How long should I allow for my Wedding Photography?

A question I often get asked, is 'how long is it going to take for the photos I want?' This is an important question to ask when planning your day, as all weddings run to a schedule and you do need to make sure that you allow enough time for photographs before you need to sit down for your meal. Understand, I am really only talking about the formal or arranged shots, most of the coverage of your wedding will be reportage style; and by that I mean candid photos taken without direction (and in some cases without an awareness of the camera, those are my favourites)!

SLXL​​

As your photographer, I think it's very important to get the formal group shots out of the way first, directly after the ceremony and before your guests have a chance to start disappearing off to the bar! I can usually get these photos done within 30 minutes to an hour, depending on how many guests you have and the variety of shots that you want.

After that, I will send all your guests off to entertain themselves, while I take you (the bride and groom) off on your own to get some lovely photos of just the two of you, as naturally as possible. We'll have a little wander around your venue to find nice locations and give you a chance to relax after the ceremony. This can take between 20 minutes and an hour - it really depends how creative we get and how comfortable you are in front of the camera.

That's pretty much it for the formal photos, the rest will be taken as I wander around, trying to look inobtrusive in order to catch you and your guests in a more natural way. It's surprisingly (or not) difficult to do this when you have an enormous camera and lens, but I do my best!

So, to sum up, allow around 2 hours between the end of the ceremony and sitting down for your wedding breakfast; enough time for the photographs without rushing around, but not long enough that you are standing around waiting to eat either!

 

The original of this blog post can be found on my website by clicking here

So why use a professional Wedding Photographer, really?

I mean, they're expensive (mostly, though I do consider my prices very reasonable, of course).

XLLS​​

Well, think about it; how much are you spending on the dress, bridesmaid dresses, groom and groomsmen's outfits, your venue, the cake, car(s) and all the other little things that make your day special (but still add up to a small fortune)? What will you have to show for all this investment when the big day is over and done?

Memories fade, but photographs are tangible and forever.

Why risk not having your day captured the way you want it? Now I'm not saying that an amateur photographer can't take perfectly beautiful pictures, but there really is an art to being a wedding photographer that takes time to learn. We have to get all the pictures you want in the least intrusive way - after all, you don't want to spend your entire day posing for the camera, and neither do your guests. We also have to be able to organise large groups of people and arrange them in a way that flatters everybody - it's not as easy as it sounds!

A really good Wedding Photographer will pick up on all the little details that make your day special, and capture moments that you might miss (since you'll be busy being beautiful social butterflies for most of the day), and can also be a pair of helping hands in a crisis (trust me, I know; some of the things I have done go above and beyond in the name of a perfect wedding day)!

But basically, what I'm saying, is why take the risk? You 'might' get gorgeous photos from a friend of a friend, or a relative, but then again you might not, and you only get one shot at it, so to speak.

If your amateur really wants to be involved and gain experience - send them my way! I'm happy to have an assistant and help out a budding photographer - and then everyone wins! You get extra photos for free and I get an assistant, not someone who's blocking my shot!

 

The original of this blog can be found on my website here.