HOW TO DO THE COUPLE PHOTOSHOOT, SUNSET PHOTOS, AND FRAMING DO’S AND DON’TS

The hardest part is deciding to begin. http://israeltmff679.fotosdefrases.com/photography-3-reasons-your-wichita-falls-wedding-photography-is-broken-and-how-to-fix-it After that you just make it happen.

Preparation

After the Bridal Party photos you can give the couple a break and tell them to mingle with their guests. Couples really appreciate this as they have usually been rushing around the whole day until that point and they are glad to have a rest and freshen up before the couple photoshoot begins. It also gives you an opportunity to get some nice shots of them interacting with their guests. You want them to enjoy their wedding, and the more they do the better the photos look. Obviously, if things have been delayed or they haven’t left enough time for this then it won’t be possible and you will go immediately into the couple photoshoot.

Duration of the couple photoshoot

The couple photoshoot should last for approx 45-60 minutes in total. How long it lasts really depends on how much time the couple set aside for it and whether everything has gone to plan on the day. It also depends on how many photos you want and how many locations you plan on going to. Most venues have a good enough variety that it shouldn’t be necessary to go elsewhere. But, discuss this with your clients and find out if they want to go anywhere else. If they do plan on going somewhere else then they need to leave enough time for travel so that you still get full amount of time you need for taking photos.

If you have never been to the venue then it is important that you find out about sunsets at their venue. They will have a lot of experience and they will be able to tell you if anything blocks their sunset. And, if so you can then make a plan to perhaps drive somewhere else, if the couple want sunset photos. The people at the venue will witness other photographers working their each week so they will be able to advise you what they do and where they go during sunset time.

When to do the couple photoshoot

The best time to do the couple photoshoot is during the hour leading up to sunset.

But sunset times vary depending on the time of year it is.

During the meeting with the clients you have to determine what time the sunset is on the day of the wedding.

Advise against doing the photoshoot early in the day. If the sun is high in the sky it will be too bright for the photos to look good; bright sunlight is too harsh. There are certain things you can do if you don’t have a choice. See the photo examples at the end of this lesson. But, photos never look as good when it is bright sunlight.

Option 1:

If the sunset is during the hour leading up to when the reception begins then you can do the entire couple photoshoot during that hour.

Option 2:

If it is summer and the sunset is much later, the reception may be beginning before the sunset. In this case, suggest to the couple to do some photos (for about 30

minutes) before they go into the reception, and then do the rest of the photos (another 15-20 minutes) later during sunset. This means that as the reception is taking place you need to check on the sun going down and when you think it is the right time you go and tell the couple and you quickly go outside, about 20 minutes before the sun actually sets.

The couple must tell the MC in advance that they are planning to leave the reception at some point to do the sunset photos. When the time comes, the MC will pause proceedings and inform the guests. All couples are usually happy to do this as they want those nice sunset, golden-light photos. The guests are also happy as it gives them time to go and get drinks, freshen up or whatever else they want to do.

It isn’t essential that you do sunset photos and it may not be possible for you if the sunset time comes after the time you have been scheduled to finish. But, if you can do it then you should.

Option 3:

If it is a cloudy day then the sun may be hidden behind the clouds. The advantage to a cloudy day is that because there is no harsh sunlight you will be able to take photos anywhere as cloudy weather produces soft and even light.

If there are clouds preventing you from taking sunset photos then you can give the couple the choice of doing the entire shoot before the reception or to still split the photoshoot into two parts; 30 minutes before the reception and 15 minutes during sunset time.

Doing the couple photoshoot

You have to make the photoshoot fun for the couple. Always be aware of your energy levels. You may be feeling a bit tired at this point in the day, and a bit hungry too, but you must push through and keep that spring in your step and be excited. If you do that the couple will do the same thing and the photos will be much better.

If it’s cloudy, great, you can take photos anywhere because the light is soft and even. If it’s sunny, you can do some shots in the sun, but you will mostly be looking for shaded areas. If it is sunset time then you will looking for shaded areas until the sun is close to setting, at which point you will be shooting with the sun in the back.

Choose a spot for your first shot

A good photo has 5 important elements: surroundings, lighting, pose, emotion, and framing. In the beginning you may not have a clue what to look for when choosing a good spot for a photo. If so, look at the photos on the venue’s website before the wedding for ideas, you can then try something similar. If you spend some time searching online for wedding photos you will get so many different ideas. And, in time, you will come up with your own ideas, and sometimes they will happen quite spontaneously - those are usually the best ones.

Posing the couple

You must tell people what you want them to do in the photos. If you want them to close their eyes, to look serious, to smile, or to laugh, just tell them. It might sound funny, but if you want people to laugh, say something like "Okay, look at each other and laugh". This always works. And, the great thing about it is that it loosens people up and the fake laugh always turns into a real laugh and it all looks great in the photos. And, after a while, and as they become more comfortable, you will find that they usually become more playful and start enjoying it more and more, and you have to direct them less and less.

If they are not standing exactly how you want them to stand, and they are not understanding your verbal instructions, don't be shy, step forward and physically (gently) move them into position.

Some people think posing is unnatural and, in a way, it is. But, there's nothing worse than two people standing next to each other with their arms by their sides looking awkward. What posing does is it gets them close to one another.

Remember, the couple is in love and they have a connection with each other, not with the camera. If at any moment they don't know what to do, just tell them to cuddle and kiss. The important thing is that they interact with each other.

You are the professional and it is your art that you are creating. So, if you have a spot in mind and you have an idea of how you would like them to stand in order to make you art come to life then tell them what you want them to do. They will love it when you take charge and guide them through the entire experience. It will be the moments in between the poses when they may be laughing or joking with one another that you will get great ‘natural shots’. So, always be ready to capture those moments.

Almost every couple will say to you "We are not good in front of the camera!". But, no one is good in front of the camera - perhaps only professional models. All you have to do is tell them to interact with each other, If they do that then the photos will take care of themselves.

Sometimes couples will say “We just want fun photos!” or “We just want to be spontaneous!”. If that is what they want then that is what they must do - a photographer can only capture what is happening in front of them. But, most people don’t know what to do, so you will have to guide them.

Most people worry about their photos because they don’t feel confident. But, what they don’t realise is that the photoshoot will be fun. It is your job to put them at ease and have fun with them so that they relax and just enjoy the experience. It is also ironic that the nervous energy that people have during a photoshoot is what makes them laugh and smile and enjoy themselves more - so, it’s a good thing.

If the couple make a suggestion for a photo and you don't think it will work, for whatever reason, then you must tell them. Don't just take the picture to make them happy, because they will be unhappy when the see the final result. For example, if they want to stand facing the sun and you can see that there's dark shadows around their eyes and the they are frowning, you know that won't look good and

you won't feel proud giving that photo to them - it will make you look like an amateur. So, just be honest and explain why it won't work. The photos you take and the photos you give out are all advertisements for the work you do, so always try to take photos you know you will be proud of.

All couples will tell you that they don’t like posing. But, in the end, they will realise that there was nothing to worry about, and they will enjoy the experience they had with you. And, because they had such a great time the photos will reflect that.

The formula

There is a formula when taking shots at weddings; go-to shots that always work.

But, you can also be creative and experiment because each wedding is different and each couple is different; random things can happen and you can get good shots that you never expected to get. As you gain more experience you will develop a formula of your own.

You want to give your clients a variety of shots, taken in different locations, and from different angles.

● Look for a nice location for a shot.

● Position the couple there.

● Do a large/far away shot.

● Do a closer, half-body or full-body shot.

● Do a close-up shot.

● Do a variety of vertical/portrait and horizontal/landscape shots.

● With each shot you can alter the position of the couple slightly. For example, begin with them hugging and looking at each other; then kissing with their eyes closed; then with him gently holding her neck, etc.

Framing

You can frame a shot in many different ways, it all depends on what you want to achieve. Here you will see what definitely doesn’t work, and if you avoid those things you will be fine.

This is a photo of the Groom lifting his Bride. It looks good. It has been framed so that you can see their entire bodies - this is a full-body shot.

Now look at this one. The Groom’s feet have been cropped out of the frame, just above the ankles. It really doesn’t look right.

This would have looked much better, framing just below the knees.

This one also looks good, framing just above the knees.

You can see that this is framed above the knees. The same thing also applies to the arms, see the next photo...

With the hands just cropped out, this photo looks odd. It doesn’t work.

Just below, or just above the elbows would look better.

This one is framed just above the waist and it looks good. The same thing as before also applies to the heads. See below…

It looks odd with just the top of the Groom’s head cropped out the frame.

Summary

● For a full-body shot, leave space below the feet and above the head.

● When cropping the legs, don’t just crop out the feet above the ankle; either crop just below, or just above the knee.

● If cropping even closer, go just below, or above the waist.

● If the arms are down don’t just crop off the hands at the wrists; crop either just below, or just above the elbows.

● If cropping even closer, go just below the shoulders.

● If you’re cropping even closer, try to leave some space above the head, or if you’re cropping part of the head crop both of their heads equally.

Camera settings

This section is included in many of the lessons to help people who don’t yet know how to use their camera settings.

Many photographers will have different ways of shooting but, this will teach you, in a very basic way, how to use your camera settings. You may find other ways that you prefer but, this will assist you in getting started.

● Shoot with your camera settings on ‘auto white balance’.

● Lenses and cameras should always be set to ‘auto focus’.

● Set your camera to focus using a ‘single focus point’.

It should look something like this through the viewfinder of your camera...

...you can see the single focus point in the middle of the frame.

When taking a photo you will aim the focus point at the part of the subject you want to be in focus (e.g. the Bride’s face). You will squeeze the shutter-release button to lock the focus - but don’t press it down to take the photo yet. Now you can frame the shot and take the photo. The focus will still be set to what you initially locked it on. See examples below...

Here is a view through the viewfinder. The single focus point is aimed at the Groom (so that he will be in focus). The Bride is standing next to him, the same distance away, so she will also be in focus. The shutter-release button is then gently squeezed down to lock the focus.

Now that the focus is locked on the Groom and the shutter-release button is still held in - but not pressed down fully yet - you can move the camera around to frame the shot you want to take.

Now you can frame the photo as you want to take it and go ahead and press the shutter-release button down to take the photo.

You will notice here that the focus point is now on the background and not over the Groom, but because it is locked the focus doesn’t change when you take the photo.

Exposure

Shoot with your camera on ‘manual mode’ . What this means is that you will manually select the settings (aperture, shutter speed and ISO) before taking a photo. If you have never done this, don’t worry, it will be explained simply.

Using manual mode should not be confused with manual focusing. Your lens and camera should still be set to auto-focus.

When you take a photo, all you are really doing with the settings is adjusting them so that the exposure is correct; the photo is not too dark or too bright.

Aperture

A low aperture lets more light into the camera. So, if you want your photo to be brighter set it lower (e.g. 1.4) or if you want it darker set it higher (e.g. 5.6).

A low aperture will produce more depth of field (blurred background). A higher aperture will reduce that.

Shutter speed

A fast shutter speed will allow less light into the camera than a slow shutter speed.

If you want your photo to be brighter set a slower speed (e.g. 1/250). If you want it to be darker set a faster speed (e.g. 1/800).

If the subject is moving a slow shutter speed may make them appear blurry, whereas a faster shutter speed will snap that photo quicker and capture them as they move. So you never want to be too slow with the shutter speed at weddings.

Probably not slower than 1/250.

ISO

Setting your ISO higher will brighten your photo. This is used mostly when you are shooting in low-light conditions. However, the higher it goes the less sharp your photo will become and the quality of the image will decrease. All cameras produce different results so you really need to test it and check the photos on a computer afterwards to see the results.

It is usually advised to keep the ISO as low as possible at all times (100) when shooting in bright/light environments. However, even when the light is good, setting it at 200 can slightly brighten any areas of shadows. So, if you are finding that the shadow areas of your photos are too dark you can try that to brighten them a little.

Here’s a quick summary

When you are about to take a photo, the first thing you want to ask yourself is

‘ How much depth of field (blurred background) do I want to have?’.

If you want to have a lot then you may have your aperture set to 1.4. If so, that setting is also going to make the photo brighter because it is letting more light into the camera. Therefore you are probably going to have to make your shutter speed higher (e.g. 1/800) to darken the photo.

If you want to have less blur then you may have your aperture set to something like 5.6. If so, that setting is going to make the photo darker as less light will be going into the camera. Therefore you may have to reduce your shutter (e.g. 1/250) to make the photo brighter. Or you could instead increase the ISO to make it brighter.

But, basically, the ISO is mainly used as a backup to make your photo brighter when the area you are shooting in doesn’t have enough natural light.

Photo examples

The challenge for a wedding photographer is to avoid harsh sunlight. So, you are always looking for shaded areas to shoot in. But, that isn’t always possible. Below you will find examples and tips to making it work regardless of the conditions.

You can see that it was a sunny day here, but the building was providing shade and the result is nice even light on the couple. This is what is called a full-body shot.

Focal Length: 58mm

Aperture: f/2.8

Shutter speed: 1/200 sec

ISO: 250

You can then step closer, alter the pose, and take a half-body shot.

Focal Length: 70mm

Aperture: f/2.8

Shutter speed: 1/200 sec

ISO: 250

The sun was too high in the sky at this point; you can see how bright it was. If the photo was taken from the other side there would have been too much sunlight on the couple. But, by shooting from the shaded side the light is nice and even on them. Although the background is overexposed (too bright) it’s a nice effect.

Focal Length: 50mm

Aperture: f/1.4

Shutter speed: 1/400 sec

ISO: 100

The sun was still too high at this point; not yet setting and producing the nice golden-light that you need for sunset photos. And, there was no shaded areas to hide from it. By shooting from the shaded side and keeping the sun out of the frame the result is even light on the couple.

Focal Length: 17mm

Aperture: f/4.5

Shutter speed: 1/400 sec

ISO: 200

This is the same couple as the in the last photo. But, now the sun is lower and starting to produce the nice golden light; The sun is just above the horizon and low and soft enough that you can now shoot with it in the background.

Focal Length: 50mm

Aperture: f/2.2

Shutter speed: 1/500 sec

ISO: 125

On a cloudy day you can take photos anywhere because there is no harsh sunlight to worry about.

Focal Length: 35mm

Aperture: f/4

Shutter speed: 1/200 sec

ISO: 100

This is an example of how beginning with a pose can result in a ‘natural moment’; The groom was told to carry his wife, and they started having fun and laughing.

Focal Length: 50mm

Aperture: f/3.2

Shutter speed: 1/320 sec

ISO: 800 - this photo was taken after sunset and it was getting darker, that is why the ISO is higher here.