Come on, hands up if you've got to a wedding and spotted the photographer out of the corner of your eye and thought "leave me alone, I hate having my photograph taken!" Even though you could be dressed up to the nines, you want to avoid the camera at all costs. I'm sure many people can relate to that. I used to be like that before I turned photographer so I want to share a few insights from the other side now that I am an Oldham family photographer...
1. Photographers have a job to do.
This might sound a bit blunt, but it is. Unlike guests who are there to enjoy the experience, lap up the emotion and swoon at the details, the photographer is there to document the day on behalf of the bride and groom. Their job is to capture all of those special, intimate moments as well as the sad ones, and the happy, and everything in between. This can be easy to forget!
2. The majority of photos will be of the bride and groom.
Naturally, most of the photos are unlikely to have you in them! The day is centred around the special couple so this will be reflected in the photos. Just as you would expect, right?
3. The photographers intention is always to take photos!
Just think about one thing in your life you are obsessed with. How does that feel and how can others see what you are passionate about? Well that's how I feel about photography. It's a bug that I have to feed constantly, like an itch that needs scratching. I can't help it! I love taking photos, what else can I say?
4. Sometimes it can take several attempts to get that one photo.
Whist some photographers capture a wedding reportage, as it happens, others may stage some of the photos, such as a big group photo. Remember that photographers take a a lot of photos but they won't all make the final cut when they are presented to the bride and groom. Just think about it, photographers won't intentionally present photos when people don't look their best. And we have a host of tips and tricks up our sleeve to help you look fabulous!
5. It is our natural instinct to have the camera in our hands as we don't always know what is going to happen next.
I see my camera as an extension of my arm and seriously, when it's in my hand, that's it, it takes a lot to take it away! I'd hate to miss a photo that illustrates a particular story so the best thing to do is always be prepared.
So, next time you see a photographer at a wedding, just remember, they have a job to do!
