3. Prepping for the Shoot

Laying the Foundation for Success

Talent and skill will carry you far, but there is no substitute for preparation. In order to capture the truly telling images at the wedding, you must keep a clear head amidst the commotion of the day so that you can focus on the wonderful moments going on all around. Having a solid understanding of the sites where the wedding events will occur, the schedule, and the flow of the event as well as any specific desires of the couple will set the stage so that you can get into the creative zone when it counts.

Poring Over the Picture

While scouting this location beforehand, I found this wonderful balcony location for portraits. Shaded spots like this are especially good when the portraits of the couple need to be taken in the harsher afternoon light.

Making a Plan

I spend a lot of time preparing for every wedding—gathering schedule information, scouting the location, conferring with the couple and planner, and so on. All this time and energy is well spent when it allows me to walk in on the wedding day with a clear sense of how the action will unfold and how I intend to capture it. The more legwork I do ahead of time, the clearer my vision for the day, and the better able I am to simply be in the moment at the actual wedding—in tune to the rhythms of the day, poised to capture the meaningful moments.

Understanding the goals of the couple

Naturally, the fact that the couple selected me to be their photographer tells me that they understand and appreciate my style. They’ve hired me to come “do what I do” at their wedding. Still, I always take time to connect with them and learn whether there are any considerations or concerns that are specific to their event. Maybe they’re exceptionally passionate about black-and-white photography, or perhaps they want special emphasis placed on certain family members. There may be particular elements of the wedding that are especially unique and important to them (Figures 3.1 and 3.2). And of course, if there are any tricky family dynamics at play, I need to know about them.

At the same time that I gather information from the couple, I also offer my opinion on various elements of their planning that will impact the photography, particularly the timing of events. Most clients don’t realize what a huge impact timing can have on the way their images will look, so I want to be sure to give them the photographer’s perspective. For example, many couples dream of a sunset wedding. A sunset wedding may be beautiful, but the rest of the wedding will be in pitch dark. From my standpoint as a photographer, it’s much better to have the ceremony a couple of hours before sunset—the light will still be somewhat softened at that hour, and after the ceremony has ended there’s a nice chunk of time to shoot portraits of the families and the couple, cocktail hour, and possibly even toasts or the first dance with natural light. All those elements will be much prettier as a result, especially for an outdoor wedding.

The question of whether the couple should see one another before the ceremony often comes up. From a photographer’s perspective, it’s always a great idea, because it allows me to take most or all of the posed groupings before the ceremony, as well as some portraits of the couple. I never pressure couples to see one another, but I’m very frank about the implications if they choose not to. If they have large families and an extensive list of posed and family shots, they’ll likely miss their cocktail hour as we plow through that list post-ceremony. If their ceremony is close to sunset, we may not have enough light afterward to make the most of the beautiful setting, and we’ll be much more limited in what we can do with their couple portraits. If they clearly understand how the decision may impact other parts of the day and they still truly don’t want to see one another, then I respect their wishes—it’s their wedding, after all!

Figure 3.1. The cherries used in the decor of this wedding were a tribute to the summer trips to local cherry stands that the bride shared with her father as a child. Based on our pre-wedding conversations, I knew how meaningful this element was, so I emphasized it in the photos.

Figure 3.2. Attached to the bride’s bouquet were wedding rings from her departed grandmothers and great-grandmothers. I might have missed these special touches if I hadn’t had good communication with the client.

Creating a shot list

For most of the wedding day, I don’t work from a shot list. But for the posed family and group portraits, I always do. Despite my heavy bias toward spontaneous, candid moments, I realize that these formal images represent an important historical document of the families present at the wedding. I want to be sure to capture everything necessary and do it as quickly and efficiently as possible. Working with the couple to develop a specific list of groupings helps me do that.

I have a very basic sample family/group shot list that I send to my couples to use as a starting point:

• Bride with maid of honor and then with bridesmaids

• Groom with best man and then with groomsmen

• Bride and groom with entire wedding party

• Bride and groom with bride’s parents

• Bride and groom with groom’s parents

• Bride and groom with bride’s immediate family

• Bride and groom with groom’s immediate family

• Bride and groom with any other special family members (for example, grandparents)

Every family is different, so I ask the couple to customize this list to suit their needs. I encourage them to keep the list as streamlined as possible, avoiding endless combinations of nearly the same set of people, and to consider what groupings they, or their family members, will actually want to include in an album or a frame after the wedding (Figure 3.3). If the image isn’t going to be used for anything, it’s simply not worth using precious time on the wedding day to capture it.

Figure 3.3. I encourage couples to put family members in big, happy shots of everyone all together, as opposed to time-consuming combinations of essentially the same people.

I also ask them to include the names of the specific individuals who are in each shot, so I can answer any questions that may arise among the family over who’s included. Once I have the final list, I rearrange the shooting sequence for the best flow of individuals in and out of each shot (for instance, I want to avoid making the bride repeatedly enter and exit shots, because it may be difficult for her to maneuver in her gown), and I make sure that any shots involving children or people with mobility issues are done first (Figure 3.4).

Preparing all this information is not the most glamorous part of the job, but when the time comes, you’ll be glad you have all this information on hand. Developing a shot list allows me to capture these images quickly and efficiently, while ensuring that I don’t miss anything important for the couple or their families.

Figure 3.4. Don’t make kids wait a long time for posed shots. I always shoot kid-centric groupings like this first to minimize meltdowns!

Looking over the schedule

A few weeks prior to the wedding, I request a detailed copy of the schedule from either the wedding planner or the couple so that I can review it and ensure that it makes sense for what I need to accomplish in terms of the photography for the day. This is especially important for the first half of the day—from before the ceremony through the end of the cocktail hour—because so many critical events take place during this time and they often take place at multiple locations. Once the guests are settled in for dinner, I know that I’ll only be able to capture whatever is happening, and the pressure eases a bit.

I try to make sure that things like dinner courses and toasts are scheduled in such a way that I have the opportunity to take the couple outside for a mini-portrait session around sunset, when the light is most beautiful—assuming that they’re willing, of course (Figure 3.5). And while events like the first dance and cake cutting often take place later in the evening, if it’s an outdoor, summer wedding it’s sometimes possible to schedule them while there is still daylight, which gives me many more options in terms of the kinds of images I can get (Figure 3.6).

Figure 3.5. The most beautiful light of the day happens just before and just after sunset. Take the couple for a brief portrait session around this time, making sure to schedule it in conjunction with the toasts and other reception events so as not to disrupt the flow of the party.

Figure 3.6. If there is any flexibility to do so, try to work with the wedding planner or the couple to schedule the first dance and other reception events while it’s still light.

Once I receive the schedule, I look for the following:

• Do I have enough time during the “getting ready” stage of the day? I like to be in the room with the bride for a minimum of 45 minutes—and greatly prefer an hour or more—to have time for all the detail work and candid photos of the wedding participants as they prepare.

• Does the schedule have me arriving at the ceremony site at least 20 to 30 minutes before the ceremony is scheduled to begin? I need time to get set up for the ceremony and shoot the decor.

• Is there a little cushion in the post-ceremony timing? It’s good to have some wiggle room in case the ceremony runs a bit late or the families are hard to gather.

• Is there enough time allotted for the list of family shots I received from the couple? Allow two to three minutes per shot, plus a little cushion.

• Is cocktail hour actually scheduled for a minimum of at least one hour? A bit longer is always nice, especially if we’re doing the family shots during this time.

• Does the timing of toasts and other reception events allow me the opportunity to slip outside with the couple around sunset for some portraits in the beautiful, end-of-day light?

If the answer to any of these questions is “no,” I have a conversation with the couple or wedding planner to make the necessary adjustments.

Scouting the Locations

If the wedding is taking place at a location where I’ve never shot, I take the time to visit the ceremony and reception sites ahead of time, if possible. I always go around the same time of day that I’ll be shooting, so I can see exactly what’s happening with the light. It’s incredibly helpful to lay eyes on the sites, take some light readings, and visualize where I’ll want to be during the ceremony, as well as other key parts of the day.

I also determine whether I need to supplement my gear with any rental equipment in order to cover the event as effectively as possible. For example, if I know that I’ll be restricted to the very back of a large church, I’ll rent a 300mm lens to help get a little closer to the ceremony action (Figure 3.7).

Figure 3.7. My scouting trip to the site showed me just how far away from the ceremony I would be, due to restrictions at the church. I decided to rent a 300mm lens, and it really helped round out my coverage of the ceremony.

One of the most important tasks when scouting the location is to find a good spot for the family/group portraits. If I can determine ahead of time exactly where I want them to be, then the planner and the couple can pass it on to everyone involved, which helps that part of the day run more smoothly. Ideally, I like to find a pretty spot outside, with nice, even, open-shade lighting, where I can shoot the family portraits with available light and get great results. It’s also helpful if the chosen spot is set a bit apart from the location of cocktail hour to minimize the chance that key people will wander off.

I also look for spots to take the couple for their portrait session. I always try to do these photos outside, so I look for things like pretty paths, beautiful trees, and interesting architectural elements like elaborate doorways, pillars, or arches (Figure 3.8). Indoors, I look for window light and pretty decor.

Figure 3.8. When scouting locations for the couple portraits, I can take as much time as I need to look for interesting perspectives and unique elements that I can use in my compositions.

Finally, I wander the grounds and see if there is a way to get a unique view of the ceremony or the reception site itself (Figure 3.9). If there is a balcony or a window that I want to use, I make sure I know how to access it (Figure 3.10). Sometimes I shoot a few details of the site—the signage, architecture, and so on—so I don’t have to take time to shoot them on the wedding day.

Figure 3.9. While wandering around this property the day before the wedding, I saw this spectacular vantage point. At the wedding, I sent my assistant to take this shot while I was down below, closer to the wedding party.

Figure 3.10. If you plan to shoot from a balcony or window, make sure that you know how to get to it and that it will be unlocked at the critical time.

Go with the Flow

You can spend a lot of time (and I do) carefully planning how to handle each stage of the wedding day, but when the time comes, you have to be flexible, because the wedding day is very fluid. Invariably, things will change, and you have to be ready and able to change with them. The ceremony may begin late, impacting the timing of all subsequent events. A tent may be brought in at the last minute, completely changing the light. A critical family member may be a no-show for the family portraits, making it necessary to do those photos later in the day than scheduled.

When something unexpected happens, it may seem as though your carefully laid plan goes out the window and that all the time and effort you spent on it was wasted. But I find that the opposite is true—this is the moment when all my planning really pays off. Having such a clear vision as I go into the wedding day really helps me keep my thoughts organized when the pressure is on and things are rapidly changing. It helps me stay cool and quickly come up with alternative solutions when necessary. The better you know your gear, the locations, the schedule, and the desires of your clients, the better equipped you’ll be to handle whatever curveballs come your way.

Chapter 3 Assignments

Practice Strategizing for a Wedding Day

Visit a common wedding site such as a local church or park and make a plan for how you would shoot a wedding there. Where would you place yourself at various points of the ceremony? What equipment would you use? Where would you take the group shots? The more you practice thinking in this way, the easier it will be to come up with plans for many different types of sites.

Scout Here, There, and Everywhere

Whenever you find yourself in a pretty place, imagine how you would handle a couple’s portrait session there. Where is the best light? What are some interesting angles? How would you use the elements in the setting to make interesting compositions? Begin to train your eye to view locations in this way. After years of scouting locations, I find that I can’t turn off that part of my brain—I’m constantly envisioning couples in the distance whenever I go to a park or beach!

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