“Do I need to Prepare a List of ‘Must-Have’ Wedding Shots?”

Hi, I have been looking through your blog and have found some very helpful things. I’ll probably be meeting with you about my wedding soon. Anyways, I am seeing a lot of articles about how to make sure your photographer gets all the shots you want at your wedding. Those lists just seem overwhelming — some have over 100 “must-have” shots!

Is that something that you work off of when you photograph weddings, or do I even need to worry about preparing a list of wedding pictures I want?

– Organized Bride-To-Be

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Want the short and simple answer? I don’t work from wedding shot lists.

Now, let me explain myself. A professional wedding photographer such as myself knows which shots are usually “essential” to telling the story of your wedding day. You don’t have to worry about reminding me that you want pictures of your ring exchange, or your first kiss, or even your first dance. When you pick your photographer, you should be so confident in their abilities that you can say to yourself, “I know Betsy will capture my wedding memories perfectly.”

If you enjoy looking through shot lists to get inspiration for your wedding day, then great! Keep looking (as long as it stays fun!). But, if you’re stressed out, or are worrying that your photographer won’t be able to function without such a list, then it’s time to get away from those wedding photography shot lists. In my experience, shot lists simply aren’t an essential part of the wedding photography success formula. So ditch the shot lists, and relax!

If you’re still considering compiling a wedding shot list, here’s another tidbit of advice. Do you really want to overwhelm your photographer with trying to capture all those images, to the extent that their creativity is hindered? As your photographer, I would use my creative talent to spot and capture fleeting moments. Moments you will treasure more than any planned and posed shot. If I had to work from a shot list (which I don’t), I would be focusing my attention on checking off those shots rather than looking for extraordinary moments — a quiet tear shed by your father, your flower girl practicing her petal toss, or even the groom enjoying a last minute joke with his groomsmen.

Would any of those moments have been on the list? Are these moments any less meaningful because they didn’t make it on the list? I am there to capture the unique aspects of your wedding day, and create photographs that will help you to remember and enjoy the emotion and excitement of your wedding day.

Now, that’s not to say that we don’t take into consideration all the details and plans you have coordinated. The more we talk about your wedding day, the details, and who is important in your life, the better job I will be able to do of capturing the moments that matter the most to you. So, instead of spending time poring over a wedding shot list, why not instead chat with your photographer? I’m always happy to learn about my brides’ wedding plans — and if necessary, I can be a great source for ideas!

Ask the Artist! features your questions, answered by Betsy Finn, photographic artist. Don’t trust your wedding memories to just anyone. Trust the best. Betsy’s Photography.

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This entry was posted on Friday, May 2nd, 2008 at 3:34 pm and is filed under Wedding. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.