10 wedding photography mistakes every beginner will make (and how to get better)

Beginner Wedding Photography Mistakes: 05 No eye contact

Beginner Wedding Photography Mistakes: 05 No eye contact

One of the drawbacks of not being the official photographer is that you don't have the attention of the happy couple at some key points.

This can produce some near-miss shots that are nicely composed, but without the essential eye contact.

The bride and groom won't appreciate you calling for them to look at you while the pro is supposed to be getting the shots that they are paying for, so bide your time.

Most pros understand that the family want to get a few shots of each pose and you need to be ready to seize your moment.

If you fit a longish lens you can also snap some intimate moments between the bride and groom when they look at each other rather than the camera.

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Beginner Wedding Photography Mistakes: 06 Forgetting a shot

Our professional photographer's final advice for reportage wedding photography: tell a story of the day

If you're not the official (or semi-official) photographer this isn't a major issue, but if the couple is banking on you to shoot their wedding for them then you need to make sure you photograph everyone and everything that they are expecting you to.

Speak to the bride and groom beforehand and draw up a list of guests and groups that they want to be photographed.

It's also a good idea to get the name of someone who is responsible for rounding up the various relatives for you.

Then, when you are at the wedding, you can work your way methodically through the list and be confident that you've photographed everyone.

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