Welcome to my first article set. This is the first of three articles filled with wonderful and exciting wedding photography ideas. This article will deal with the time period before the wedding day. Great tips to get you from the first contact with the customer through to the night before the wedding.
The first meeting with the bride and groom to be is extremely important. It lets them get used to you, and also lets you start to observe them. You want to watch what they are like together, how they interact, what level of intimacy they are willing to show to each other before a relative stranger. Are they sitting close, holding hands, or even kissing each other during this first meeting. This will give you some insights to how they will be on their wedding day, and also how they will want themselves portrayed in the photos.
While you are observing the couple, you want to work with them to find out what it is they want. Most brides to be will have an idea of what their wedding album will look like, and what type of pictures they want in it. It may take a bit of work, but try to get the groom to be involved in this process as well.
Find out if they want all candid photos or all posed photos, or what sort of mix of the two. Do they want to go to a specific place after the wedding to take shots of themselves and the wedding party, or just take them at the church or reception hall. Have some suggestions, with photographs, ready for locations to take posed photos, if that is what they want to do.
Be sure to write down any specific shots they might want. Photos at the altar, going up, and coming down the isle, cutting the cake, first dance, etc. Write all the specific shots that the three of you come up with on a photo list that you will have with you on the day. That way you can check them off as you go, and you won't miss or forget any. Remember, this only happens once so you need to get all the photos that your clients want!
The business end of things needs to be addressed as well. Nail down total price, any deposits, or "good faith Payments", unforeseen circumstances clause, model release forms and the like. Make sure you all agree on what they get for their money. How big the photo album is to be, photos on cd, or dvd, how many and what size prints they get, and if frames are included. Basically, decide what they want, what you are willing to give them, and what the final cost will be.
The first meeting is by far the longest and most important time in the wedding photography process. Now that it is done, you can go home and write up the contract. If you don't have any idea of how to do it, or what it should look like, go online and you will find lots of contract outlines for wedding photography.
Once you have it written up, take it to a lawyer to look over. This step is just to protect yourself in the event that any problems arise in the future. Then go back to the bride and groom to be and have all three of you sign it. A witness for each party is also recommended.
The next thing you want to do is to go to the various venues that you will be shooting in. Check out the different lighting in the church compared to the reception hall so that you are prepared to make adjustments quickly and easily. Find the different vantage points that you wish to shoot from, and the easiest way to get from one to the other. Basically, create a step by step plan for your movements on the wedding day.
The last thing you want to do the night before the wedding is check all your equipment. Make sure that everything that needs to be charged up is charged, or, is plugged in. Double check that all memory cards are empty and in the cameras. It is advisable to make up a checklist ahead of time to be sure you are completely ready for the next day.
Go to sleep! You will need to be up and energetic in the morning, and full of the confidence that these wedding photography ideas have given you. I'll see you in part 2 of this set to see what ideas we can come up with for the wedding day.
