The Frugal Bride: DIY Summer Wedding Photos

Frugal brides are looking for various ways to save money on their wedding. Summer weddings offer an especially good opportunity for DIY wedding photos. Follow these suggestions to learn how to take your own summer wedding photos.

Basic Supplies Needed for DIY Wedding Photography

You will need to decide whether you want to take digital wedding photos or if you would prefer to use a traditional camera (or both). Make sure you have fresh batteries, film, blank memory cards, and any special lighting.

DIY Wedding Photography Shot List

The most important thing you can do is prepare before the wedding even starts. Write down a list of shots you want. This way nobody will forget to snap that photo of the bride and groom's first kiss.

Make sure you take pictures of objects as well. No wedding photo album would be complete without a picture of the rings.

Lighting for Your DIY Summer Wedding Photos

Church lighting is often low. Wedding photos can be ruined if you do not use your flash properly. Take some test photographs in the church before the wedding. This will let you determine whether or not you need additional equipment such as a flash diffuser to soften lighting. You may need to bring in extra lighting.

Natural lighting is the easiest to work with. Many summer weddings are held outdoors. Use this to your advantage by taking wedding photographs outside.

Outdoor photo shoots should not take place in direct sunlight. You don't want the bride and groom squinting in their wedding photos.

Fun and Funky Angles Keep Your DIY Wedding Photos Fresh

Take some wedding photos at odd angles. Get below the happy couple and shoot them looking down. Hold you camera above your head and shoot them looking up.

Be creative with your composition. Don't be afraid to experiment. Digital cameras are especially good for this type of experimentation because you don't have to waste expensive film.

Digital Wedding Photography Tips

Load your digital wedding photos into an image editing software. Use a simple crop tool to completely change the mood and composition of the photograph.

Use the Continuous Shoot Mode on your digital camera. Some really great wedding memories can be captured this way.

Posing for Your DIY Wedding Photos

You can choose any poses you feel comfortable with. They are your wedding pictures. If you don't want to take formal wedding photos, don't! A photo of the bride and groom hitting golf balls in their formal wear may turn out better than a formal portrait.

Make a Slideshow of Your Summer Wedding Pictures

Whether you use a digital camera or standard film, you can use your computer to make a CD or DVD slideshow of your wedding pictures. You can burn several copies and share your photos will the entire wedding party.

Most image editing software packages have all the tools you need to create a DIY wedding photo slideshow. You can even have the pictures play to your favorite romantic music.

Take Pictures of the Summer Scenery

Put the wedding into context by taking photos of the church or garden. Is there a lake, river, or pond nearby? Take some pictures of any beautiful summer scenery near the wedding spot.

Capturing the scenery will help set the mood for the bride and groom's summer wedding photo album. These pictures will look great alongside more formal portraits in the album.

Have Your Guests Take Your Wedding Reception Photos

Many couples buy inexpensive disposable cameras and place them on each table at the reception. This is a great way to get some shots of guests who were not in the formal wedding photographs (like Great-Aunt Millie!)

Have Fun With Your DIY Wedding Photos

If you are enjoying yourself, it will come across in the wedding photos. A genuine smile is much better than a forced one. Capture the laughter and joy of the day. Those are the wedding photos that you will cherish.

Sources

Digital Photography School, Wedding Photography - 21 Tips for Amateur Wedding Photographers,
http://digital-photography-school.com/wedding-photography-21-tips-for-for-amateur-wedding-photographers

DIY Wedding Photos, http://www.diyweddingphotos.com/b/whatisdiy.html