An Ultimate Guide to Wedding Photography

Your big day is a roller coaster ride of emotions and you need to hire a wedding photographer who would amazingly capture these varieties of emotions.
From the bridesmaids’ priceless faces during their bridal first look to the groom’s nervous demeanor during ‘the wait’, these wonderful moments deserve to be encapsulated through wonderful portraits!

After all, the main goals of wedding photography are to freeze the memories of your special day and to capture beautiful stories of a lifetime.

The Significance of Wedding Photography

It takes a village to create a wonderful day of Saying I Do.
Along with your families and your wedding vendors, you and your beau have spent months (or years) of planning just to make sure that every detail of your big day is on point.
On the day of your much-awaited moment, you would want every minute detail of your wedding to be perfectly documented, right?
Yes, you might be stunned by your cousin’s Instagram feed or you might think that your friend Charlotte takes amazing travel shots but asking them to take your wedding photos won’t just fit the bill.
By hiring a wedding photographer, you can ensure that you’ll be presented with an expert eye, extensive experience, and professional equipment.
This way, you can ensure that the essence of your wedding day will be beautifully captured by a pro who’s knowledgeable and skilled in what he does!

FAQs: The Essential Guide to Wedding Photography

If you still have a lot of questions in your mind (which we believe you do), we have created this list of frequently asked questions when it comes to wedding photography. Without further ado, let’s dive into this list!

1. What is included in a wedding photographer’s shoot?

The answer? Everything.

Hiring a wedding photographer has the main purpose- to capture every little detail of your wedding.
Yes, your focus might be on the big moments such as the walk in the aisle, the exchange of vows, or the first dance, but you wouldn’t want to ditch everything that happens in between.
Details like the engagement rings, save-the-dates, venue close-ups, and all that’s included in your wedding must be captured.
We agree that you are the queen and king of the day but even the funny and noteworthy moments of your guests should also be added in the album.
When your Uncle Oliver got down on the dance floor after swigging some Galliano’s, moments like this should not be forgotten.

2. When should I hire my photographer?

Choosing your photographer should take place in the initial stage of your planning. Just like wedding planners and wedding venues, photographers tend to book up fast!
This is especially true during the summertime. Apparently, the warmest season of the year is also the peak season for weddings.
If your wedding in Melbourne falls in the months of December to February, we highly suggest that you book your wedding photographer as soon as you can. This might sound crazy, but some couples even book their wedding vendors 2 or 3 years prior to their big day!
So, once you already know your wedding date, starting the hunt for your photographer is highly recommended.

3. Where can I find the best photographers?

More likely than not, there are multiple wedding photographers who are based in your locality.

To shortlist the candidates, you can ask your recently married friends about the photographer that they hired. Hearing first-hand feedback from the people that you trust is a great way to know more about your potential shooters!
If you prefer vendor searching while staying in the comfort of your abode, there are several ways to do that, too. International wedding websites such as WeddingWire, The Knot, and Style Me Pretty offer local directories that allow couples to browse vendors without hassle.

4. How will I choose my photographer?

There’s a lot of factors to consider when hiring the best fit for your wedding.
You need to think about your preferred style, your budget, your favored type of packages and many more!
In another separate blog, we’ve put together a thorough guide in hiring a wedding photographer for your big day. Don’t forget to check it out!

5. Should I hire multiple photographers?

Here are some factors to consider: the size of your wedding, the number of photos that you want, and the cost that you’re willing to spend.
Generally, wedding photographers suggest an extra person when the guest list exceeds 200. This is especially important if you want to document the candid moments of your invitees.
Just remember that when hiring two photographers, you need to ensure that they are on the same page when it comes to shooting style.

6. What equipment or gears should they have?

There’s no particular brands or specifications that you need to require from your photographer, but backup plans are so significant.

How many cameras does he have in hand? How does he make sure that your photos are safe from the possibility of loss?
As a team of wedding photographers in Melbourne, JF Studio brings two cameras in every shoot. We also gear our equipment with dual memory cards to make sure that there will be 2 copies of the client’s images in each camera.

7. When will we receive our photos?

Generally speaking, digital photos will come back to you faster than the film photos. Other than this, everything else depends on your photographer so don’t forget to ask him!

8. How much should I spend on my photographer?

We could answer you with ‘it depends on you’ but we totally believe that you would like a better response.
In most cases, wedding planners suggest that documentation expenses should not exceed 10% of your budget. This percentage already includes a wedding photographer and wedding videographer if you decided to hire both.

The Value That You Get for Your Money

Aside from standard packages, photographers might include some add-on expenses. To reasonably set your expectations, here is the list of everything that you usually pay for.

1. Communication

This is one of the core services that you get when you hire your wedding vendors. However, unlike wedding planners, you can’t expect your wedding photographer to be in constant contact.

More likely than not, you’ll only be in close communication with your shooter a month before your big day. Don’t forget to set up a meeting to provide him with the list of your must-have pictures!

2. Wedding Photography Package

Most of the time, standard job ranges from 8-10 hours and additional hours comes with extra costs. The package prices vary greatly depending on the vendor’s experience, skills, and location.
If you wouldn’t want to pay extra costs for travel and accommodation, we highly recommend that you hire a photographer who’s based in your wedding location.
If you would have a wedding in Melbourne, it’s most practical to choose a wedding photographer in Melbourne!

3. Delivery

The work doesn’t stop on the day of your wedding! You’ll surely get some sample photos the next day (for Instagram stories, of course!) but the whole set will arrive within multiple weeks or months.
An online gallery has always been a standard, but if you would like to own a traditional album, extra charges may apply depending on the package.

How To Achieve Amazing Wedding Photos

Don’t get us wrong! We already think that you and your partner are two beautiful people who found each other to create more beauty in the world (insert wink).
However, some individuals don’t like how they look in photos and our team would love to reverse that! After years of capturing brides and grooms, we put together a list of useful tips that would make you feel better while being in front of the camera.

1. Plan for Stress-Free Portraits

Here’s the thing about stress: it radiates in your whole body which then reflects in your images! You wouldn’t want that, right?

To avoid looking tensioned in your wedding photos, plan it all ahead. Yup, I know you’re excited but don’t skip your beauty rest the day before your wedding!
In addition to this, don’t forget to create a schedule run sheet that will be your guide on your big day.
A wedding timeline is so important to keep everything in hand. This will also give you an accurate estimation of your wedding shoot and will remove the time uncertainties that usually leads to stress.

2. Deal with Body Language

Just relax and don’t overthink! Some couples are too conscious of how they look in front of the camera which results in tension-filled photos.
To avoid this, you could practice good posture prior to your big day. This way, it wouldn’t be too unnatural for you to raise your chin and arch your back while doing your shoot.
And don’t forget to smile! A sincere smile will always be the best accessory that you wear. If you still find it difficult to put on a natural smile in front of the camera, you can try to giggle.
Yes, it might sound hilarious at first, but a fake laugh actually brings out a genuine smile.

3. Prepare a Touch-Up Kit

You should expect your big day to be a roller coaster of emotions and fun-packed actions. With all the tears that you’ll shed to the hugging and kissing of your loved ones, you can assume that your makeup and hair won’t stay put all day!

For this reason, the styling professionals always recommend putting together a touch-up kit for the day. You can ask one of your bridesmaids to bring it for you! And oh, don’t forget to request your photographer to tell you when you need a retouch.
According to makeup artists, your kit should include a set of blotting paper, Q-tips, lipstick, eyeshadow, waterproof mascara, blush, hairspray, and hairpins. These are the top musts to ensure that you’re looking your best all day!

4. Expect Some Issues in Bridal Party Picture

Family dramas are no longer a taboo subject when it comes to weddings. You don’t have to anticipate that your wedding photographer will be surprised when you warn him about some tensions in your clan.
Tell your shooter beforehand about some existing family conflicts so he could avoid asking the involved parties to pose together. You could also assign someone to help him with names to avoid confusion!

5. Do an Engagement Session

Aside from providing some wonderfully captured memorabilia of togetherness, your engagement photo shoot is a great way to do a ‘practice’ session before the actual day.
During your pre-wed shoot, you’ll get an idea of how your chosen photographer works (and if you like it). This is also a great way to acquaint yourself to pose in front of a big camera. We wouldn’t want you to feel uncomfortable, anyway!
Another benefit of an engagement session is saving time during the actual day. Once your photographer knows what works for you and what doesn’t, shooting you on-the-day will be a breeze!

Hunting for a Premium Wedding Photographer in Melbourne?

Are you drawn to wedding photos that look natural and stunning at the same time?
Do you want your images to radiate the balance of aesthetics and emotions?
With reference to your wedding run sheet, do you want to spend more time just having fun rather than posing for long hours?
If the answers are all yes, candid wedding photography might be the perfect style for you.

As a team of Melbourne wedding photographers, JF Studio delights in providing top quality service and extraordinary output to the clients.
Focusing on capturing candid moments, we encourage couples to enjoy their special day without worrying about excessive posing in front of the camera.
Unlike traditional wedding photography, we would like to focus on capturing your in-between moments while you’re having fun! Besides, we would love you to create wonderful memories while forgetting that there’s a camera around.
If you’re looking into these beautiful possibilities, you can send us a message through our contact form. If we didn’t come back to you immediately, kindly check if your spam folder ate our response as a snack!