How To Take Good Wedding Photos
Ranked #2,146 in Weddings, #172,329 overall
Perfectly Capture Your Wedding on Film
The best part is, it's not hard to do. It just takes a bit of time, a little know-how, and a decent camera. Follow these tips and you'll be taking great wedding photos in no time!
Looking for more? Here's my site on wedding photography tricks, including getting proper exposure and what I think about using a flash.
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Step 1: Get a Good Camera
An Essential Piece of Equipment
You don't need to spend thousands on a new camera just to shoot your wedding. However, you also shouldn't use a digital camera that you've had lying around for years, or one that you bought just because it was the cheapest one you could get. Cameras have gotten much better over the last few years, with features ranging from the number of megapixels shot in (affecting the clarity of your pictures) to low-light settings (affecting appearance of everything not shot in direct sunlight). My Wedding Camera of Choice: the Canon Powershot s95
No DSLR Needed!
Canon PowerShot S95 10 MP Digital Camera with 3.8x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3.0-Inch LCD
Amazon Price: $371.41 (as of 06/01/2012)
That's right: I shot all of the pictures for my sister's wedding with what's technically considered a point-and-shoot, although it does have functions similar to a DSLR, such as a manual mode that allows you to adjust shutter speed and aperture. For more of my thoughts on this camera, check out my Canon Powershot s95 review.
Some Other Great Camera Choices
Choose Your Brand
Step 2: Get a Friend to Help
You Can't Do It Alone
As the bride (or groom), you obviously can't take all of the wedding pictures yourself. In fact, you probably won't have time to take any of the pictures. So even if you don't hire a professional, you still need to have at least one person as the designated photographer for the day.This should be a person who ideally doesn't have to be involved in a lot of other things during the day. For example, close relatives and members of the wedding party aren't great choices. Additionally, the friend should have some photography experience.
Step 3: Practice!
Practice Makes Perfect
If you're the person who is going to be shooting a wedding for a friend or family member, make sure you get plenty of practice in beforehand. You might even want to get some of your photos critiqued. The more photos you take, the better you will learn your camera, and how to make your subjects really stand out.
Step 4: Quantity and Quality
Both Are Important
Taking a lot of pictures doesn't mean taking pictures of the same thing over and over, though. Get creative! Stand on something to get a "bird's eye view" of the gathering. Get down low to see what the wedding looks like from a different angle. Use the macro function to take really close pictures, then move back to take everything in at once.
Don't Forget Photo Storage!
Make Sure You Have Enough!
Step 5: Photo Editing Software Is a Huge Plus
Really Makes a Difference
Professional vs. Personal Wedding Photos
Which Is Best?
Anyone can share their opinions in this debate!
Should you hire a professional photographer for a wedding?
Absolutely! It's the only way to get good photos.
Julia says:
Professional is ALWAYS the way to go! It is possible to find photographers who are cheaper to fit your budget but at least they have a DSLR and know how to use a camera. I am a professional photographer and if you think you can get good photos on a point and shoot, your wrong. They have low quality and there is no comparison to the DSLR. Have you tried printing photos bigger from a point and shoot? It's horrible! Photographers can be expensive, but it's because they charge what they deserve. They invest the time and effort into making your photos beautiful and their knowledge alone is worth most of the cost of their services.
If you really spent a lot of time planning a wedding you should want memories of it, so therefore, hire a professional! :)
No way! You can save money and get great pictures without one.
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by emmalarkins
As the person who took a lot of the photos for my sister's wedding, I hope to be able to pass on some of the things I learned over the course of the d... more »
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A Recommended Wedding Camera
Canon PowerShot S95 10 MP Digital Camera with 3.8x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3.0-Inch LCD
Amazon Price: $371.41 (as of 06/01/2012)
