You should approach your photography with this basic understanding: we adjust the color and artistic stylization, but we do not fix technical or composition errors.
You must spend the time to get it right when you’re taking the picture.
The most important part of your job is delivering quality images. We understand that some clients will be unhappy. They may have unrealistic expectations or disorganized timelines. It’s OK! We’ll always have your back if your images meet our Quality Standards.
(YES) Take pictures with clean and simple backgrounds.
(NOPE) No distracting or ugly items in the distance. (ex. exit signs, poles, jackets, waiters, trash cans, etc.)
(YES) Make sure your horizon line is straight and level.
(NOPE) No crooked pictures.
(YES) Take portraits from eye-level or above.
(NOPE) Don’t crouch or shoot from below—ever.
(YES) Search for even lighting.
(NOPE) The faces in your picture should have the same light. No spotted shadows.
(YES) Properly frame your picture.
(NOPE) We won’t crop it for you.
(YES) Learn flash, use a fast lens and/or a slower shutter speed.
(NOPE) Your ISO should not be set over 3200. We DO NOT fix this.
(NOPE) Do not use Auto-ISO
MORE IMPORTANT INFORMATION
- Be careful about objects directly behind people that appear to “come out” of their heads, such as telephone poles or power lines. This applies to detail shots, family portraits, couples portraits, and other staged shots.
- We should not see the videographer’s camera sneaking into the side of the shot.
- All the faces in your portraits should have even lighting.
- In general, the sun should be directly behind people.
- Please DO NOT use flash unless it’s absolutely necessary. Artificial lighting is NOT aligned with our style.
- As a wedding professional, you are expected to have prime lenses with apertures of 1.8, 1.4, or 1.2 as well as zoom lenses with apertures no greater than 2.8
- If you use silent shutter for the ceremony ensure it is off for ANY low-light situation. It affects the way the light hits the shutter at night and creates shadow lines.
- If it’s dark, off-camera flash is OK. Remember to ensure your shutter speed is no faster than 1/200th of a second when using flash and check your images to make sure your lighting doesn’t overpower any reception uplighting.
- DO ask the DJ to turn off their party lights during first and parent dances, cake cutting, toasts, bouquet/garter toss; basically any time other than open dancing as lasers or spotty light will ruin key photos.
Flattering Poses from our Posing Guide
Every wedding gallery should feature our poses from our Posing Guide.
You can always do your own, but you should always include our Posing Guide as a starting point.
You can definitely be creative and use your own favorite poses — BUT — be sure to always include our poses as well, so we can deliver a consistent gallery for every couple.