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The Best of Wedding Photography.pdf - Free

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BUILD A GOOD RELATIONSHIP<br />

Alisha and Brook Todd, successful wedding photojournalists in the<br />

San Francisco area, send out a bottle <strong>of</strong> Dom Perignon and a<br />

hand-written note the day after the contract goes out, then follow<br />

it up with monthly phone calls to check in. <strong>The</strong> more familiar the<br />

couple is with the photographer, the better the pictures will be come<br />

the wedding day!<br />

possible to adhere to one. Make a note <strong>of</strong> the names <strong>of</strong><br />

the parents and also <strong>of</strong> all the bridesmaids, groomsmen,<br />

the best man, and maid <strong>of</strong> honor so that you can address<br />

each by name. Also make notes on the color scheme, the<br />

supplier <strong>of</strong> the flowers, the caterer, the band, and so on.<br />

You should contact all <strong>of</strong> these people in advance, just to<br />

touch base. You may find out interesting details that will<br />

affect your timetable or how you make certain photos.<br />

At many religious ceremonies, you can move about and<br />

even use flash—but it should really be avoided in favor <strong>of</strong><br />

84 THE BEST OF WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY<br />

a more discreet, available-light approach. Besides, available<br />

light will provide a more intimate feeling to the images.<br />

At some churches you may only be able to take photographs<br />

from the back, in others you may be <strong>of</strong>fered the<br />

chance to go into a gallery or the balcony. You should also<br />

be prepared for the possibility that you may not be able to<br />

make pictures at all during the ceremony.<br />

Armed with information from the briefing meeting,<br />

you need to visit the couple’s wedding venues. Try to visit<br />

at the same times <strong>of</strong> day as the wedding and reception, so<br />

that you can check lighting, make notes <strong>of</strong> special locations,<br />

and catalog any potential problems. Also, you<br />

should make note <strong>of</strong> the walls and types <strong>of</strong> ceilings, particularly<br />

at the reception. This will affect your ability to use<br />

bounce flash. It is useful to produce an “A” list and a “B”<br />

list <strong>of</strong> locations. On the A list, note the best possible spots<br />

for your images; on the B list, select alternate locations in<br />

case your A locations don’t work out on the wedding day.<br />

LEFT—Part <strong>of</strong> your post-production thinking may be to prepare a montage <strong>of</strong> prints like this one created by Joe Photo. It is the same image printed<br />

in varying intensities <strong>of</strong> green and brown. RIGHT—David Beckstead, in his wedding coverage, always takes time to get some overheads <strong>of</strong> the bride<br />

and groom. Here he stole a moment <strong>of</strong> the bride and groom dancing all by themselves.

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