Recent Wedding Articles

How to Make Great Wedding Images in Not so Ideal Conditions

If you are a wedding photographer, then at some point in your career you will be faced with the challenge of making great images with conditions that are less then ideal. These tips can help you make the best of any situation.

Wedding Photographer Falls - How Often Does It Happen?

Snapping away at the bride and groom as they pose, walk, dance, or whatever, and the wedding photographer falls into... you can finish the sentence any way imaginable and then some. This latest example from Estes Park, Colorado saw photographer Nathan Welton fall through the ice at Bear Lake. A fresh layer of snow apparently hid the edge of the lake and Welton got, well, too close. Nevertheless, he's recounted his story several times and says he just kept shooting and got some interesting angles.

Should You Put Your Camera Away?

Thomas Stewart made headlines back in 2015 when he posted a rant about wedding guests and their mobile phones. Fast forward 3 years and things don't seem to be getting any better. So should we put the cameras away?

[Video] Shot By Shot Breakdown Of A Modern Wedding Video

We just received another great installment of video comentary with the incredible wedding videographers at Visual Masterpiece. Even if you hate weddings you will be able to appreciate the talent that goes into each of their videos. Check out the full post to see the BTSV and the finished product as well as a breakdown of the gear that they use on every shoot.
Wedding Photographers And Videographers Need to Stop Blaming Each Other

Wedding photography is not what it used to be. I don't mean this in a good way or a bad way, it just seems like with any advancement in technology comes a new challenge. Many couples today want both still photos and video of their wedding. This makes sense since it is often the biggest day of their life. Does that mean we now have videographers to deal with in our shots? No, it's a two-way street. We, as professionals, both have to work together to deliver the best possible product to the lucky couple. Saying someone got in the way means you didn't try hard enough.

10 Great Wedding Party Poses

Group photos and video of the wedding party are some of the most shots you will need to get at a wedding, but posing a mass of people under significant time constraints can be a real challenge, even for experienced creatives. If you would like to learn about posing wedding parties, check out this fantastic video tutorial that will show you 10 effective poses sure to take some of the pressure off of you and help you make compelling images.

Is Paying to Advertise as a Wedding Photographer on WeddingWire a Waste of Money?

It’s time to answer the often-asked question I hear from many wedding photographers. Is it worth the money to advertise with online marketplaces for professional wedding vendors? I track everything in my wedding business. If you can record it, track it, analyze it, and summarize it, I’m aware of it. There’s nothing quite as satisfying as opening up a spreadsheet of raw, unrefined data and pulling out the hidden truths that lie dormant in the numbers.

How To Trick People Into A Great Pose

No matter if you are photographing people in a wedding, an advertisement campaign, a fierce fashion spread, family portrait, or just a headshot, chances are you are going to need your subjects to show a real human emotion. Throughout my own photography career, I have realized that only about 1% of people can turn on a fake emotion that comes across as genuine in the final photo. The remaining 99% of the population have to experience an expression real time as it happens spontaneously. Jasmine Star is one of the most successful and trend setting wedding photographers on the scene right now and she has created a great video explaining how she strategically fools her clients into "moving into a pose". This technique can work with everyone from normal people to professional models, but where you will really see this sort of coaching succeed is with people who are self conscious and camera shy. Get them to focus on your funny personality or another human interaction around them and let your shutter roll! Do you have any phrases or techniques you have found successful time and time again? Share them in the comments
10 Leading Lines Tips and Examples From Pros

In photography, the term leading lines is a compositional technique used to draw a viewer's eye to the subject of the photo. These lines can be created by any object in the scene like a road or path, a fence or railing, a distant object like a mountain, and any other structure that creates a real or imaginary line in your image.

Leave The iPad at Home, Print Your Portfolio

Every photographer today has a digital portfolio of some kind but only a very few have spent the time to create a printed book. In this video, we look into three very differently designed printed portfolios.

Guess How This Art Director Proposed

We were staying on a houseboat in Amsterdam for three months when I first met Viviane. My wife did a test shoot with her, and I shot some videos that day, and we became friends. She’s an international model represented by Premier Model Management and Modelwerk. Her then-boyfriend and now fiancé is an art director in Amsterdam.

Kristina Hill Wins Copyright Infringement Settlement Against Anti-Gay Activist Group

New York portrait and event photographer Kristina Hill never planned for one of her images to be stolen and used without her permission. Unfortunately, copyright infringement is a concern photographers often need to be more mindful of. Many of us have had our images used inappropriately or even edited without our permission, but having a client’s loving engagement photo twisted and manipulated into a bigoted political attack ad is something altogether different.

Selling: It's More Than Taking Pretty Pictures

To make a living as a photographer, you have to do more than take great pictures. You have to be a photographer, a supply-chain management expert, an entrepreneur, and, perhaps most importantly, you have to be great at selling — selling both yourself and selling your product.

These Filmmakers Create The Ultimate Bachelor Party: Rambo Day.

What happens when you take a group of best friends who are all talented photographers and cinematographers and give them a near unlimited budget? The greatest bachelor party of all time. A group of friends decided that they needed to give their best friend a truly epic send off before his wedding.

The Creation Of A Modern Wedding Video

Wedding videography is no longer the boring handycam crap it was a few years ago. Visual Masterpiece takes us behind the scenes on their latest wedding video and gives us fantastic details into what it really takes to produce a video at this level. Shooting the footage itself is hard, but the editing is really what makes their videos shine. Check out the full post to see the finished product.
[Video] Same Day Wedding Videos By Antonio Domingo

Hi there F(stop)'ers! Today I am posting from the AFP Photo Expo in Caldas, Portugal. I must say this is the most fun and unique expo I've yet to experience. Last night during the Gala event, I sat across from wedding videographer, Antonio Domingo. During conversation he mentioned that upon his client's requests he sometimes shoot, edits and delivers the newly weds their wedding video the night of their wedding! more in the full post

How Consumer Photographers Have Tapped Into the TikTok Market

With every social media boom comes a new wave of photographers navigating its landscape. The TikTok world is completely different from the platforms of the past. On Facebook and Instagram, things are easy enough for photographers: post stills, write captions, engage, engage, engage. On TikTok, however, it’s a whole new ballgame, one that photographers aren’t quite yet prepared for.

Tips to Get Your Wedding Photography Published

It happens to me all too often: a bride or groom sees our wedding work work in a bridal magazine or blog and tells me that it's been a dream of theirs to be featured and can't wait for me to submit the wedding. Often, this happens far before her wedding has been shot; I'm talking first meeting and boom, "I can't wait to be in a magazine." As professional photographers, obviously, we know there is much more to getting featured than the desire itself. At this moment, when my client gushes about their dreams of being published, I see this as an opportunity to educate them and help get their wedding that much closer to being featured.

A Review of the Nikon Zf Mirrorless Camera for Wedding Photography

The Nikon Zf mirrorless camera is one of the latest to hop on the retro train, blending modern technology with a touch of nostalgia. Its features and design resonate with photographers who prefer the tactile experience of older cameras over using digital menus. This great video review takes a look at how that functional design holds up for demanding wedding work.

Wedding Photography Tips: How To Start Your Wedding Photography Business

In B&H's latest episode of "Wedding Photography Tips" wedding photographer Susan Stripling offers up some solid nuggets of advice for you to chew over before taking on your first wedding gig. Susan addresses some really important issues, that a lot of shooters wouldn't even consider, prior to embarking on a career in wedding photography.

Eight Tips to Speed Up Your Wedding Workflow

A few days ago, I found myself among a group of wedding photographers discussing how far behind they are with their editing. Answers varied, as did attitudes. Some felt they were only eight weeks behind, which was fine. Other photographers seemed anxious, with 17 or 18 weddings in a backlog lasting months. When it was my turn, I gulped. I said: "Two weeks. The wedding I'm delivering today was shot two weeks ago".

Shooting an Entire Wedding After Dark

Wedding photography is a difficult enough genre without any extra challenges thrown in the mix, but can you imagine having to shoot a wedding after dark with no flash to help? This interesting video follows a photographer as he tackles that exact challenge and contains some helpful tips in case you ever find yourself in the same situation.

Quickfire Tips for Beginner Wedding Photographers

Shooting your very first wedding can be a daunting experience. Even for established photographers used to working with people, nothing can prepare you for the pressure of capturing spontaneous moments such as the first kiss. Here’s a few tips to get started.

The Complete Guide to Wedding Photography Pricing: Part 2

Is your pricing holding you back from your goals? In the second part of this series on wedding photography pricing, we will explain how to create packages that compliment your goals and how to add value to your photography.

Effortless and Beautiful Slideshows With Pixellu SmartSlides

Pixellu released SmartAlbums about two years ago, and it was a game changer for wedding photographers. Creating albums was made easy and affordable, even for those who don’t know a thing about design. They are back with a new product this year and aim to change the game again. This time, they bring a slideshow solution called SmartSlides. I had the chance to access the beta in its early stage and wanted to give you a first impression. Wedding photographers, be sure to read this article. You may find a new product to sell while not doing much more work!

Can This Disastrous Wedding Footage Be Salvaged?

As both the photographer or videographer, and the client, horrendous results are our worst nightmare. So when the videography of a wedding was dire and deemed unsalvageable, Josh Yeo stepped in to see if he could rescue it.

Why I Don't Like to Shoot Weddings Alone

There's much to be said about enriching the photography industry through positive and honest collaborations between professionals, but one thing I think we don't talk about enough is the benefits of shooting weddings with a trusted second shooter and how it can benefit your business and even your wellbeing.

UPDATED: I Took Photographs of Two Dudes Kissing, and It Was Beautiful

Anthony Duron and Mark Rainwater were one of the first same-sex couples married in Indiana on June 27th, 2014 after a federal judge overturned the state's ban on gay marriage. Unfortunately, a federal appeals court put a hold on the ruling and they have been waiting in a sort of limbo ever since. The U.S. Supreme Court is currently deciding whether to hear the issue of gay marriage from several states, so many couples like Anthony and Mark have been waiting anxiously for vindication over the last three months. I was honored with the opportunity to take portraits of these two gentlemen and I learned a lot about love and life along the way.

Starting a Wedding Photography Business: What You Need to Know

Have you been thinking about becoming a wedding photographer? If you’ve been toying with the idea of starting a wedding photography business, this article will help you figure out if it's the right path for you. Read on to learn a few steps to get started in the right direction.

[BTS Video] Mounted GoPro Captures The Life Of A Wedding Photographer

With just under three weeks left until the deadline of our 2011 Behind The Scenes Contest, our readers are really hitting it into high gear by turning in some awesome videos! Some of the ideas you guys come up with are really clever and a refreshing alternative to the boring "glamorized music videos" we receive daily. Wedding photographer Jaroslav Repta (based out of Bratislave, Slovakia) recently filmed an entire wedding from the perspective of his camera by mounting a GoPro Hero on his DSLR. Having started off as a wedding photographer myself, I found it really interesting to watch some of the conditions Jaroslav had to work in, and how his creative eye made the most of every situation. Weddings are tough with harsh sunlight one second and low light action the next, but Jaroslav shows how he (and tons of other fstoppers) work quick to find an interesting image. Love or hate weddings, I think everyone will get a kick out of seeing the hustle and bustle required at every wedding.
Tips for Better 'Getting Ready' Shots in Wedding Photography 

"Getting ready" is one of the most important sessions in a wedding because it kickstarts the celebrating mood of the ceremony. This post takes a dig into a few tips that would help you get better getting ready shots on the spot.

Five Quick and Helpful Tips to Improve Your Wedding Photography

Weddings are a very difficult genre to be successful in, and it takes a lot of work to become a skilled and consistent photographer. This great video will give five quick and very helpful tips to improve your wedding photography.

Getting Those Multiple Exposure Techniques for Your Wedding Client

Using new creative techniques for your wedding clients is the best way to stand out from the crowd. While this technique is not considered new by any means, it might be the kicker that sets you apart from the others on your prospective brides' list of photographers.

Same Day Wedding Edits With Sasha Leahovcenco

I have a deep admiration for wedding photographers. I believe wedding photography is probably one of the most challenging things you can tackle in photography. The pressures of shooting and then editing hundreds of photos from the event can become daunting. For photographer, Sasha Leahovcenco, he takes on the added pressure of same day edits. Sasha explains how he accomplishes his wedding reception-ready slideshows.

Drones Are The New Wedding Photographers

This couple took wedding photography to a whole new level when they got their wedding shots taken. They used a series of drones in order to capture their big day. The shots that they created are undoubtedly original and stand out from the crowd... for now. With the release of the new DJI Phantom 3 that we recently covered, drones could be here to stay, but are we at a stage now where we can outsource our photography to machines?

A Guide to Photographing a Wedding Ceremony

Photographing a wedding is one of the most challenging and high-pressure scenarios a photographer can face, particularly since there are no do-overs, and they require you to balance a wide variety of skills and techniques, all while being creative at the same time. As such, being as prepared as possible before you ever set foot in the venue is crucial. This excellent video tutorial features an experienced wedding shooter guiding you through the process of photographing the ceremony.

Filling Income Gaps for Wedding Photographers During COVID-19

Wedding photographers are being hit hard during COVID-19/coronavirus shutdowns. With events anywhere from 100, to 50, to 10 people being shut down, dependent on the city, couples and photographers alike are scrambling to pick up the pieces. With the coronavirus switching things up for the peak of wedding season in many markets, it has left wedding photographers wondering how to fill the gap. Until it’s safe to resume with events, there are other ways to fill it.

Three Tips to Get More Referrals from Wedding Vendors

Every wedding photographer has their very own tricks to get their calendar fully booked each year. Websites and social networks have of course become a staple for every solid business nowadays. But sometimes we forget that brides and grooms are not connected 24 hours a day and that they might meet other vendors before coming to us. This might be the oldest trick existing to get booked, but referrals from other vendors are a strong way of getting more business.

Five Pieces of Gear That Will Change Your Wedding Photography

What are the obscure items that you carry with you on the day of shooting a wedding that make the day run smoother or make your results that little bit more pro? Here are five things you might not have thought of that could make a big difference.

Getting Pregnant Isn't the End of Your Photography Career

At the time I was a 31-year-old N.J. and N.Y.C. luxury wedding photographer that had been married for 5 years and had over 6 years of stable business ownership. You’d think getting pregnant would’ve been no big deal — but it was for me.

Three Tips to Shooting Bridal Preps

Wedding photographers get a behind-the-scenes look at every wedding that most guests and vendors don't see. It's one of the reasons I love shooting the beginning part of the wedding day so much. Aside from all of the cute details I get to photograph, the anticipation is palatable and it can be photojournalism at its best.

Zenfolio Wants to 'Help' You Create Photo Albums, Take Hefty Commission

I'm generally not a fan of the opt-out model. It's an easy way to push unwanted features, changes, or price increases onto an end user, often without them noticing until it's too late. It's like someone slipping a steak into my all-vegetarian cart at the grocery store when I'm not looking. Unfortunately, Zenfolio just slipped a big T-bone into its users' carts.