Tips for bride to have beautiful wedding photos by San Francisco photographer Andy Sandy
Just because everyone has access to digital cameras today, doesn’t make them all photographers anymore than a typewriter makes someone a great book author. To tell a story with a camera takes an artist with vision, someone who can anticipate moments, understand light, as well as someone who can capture emotion. Before you can have a beautiful wedding album, first you must have great images. Don’t choose your uncle Bob as the photographer When interviewing a photographer, ask what kind of professional camera equipment that they use. A true professional photographer will have at least 2 professional cameras with at least 4 camera lense. You should hire professional. A seasoned professional will be fine too but look at his experience. If your looking at a low priced photographer, you may get a deal on pricing, but the overall quality may not be to the level that you expected. With less than adequate professional camera and experience, your wedding photos may not turn out as you wish and you cannot redo those moment. Hire a pro who loves photographing wedding. It’s your life dream wedding, you deserve the best without being burden to your finances.
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Do the pre wedding session engagement with your San Francisco wedding photographer before the wedding date.
Take some of this precious time and schedule a personal engagement session. It probably will be the incredible moments you’ll cherish forever. The session will be more relax since it’s not a busy wedding day. You will get a chance to get use to the cameras and get to know which style of photography fit you.
Accept the reality that your wedding day won’t be 100% perfect
We know deep down every bride prays for the perfect wedding day, and believe me, We do too but out of all the wedding we had photographed, we never had the pleasure of experiencing a wedding where everything was 100 % perfect. There is always something that will not live up to your expectation and little things went wrong. Whatever that is whether its vendor mistakes, the flower did not come on time, the bouquet is not at the hotel so the photographer can photograph it or bridal party came late arrivals, miscommunication, mom and dad didn’t show up on time at the altar, my advice is don’t get frustrated because it’ll show up in the wedding photos. Try to take a deep breath, have a little drink, sometime little wine will help. Think positive and hope for the best. Try to relaxes and enjoy the day. Your wedding is full of people who love you so I’m not surprise to see your families & friends & wedding party to do thing for you to make it better.
Looking up when you walk , chin up please.
Please remind yourself, grooms, bridesmaids, groomsmen, sponsors and who ever is walking down the isle, make sure you’re looking up when you’re walking. It’s really hard for a San Francisco wedding photographer to capture you when you are looking down the floor. Remember to smile, that will be my best advice. By lifting your chin you banish the double chin. Don’t slouch either.
Do the pre wedding ( e session engagement ) with your San Francisco wedding photographers
Take some of this precious time and schedule a personal engagement session. It probably will be the incredible moments you’ll cherish forever. The session will be more relax since it’s not a busy wedding day. You will get a chance to get use to the cameras and get to know which style of photography fit you.
Beautiful Flowers must be ready for your San Francisco photographer
Have your florist prepare the wedding facility or church at least 3 hours before the wedding. Make sure your bouquet are there at the hotel or the place you are getting ready so the photographer can capture you with the flower. Be sure to discuss this with your florist and have a plan for the day. Many wedding photographers are delayed in shooting the detail due to the florist being late or not completing the decorations on time.
Also, it helps to assign one bridesmaid or groomsmen to pin on the groomsmen’s’ boutonnieres. Many photographers face delays when the groomsmen are not ready or not there when the photographer show up
Please plan enough time for just you two and the San Francisco photographer at the wedding
This gives your San Franciscowedding photographer time to capture you in a cool location without a lot of people around. Usually after the wedding ceremony then we will take family portrait of both families. After that we will shoot bridal portrait. This usually take at least 30 minutes depending on how many bridesmaid and groomsmen in your wedding party. Then we will photography couple private portrait I always recommend at least 40 minutes of alone time with your photographer at the day of the wedding. If you are seeing each other in advance then this can be before the wedding ceremony. If not, then this will be the time after your wedding bridal parties portrait . The more time we have then the better it will be since this will be the only time you will be wearing your wedding gown.
Try to get to know your San Francisco Wedding photographer. Have fun and be crazy, be goofy. Do you remember the moment when you saw a picture in a magazine bride photos and you said to yourself " I want to have pictures like these " “ It can happen to you too. But do you know that those pictures are well planned, rehearsed, and the photo that you finally see in the magazine was probably picked from at least a hundred of photo. The more time you spend with your photographer, the more likely it is that he will capture that one special moment that only happens once. This is the reason why your San Francisco wedding photographer takes lots of photo. So give him or her that time if you can.
Have your mom and Dad & important people get ready on time for the wedding.
Another important tip for the bride and groom on the wedding day is to make sure mom and dad are dressed and ready early. Sometime mom and dad don’t think about being in these photos, but they should be. Parents should be dressed and ready so when it’s time to help your daughter get dress the pictures will show up better. The pictures will be much better if mom is not dress in robe while helping her daughter putting on earring, dress ect. Let your family know an exact time for when the photographer will be there, and have the photographer on standby to catch this special time.
Lighting at your wedding reception venue is also important for your San Francisco Photographer
As a professional San Francisco photographers, they should try to make it work in any lighting environment, but it’s better if there are much light there in the first place. If your wedding is indoors, try to avoid buildings with high dark ceilings and few windows. Since natural light will look much better in your photos, try to plan your wedding when the room will be the brightest. Have the wedding venue not dimming the light too low will be nice. It’s nice to have dim light at the wedding venue but some of the venue we went to is way too dark. You cannot even see the food you are eating.
don’t wear mascara if you think you will cry at the altar . Water proof may not always work.
Even if the mascara is water proof, I suggest that you should avoid mascara just in case you cry. Smear on your eye will not look good on photos
Please don’t worry about scenery during the formal session
Even though scenery does help but a professional San Francisco wedding photographer can capture great photograph in a place that you have not thought of. The scenery doesn’t make the photo memorable, it’s the bride and the groom. Just be comfortable and show your love toward one another and we will show you your love through our lenses & poses. More importantly be yourself. Don’t hesitates to let your photographer know certain poses are just not for you.
If you are going to large veil, pay attention so that it will not block your face.
As an experience san francico wedding photographer, I often ran into siatuation where the veil would cover one side of the bride face . At the altar when the bride is side by
side with the groom, it tend to get into the way . I attach a pictures here as an example. If the bride keep her head toward the pastor, the the guest cannot really see her face.
As for us Professional San Francico photographer, we should be able to capture on any given condition, but the less obstacle we encounter , the better it would be for the photos.
For Bridal group portrait shot .
We also had ran into siatution where right after the wedding ceremony, some groomsmen or bridesmaid would change to their regular outfit.
This would be fine with the bride and groom doesn't mind. But if you do , please let them know ahead of time that we will be doing bridal group portrait so they won't change until we done.
Written By San Jose Wedding Photographer, Santa Rosa Wedding photographer, San Francisco Wedding Photographer
