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The skills involved in wedding photography – from composing beautiful portrait shots and capturing those unique, ‘never-to-be-repeated’ moments, to customizing photos with post-processing software – can easily be utilized in other areas of photography. Here, we discuss why wedding photographers can also make great all-round photographers.
Wedding photography is very difficult
From assembling different people for specific portraits, coping with unpredictable weather, setting up heavy camera gear, and transporting it to multiple locations, wedding shoots are highly challenging. People expect more from photographers than in the past due to the increased competitiveness of the industry, much of which can be attributed to the development of far more sophisticated imagery and video technology in the last few years. It also useful to remember that wedding shoots can be a tremendous source of income for photographers, which is why so many specialize in this area.
The smaller the shoot, the easier it is to handle
Smaller photo shoots like couple or family portraits are easier to manage because there is less multi-tasking involved; photographers are able to channel their time and skills into one particular scene. However, wedding photographers have to compose many different scenes, from close-up portraits of the bride and groom to larger group shots of 20 people or more, and will need to spend much more time adjusting their camera gear and settings. Clearly, anyone with experience in shooting weddings should be more than capable of delivering for smaller events.
There are many universal rules applicable to all aspects of portrait photography
Professional photographers are hired because they have the experience and the skill to bring out the best in their subjects. They know that there is much more to photography than simply ‘pointing and shooting’ and ‘hoping for the best’ at the final result. Balancing foreground with background, changing lighting, editing contrast, temperature and levels or using the cloning or healing tool all require an in-depth knowledge of digital technology – from SLR cameras to post-processing software like Photoshop.
Wedding photographers are likely to have more experience of photographing children
The best wedding photographers know what to do when photographing children that are either apprehensive about having their pictures taken or simply won’t stand/sit still. They know that one of the keys to getting that perfect shot is by taking as many pictures as possible – a technique that can be achieved by using a constant shutter release, either automatically or via pressing a button. This way, a photographer can take a specified number of photos per second, which will often need to be taken with a fast shutter speed to prevent blur. This rule can easily be transferred to many other portrait shoots – from birthdays and anniversaries to university graduations and promotional photo shoots.
Wedding photography encompasses all the scientific and artistic aspects of photography
When shooting weddings, photos have to be organized correctly and customized with various different camera settings. The very best photographers know how visualize their subjects, use their creative minds to gauge potential photos, and try to make the best use of natural features like light and the environment to create the most eye-catching images, whether it’s at a wedding or anywhere else.
Ben Wright has photographed hundreds of weddings during his 40-year career. Nowadays, Ben undertakes all aspects of photography at Jasmine Jade Photography, one of Essex most renowned wedding photographers.