Your wedding photographer visually documents the first day of your new life together as husband and wife. There are once in a lifetime shots that will never be repeated. There are memories that you never want to forget.
You spend months looking for the right professional photographer. You get references and look at their wedding photography portfolios. Once you feel that you have found the right wedding photographer you hire them. But that is not the end of your responsibility with your photographer. Yes, I said responsibility. If you want the photographs of your dreams, you have a responsibility to make them a reality. It starts with communication.
Do not leave everything up to your wedding photographer. She will have great ideas and skills, but she cannot read your thoughts. If there are particular shots you want (or don’t want), you must communicate them to her. Below we will give you 5 tips on how to make the most of your professional wedding photographer to get the results you want.
1. Form a relationship with your photographer
This is more than a conversation over a contract. Set up some time to sit and talk with her over coffee. Get to know her a little and let her get to know you. Tell her why you chose her and why you did not choose some of the others. You need to know if you can communicate. If one of you speaks bluntly and the other is sensitive, this is a good time to address that while everyone is calm. If your soon-to-be spouse is bossy and demanding, talk about it and set boundaries.
2. Do a pre-wedding or engagement photography session
This is a great addition to your wedding album, but it serves a higher purpose as well. Let your photographer see how you interact as a couple. Let her see how you respond to a camera. Find your comfort level. This is like a taste test. Get the feel of the session before the big day. If you are concerned about the expense, add this onto your Plumfund.com gift registry. This allows guests to contribute to what you really want.
3. Choose the “get ready” room carefully
Some of the best shots will be when the bridesmaids and moms are helping the bride get ready for her wedding. Choose a room to get ready in that is spacious and has great natural light. Do a once over and make it tidy for better shots (a little messy is okay, but a train wreck is not). If you have specific items you want photographs of, have them laid out and ready. This is like your grandmother's lace handkerchief or your mother's veil. Your wedding photographer will see exactly which items they are and will get them in the best shots.
4. Do not cut the time
Your wedding photographer needs time to do her job. She is working around a lot of people and in a lot of different settings. The lighting is very important. She will set up some shots specifically for the position of the sun. Do not try to cut into those time frames. More often than not, there will be extra time near the end of the session. But let her make the call. If you absolutely must cut the time, talk to her and find out where to cut.
5. Don’t be unreasonable
Some brides will have such a detailed list of all the wedding photographs she wants that instead of a natural photographic memory of the day, she gets a series of one posed shot after another. Instead, give her the short list of what you really want and then let her do what she does best. You will be much happier with the results.
Author Bio: Wendy Dessler
Wendy is a super-connector with Outreachmama who helps businesses find their audience online through outreach, partnerships, and networking. She frequently writes about the latest advancements in digital marketing and focuses her efforts on developing customized blogger outreach plans depending on the industry and competition.
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