Planning a Wedding

There are countless details to remember when planning a wedding, but one thing often gets overlooked when considering these details: how will the details come out in the photographs?  That question might seem silly for a second or two, but think about it more carefully.  Every last detail in a wedding must be perfect, because the event is a once in a lifetime event, right?  But just because an event happens only once in a lifetime does not mean that it is not remembered by everyone involved for a lifetime, nor does it mean that those participants or guests do not share with friends and family that were not present.  This is where photographs come in.

So, how do you plan wedding details with photographs in mind?  I’m glad you asked!  My name is Susan Black, and I’m a professional photographer.  I also happen to be a romantic, and I love telling stories with my pictures.  I think that a good story, like a good wedding, is full of those little details.  In a story, the details often give clues as to what will happen next or as to the motivations of the various characters.  Wedding details are very similar, as they serve to highlight the splendor of the event as well as the wonderful array of emotions of the participants and guests.  The emotions will be forever recorded onto gorgeous prints that will tell the story again and again to countless people.  The better the pictures, the more amazing the story.

One of the concepts that makes pictures significantly better, yet is often overlooked is simple: lighting.  The subjects of any picture need to be well lit, and from both the front and the rear.  I use special lights in my photography studio to ensure that I can capture every detail of the faces of my subjects, but they also need lighting behind them to ensure that they do not leave annoying shadows that eclipse other details.  The look on the face of a blushing bride is worth at least a million words, so make sure that lighting is subtly hid both in front of her and behind her, the groom, and everyone else at the altar.

Remember that lighting will be important during the ceremony, but it will be equally important during the bridal party, the reception, and even during engagement celebrations or events.  After all, pictures are representations of captured light on a technical level, and that tiny bit of technical knowledge is a big part of what separates average wedding photographs from photographs taken from weddings where the planners had an eye for photography.