate photos, but it needs enough light. If the environment is dark, you need high ISO, although it may increase noise.

"If I use film, I usually use ISO400, if it is a group image, I use ISO 160, and some special scenes need ISO800, 1600 or even ISO3200, depending on the camera and the effect to be obtained," Harris said. "The same is true for digital images, but I use ISO800 more for some new cameras."

"I will use very low ISO parameters in the sun, ranging from ISO 100 to 400," Solares said. "If it is dark, I will use ISO 1250."

"I often adjust and use different ISO parameters, just as often as I adjust the shutter speed," mcnab said. "I have high requirements for imaging quality and hope to be clear enough, so I use very high ISO parameters. For example, recent weddings taken with Nikon D3 are all above ISO 1600, with more ISO5000-6400, and some photos even use ISO 25,600.

Shutter speed and aperture parameters

The setting of aperture and shutter depends on the conditions at that time and the effect you want to shoot. "If you want to take pictures of Zhang Qun and there is a distance between the front and the back," Harris said, "you need a very small aperture to ensure that there is enough depth of field to keep everyone clear. Of course, it depends on what your lens, camera and ISO settings were like at that time. Generally, it is enough to set the aperture below f8. "

The dance scenes or close-ups of newcomers generally need a softer feeling. "Generally speaking, if you want to take softer and more romantic photos, you need a large aperture, such as f 1.2-f2.8, which can help you take a more holy and romantic feeling." Harris said.

"It depends on the shooting location, lighting and equipment used at that time," Solares said. "When I shoot a group of images under studio lighting, I will use the aperture of f/ 1 1 to f/ 16. If it is natural light, I will use the aperture of f 1.2. "

It is more convenient to use aperture priority mode than manual mode, so you only need to pay attention to how to control the depth of field without setting the shutter speed manually. "I usually use aperture priority mode because I like smaller depth of field, which can highlight the subject and blur the background," Solares said. "I will constantly adjust the aperture and shutter speed according to the lighting conditions at that time and the effect I want to achieve."

"Although taking group photos is also important for the wedding, I won't spend too much time on it," mcnab said. "I usually record more scenes of two couples so that they can better remember the most important day in their lives in the future. I usually use a large aperture, even when taking group photos. Large aperture can better highlight the main body, produce a very beautiful blurred background effect, and you can use a very high aperture.

Scenes that must be filmed

It is necessary to record the wedding scene when there is deep space, but ordinary couples also want you to record the scene when preparing for the wedding.

"Of course, the first kiss, the first dance and the cake cutting in the wedding have always been recorded, and now there are," mcnab said. "But it is also important to record the unknown scenes in the wedding, such as the hectic preparations, the tears of happiness quietly shed, and the laughter when receiving guests. These are all things I want to record for this couple. "

"If a photographer only shoots important scenes in a wedding step by step, he can only say that his work is ok," Harris said. "A good photographer can capture some unexpected shots. If you can completely record the whole wedding, capture some interesting details and take some group photos properly, you can become a top photographer in this field. "

"It's really important to always remember the needs of customers, but I will still integrate my understanding of art into it, which is also conducive to better meeting the expectations of customers," mcnab said. "Before the shooting, I will communicate with the newcomers and talk to them about my creative style, so that on the day of the wedding shooting, we will establish a relationship of mutual trust. They think that the final work can not only meet their requirements, but also integrate into my artistic concept. "

Conclude a perfect contract

Shooting a wedding is a big event and a business at the same time. The photographer and the couple should have realized this from the beginning. "Without a perfect contract, your business will be very dangerous, and it is very likely that a small matter without understanding will seriously damage your reputation."

"You must learn to protect yourself in the contract and show it to the lawyer before signing it," Solares said. "The contract should limit your liability and reserve your right to apply photos in other places, such as applying photos of new people in advertisements."

"Keep the copyright of photos at all costs," Solares added. "This will give you the right to handle the future use of the photos and avoid selling all the copyright of the photos to the couple."

Be sure to back it up

If your memory card or hard disk is broken and the photos are gone, it is impossible for the couple to hold another wedding, so it is very important to back up your photos.

Many photographers who use digital SLR use mobile storage devices to back up photos at any time, but this is not enough. "After the wedding shooting, I will store four different copies in three different storage forms," Harris said. "There is such a clause in the shooting contract that I will guarantee that every wedding photo will be kept with me for more than three years. These photos will be burned into DVD and stored on fire-proof equipment."

"People will naturally think that you will keep all their photos and find them whenever possible," Harris said. "They won't let you prove it, because it's the right thing, and they won't pay a higher price because of how well you do it, but if you don't do this, you will lose all your business in case of problems."

Start your career.

In the early days of wedding photography, the most important thing is self-education and promotion. "At the beginning of my business, I didn't know anything about wedding photography websites or forums. Although the equipment is advanced and various styles are constantly changing, the knowledge, technology and experience accumulated at ordinary times are the most reliable, and no one can take it away. " Mcnab concluded.