Tips from a Professional Photographer: 3 Key Mindsets to Remember When Shooting Wedding Photos

2020.04.11 published

Looking forward to wedding photos more than anything...♡

When it comes to the joys of a wedding, pre-wedding shoots and the actual wedding photos come to mind.

Of course, I'm looking forward to the wedding itself, but the precious photos that capture each moment will help revive memories of the wedding in our long future together.

@chiiiiiiiro7

Many brides express regret, saying, "I wish I had taken more of these photos," which is why a lot of effort goes into the composition and poses of the photos.

Some of you might be creating instruction manuals or browsing photos online to visualize how you'd like your shots to look, in preparation for the pre-wedding shoot and the actual wedding day.

@s.e.0805.wedding

Advice from a Professional Photographer! What mindset should brides keep?

This time, I will introduce the "mindset that I want brides to have" as conveyed by an active bridal photographer.

While it's easy to concentrate on the details like poses and props, there is some advice on a bigger "mindset" that is important.

Brides who are about to embark on their pre-wedding shoot or the actual wedding day should definitely read this! ♡

@s.e.0805.wedding

Wedding Photo Mindset ① Don't seek perfection too much

The first mindset is "Don't seek perfection too much."

Recently, with so many beautiful wedding photos visible on Instagram and Pinterest, more brides are going in with strong wishes for "I want to take photos like this!"

However, the couples seen on Instagram or Pinterest are different individuals from you.

There is no need to feel down by comparing yourselves to others' photos you saw online and thinking, "This is different from what I imagined."

Instead of being overly fixated on tracing someone's photo, it’s important to have the mindset of "Loving our own world and taking wedding photos that reflect who we are."

@milkwd1104

Mindset ② Allow for flexibility in the schedule

The second mindset is to allow for flexibility in the wedding photo delivery schedule.

During the pre-wedding shoot and the actual event, thousands of photographs are taken.

While the shoot occurs in just one day, a huge amount of post-processing follows—checking all the photos, excluding any that are blurry or feature closed eyes, and retouching the remaining photos one by one…

Consequently, it is generally common for data delivery to take a few months.

@wakana522

It’s only natural to want the data as soon as possible, but it’s essential to approach the shoot with a flexible scheduling mindset from the beginning.

If you're planning to use the pre-wedding data for wedding items or videos, be mindful of requesting the schedule in a reverse timeline.

@atan041228

Mindset ③ If you want quality, hire two photographers

The final mindset to introduce is "Hire two photographers from the start."

Especially on the actual wedding day, it’s better to plan for two photographers from the beginning to avoid worries later.

If a shot that requires instantaneous movement is requested in the instruction manual for the ceremony or reception, it can create a challenge for the photographer.

(For example, a photo of the bride before entering the chapel and the guests waiting in the chapel.)

Having two cameras significantly increases the number of shots that can be captured. For those who want to prioritize quality in their wedding photos, it's recommended to incorporate the cost of two photographers into the budget from the start, and create an estimate based on that.

If you initially prepare an estimate for one camera, it can be hard to add extra costs later.

Having the mindset of "Two cameras! This is a definite decision!" will help you avoid regrets or worries later on.

Approach the event with a solid mindset＊

I’ve shared three mindsets that an active professional photographer wants brides and grooms to keep in mind.

It's easy to get caught up in the details in front of you, but let’s maintain mental space to not lose sight of the bigger goal of "preserving the wedding photos of the two." ♡