The Other Side of Wedding Photography & 90+ Wedding “Must Have” Shots

I like to consider myself a serious hobbyist when it comes to photography. I love creating portrait, beauty, and fashion photographs.  I wouldn’t call myself a professional; I do not photograph enough to have even developed a style, let alone get paid because people just have to have shots done by me in their portfolio. But I am highly skilled and self-taught in photography and retouching… a clear advantage over other brides-to-be, searching for their perfect wedding photographer.

I JUST GOT ENGAGED! In less than 2 weeks, I went from a laid back anything goes easy attitude to quickly becoming a rampant, bridal magazine collecting, constant wedding site surfing, right-click and save every dress image, opinion seeking bridezilla. And it is only going to get worse!

I’ve never dabbled in wedding photography, mostly because I couldn’t take the pressure. However, since I’m highly involved in the local photography communities, I know a LOT of photographers, including many wedding photographers. Now that I’m starting to go through the list of acquaintances that photograph weddings I am paying closer attention to how they capture the bride’s big day. I am closely scrutinizing images for my own wedding, which is why I am a prime source to help other photographers better not only their portfolio, but their marketing abilities as well.

I’ve put together a quick cheat list for wedding photographers in my short 2 week span of bridzilla-ing. To see my list click "More".

SELL ME YOUR WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY STYLE!: First of all, don't force me to sit through a full screen, flash intro. I’m gathering information and I’m doing it fast. You have about 2-3 seconds to impress me. Waiting for a flash site that takes up my entire computer screen to load will get the automatic X. All of your amazing photographs will never been seen. Keep everything clear, consistent, and easy to navigate. I am a rabid bride who is hunting for the best, show me that first!

Once finding sites that I can easily navigate, I keep a close eye out for detailed images. I enjoy looking through portfolios that show off the little things:

BEFORE THE WEDDING: The rings posed on a captivating macro setting, the invitations neatly posed in an interesting arrangement, the engagement photos clear and detailed with natural lighting. If you are using flash, I don’t want to be able to tell. I want the images to look natural and beautiful without the use of artificial, non-ambient lighting. A great photographer can master this, a good photographer cannot control the output and direction of their flash.

DURING THE WEDDING: I like detailed shots of the bouquets with a decorated setting in the frame, the shoes at an eye-level shot, close-ups of the wedding centerpieces, and a large aperture to blur the background, decorations, favors, friends and family with BOKEH: lots and lots of Bokeh in the background.

OF THE BRIDE, GROOM and WEDDING PARTY:  Capture all things behind the scenes that go too fast for the bride to notice that day.  The bride and her dress in it’s entirety with details. The bride and groom caught in natural settings and not posed. Close up of the stylists doing their job, close ups of their kits. Let her be able to go back and see it stopped/slow motion.

I DO NOT LIKE:  Terrible cross-processed/overdone photoshop filters. The worst is when I come across wedding images where everything but one color is de-saturated. I also dislike vignette. And please, stay away from graphic frames. There’s nothing worse then putting an image with a frame inside of a frame.  I feel like these are cheap tricks to camouflage bad photography. Use Nik software (Viveza 2) to bring out the details in the dress without disturbing the rest of the image.

Don’t make the images too dark or too bright where detail can be lost in any way. I want to see every detail in an image, from the texture of the cement on the ground to the detail of beading in the dress. I don’t want the black tux swallowed by a dark background due to lack of fill light.

Just take clear, detailed, romantically bokeh, natural and ambient light images. Leave your art filters off. And capture everything for the bride and groom's wonderful day.

Here is a list of images that will help the Bride and Groom remember their day perfectly.

BEFORE (optional)

• Invitations/save the date cards
• Rings (engagement and wedding)
• Written wedding vows
• Preparation – favors in boxes, bride in sweats etc
• Portrait of rabbi/priest/official
• Signing marriage license

BRIDE

• Veil adjustment with mother or maid of honor
• The dress hanging on the door/window
• Shoes
• Jewelry
• The dress on the bride
• The bride facing a window / window lit bride
• Bride interacting with bridemaids / flower girl
• Bride and mother interacting
• Bride and mother posed
• Bride/bridesmaids applying hair/makeup
• Makeup artist kit
• Bride/maid of honor zipping dress
• Bride on stairs
• Bride posed with bridesmaids and mother
• “Behind the scenes” of brides/bridemaids and mother acting “silly”
• Bride with immediate family members
• Bride and limo sideways (wide angle) & (closeup)
• Bride and bridal party with limo sideways
• Bride at front of limo
• Bride and bridal party at front of limo
• Bride walking down aisle (side profile and front)
• Father giving away bride

GROOM

• Groom fixing tie
• Groom fastening boutonnière with father or best man
• Window lit groom (dramatic split light with slight fill)
• Groom fixing hair
• Groom with watch, checking time
• Groom interacting with groomsmen
• Groom interacting with father
• Groom and immediate family members
• Groom and limo sideways (wide angle) & (closeup)
• Groom and groomsmen with limo sideways
• Groom at front of limo
• Groom and groomsmen at front of limo
• Groom at alter

LOCATION

• Wide angle church (no guests)
• Wide angle church with guests

AT THE ALTER

• Alter or canopy before the wedding guests arrive (wide angle)
• Ceremony musicians
• Close up of instruments being played
• Grooms face at sight of bride from behind priest
• Brides face at sight of groom from behind priest
• Bride from over grooms shoulder
• Groom from over brides shoulder
• Audience from other bride/groom shoulder
• Bride and groom holding hands
• Bride and groom kiss
• Faces of mother/father of bride and groom
• Faces of bridesmaids
• Faces of groomsmen
• Front view of bride/groom while guests throwing rice/blowing bubbles/etc
• Side view of  bride/groom while guest throwing ride/blowing bubbles/etc

IN THE LIMO

• Bride and groom just married inside limo
• Bridal party / grooms party celebrating inside limo

PORTRAITS

• Bride and groom without family
• Bride and groom with family
• Bride and groom with bridal/groom party
• Bride/groom hand&ring portraits

RECEPTION

• Wide angle reception hall outside (with and without guests)
• Close up of reception hall details
• Wide angle inside reception (no guests)
• Wide angle inside reception with guests
• Centerpieces/flowers/decorations
• Guestbook
• Wedding favors
• Place cards
• Close up and wide angle food shots (close ups have large aperture for bg blur)
• Wedding cake prior to cutting
• Shot of each table of guests
• Guests interacting with each other (close ups and details)
• Announcements of family and bridal party
• Bride/groom first dance
• Bride/father dance
• Bride/mother posing without and with guests
• Groom/mother dance
• Groom father posing without/with guests
• Guests taking their seats
• Bride bouquet toss
• Guest with caught bouquet
• Garter belt toss
• Cake cutting (close up/wide angle)
• Bride/groom cake feeding (close up/wide angle)
• Guests dancing/interacting
• Bride/groom/guests eating
• Toasts/speeches (wide angle/close up)
• Utensil on glass for announcement
• Singers/musicians/Djs (closeup and wide)
• Bride/groom giving out wedding favors
• Bride/groom in front of “Just Married” vehicle
• Bride/groom in back seat of "Just Married" vehicle
• “Just Married” vehicle driving away