day eleven. communication is key.

The fifth, and probably most important way to make a huge impact on your wedding photography is to have a great relationship with the person taking your photos. Communication between you and your photographer is key. That being said, I truly believe that there is a fine line between communication and over the top expectations.

I am not one to write out a complete list of shots that “need to be taken” – I would rather document the day as it goes. When Jamie and I get married, I want our photographer to feel comfortable documenting our day however they see fit. I know that I will be able to trust their artistic and professional judgement.

There does need to be good understanding between the photographer and the couple they are taking photos for. For example, the last wedding I shot was for Brandi and Carlton. Throughout the year leading up to her wedding Brandi and I communicated through email, facebook and pinterest. I developed an outstanding relationship with her and by the time her wedding rolled around in November, I had a clear understanding of her style and expectations. Not because she made a list to give to her wedding planner to give to me, but because we had worked on it together throughout the year. Through conversation I learned that her dad was very important to her, that their twins were only going to be at the ceremony for a short period of time, their was a death in the family (and that loved one had a special PBR pin in the bouquet her groom made!), she had poured her heart into planning and organizing the details of her wedding – so throughout our conversations I made sure to focus on these aspects at her wedding. Without that communication I would have been less likely to know what was most important to Brandi as a person. Sure she could have written a list, but my understanding of the situations, I believe, lent itself to some fabulous photos.

If photography is important to you, if you want an artistic and journalistic approach to your wedding photography, communicate with the person telling your story in a genuine and real way. You won’t regret it.