Last time we chatted with Cecelina about choosing your wedding photographer today she is giving us her expert advice for your wedding day photography.
What are your top tips for making a wedding day easier, in terms of photography?
My biggest top tip is to plan as carefully as you can before the wedding, and with a wedding planner if you have one.
I make sure I talk to the couple beforehand, so I know what kind of photographs they would like. If you already have an itinerary then I know what’s happening, and I can make sure we have enough time for your photographs (plus extra time just in case).
*My additional tip, as a creative wedding planner: if photography is really important to you – allocate extra time for it.
Then on the day, just let go. I tell this to all my couples, because I have seen so many get stressed on their wedding day thinking, “Oh what time is it? When are we taking pictures?”. I control that, with the wedding planner, so you can just forget about it. We’ll come and grab you whenever you’re needed. Just be there, be present and enjoy the day with family and friends. You don’t need to clock watch.
My other top tips would be to just relax and have fun, and make sure you trust all your suppliers beforehand.
Should couples have group photos?
I know a lot of wedding photographers might not like group photos, but I am actually a big fan. I think they work beautifully with portraits. They are the photos you put on your wall – people look into the camera, and you get eye contact with them. That said, I don’t think you should have too many. I recommend maybe between 6 and 10. If you really want more you could do them at other times during the day. I try to do a lot of the family ones in the morning, so maybe the bride with her parents, or the groom with his parents – just to save a bit of time. You don’t want to stand around on your wedding day just having endless pictures. You want to chat with your friends and have fun.
It’s interesting to look at wedding photography and how it’s evolved. First it used to be that you had a picture outside the church and the group shots and that was it. You had them printed and that was your entire album. Then it sort of swung around to be a lot of reportage photography, more documentary style, showing what’s happening in the moments. And I think it’s now swung back a little bit, to be a bit more…not traditional, but classic. More portraits, but still with fun and beautiful moments in between. I love the combination, so that you can get both styles.
Should couples have their photos printed?
I think all wedding photographers would say print your photos – because they are beautiful. We spend so much time editing and making sure that every little shade and colour is perfect, and they are made for print.
I love delivering photographs because you have this amazing day full of emotions and all your favourite people in one place, which doesn’t really happen any other day. You have digital images that you might look through on a screen (or a cracked screen in my case, on my phone). Then they just disappear. I still get emails from couples saying, “Oh, can you send us our digital files again because we’ve misplaced them. Or we’ve moved.” Whereas an album is really tactile, and there are so many beautiful ones to choose from.
You don’t have to have photos on display if you don’t want your portrait up on a wall, but you can keep some beautiful keepsake boxes with prints in. It’s just something to all gather around as well. I still go to my grandma’s house and she brings up the boxes with the prints, and we look through them. And there’s another thing with print, and actually photography as well, I feel eventually your memories will be tinted or replaced by the things that you have seen. If you think about a childhood memory that you experienced, it might be from a picture that you’ve seen, or someone’s told you the story and retold you the story. So, if you have a beautiful picture of a moment – it will influence your actual memory of it.
Thank you Cecelina for such great advice. do take a look at part one of this post where Cecelina gave her thoughts on how to choose a photographer and other great tips.
As well as Cecelina, I know many talented photographers – and other creative suppliers. And part of my service is to connect you with the right people. To take the stress of finding trustworthy suppliers off your shoulders.
If you would like to find out more about how I can help create a wedding celebration you will never forget, then why not get in touch and say hello?
All photographs by Cecelina Photography
