Planning Your Wedding for Great Photography

I like to explain that there are three things a photographer needs in order to do his/her job well: Time, Light, and Opportunity. Anything you can do to maximize those three aspects of your wedding day will greatly help your photographer capture great images.

Time: Time of course is the one thing that is in limited supply on the wedding day - but good planning can maximize it. First, have a specific timeline of the wedding day. (I always provide a worksheet to help with that.) And be generous with the amount of time you allot to each step. Not only will that make it more relaxed and enjoyable for you, but it will also give your photographer the maximum amount of time possible to capture the moments. Finally, don't forget to leave sufficient time between stages - both so you don't feel rushed, and so that there is a bit of buffer in case things run over. (The photographer will also need that time to check his equipment, change film and memory cards, and position himself for the next stage.)

Light: Light is the next element a photographer needs. Of course a photographer can and will bring supplemental lighting of his own, but whatever you can do during the planning stage to maximize the amount and quality of the ambient light will help with getting more natural shots. The best light of all is soft, natural light coming in from the side - like you get from large windows, or late in the afternoon outside. If the wedding or preparations will take place somewhere relatively dark talk to your planner or the venue about additional lighting. Even candlelight is great - as long as there is enough of it.

But just how much is enough? The key is understanding the strengths and limitations of both still and video equipment. In general, the lower the light levels, the more objectionable elements (in the form of electronic noise or film grain) are introduced into a picture. Video cameras can shoot at lower light levels than still cameras mainly because video resolution is quite low. Therefore, any noise introduced will be much less noticeable than in a high-resolution still image. For still cameras, the best rule of thumb to remember is that if the light level is sufficient for you to read comfortably by, then there is sufficent light for the camera without using supplemental lighting.

Opportunity: For a photojournalistic photographer, the final necessary element is what I call opportunity. That simply means allowing for ample opportunities for you and your guests to interact – in other words, to have fun! That means leaving time for people just to enjoy themselves – while the photographer is free to capture the moments. Again, if you have a relaxed schedule for the day, this will be much easier.

Finally, I hope all brides remember one thing: while weddings rarely go exactly according to plan - they always work out in the end. So relax, and have fun!