David Pogue's Digital Photography: The Missing Manual

The Wedding Shot

Weddings dominate special-event photography. And they're the primary income source for a huge percentage of professional photographers.

If you can shoot an entire wedding, then you can shoot any other event that comes your way. After all, graduations are just weddings without the reception. Birthday parties are just weddings without the spouse.

If you're a guest, by the way, don't interfere with the hired photographer's posed shots. Introduce yourself and ask if it's OK to take a couple of shots right after the pro has finished each setup. You'll generally receive permission—and the opportunity to capture the highlights of the day.

Tip

As a digital photographer, you can bring a new dimension to the celebration that most pros don't even offer: immediacy. You can hook up your camera to a TV to play the pictures back while the reception is still going on.

Shots to Look For

In part, your success at shooting a wedding depends on your ability to anticipate the action. If you've been to any weddings recently, you probably know that you can expect classic photo ops like these:

• Before the wedding. Bride making final dress adjustments, alone in dress, with mother, with maid of honor, with bridesmaids, and so on. Groom with his best man, with his ushers, with his family.

• During the ceremony. Groom waiting at the altar, his parents being seated, the bride's mother being seated, the processional, the bride coming down the aisle, the vows, the ring ceremony, the kiss, the bride and ...