Wedding Photographer's Handbook Read online

  Assistants also make good security guards against photographers’ gear “disappearing” at weddings. A friend, who shall remain nameless, lost his entire cache of camera gear at the church, being left with only the camera he was shooting with to cover the reception. He has obviously instituted a security plan that now deals with that possibility.

  Many husband and wife teams cover weddings together, creating different types of coverage (formals vs. reportage, for example). Many of these teams also use assistants to broaden their coverage into a real team effort.

  PREPARATION

  Preparation is the key to anticipating events. By being completely familiar with the format of the ceremony and events, you will know where and when an event will take place and be prepared for it. The wedding photographer must know the clients, and must know the detailed plans for the day, both at the wedding and the reception.

  This kind of planning must take place weeks before the wedding day. It is a good idea for the photographer to visit all of the venues at the time of day at which the events will take place. Many photographers take extensive notes on ambient lighting, ceiling height and surfaces, window placement, reflective or light-absorbing surfaces like mirrors or wood paneling, and other physical conditions that will affect the photography.

  Another good practice is to schedule an engagement portrait. This has become a classic element of wedding coverage. The portrait can be made virtually anywhere, but it allows the couple to get used to the methods of the photographer, so that on the wedding day they are accustomed to the photographer’s rhythms and style of shooting. The experience also helps the threesome get to know each other better, so the photographer doesn’t seem like an outsider on the day of the wedding.

  In addition, it is advisable to meet with the principle vendors, such as the florist, caterer, band director, hotel banquet manager and so on to go over the wedding-day plans and itinerary in detail. This kind of detailed information will aid in not only being prepared for what’s to come, but it will provide a game plan and specifics for where to best photograph each of the day’s events. From such information the photographer will be able to choreograph his or her own movements to be in the optimum position for each phase of the wedding day. The confidence that this kind of preparation provides is immeasurable.

  UNIQUENESS

  Whether the coverage is classic or totally untraditional, the wedding pictures must be unique. No two weddings are the same and it is the photographer’s responsibility to make images that reflect this. The style may be natural or chic, high energy or laid-back, but uniqueness is the real product people are buying. Brides want distinctive images and they can only come from a photographer exercising his or her individuality in the making and presentation of the photographs. Fortunately, this is also the fun part for the photographer—with the abandonment of the cookie-cutter style of posed portraits, every wedding is a new experience with all-new challenges.

  Ken Sklute, who has in his career photographed 150 to 200 weddings a year, never loses site of what the day is all about: the emotion between the bride and groom and the celebrants. Here, the bride was moved to tears by the image of her father, fighting serious illness to be a part of her wedding.

  STYLE

  Today’s wedding coverage reflects an editorial style, pulled from the pages of bridal magazines. Weddings and all the associated accessories have become big business and, as such, these bridal magazines are flourishing. Noted Australian wedding photographer Martin Schembri calls the style of the contemporary wedding coverage a “magazine style.” It is reminiscent of advertising/fashion photography. If you study these magazines you will notice that there is often very little difference between the advertising photographs and the editorial images used to illustrate articles. Based on an understanding of consumer trends in wedding apparel, the photographer can be better equipped to understand what the bride wants to see in her photographs.

  Jeff Kolodny frequently photographs still lifes of the decorations at the reception. These not only become important aspects of the album, but are also good for business when he sends a print to the cake maker and banquet manager.

  Alisha and Brook Todd, because they work as a team, are experts at isolating the truly rich moments of the wedding day.

  Did Joe Photo prompt this moment or was he just on hand to capture it? The odds are better than even that he was somehow involved. He is gregarious and fun loving by nature.

  Like Charles Maring, Martin Schembri, who produces elegant magazine-style digital wedding albums, is as much a graphic designer as he is a top-notch photographer. Schembri assimilates design elements from the landscape of the wedding—color, shape, line, architecture, light and shadow—and he also studies the dress, accessories, color of the bridesmaid’s dresses, etc., and then works on creating an overall work of art (i.e., the album) that reflects these design elements on every page.

  Martin Schembri’s wedding images are stylish and unique, like they were made for one of the leading bridal magazines. Brides relish Schembri’s style because they feel his coverage is truly unique.

  Michael Schuhmann enjoys the romantic aspects of the wedding and looks to infuse his images with those elements every chance he gets. FACING PAGE— A moment of pure exhilaration and joy has been choreographed by expert wedding photographer Kevin Kubota.

  PEOPLE SKILLS

  Any good wedding photographer needs to be a “people person,” capable of inspiring trust in the bride and groom. Generally speaking, wedding photojournalists are more reactive than proactive, but they cannot be flies on the wall for the entire day. Interaction with the participants at crucial and often very stressful moments during the wedding day is inevitable—and that is when the photographer with people skills really shines.

  Joe Buissink, has been blessed with a salt-of-the-earth type personality that makes his clients instantly like and trust him. Such trust leads to complete freedom to capture the event as he sees it. It also helps that Buissink sees the wedding ceremonies as significant and treats the day with great respect. Buissink says of his people skills, “you must hone your communication skills to create a personal rapport with clients, so they will invite you to participate in their special moments.” And he stresses the importance of being objective and unencumbered. “Leave your personal baggage at home,” he says, “this will allow you to balance the three principle roles of observer, director, and psychologist.”

  Kevin Kubota, a successful wedding and portrait photographer from the Pacific Northwest, always encourages his couples to be themselves and to wear their emotions on their sleeves. It’s a tactic that frees the couple to be themselves throughout the entire day. He tries to get to know the couple as much as possible before the wedding and also encourages his brides and grooms to share their ideas, opening up a dialog of cooperation between client and photographer.

  Through my association with Wedding and Portrait Photographers International and Rangefinder magazine, I talk to hundreds of wedding photographers each year and a common thread among the really good ones is an affability and a likability. They are fully at ease with other people and more importantly, they have a sense of self-assuredness that inspires trust.

  Joe Photo is a master at catching the most enjoyable and entertaining moments of the day. Here, the flower girls are playing “catch the veil,” while the bride plays the role of the good sport.

  THE EMOTION OF THE DAY

  The successful photographer must be able to feel and relate to the emotion of the event without being drawn in to the extent that they become a participant or lose their sense of objectivity. For Brook and Alisha Todd, two San Francisco-area wedding photographers, this is what the wedding day is all about—and it’s why they enjoy being wedding photojournalists. The emotional content that weddings hold for them is the feelings portrayed in these timeless rituals. Their goal in all of their combined coverage is to produce a remembrance of how the bride and groom, and their family and friends, felt on that
wedding day.

  Perhaps because of the romantic nature of the event, it often helps if the wedding photographer is also a romantic at heart, but it’s not completely necessary. For many, the thrill is in the ritual. For others, it’s in the celebration. Michael Schuhmann, a gifted wedding photographer from Florida, truly enjoys his work. He explains, “I love to photograph people who are in love and are comfortable expressing it—or so in love that they can’t contain it. Then it’s real.”

  Indeed, for many wedding photojournalists, it’s not primarily the fees or the prestige that draws them to this speciality, it’s simply the chance be part of a meaningful and beautiful ritual. Joe Photo is always up front and part of the wedding day festivities. Personality-wise, he’s gregarious and fun loving and is adept at getting people to let loose and have fun. It’s no wonder this is his chosen profession. The couple and wedding party all love having him around and want him to involve them in the day’s events.

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  WHY IS WEDDING PHOTOJOURNALISM SO POPULAR?

  One of the reasons wedding photojournalism has taken off in popularity is that it emulates the style of photography seen in the bridal magazines, like Grace Ormonde Wedding Style, Modern Bride, and Town & Country. Before brides even interview photographers, they have become familiar with this type of storytelling editorial imagery.

  Even if a shot is scripted, its execution will be much less formal than in past years. This image by Brian Shindle captures a spontaneity that is quite appealing.

  TRADITIONAL WEDDING IMAGES LACK VARIETY

  A big reason for the backlash against traditional wedding photography is the “sameness” of it. When this type of scripted coverage is employed, similar if not identical shots will show up in many different albums done by same-minded photographers.

  Another reason for the similarity is the types and numbers of formal group portraits. Even with the most elegant posing and lighting, shots can look similar if they are arranged similarly (e.g., bride and groom in the middle, bridesmaids and groomsmen staggered boy-girl to either side). In contrast, when a wedding photojournalist makes group portraits, he or she might make them from the top of a stairwell, or put all the subjects in profile marching down a beach, or have them do something otherwise unpredictable and different. This results in more personalized images and greater variety.

  Today’s bride doesn’t want “cookie-cutter” wedding photographs. She wants unique, heartfelt images that tell the story of her important day.

  TRADITIONAL WEDDING IMAGES ARE MORE TIME-CONSUMING TO MAKE

  Another potential drawback of the traditional type of wedding coverage is that all those carefully posed pictures take lots of time. In fact, the bigger the wedding, the bigger the bridal party and the bigger the list of “required” shots to make. As a result, the bride and groom can be missing for a good part of their wedding day while they are working with the photographer. The less formal approach leaves couples free to enjoy more of their day.

  In this aspect, the photojournalistic system has mutual benefits. While the bride has more time to enjoy her day, the photographer also has more time to observe the subtleties of the wedding day and do his or her best work. I have heard many photographers say that brides and family have told them, “We don’t even want to know you’re there,” which is just fine for most wedding photojournalists.

  NO INTRUSION

  Because the traditional photographer intrudes on the naturalness of the scene, the coverage is structured and in the view of many, fictional. When the photojournalist covers the same event, he or she does so without interference and intrusion, allowing the scene to unravel with all of the spontaneity and surprises that will occur at such wonderful events. As a result, the photographer tends to be quietly invisible, choosing to fade into the background so the subjects are not aware of his presence. The event itself then takes precedence over the directions and the resulting pictures are more spontaneous. Many wedding photojournalists even photograph groups with this non-intrusive approach, preferring to wait until things “happen.”

  So much of what is included in today’s wedding photographer’s skill set comes from the world of editorial and fashion. This shot by Becky Burgin is a classic fashion image treated with split-toning by printing master Robert Cavalli.

  The difference between this shot and a traditionalist’s version of the same subject is that the photojournalist prefers to capture the unscripted action as it occurs, much like the stop-action coverage of a sports photographer. Photograph by Michael Schuhmann.

  Marcus Bell can make himself disappear into the woodwork. Here an exhausted bride and groom take five without a hint that Bell is recording the scene.

  EMERGING STYLES

  Despite the advantages of wedding photojournalism, photographers who still provide traditional coverage argue that the photojournalist’s coverage produces below-average photographs. Indeed, one must acknowledge that some of the most elegant features of traditional portraiture are being thrown out in this creative new approach. After all, the photojournalists can’t possibly be as in tune with posing and lighting principles as the masters of the traditional style. Even in many masterful bridal portraits taken by skilled photojournalists, the trained eye may observe poorly posed hands, a confused head-and-shoulders axis, unflattering overhead lighting, and so on. As a result, formal and casual techniques are intermixing more than ever, allowing both photographers and brides to benefit from the best of both styles.

  This mixing is particularly evident in group portraiture. The near elimination of formal group portraiture in photojournalistic wedding coverage is now swinging back the other way. All types of wedding photographers are making more group portraits. The main reason for this is that groups sell, and sales mean increased profits. Also, failing to offer such coverage limits the photographer in his or her professional approach. As a result, photographers are offering brides more options, including posed formals. Because the choice is theirs, brides (and their parents) seem to be ordering them.

  The nature of formal photos is changing, as well, adapting more informal posing and lighting techniques in an effort to preserve the same carefree, relaxed attitude found in the rest of the album. You will also see group portraits made with much more style and elegance than the traditional, straight on-camera flash you saw in wedding groups only twenty years ago. Again, brides are demanding ever more sophistication in their photographs.

  Yes, the classic poses are fading in consideration of a more natural style. However, greater attention to posing fundamentals seems to be evident, as well. After all, these techniques represent time-honored ways of grace-fully rendering the human form and revealing character. In the words of Monte Zucker, well known around the world for his traditional wedding portraits, “Photographers are well aware of this [divergence], so they’ve combined a little of both. My particular style of wedding photography still comes from the fact that I’m more interested in faces and feelings than I am in backgrounds and trends.”

  The nature of formais is changing, incorporating elements of traditional styles with a more casual look. Here, an unusual pose and composition along with pristine lighting and exposure make this Drake Busath image an award winner.

  Here are two “formal” bridal portraits taken by the same photographer, Frank Cava, about a year apart. One is decidedly formal and traditional in its posing and lighting, while the other is much more moody and informal. Both have a place in the contemporary wedding album.

  This combined approach opens up the best of both worlds for the bride and groom. With an adherence to formal posing principles comes a type of classic elegance that is timeless, with the finely tuned skills of anticipation and observation, on the other hand, the photojournalistic coverage unearths more of the wedding day’s wonderful moments. By pairing both approaches, wedding photography is expanding its horizons, and the quality and character of wedding coverage is better today than at any time in the past.

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EQUIPMENT

  Past, versatile zoom lenses, cameras that operate at burst rates of eight frames-per-second (fps), amazingly accurate autofocus lens performance, and incredible developments in digital imaging technology have led to the 35mm DSLR (digital single-lens reflex) becoming the camera system of choice for today’s top wedding photographers.

  There is really no difference, in terms of performance, between images made on CMOS or CCD sensors. This image, by Monte Zucker, was made for an advertising campaign to promote an earlier model of Canon DSLR.

  CAMERAS

  Professional 35mm digital camera systems include an array of lenses, dedicated TTL flash units, and system accessories. Currently there are seven full-fledged systems: Canon, Nikon, Olympus, Fuji (which uses Nikon autofocus lenses), Pentax, Minolta/Konica, and Sigma (which uses the radically different Foveon X3 image sensor). Each manufacturer has numerous models within their product line to meet varying price points. Many of the pre-digital lenses available from these same manufacturers for their film cameras also fit the new digital cameras, although often with a corresponding change in focal length. In addition, a number of lens manufacturers also make AF lenses to fit various brands of digital SLRs. These include Tokina, Tamron, and Sigma.