Tips for Better Digital Photography for Weddings

Hiring a professional photographer is the best way to get high quality photographs at

weddings, but you will still want to fill your digital camera with photographs at the wedding,

too. You wedding photographer is going to setup to take great pictures before the wedding,

and with a little luck you can use his work to add some great pictures for you.

Lighting is the Key to Great Photographs at Weddings

The difference between average quality photographs and stunning photos is lighting. When the lighting

is properly setup getting high quality photos becomes easy. You will notice the extreme care a

professional photographer takes in setting up his equipment for the photo session. He will use a

combination of ambient light and flash to get the most clarity possible.

Before he starts the photography session, you need to visit with the photographer for a

moment and see if you can have a few digital pictures taken at the same time. Most

photographers are very receptive to the idea. This allows you to use the ambient lighting

he has setup to get higher quality photographs with your digital camera. You will not have

the option to use his flash system, but by using your cameras built-in flash you will have

get good results.

The key to taking pictures during photography sessions at weddings is to be fast. The photographer will

be very patient if you move quickly and then get out of the way for him to setup the next shot. If you

waste time he will become frustrated.

Better Photography during the Wedding and Reception

In the previous section we talked about the importance of lighting. Now we need to talk

about the importance of turning off your flash. During the wedding and reception it is time

to trust your cameras built-in ability to adjust for lower light situations. Having constant

blazes of flashing lights during the course of the wedding ceremony or while the reception

line is underway is extremely distracting.

Since you will be working in a lower light environment camera steadiness becomes crucial. If you are

trying to get the best digital pictures possible it is time to use a tripod. Make sure you buy a tripod

which can be folded and moved rapidly with the camera still attached. When you are ready to take a

picture setup quickly and snap the photo using the steady base of the tripod. The reason this added

steadiness is important is due to the longer shutter times necessary for lower light shots. If you do not

take this into account you will discover your pictures will have blurred edges from motion.

Being Prepared is the Most Important Element

What is the biggest disaster you can imagine while taking digital pictures at weddings for friends or

family? The two items which should pop into your mind are dead batteries and full memory. Make sure

you bring along extra batteries for your digital camera and at least one extra memory card. You do not

want to miss out on the most exciting moments just because you forgot to be prepared. Taking great

digital photos at weddings can be very easy, if you plan ahead.