10 Photography Tips for Couplesfor Couples

Ever wondered what you should be looking out for when selecting a wedding looking out for when selecting a wedding photographer?

Or what you should expect to pay? How Or what you should expect to pay? How can you help your photographer to get the best possible shots of your big day? p y g yIf so, then read the following 10 tips:

1. Be realistic about your budget -There's an old adage that still holds true There s an old adage that still holds true (for the most part): 'you get what you pay for!'. Whilst it's true that there are p ysome perfectly good wedding photographers available for smaller fees,

fgenerally speaking if you want quality photographs and albums, from a reliable, well trained photographer you will have well trained photographer you will have to pay for it.

My advice is to think about your wedding photos as an investment not a cost photos as an investment, not a cost. Your wedding photos are the one thing you get to keep as a record of your y g p yemotions on your wedding day.

And lets not forget, once your weddings over, you can't re-run it!

Let me ask you a question - If your house was on fire and you had 2 minutes house was on fire and you had 2 minutes to rescue your most treasured possessions, what would you take? p , y

Most people would say their family Most people would say their family photographs. Please don't make the mistake of hiring a sub-standard photographer.

2. Be realistic about timings on the day -In our experience weddings rarely run In our experience weddings rarely run exactly to time, which is totally fine. It is always a good idea though to build a bit y g gof 'fat' into your timings.

If you think you need 40 minutes for y yyour formal group shots, plan in 50 minutes! It will mean you can relax

d d t more, and reduce any unnecessary stress on the day.

3. Find out the kind of style you like -There are so many different photographic There are so many different photographic styles around it can be really confusing (believe me we know). Do plenty of ( ) p yresearch online, and look through lots of different photographers' websites in your

farea. You will get a definite instinct about the kind of style you like. Trust that instinct!instinct!

4. Please, not too many group shots! Yes I know this is controversial! Yes, I know this is controversial! Personally we don't shoot weddings with more than 7 or 8 group shots. In our g pexperience they take up a lot of time, and can be boring for guests, who have to hang around. You should be able to get all the combinations you really need in those 7 or 8 formals Like I said in those 7 or 8 formals. Like I said... controversial!

5. Don't be too prescriptive - Now this advice only applies if you are keen on advice only applies if you are keen on getting lots of documentary/candid shots which seems to be the trend at the moment. If you give a photographer a list of 150 shots that you must have, its unlikely they will have time to shoot any reportage style shots. Like all things in life its about getting the right balancelife, its about getting the right balance.

6. Make sure you like your photographer - Yes this may seem like an obvious Yes, this may seem like an obvious point, but its as important that you like your photographer as a person as much y p g p pas loving their photography. You will be spending a fair amount of time with your photographer on your wedding day, so you'll want to feel relaxed in their companycompany.

7. Want beautiful getting ready shots? A great piece of advice if you want great piece of advice if you want beautiful bridal 'getting ready' shots is to make sure that you are getting ready in y g g ya clean, uncluttered room. Trust us, it makes for much better photographs than a cluttered, untidy room.

8. View a whole wedding - When meeting and vetting photographers make sure and vetting photographers make sure that they show you albums that display a whole wedding from beginning to end. g g gLook out for consistently high quality coverage and photos throughout the day. Anyone can grab one or two good shots during the course of a wedding. Good photographers will consistently capture photographers will consistently capture great images throughout the day.

9. Nervous about being photographed? Ask your photographer for a pre-wedding Ask your photographer for a pre wedding shoot. Its a great way to get used to being in front of the camera before your g ybig day. Trust us, it will make you feel much more relaxed about being

fphotographed on your wedding day itself.10. Finally, above all, relax and have fun!Read more about couples photography

by Matt Foden Photography here: http://www.mattfoden.co.uk