Framing Your Subject

Place your photographic subject to one side or the other in the frame to adds interest to your picture. There are guidelines that can help you place your subject in the frame.

The Rule of Thirds

One of the most popular rules in photography is the "Rule of Thirds".
It is a simple rule that can add dynamism to your photos. Divide the image into thirds both horizontally and vertically. When composing your shot, place important elements either along these lines, or where the lines intersect - NOT at the center of the frame.

For example, place a subject's eyes where the top third line is, or place your subject on the place in the image where two of these lines intersect.

It's a very simple rule to follow and will result in a nicely balanced picture. It also helps eliminate the 'tiny subject and large amount of space' tendency because you need to position items relative to the edges of the frame.

Wedding Photography

Because of the way automatic cameras adjust the overall tone of an image, the bride's white dress will dominate the shot. Either the dress will look perfect and the bride's face will look too dark, or her face will be perfect and the dress will lack detail. Use a reflective surface (like a large white card or an adjacent white wall) to direct extra light to the face.

To add interest to your photos, experiment with different angles and distances.

To get some inspiration, look at bridal magazine photos.

If your camera doesn't work well in low light (and the church restricts flash photography) wait until the happy couple pauses on the church front steps to take your shots. Find a good shooting location ahead of time.

Be sure to take photos of the guests.

The Reception

Events at the reception include cutting the cake, the bride and groom's first dance and the toss of the bouquet. Plan ahead so you can be at the right place at the right time - it helps to have a family member alert you when the event is about to start.

"Be prepared" is the motto when shooting weddings! Attend the rehearsal and take note of the sequence of events. If there is no rehearsal, visit the scene of the wedding beforehand and study the lighting and other conditions that will affect your photos. Knowing what to expect will save you lots of time on the day.

When shooting at weddings you want to minimize the distractions of using any manual settings of your camera, but still want great photos. One way to do this is to use your camera's custom white balance feature. Take a white balance reading at the front of the church; inside the church; and in the hallway - whenever the light changes a lot. Use the same reading for all shots at that location. If your camera supports it, you can also 'save' these settings beforehand as index shots and switch back to the appropriate settings when you take the photos.

For interesting shots, try not showing everything in your image - leave some to the imagination. For instance, the bride may have a veil and a headdress etc. Rather than showing these with every picture, cut it away and leave hints every now and then.

Adapted from the free tips provided by David Peterson: www.digital-photo-secrets.com.