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Wedding season is upon us now, and in all likelihood you may have a few on your calendar to attend in the next few months. Everyone loves taking pictures at weddings, but sometimes so many flashes can be just a little too much!  Here are a few ideas to help you get some great shots at the next wedding you attend, without turning into the paparazzi. First off, the most important thing is to not interfere with the professional photographers. They are the most experienced and the couple has hired their company for the specific purpose of documenting their wedding. If your flash fires at the same time it can ruin a picture, or if you are standing in the way it may make him/ her miss that important shot.  Most churches have specific restrictions on photography during the ceremony. If photography is allowed, it is almost certainly not permitted to use flash. For outdoor weddings, or weddings in locations not affiliated with a religion, it is usually okay to use flash. However, some officiates don’t allow flash at ceremonies they preside over, so that is another factor to consider. If you know you plan to take a few shots during the ceremony, ask beforehand. Also, don’t stand up during the ceremony to get a shot, you'll only get in the way of others trying to enjoy the event. After the ceremony the wedding party and family generally will stay for formal portraits. I know this seems like the perfect opportunity to take some pictures, but it really would be best not to. The professionals take time to set up and arrange each shot, and they try to get through everything quickly so the couple can hurry off and party! The more people not involved in the actual pictures the slower things move. Again, your flash can interfere with the professional equipment as well. During the reception you can take a minute to pull aside the people you wanted portraits of and do it out of the way.  During the reception, events like the first dance and cake cutting are some of the most photographed moments. Too many flashes going off at once can be distracting to the couple. Take one shot, and let that be it. If you want to photograph the wedding details, try shooting them right at the beginning of the reception. When no one is around the cake you can sneak over and get a few shots. Take lots of candids and smiling pictures! It isn't all that often everyone gets together all dressed up, so take pictures of your friends together and be sure to get lots of crazy dancing shots! These will be the fun moments you remember. Since you did get all dolled up for the event, ask one of the professionals to take a picture of you and your date. They usually have all the photos available online for viewing and purchasing, so you can easily get a copy of it. |
