Having been a full-time wedding photographer in Orlando for over 3 years now, I’ve noticed a few recurring myths that I hear often when it comes to wedding photography. Usually it’s advice from well meaning friends who just got married and want to help out. Other times it’s things that seem like a good idea in theory, but may not actually work out like you expected after all.

In order to help save you a little time and trouble, I thought it might be helpful to clear up 3 of the most common wedding photography myths that are out there!

Wedding Photography Myth #1:

Getting family photos taken before ceremony will save us time after

This sounds like a pretty good idea in theory and I do usually capture some portraits before ceremony such as the bride and her mom for example. However the thing is, you are still going to have to re-do most of these again after the ceremony with your new spouse! I know you want photos with your parents, but do you really not want your hubby to be in them? Of course you do! So in that case it’s quick and easy to pose you and your husband with your parents, and then pull him out for another shot with just you and them. That way all of your portraits match because they were taken on the same background. And this way you don’t have to worry about asking family to go through the trouble to arrive early for portraits. 

What I DO recommend if you want to save some time after ceremony, is that you make time for bridal party portraits before. You will each be there with your wedding party anyway so taking photos with your group as well as each member of the bridal party individually makes much more sense! That way you only have to do the full group ones later.

Wedding Photography Myth #2:

I need to give my photographer a shot list to make sure I get all the photos I want

I’m not sure where this notion came from or who decided these “must have shot lists” floating around the internet were necessary. After all, when you are hiring an experienced and professional wedding photographer there is really no need to micromanage them with a 5-page shot list. Don’t get me wrong, I do ask my couples for any special requests that they may want me to capture because it is their day and I am there to help capture their vision.

What I don’t need though, is a printed shot list with requests like: photos of girls getting ready, photos of guys getting ready, close up of the ring, photo of dress hanging, photo when he sees me for the first time, so on and so forth. I’m there to capture all of the details and the moments– trust me, all of that will be covered and then some! And it’s certainly easier for me to capture all of these details when I’m in the moment with you versus scrambling to cross things off a list.

With that in mind, having a list of poses to recreate is also not necessary. Now this is a matter of preference– I know some photographers who enjoy having a printed list of poses to shoot the day of the wedding, but personally I find it really hinders my creativity. I like to get in the zone, feel the chemistry between you and go with the flow of your day to create images that reflect you uniquely… and that someone else will want to pin to their Pinterest board! That’s just me. ;)

Wedding Photography Myth #3:

A hands-off documentary style photographer will capture the best candid photos

This one can be either true or false since it really depends on you and the photographer. However, it’s definitely NOT safe to assume that because a photographer describes their style as “hands off” and “documentary” that they will actually be better at capturing candid photos. This is especially true for people that feel self conscious or awkward in front of the camera! If you are left to just ‘do your thing’ while I snap photos from afar without getting involved at all, chances are you are going to get major anxiety wondering what the heck to do! In this case, a photographer that offers direction through candid posing is going to make all the difference by allowing you to look and feel truly comfortable & relaxed in your photos.

 

Author: Elle Baez, Orlando wedding photographer and proud Jay-Z fan