Setting Up For Success
In this video and article, I have 5 tips for you to set up and capture perfect journalistic wedding photos. With these simple tips in mind, you’ll be set up to capture beautiful and genuine candid moments in no time.
Watch the 5 Tips for Perfect Journalistic Wedding Photos
5 Tips for Perfect Journalistic Wedding Photos
If you’ve watched our Photography 101 workshop, then you’ll recognize this “PLAN” acronym, but we’ve also added an extra 5th tip.
Tip 1: Prepare
Prepare means to have the right equipment for the day of your shoot, and for the moment you’re shooting. For instance, when I’m shooting bridal prep, I’ll have my Canon 24-70mm f/2.8 II, Canon 50mm f/1.2 L, and Canon 85mm f/1.2 II L handy with a “just-in-case” flash on my camera. This way, whatever situation occurs during bridal prep, I’ll be prepared to shoot it.
Tip 2: Lock-In
When you’re prepping for a moment, you want to make sure you lock-in your settings beforehand. For this set of images, I had the the Bride and her daughter set up by this window. The scene wasn’t going to change so I locked in my Exposure and Color settings in Manual mode, and fired away. You want to make a habit of locking in your settings beforehand so you don’t have any unhappy surprises when you see the images after the moment has passed.
Tip 3: Anticipate
On a wedding day, sometimes we’ll place our subjects and cue the action; other times we simply anticipate the photogenic moments. This may be when the Groom is opening his gift from his bride, or when the Groom sees his Bride for the first look, or the first kiss! All the moments must be carefully anticipated by the photographer.
Tip 4: Now
This is the moment where you become the observer and shoot. Stay calm, carefully compose your shot, and fire away.
Tip 5: Move
Don’t be afraid to move. When the moment is occurring and you know you’ve got your shot, then move around. Change your composition, do a shoot through, capture another expression, take advantage of the time you have in a moment!
Learn Wedding Photography in the Bahamas
If you enjoyed this article and video then be sure to check out the Ultimate Wedding Workshop in the Bahamas. In this workshop, we’ll be teaching you how to set up shots, how to expand your vision, how to grow your business, and so much more! Be sure to register and send your deposits quickly because class space is filling up fast!
Learn More About Photography
These 5 tips are based off the “PLAN” acronym featured in our Photography 101 Workshop. If you want to learn more about photography and how to master Manual Mode on your camera, then be sure to check out Photography 101!
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Really helpful article
Excellent tips and advice
good tips just remember to adjust your settings once you have finished with the scene, I personally do not use manual settings I would use spot focus and spot metering in aperture mode then you would be ready if you needed to change setting, for instance if you wanted to shoot into the room with the window behind you
Thanks for the tips. Good advice.
Great information. Love the backlit technique.
Thanks a lot SLR Lounge
Great tips Pye!
I have one question: in these situations do you lock focus and recompose or do you use all the AF points of the 5D Mk III ?
Thanks again pye for providing us top notch training advices.
I can’t make it to that workshop this year :(
A good reminder for anyone, thanks
Love it. Great tips!!
Great tips! Just remember stay calm, compose, and fire away. And breathe.
Great Tips!!