Introduction

“Without the participation of intuition, sensibility, and understanding, photography is nothing.”

—Henri Cartier-Bresson

Nothing quite matches the power of a photograph to preserve a moment in time. The shutter pressed at exactly the right instant both records the scene in broad strokes and captures the more subtle gestures of those pictured in a way that speaks volumes about their experience at that particular moment. Indeed, photography has the power not only to document an event, but to actually shape the nature of memory. As time passes, the moments that remain most vivid in memory are often the ones that were captured in photographs.

For a couple on their wedding day, everything is a blur. All the months of planning are gone in a heartbeat. The moment is fleeting when the couple, surrounded by the love and support of family and friends, declare their commitment and embark on a new stage of life together. It’s our joy and privilege as wedding photographers to preserve the power and grace of this day for the couple and their loved ones, for generations. And of all the photographs taken at a wedding, the images that reflect the authenticity of this experience—the true and tender moments that could never be staged—are the ones that endure over time. Looking at these images years and even decades later, the viewers will actually feel everything—the joy, the excitement, the unexpected moments—that made the day so special. It’s heady stuff!

And it’s no easy task. Wedding photography encompasses a bit of nearly every photo specialty, including documentary, portraiture, group portraiture, still life, landscape, action, low light, fashion, party, and food. Just to add to the challenge, you get only one chance to nail the most important moments, you’re always in a rush, and emotions around you may be running just a bit high. Wedding photography is definitely not for the faint of heart—and yet, if you thrive on the challenge and excitement of a pressure-filled moment, it offers amazing opportunities for creative expression, as well as the chance to provide something infinitely meaningful to your clients.

Over the 15 years that I’ve photographed weddings, I’ve experienced just about every type of situation imaginable. In this book, I share the skills and strategies that I’ve developed to help me consistently create a body of authentic, intimate, beautiful images that tell a story, reflect emotions, and truly capture the essence of that unique wedding day for each couple.

Chapters 1 through 3 lay the foundation, with discussions on equipment, shooting basics, and preparations that will help you manage each phase of the day smoothly and effectively. Chapters 4 through 8 cover the stages of the wedding day—from before the ceremony begins through the dancing and reception. Here, I address the unique demands of each stage and share my approach to many of the most typical challenges that occur so that you can confidently face whatever comes your way. I also offer techniques and exercises that will help you train your eye to capture the more subtle, sometimes small, often unexpected moments that are so crucial to telling the story of the day. Chapter 9 wraps things up with information on editing and presenting the images to clients after the wedding.

This book is predominantly concerned with preparation and shooting strategies for the actual wedding day; it doesn’t cover post-processing techniques or the marketing side of the business. The excellent book VisionMongers: Making a Life and a Living in Photography, by David duChemin (published by New Riders/Voices That Matter), is a wonderful resource to help photographers understand and develop the business side of things.

Chapter 2 includes a review of shooting basics, but the assumption is that you already have a basic understanding of fundamentals like proper exposure, how to use your digital SLR in various shooting modes, and so forth. For a more in-depth review of these topics, refer to the book Exposure: From Snapshots to Great Shots, by Jeff Revell (published by Peachpit), which is packed with useful information.

My hope is that the information and assignments in this book will enable you to truly capture the unique personality of each wedding you cover and continue to develop your own creative vision along the way. I want to show you how to not only survive the wedding day, but to thrive, creating images that will thrill both you and your clients.

Share your results with the book’s Flickr group!

Join the group here: flickr.com/groups/weddingsfromsnapshotstogreatshots