How to be a Good Wedding Photographer

If you're looking to make a living by being a wedding photographer then you've chosen a great line of work.  It can be very lucrative if you get enough jobs and is also an interesting way of making a living.  You meet new people and have a way to express your creativity with every "gig" you get.  You're also not stuck in an office all day hunched over a computer in your cubicle.  Yes, being a wedding photographer is an interesting way of life and something that can be fun and enjoyable for those who do it right!

Anyone that can point and click a camera can call themselves a wedding photographer but of course that doesn't mean that they can take good pictures that will make the customers happy.  Photography is part science and part skill but also a lot of artistic ability as well.  A person needs to have a good eye so that they can imagine how certain shots will turn out and can make adjustments to their angles or focus when necessary.  Being a wedding photographer is very different than any other type of photography - you'll need to get portraits and posed shots as well as a lot of action shots as well.  Every wedding is different and will have a different "theme" or tone.  Some brides and grooms are very casual and fun while others are very serious and want an elegant wedding.  A good wedding photographer will understand this and will do everything he or she can to capture the right mood or feeling with each wedding and will make sure the photographs really reflect the personality of the bride or groom.  If it's an elegant event then the landmarks and location will probably provide some good backdrops.  For couples that are more fun and whimsical you'll probably want to concentrate on your poses as well - running along the beach barefoot or jumping in the air together, for example.  A good wedding photographer will be aware of these differences in couples and weddings and will respond accordingly.

And a good wedding photographer will be one to take the initiative when it comes to photographs and poses.  A bride will not follow him or her around during the wedding and reception and point out all the pictures that need to be taken.  It will be up to the photographer to remember the poses and shots that have been asked for and to be ready with the camera for spontaneous or candid shots.  A good wedding photographer will need to think on his or her feet and be self-directed.  

You can always study the work or another really good wedding photographer and see what poses and shots they managed to capture and how they did it.  There's nothing wrong with looking at other people's work this way as most artists do it for painting, sculpting, and so on.  You can use this work as inspiration and guidance for your own.

Posted in: How to, Wedding Photography