The Truth about Wedding photography© Scott Gibson 2007
As you can see, I do a wide range of work in photography. However, there is no job more important, or that I take more seriously than shooting a wedding. Of all the different jobs I do, when I shoot a wedding, I am aware that I am creating family history, that people will still cherish 100 years from now. There is no job that requires more skill with a camera, or that has zero margin for error, and the work is often done with a few hundred people watching. It is crucial that you hire an experienced professional to photograph your wedding. I have done over 400 weddings of every size and description, and my clients are always delighted.
Some people insist it is best to specialize in one area of photography, and that a serious wedding photographer should do weddings exclusively and nothing else. In my opinion, it is to your advantage to hire someone who has constant and current experience with photographing groups, fashion, advertising, action, kids and scenics, and has their hands on their camera every day, and a huge range of abilities in photography. (I can attest to the fact that a wedding is the one job in photography that requires the entire range of skills.) I love doing photography and I love the variety of doing something different every day. I can’t imagine shooting just one or two days a week, and since I am a full time commercial photographer, an advantage to my clients is that I am not trying to make my entire income from weddings! I always arrange my schedule to be rested, focused and eager to work and have fun on a wedding day.
My approach to a wedding day is based on the idea that the bride is Queen of the Universe on her wedding day. She should have fun and enjoy every minute of it. It’s the Bride’s day, not the photographers! With that in mind, obviously the photos have to be excellent, but it also matters how the photography happens. I have seen many trends come and go in wedding photography, one of the latest seems to be that everyone is a “photojournalist” and has an “unobtrusive, unique, candid style, like a fly on the wall” that “captures the mood and feel of your special day” and they don’t bother with “stiff, posed traditional photography.” In my opinion, obviously anyone you consider to photograph your wedding should be an expert in candid photography, and of course they should be unobtrusive, and know how to capture special moments. Any photographer should be experienced and talented at all those things before even attempting to photograph a wedding. Regarding “traditional, posed” photography, my experience is that if you don’t get a few nicely composed photos of you with your wedding party and at least a few selected family members in which you can see all their faces, you will regret it. One of the main reasons to have a photographer at your wedding is to record the family history. In many cases, it is the last time many of these people will all be together. There’s nothing wrong with doing a quick photo of the generations together. How sad would it be if the only photo of the bride and her parents was a candid moment that didn’t come out quite right because someone blinked or had their hand in front of their face? Obviously, I will spend most of the day shooting candids and watching for those perfect moments and emotions. But, trying to get a “candid, spontaneous, photojournalistic” photo with all 14 members of your wedding party’s faces visible can be nearly impossible. In my opinion, a mixture of candids and quick casual poses creates the most meaningful record of your day. A good photographer should be able to create and coax a quick and fun “special moment” from your group, without being annoying.
My approach is to plan ahead with the bride and to make a list of 10 to 15 (not 80 or 100- that’s too many) group shots, to have everyone meet at a certain spot, and we get them done in just a few minutes, I know how to make it quick and fun. I have an organized, polished routine for groups and family shots that makes them easy, with just a little planning, everyone knows where to be and when, and we have a clear list of shots. To be honest, some of these will be your favorite photos that will be part of your family history, that you will want to display in your home. An experienced photographer with good people skills can make these photos quick and fun, and they will look relaxed and casual, not “stiff.” I think some people might be intimidated by the public speaking part of organizing group shots. In my opinion, this is one of the key skills a wedding photographer should have. I have had 60 or 80 family members gathered for family photos hundreds of times, and I have no problem busting those shots out in 15 minutes, and I can usually have the whole group laughing and entertained the entire time! It is one of my favorite parts of the job. I have actually been hired on several occasions by very highly regarded wedding photographers to come in after the ceremony just to do their groups shots, because they were either intimidated or unable to do them. Remember, the bride is Queen, and so if she doesn’t want any group photos, or just wants candids, then that’s what I will do. Every wedding is a completely custom package, based on the bride’s wishes.
After any group shots, in about 10 or 15 minutes with the bride and groom I can get as many great photos as you will need. Just a few of the groom usually, a bunch of the two together and a TON of the bride including every detail. I will have scouted out the location to give you a huge variety of different looks, and I can do it really quick. One of my goals is to get you to your party ASAP!!! It’s your wedding day and everyone is waiting for the guests of honor. (I often encourage couples, especially with large weddings, to do photos of the bride and groom before the ceremony, to maximize time with their guests. Again, the bride decides when we do any photos, I will be happy to explain the advantages of different techniques, and we will do it however the bride chooses.) I am always focused on getting my work done quickly, because the day is always more about your wedding and your guests than the photos. You may be surprised to find out that some photographers who advertise themselves as being “unobtrusive” will want to hijack 2 hours of your wedding day to build their portfolio, with all your guests and family waiting!
Those are a few of my thoughts on wedding photography, I learn something new at every wedding, so I have literally hundreds of ideas to make your wedding photography top notch in addition to being fun, easy and in your budget. I realize how confusing and intimidating it can be shopping for a wedding photographer. Call me and I can answer all your questions and take all the mystery out of it. I can do any style, technique or special requests you may have, feel free to call me to see some more photos or for links to complete recent weddings online, or for some references. I would love to offer you a free engagement portrait or wedding announcement session, to see if we are a match, or to answer any questions you have. (Also, if you call me I can tell you the one common mistake that 90% of wedding couples make, that costs them $500 or $1,000 if they don’t think of it.)
If you choose me to shoot your wedding, I absolutely guarantee you will be delighted, and you will cherish the photos the rest of your life. Please check out the website, and feel free to call me with any questions.
Sincerely, Scott (805) 570-0692