Digital Wedding Photography Secrets

Chapter 5. Pros Share Their Shooting Secrets

The sign of a true professional is that a difficult job looks easy. It's another of my all-time favorite expressions.

And the pros featured in this section, including Stephanie Smith of 831 Photography ... whose image you see here, do just that. They make the creative process of spectacular photography look easy.

Better yet, they share their secrets with you here, with hopes of helping you expand your creative horizons. Find their web sites at the end of the tip they provided. Check 'em out for more information.

Be Nice

When you first enter a church or a temple, find out what the rules and regulations are for the place. Don't forget that you are a guest and that you can't do whatever you want. Talk with the people who are in charge before you start photographing.

When I entered St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York City, there were so many security guards around that I knew shooting conditions would be strict. In fact, before the shoot, I had learned that use of tripods during the ceremony is prohibited.

In this situation, I could have created this image by increasing the ISO and hand holding the camera, but I knew I'd be enlarging this image for the wedding album. The only way to get the quality I needed was to use a tripod.

So while I waited for ...