Helping HandsCopyright 2009 Matt Mortensen
The trip to Peru was more than just a great travel photography experience, it was also a chance to do some pro bono wedding photography. My friend Katie Stensgard from Fargo had a beautiful wedding ceremony where she married Coco, a great guy from Peru. Being the 'unofficial' photographer gives you a great chance to hone your skills and do a good friend a favor. They made such a great pair that it was not hard to create touching images. The real key to getting good wedding photos (after all the formals are done and checked off the list) is capturing interactions between the main players in the wedding. You want the bride to look at your images and relive the emotions that she felt at that time. There is no shortcut or tips for getting these kind of images. You have to like and understand people. You also have to be able to predict when the next important moment is likely to occur. If you can do neither of these things than PLEASE do not shoot weddings. And to all you brides out there, if your wedding photographer does not smile and tell you how beautiful you are when you interview him/her, run away! There is a reason good wedding photography costs $3000+ (at least when I do it), it is the complete package of personality and professionalism on top of all the technical wizardry!
