Category: About Photography

5 Tips on Becoming a Better Wedding Photographer

Wedding photography is a tough business, but it’s also full of opportunity. If you’re looking to make a name for yourself as a wedding photographer, you’ll need to learn from the best and practice constantly. That said, here are some tips that will help you make it in this competitive industry:

New York City Wedding Photo Shoot

1. Build your technical skills:

As a wedding photographer, you need to have a solid understanding of camera settings, lighting, composition, and post-processing. Take the time to learn and practice these skills regularly to improve your craft.Practice is the key to improvement. If you want to be a better wedding photographer, then practice shooting in low light and at night. Practice shooting in different environments and at different times of day. Practice shooting at different locations as well!

It’s easy for us all to get stuck in our own comfort zones when it comes to photography (and life), but if we want our work or abilities as photographers or people who love photography and are passionate about it all around us in general–not just weddings–to grow and improve then we need to step out of those comfort zones every once in awhile.

2. Develop your people skills:

Wedding photography involves working with clients, wedding party members, and vendors. You need to be able to communicate effectively, put people at ease, and build rapport quickly. Practicing your interpersonal skills will help you build a good reputation and ensure that your clients are happy with your work.

Attitude is everything. If you’re the type of person who gets down on themselves, or if your attitude is negative, it will show in your photos. Keep an optimistic outlook at all times!

Don’t let a bad experience get you down; learn from it and move on.

Ask for help when need be; don’t be afraid to ask other photographers for advice or critique (and don’t take their advice personally). Also, it’s okay for friends/family members not being photographers themselves to do test shots with their phones–they’ll still give valuable feedback on things like lighting, composition etc., which can be just as useful as having an actual photographer there helping out!

Don’t be afraid of taking risks either: try different things with composition or lighting styles until something clicks!

 

3. Invest in quality gear and learn from other pros:

Having good quality camera gear can make a huge difference in the quality of your photos. While you don’t need to go out and buy the most expensive equipment, investing in good lenses, a sturdy tripod, and a reliable camera body will help you produce high-quality images.

There are a lot of great ways to network with other wedding photographers and get feedback on your work. One of the best ways is to join a community of like-minded people who share their knowledge and experience in order to help each other improve. You can find many such groups on social media, but you’ll also find them at conferences and workshops, or even just by asking around at local events where photographers might be present (you never know who might know someone!).

If you want to learn more about how wedding photography works from someone who has been doing it for years, seek out mentors who are willing to share their knowledge with others–and don’t forget that there are plenty of online resources too!

4. Build a strong portfolio:

Your portfolio is the key to attracting new clients and establishing yourself as a professional photographer. Make sure your portfolio showcases your best work, and includes a variety of shots that demonstrate your range and style.

When you’re first starting out as a photographer, it can be hard to know where to begin. There are so many skills that you need to develop in order to become better at your craft–but where do you start?

The best thing that you can do for yourself is to learn from others and practice as much as possible. Study other photographers’ work, see what they do well and how they do it differently from other photographers. Then try incorporating these techniques into your own style of shooting weddings (or whatever else).

You also need practice shooting weddings yourself! It sounds obvious, but the more time spent behind the camera at real events will help build confidence and improve technique over time–and make sure that when we get into editing later on this list of five tips for improving wedding photography skillset becomes easier for everyone involved!

Same sex wedding at Robert restaurant in New York City

5. Keep learning and evolving:

Photography is an ever-evolving field, and it’s important to stay up-to-date with the latest trends and techniques. Attend workshops and conferences, follow other photographers on social media, and continue to learn and grow in your craft.

In conclusion, if you want to become a better wedding photographer, there are a few things you can do. First off, practice! The more you shoot weddings and portraits, the more experience you will have under your belt. Second, study the work of other photographers–both professionals and amateurs alike. You never know what tips or tricks could help make your photos even better than before. Finally, network with other photographers so that they can give advice on how best practices would work in their own lives as well ?”

 

Manhattan wedding flatiron building wedding photo black ebony couple

Starting your wedding photography career? Hey, I’m Tatiana, a wedding photographer based in New York City capturing love since 2004 and I’m here to help you start your journey! Leave me a comment below or shoot me an email at artvestastudio (at) gmail.com

Speak soon!


What Happens at Your After the Wedding Day Photo Shoot

What is an after the wedding day photo shoot? It is a photo session a few days after the wedding or after the honeymoon. The bride and groom dress in their gown and tux and have a relaxing and stress free photo session.

What is really nice about this session is that you don’t have to worry about getting your wedding clothes dirty or wrinkled if your photographer wants you to take pictures outside. Since these pictures are taken within weeks of the wedding, the bride and groom are still in the honeymoon stage and the emotions come through in the photos from any good professional wedding photographer.

Another major advantage to this kind of after wedding photo session is that the pictures can be taken anywhere in any setting. If you live in New York the pictures can be taken at Grand Central Station or in Times Square or Central Park.

When you are not pressured on time, your professional wedding photographer will be able to use her creativity to the best of her ability. In this way her photos taken after the wedding are exceptional. This is an opportunity to get some very different kind of pictures than you were able to get on your wedding day.

Westbury Manor Wedding

Benefits of an After the Wedding Day Photo Shoot:

Wardrobe Changes: It lets you take more great pictures in your wedding gown with the groom in his tux, as well as in your reception and honeymoon clothes.

Go Places: This second shoot, whether after the honeymoon or the day after the wedding, allows for pictures to be taken in a wide variety of venues – indoors and out – in an art museum or in a forest. Go to the first place you met, kissed, started dating, etc. Make some exciting memories!

Less Stress: You get all these extra shots and you don’t have to put any extra stress on your wedding day schedule. You can even be a little more relaxed on your wedding day, knowing that there will be another day for taking more pictures.

More Props: You can choose to use all types of props that you could not use on your wedding day. These after wedding photos can be playful and teasing or they can be serious and sultry. Of course they can also be both. That is the real glory of the after wedding day photos – they can be anything at all that you want them to be. They are not held back by the formality of the wedding day.

Westbury Manor Wedding 2013

Variety: You can have your after wedding day photos shot at different times of the day. You can start with sexy day after breakfast pictures and then move to pictures in the forest in the early afternoon. Finally some night shots at a slightly fancy dinner out and slow dances afterward. With these pictures you would have a complete story of your wedding and the day after.

New Likes: You can provide your professional wedding photographer with a list of things that you and your new groom like and are attracted to. The photographer can use this list to put together a creative list of after wedding photos. If you like ice cream, then your photographer can find a quirky ice cream parlor to take some pictures at.

Westbury Manor Wedding 2013

Playful Poses: Some brides advocate having a trash the dress session where you have pictures taken while you do things that will destroy your wedding dress, like sit in the ocean or a swimming pool with your dress on. Or maybe you want to lie on the beach and get sand all over your dress while various posed pictures are taken. These are usually fun and playful poses.

Westbury Manor Wedding 2013Westbury Manor Wedding 2013

No matter what the reason might be the decision on when to take the traditional or artistic wedding day photos is up to the bride and groom. Your professional wedding photographer will be willing to work with you and take the shots whenever you prefer they be taken.

 

What makes a wedding photograph stand the test of time?

vintage vs modern photo colorization

We all can remember looking through an old wedding album and snickering at the outdated dresses, hair styles and poses.  Every album has the bridal party standing in the church in the same configuration: everyone lined up, bridesmaids on the left and groomsmen on the right, with the newly married couple in the middle.  Every album has pictures of the bride and groom posed with various members of the family.  When you think of modern day photography versus these old photographs, do you picture something different?  Are these traditional photographs passé?  What makes a wedding photograph stand the test of time?

With the development of digital photography, that almost completely replaced film, there are many trends that, over the years, have been popping up in wedding photography. Some deal with the coloring of a picture. Perhaps the person or subject in the photography is in black and white with one particular item still vibrant in color (a somewhat tacky trend of 2003-2006).  Maybe the pictures have been airbrushed to the point of erasing all details in the bride’s wedding dress or worse, her face. The washed-out look in photography has become popular in recent years.

Unfortunately, modern and trendy practices in photography run the risk of going out of style. They can make the picture seem dated and not natural.  Modern and trendy may work for some couples whose personalities mirror a modern, trendy vibe.  The majority of these trendy looks and effects are added after the original photos were taken and this is the part that, eventually, goes out of style. Therefore, it is a great idea to request your wedding photographer provide you with pre-post production versions of your photos.

A wedding photographer should capture the essence of the couple and record the joy of the day.  A couple hiring a wedding photographer can ensure timeless wedding pictures by sharing their vision and personalities with the photographer. The pictures won’t ring true if the photographer is trying for an image or effect that is not comfortable for the couple.

Some people think many trendy, modern pictures indicate a good photographer. While creativity is nice, having a few clean, magazine quality pictures is a must even for an ultra modern couple. The timeless look of your photos will ensure that they will be well received by future generations. A truly classic, timeless photograph will always look classy and hold its own among the trendier ones.