Some Advice and recommendations: How to help get great photos from your wedding day!

There are so many things that will make your wedding photographs absolutely beautiful. But did you know that there are also quite a few things that could ruin them? This isn't the kind of stuff you would necessarily think of, so as a part of my commitment to providing you with great service and beautiful results, read on to learn about extras to consider. The advice (and it is just that, only advice!) in this section is listed chronologically from the planning stages of your wedding, into the very early hours of your wedding day, and through to the end. I hope you find it helpful!

Provide your photographer with a list of shots that you would consider “must haves”. In addition to this, please notify your photographer of anything unique that you may be planning- this information is valuable and helps in the planning process for your photographer. You will be reminded to provide us with this information during your consultation. As you visit your ceremony and reception locations, you may want to be thinking of outdoor and indoor locations for your group shots. Outdoor locations are considered good if they can sufficiently shade each member of your largest group. Also, avoid having unwanted or distracting things in the background, such as parking lots. Locations for indoor photos simply need to be large enough for all member of your largest group to fit. Please indicate this location to your photographer so that supplemental lighting and equipment can be set up early that day. It is also a good idea to tell your friends and family ahead of time if you plan on having them in a group shot, and try to have someone remind them on your wedding day to ensure a smooth photo shoot! Ultimately, your photographer is responsible for picking ideal photograph locations, but your input is always helpful! If you plan on hiring a videographer, please ask that they be thoughtful of the still photographs that are being taken. Videographers are usually well aware of the photographer, very understanding of their objectives and will work with your photographer to keep from bumping into one another – but a friendly reminder is never a bad thing! If your DJ is planning to use strobe lights, consider asking them not to. Strobes are certainly a lot of fun during the reception, but they play a large role in ruining many potentially great photographs. The lights tend to move quite quickly and quite randomly, making them nearly impossible for photographers to gauge and avoid. The result tends to be unevenly lit photographs, with large purple and yellow “spots” . Consider replacing these lights with decorative lighting such as white or colored Christmas style lights, candles inside of jars, or lanterns. These replacements tend to create interesting light and patterns on walls and people, and do not undermine the photographic process - they are a great alternative. If unity candles are a part of your ceremony, consider asking your coordinator about putting them beside the altar. If you do not request this specifically, it is likely that the candles will be set up dead-center, and directly behind the couple. This arrangement forces couples to face away from the audience (and the photographer) and causes this portion of the ceremony to be, for all intents and purposes, hidden. Working this out ahead of time can create wonderful photograph opportunities, and will probably end up pleasing your audience, too! Let your photographer know if you want to invite them to eat with the rest of your guests. While many photographers say that this is “customary”, that is not necessarily the case. Your Summit photographer will be fully prepared with sustenance of their own that can be eaten quickly and conveniently, so as to minimize the disruption of the photographic process. Please, don’t feel obligated to extend an invitation to diner. Be very thoughtful about how you decorate and light the dressing rooms. Large windows are a wonderful source of light, but adding the decorative touch of a white cloth or curtain can help to diffuse the intensity of the light. If the room is without windows, think about using such items as candles, Christmas lights, etc. to provide ambient lighting. Decorate tastefully, but not to the point of obsession – don’t worry, this is not a difficult balance to strike. Also, be thoughtful of “bad clutter” things like strewn boxes and bags used to transport dresses or flowers for the wedding are examples of bad clutter. Also, try to remember that your street clothes should be tucked away (imagine seeing inside-out socks and shirts everywhere in your dressing room photos!). Again, try not to obsess much about the dressing room. Should you choose to have dressing room photos, you will find that some of the greatest photographs tend to include small “good” messes that hint at the process and the activity involved in getting ready!

Putting on the rings is a wonderful opportunity for remarkable photographs. However, without realizing it, many couples block this shot for the photographer with their opposite hands or their bodies. It may not be the first thing on your mind, but see if you can try to put your hand underneath your partner’s hand when you push the ring on so that the shot is as clear as possible. The rehearsal is a great time to practice this, too. Take a bit of extra time as you walk away from being pronounced as a married couple – this is always a moment that everyone wants pictures of, which means that there will be quite a lot of flashes going at once, and a lot of guests moving about. To ensure a couple of nice shots, just take your time - - soak up the moment! Do your best to take your time throwing the flowers and garter. So often, this exciting part of the wedding is rushed, making it difficult to capture. Have some fun! Tease the crowd a bit; maybe fake them out once or twice. Taking your time can create a great opportuinty for your photographer. Do a little dancing toward the camera during your non-formal dances. If you forget about this, it’s quite likely that you’ll end up with a lot of shots of your backside – simply turning toward the camera occasionally can give a lot of opportunity for wonderful dancing photos. Feel free to track down your photographer if you have photo requests throughout the day, or even at the end of the day – don’t be shy!

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