How many photographs do you take?
It depends on how your day unfolds – every wedding is different, with different things happening and different timescales. But for me (and I hope for you too) it should always, always be a case of quality over quantity. Some photographers promise 100 pictures, others promise 1000 pictures. But as a professional photographer who’s takes pride in what he does, I would so much rather create 100 beautiful, meaningful pictures, each one packed with creativity and genuine emotion, than 1000 dull, cheesy snaps which you wouldn’t even want to Facebook. It’s essential that you consider the quality of your photographer first and foremost (and quantity second). How do the pictures on his website make you feel? Are you blown away? It’s so important that you are. If not, and you’ve shopped solely on price, even a million pictures won’t make you happy. To answer the original question, I normally create and show 300+ beautiful images from a full day’s wedding.
How much time needs to be set aside for photography?
Pre-ceremony, at the getting-ready stages, I recommend that you each set aside a good 45mins for posed photography – that’s 45mins of posed photography for the bride and also 45mins for the groom. We can co-ordinate exact timings together but normally I will do photography of the groom/bestman/ushers first before knocking on the bride’s and bridesmaids door. This means being ready for photos in good time and keeping on top of your hair & make-up team so they don’t run late. But by far the most crucial time is the time between the end of the ceremony and the start of the wedding meal / receiving line. I always recommend a minimum 2 hours drinks reception. This gives you time to mingle, chat and to really enjoy the day with your guests! And it gives me enough time to photograph everything I need.
What if the day runs late?
If you run late, it means less time for photography e.g. less time for bridal portraits pre-ceremony, family groupshots, creative bride & groom shots. These beautiful, directed shots which you can see on my website, all take time. And without time, even with the best will in the world, there’s not much I can do! You’ll still get a gorgeous set of photographs but, without time to set up some beautiful,dramatic pictures, the photos will be mostly of the candid variety of events as-they-happen.
It’s worth pointing out that lateness always starts at the ‘getting ready’ stages. Time lost here will never be gotten back without something having to give (sadly it’s usually photography time that’s sacrificed). It’s absolutely crucial that your hair and makeup team stick to time. I can personally recommend amazing make-up artists who are not only brilliant at what they do but (so importantly) they also leave enough time for photography. I’ve photographed weddings where the hair and make-up team take hours and hours and invariably they overrun, making last minute alterations right up to when the bridal cars start tooting their horns. Yes the bride looks stunning but I get left with NO TIME whatsoever to photograph her looking stunning – it’s just straight into the car!
Have a word with your venue too, especially about maintaining that important 2 hour drinks reception. Certain venues have no flexibility and simply will not accommodate a bride who is running late - their take is that if you run late, in order to get back on schedule, you must sacrifice your photography! Taking away photography time like this in one big swoop will have a huge effect on how many photographs you’ll get from me. Much better, I think, at the planning stages to build in a buffer (+30mins) just in case you need it. You might not.
Why a minimum 2 hours drinks reception?
60mins for the bride & groom and the wedding party to mingle, chat and simply enjoy being congratulated by family & friends. Hug, kiss, make merry! And whilst you drink champers, I get to capture all my natural, fun shots of the guests. This is followed by 30mins of posed family groupshots - I think it’s important to do a handful of these at every wedding, especially for the folks! And then finally 30mins of beautifully posed, dramatic bride & groom shots, around the reception venue and away from everyone else. Having photographed hundreds of weddings over 12 years, I can say with certainty that these 2 hours are barely enough and will absolutely fly by.
Is there anything I shouldn’t do?
One thing you needn’t do is to give me a long list of shots to take! Before you book me, have a real good look at my photography. Look at the style, the creativity and the variety of pictures. Rest assured, that’s what you’ll receive if you give me free rein to photograph your wedding the way I see it. By all means give me a list of say 5 or 6 important formal family groups – I’d very much welcome that. But a list of 100 shots will be like clipping the wings of my imagination. It’ll turn me into a robot photographer, a paycheck photographer, with the sole purpose of getting through that list, one shot after another, in whatever limited time we have. I’ve never wanted to go down that road. For me, it’s quality over quantity all day long. You’re investing a lot in me as your photographer, don’t go against that by restricting my creativity before the wedding day even begins. Trust me. Give my imagination the freedom to fly and I promise to deliver a set of wedding photographs which will take your breath away.
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