Wedding Photography Tips to Ensure a Beautiful Wedding Album

I’m frequently asked if photographers should shoot a wedding with an eye towards the design of the wedding album that will eventually be made.  The answer is yes, which leads to the next question: what should photographers keep in mind while shooting, to ensure there will be beautiful photos for the album to come?

Here are a few guidelines:

At a wedding, photographers need to pay close attention to what’s going on around them, especially to the emotional tone the couple is trying to evoke.  As album designers, we want to translate that feeling into their album.  This requires lots of images of people’s faces as they experience the wedding, close-up and in groupings – such as photos of the bride’s parents as they watch the ceremony.

Usually, we design two page spreads for both the ceremony and reception that showcase the venue and details.  (After all, they paid for them!)  To do this, we need photos of the small environmental details, such as flowers and other décor elements, as well as personal details, such as the shoes, dress, and hair and make-up preparation.

We don’t only use these accents in the “showcase” spreads; they also can be used as backdrops behind shots that capture faces and emotional moments.  Even something as simple as a fabric detail from the table linens is great as a backdrop shot.

For the two page spreads, it’s helpful when photographers give us lots of options, including landscapes and close-ups.  We also use these as backdrops for panoramic layouts.  For example, a shot with the bride and groom in the foreground of a lovely landscape creates a clean and simple design that spills over both pages of a spread to beautiful effect.

Oftentimes, the wedding images are so elaborate we allow them to tell the story themselves.  In these cases, nothing but a simple, clean design is needed to convey the scope and feel of the wedding.

Although we allow the photography and the event itself to dictate the design to us, your comments and direction are always welcome and encouraged.  We love to co-create your storybook with you as part of the process.

Our goal is to create an heirloom you will share for generations to come.  We want your album to look amazing and modern the day you take it home, and even 50 years from now when you are showing it to your grandchildren.