Wedding Photography for Amateurs

If you are planning on taking photographs of an upcoming wedding but don't have much experience in the area, then reading up on some tips for taking the best shots may be of benefit. The couple might have hired a professional wedding photographer to take the main shots of the day, but that doesn't mean that they don't want their guests to capture some special memories as well.

First and foremost, if you are using a digital camera, ensure that it is fully charged and in good working order. Having your camera break down on the day could mean that you won't get the chance to take any pictures at all. Perhaps having a back up disposable camera is a good idea, just in case the anything goes wrong. Also for those using digital cameras, ensure that the sound is switched off if possible, as having that automatic clicking sound going off during the ceremony will not be looked upon fondly.

A good idea would be to take shots of the small details that might not be photographed by the main wedding photographer. The bride and groom always like to see the pictures taken by their guests, and having some shots of dinner menus, place settings and flower displays can give your collection a unique edge.

Also, make sure that while you are photographing the day you are not intruding on private moments between the bride and groom or the family members. Be subtle and move around the room, if you time things well you will be able to capture a moment without disturbing anyone.

With digital photography you have the option to take numerous shots in very quick succession. This is good as it gives you a range of choices for one particular scene. However, try not to go through these and start deleting the ones you don't initially like. Keep them until the wedding is over and go through them then, as you might find a real gem you had not expected. A good way to achieve this is to put your camera on 'continuous shooting mode' if it's available. In this way you are capturing the moment in its entirety, and sometimes the best shots are taken when people aren't consciously posing.

Often you will get some truly unique shots by changing the perspective and angle of your camera. Most of the time you will be taking pictures from eye level, but don't be afraid to get down low to the ground or up high to take pictures from a different angle. Similar to this, some of the best photographs are taken when the unexpected happens, such as a sudden down pouring of rain. Getting a picture of the bride in her wedding dress in the rain can actually turn out to be quite a beautiful shot.

In the end, don't get too caught up in trying to get everything photographed perfectly and enjoy the day itself.