Wedding Photography - Calling The Shots

Wedding photography is a serious business, NOT for the faint hearted. One thing that keeps me highly motivated to take great pictures is hearing stories of photographers facing a the happy couple after returning from honeymoon and telling them that old 'Cock n Bull' story about the film getting chewed up at the lab! My pride just won't let me face that kind of humiliation.

When shooting a wedding I try to get into the mind set of the bride, after all it is HER DAY. I am thinking of Romance, Fun and Style. It is so important to get a friendly relationship with the bride as soon as possible. I am usually treated like a member of the family! Once I have that, I can start to make real life pictures.

I start off at the bride's home. I knock on the door armed with my camera bag which contains a Nikon D100, Nikon Speedlight SB-80DX flash and 24-85 Nikon lens and Spare Everything! Once inside the door, I will usually find absolute chaos. Clothes thrown all over the place, flowers in boxes on the furniture, little bridesmaids running amok, and dad finds his suit has been delivered two sizes too small!

This is where I am expected to take control and make order; after all I am the professional. The bride won't be ready so I start by shooting the kids tearing around the living room. I love children and if I find one I don't, my focus finder turns into a cross hair, either way I get the shot!

Now I am now summoned to the bedroom, which is a total mess. Hairstylists, Bridesmaids and make up everywhere. The bride is half dressed and the service starts in just ten minutes. This is a great time to do the posy shots on the bed and at the dressing table and shoot mum doing the finishing touches to the bride. On slips the dress and I get her to the window and shoot a couple of natural light shots with maybe a touch of fill-in flash to give that little glint in her eyes. I always use available light where possible.

I rush down stairs to find dads found the correct suit. Down comes the bride with the chief bridesmaid holding up the train. Click click click. From here; do we have some more pics and be late, or do we get into the carriages and go? They ask me for advice. So then off into the garden it is for the shots of bride, mum, dad, bridesmaids, grandparents, brothers, sisters, dog the cat and I even get time for a quick shot of the golf fish. And not necessarily in that order!

Out goes the red carpet and I am shooting bride and dad at the front door and walking up the path, mum's shedding a tear and sister is knocking back the last glass of champers. The groomsman helps the bride into the trap and off they go, giving me a wave as they head off in the distance towards the church…

The next stage is the wedding ceremony, buts that's another story.

I have worked on my style for over fifteen years and try to get a realism approach to my work. You can see some of my work at www.chasestudios.com I have found that my clients usually prefer my natural pictures to the posed and traditional ones. My approach is also influenced by the years of shooting fashion and lifestyle during the weekdays. Every wedding is a totally new challenge. As you can see from the above scenario, if you keep your eyes open, hundreds of photo opportunities just happen. It's all a matter of timing.

I often take over 200 shots at a wedding. The final portfolio is a mixture of environmental portraits and candid shots, giving the couple a picture story book of the whole day. My rule is "Keep it simple, stupid" By shooting digital I do not have to worry about changing films during the day and can change the ISO rating at will. I often keep the camera set to program and adjust exposure by changing the exposure compensation dial. I prefer to use bounce flash where possible and prefer to bounce the light from the same side as the natural light source. This stops unnatural shadows and gives a nice key light to the eyes. I always use fill-in flash in direct sunlight to save the inevitable Panda Eye Syndrome.

I run several classes at the studio which delve into the more technical side of photography and have found that by teaching, I have learned to improve my own technique.

Elden Chase ARPS, ASWPP, ABPPA, LBIPP.
Chase Studios
www.chasestudios.com
Telephone 020 8507 1233


www.chasestudios.com

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