Things You'll Need:
- 35mm SLR film camera or an 8 mega pixel Digital SLR
- 35mm professional grade film (more rolls than you think you'll use) or 1GB or 2GB memory cards
- A selection of lenses ranging from ultra wide angle to medium telephoto
- At least one speedlight, preferably dedicated to your camera
- Tripod
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Step 1
Use soft light. One of the basic rules in photographic lighting is that pictures taken in diffused light will be softer and have fewer shadows, while harsh, direct light will create deep shadows in your picture. Wedding portraits are generally taken with soft light.
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Step 2
Soften the light you use by bouncing it off a backdrop or ceiling before it reaches your subject. Be careful to use light surfaces to bounce the flash. Using colored surfaces will add a colored cast to the picture.
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Step 3
Use soft, natural lighting to add a dreamy quality to your photograph. Lght such as what you find in the early morning or early evening hours is ideal. Since we cannot choose the time when a wedding is to take place (unless it is our wedding) we must learn to work with the situation at hand. Indoors, drape sheer fabric over your flash or use a flash diffuser to produce a softer effect. Outdoors, an overcast day would be ideal if such were the case, if not, you can place your subjects in the shade and use fill flash.
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Step 4
If you want the light to go unnoticed, have it coming from above your subject., as that is where the eye is accustomed to perceiving light from. Side or back light will be fine to use, as long as the main source is above.
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Step 5
Note that churches sometimes have restrictions regarding how much movement is allowed during the ceremony while some prohibit flash photography. In the first case, a telephoto lens will need to be used and the couple should be aware that there will not be much variety of angles. In the second case, using a slower shutter speed keeping in mind the need to hold the camera extra still to prevent camera shake will help let in as much light as possible into the picture. If both restrictions are present, then a tripod would be helpful, as well.
