Can I be a Wedding Photographer if I'm an Introvert?

When I was in middle school, I didn’t have many friends. It’s not because I didn’t want to have any friends – I was just painfully shy. I could barely look people in the eye, let alone hold a conversation with them, no matter what age of whoever I was “holding” a conversation with.

Because I have natural tendencies towards introversion, I used to limit myself – a LOT. I told myself I couldn’t be a leader, and that I could never EVER do things where the attention was solely on me. I specifically remember telling myself that there was no way I could EVER own a business, because who would want to work with an introvert? People LOVE extroverts and their big personalities – why would someone choose to work with me if they could work with them?

But that’s the funny thing about life. Sometimes what we perceive as a weakness can actually be a strength. Towards the end of my high school years, I started challenging myself to simply just love on people – THAT is something I could do, regardless of the personality type I had. I realized that my introverted-ness couldn’t be an excuse for not having any friends, or not getting where I wanted to be in life – so I started simply finding ways to love on and listen to the people around me.

In wedding photography, there’s a bit of a bent towards people who are extroverted. Introverts see them as having the upperhand (or so I’ve seen with some of my introverted friendtographers), but I wanted to share three tips for introverts who might be struggling with being an introverted wedding photograph. I am by no means an expert in this, but if what I share can help someone else, I’m all for it. So here are my top tips:

1.  Ask a LOT of questions – good ones.

Upon first meeting me, some people mistake me for an extrovert. Sometimes, my introverted tendencies are disguised by my love for asking questions. It’s SO easy to keep a conversation going, even if small talk isn’t your “thing,” by asking questions. But the catch is – they have to be genuine, and they have to require more than“yes” or “no” response. And at a wedding, there are so many friends and family members of the couple coming together that there is always a plethora of good questions to ask!

2.  Be an excellent listener.

When you ask a question, make sure to listen to the response. This may sound quite obvious, but you’d be surprised at how many people forget to listen to the answer to the question they just asked, simply because they’re trying to think of the next question or how they’re going to respond. Asking a follow up question or clarifying a point from what the other person said is a great way to keep the conversation going and make sure you’re listening!

3.  Don’t hold back on dishing out compliments – but make sure they’re genuine.

This is one of my favorite strategies for making people feel comfortable when I’m taking their photo. Compliment the CRAP out of them! I love having the opportunity to encourage people, and, believe it or not, being in front of the camera can sometimes make even the most confident folks clam up a little bit. By genuinely complimenting whoever’s in front of your camera, you will automatically boost their self-esteem. But again – make sure your compliments are genuine, because we all know what it’s like to receive a compliment that isn’t really genuine! Keep it real by pointing out something specific, like: “I love the pattern on your dress!” or “your hair color looks perfect against this backdrop!” or “the way you just naturally tucked your hair behind your ear was perfect! Would you mind doing that again?” Anything that can build the confidence of the person in front of your camera is a great way to go!

4. Take the time you need to recharge.

Introverts tend to recharge their batteries (or refill their bucket) by having alone time, so make sure you get the alone time you need after a wedding or portrait session! This might mean unwinding by watching a movie, Netflix series, reading a book, or taking a nap. I personally love to come home and edit a few sneak peeks while I watch a show (usually the Goldbergs or How I Met Your Mother!).

If you’re an introvert chasing a dream, limiting yourself like I was – I challenge you to try putting each of these three tips into action to see if they make a difference for you! And as always, share any tips you might have in the comments below – you never know who needs to know what you have to say!

Lessons I Learned From Photographing My First Wedding

I used to look at wedding photographers and think they had the best, easiest job in the world. They show up, take some photos of some stuff that’s happening, go home, and send the files to their clients ba-da-bing, ba-da-boom – job done, with a couple hundred (or thousand) dollars in the bank!

Then, I photographed my first wedding.

I had no idea what the going rate was for wedding photography, so I charged a few hundred dollars, and when my first couple signed and sent in their contract, I felt great! “Easy money,” I thought to myself. “Now I can just focus on being creative!” I wish that was the only thing I had to think about.

In the few months leading up to my first wedding, I quickly realized that there were so many things I wasn’t prepared for. Did I have the right gear? How was I going to light a dark reception space? How was I going to know what was happening throughout the day and where to be? Was I going to have time to pee?!

I quickly started to realize that I was in way over my head – so I started doing everything I possibly could to prepare myself! I rented gear, contacted the bride for additional information about the day, told myself that I didn’t need to drink water on the wedding day (I’m pretty sure I was dehydrated that day). A few problems arose in my panicked state:

• I rented some “nice” gear, but I had no idea how to use it
• I rented a camera that took CF cards instead of SD cards and found myself having to purchase enough memory to hold a wedding from Best Buy the day before the wedding (I didn’t even know CF cards existed before that!)
• From everything that I had purchased and rented, I found that I actually lost a significant amount of money trying to be prepared

So, for anyone out there who might be interested in getting into wedding photography – I am SO excited for you!! Photographing weddings is so much fun – sometimes stressful – but being able to love on and encourage people through one of the best days of their lives (while photographing emotion and beautiful details) makes my job SO worth it! Here are a few lessons I learned from photographing my first wedding – take from this list what you feel will help YOU!

1.  Know your gear inside and out.

One of the worst things for me about that first wedding was how little I knew about my gear. I was used to shooting on one camera, but switched over to another more intricate camera for the wedding day without having much time to practice with it. What was the result? Me, fumbling around with my gear for the entire day instead of focusing on loving and serving my couple.

2.  Know how much it’s actually going to cost to photograph the wedding.

What are your expenses? Is there an extra piece of gear you need to purchase or rent in order to complete the job? Will you need to pay someone else to second shoot with you, or an assistant to help carry your bags? Will you be taking any toll roads to get to the venue?

3.  Clarify the terms of the agreement beforehand.

A few questions to ask yourself might be: How many hours of coverage will your couple be receiving? How many digital files (or print products) can they expect to receive as a result? Will you be editing the files? How will you be sending the files to your clients?

4.  Get all of the information you need beforehand so you don’t have to bother the bride the day of the wedding.

When you know what’s going on the day of the wedding, you can create a game plan to make sure you have enough time to get all of the important and requested photos. Being prepared is KEY!

5.  Drink some water and eat some food throughout the day – seriously!

This one might be just me, but at that first wedding – I didn’t eat or drink anything all day. In fact, my second shooter (who’s now my husband) literally had to force the camera out of my hand and hide it from me so I would sit down and eat something (because really, no guests want photos taken of them while they’re eating). It’s okay (and necessary) to take a little break when you’ve been shooting for 8 to 10 hours!

And above all – enjoy it, and go with the flow! Know that your job is so important, not only because you’re capturing what moments will be remembered for years and generations to come – you’re also capturing how they will be remembered. And that, my friends, is what makes this job such a special & unique one.

Andddddd in the spirit of transparency, I wanted to share a few images from the first wedding I ever photographed as the primary photographer four years ago (complete with my old crazy watermark and everything!)! I have to give a HUGE shout out to my first couple who trusted me to photograph their day - I can't thank you two enough for trusting me to photograph your day, especially when i was just starting out! Thank you, thank you, thank you!!

To Bring or to not Bring Your Camera?

Did you know that there is such a thing as a "photo-taking impairment effect?" I recently read some research by Linda Henkle, a psychology professor at Fairfield University, suggesting that taking photos of something can actually impair you from remembering said event - which, as a wedding photographer, really surprised me.

But then, at my next wedding, I paid attention to guests and family members at the wedding and recognized so many people who were essentially living through their camera phones - recording a toast, but watching it through their phone. Ready to take a photo of the first kiss, and watching it through their phone instead of being present and active in the moment they were in. Ever since then, watching a mother of the bride, bridesmaid, grandfather, friend, or whoever else watching a wedding day unfold through their phone has made me rethink the importance of my job. I realized then that as a wedding photographer, I get to help other people actually LIVE in the moment, and STILL get to remember it later - which is such a beautiful way to serve people!

“Are you more concerned with taking photos, or are you spending your time making memories and being present in whatever you’re doing?”

And of course, this applies to more than just wedding photography. Parents - having photos of your kids is so important, but being there for them and engaged in whatever they're doing, encouraging them along the way, is even MORE important. Kids will remember how present you were... or how distracted you were by your phone.

The same goes for anyone, really - on vacation, are you more concerned with taking photos to remember the trip, or are you spending the majority of your time actually making memories and being present in whatever you're doing?

I recently found myself photographing a beeeeeautiful destination wedding on Mackinac Island in Michigan, and while I was SO excited to take photos of my beautiful couple in such a stunning location, I found myself hesitant to bring my camera with me on my off-day. Typically, if I'm in a new place for the first time, I LOVE to document what I see so I can remember and share it. But my husband said an off -the-cuff comment as we were getting ready to head into town that made me rethink my packing list for the day: "I just want to be present with you today." WHOA. Right then and there, I was reminded of all of the moments I've missed because I was too busy hiding behind my camera. So, hesitantly, I pulled my camera out of my bag and left it sitting on a chair in our hotel room. And let me tell you - that day spent fully present with my husband was one of the BEST gifts I could've given to our marriage. We laughed, we walked, and we soaked in that time together, being fully present with each other and with our surroundings.

I'm no expert (I mean, I'm still a photographer to my core!), but I want to challenge you to do the same.

If you're a guest, friend, bridesmaid, groomsman, or family member at a wedding, my suggestion is to allow yourself to enjoy it - fully - without a phone in hand. Wherever you go, even if you bring your camera or your phone or whatever you use to document our life, be sure to take the time to actually live those moments. Be a part of those memories. Laugh, cry, shout, clap, and take the time to take it all in ❤️

4 Things to Implement to Improve Your Second Shooting (for Weddings)

When I first started photographing weddings, I began as a second photographer shooting alongside seasoned professionals. I worked as a secondary photographer for a at least 5 to 6 different photographers for a few years, and I am SO thankful for each one who believed in me enough to allow me to tag along.

While second shooting, I learned a variety of different skills from each photographer that have stayed with me to this day and have impacted the traits and skills I look for in second shooters and assistants. Though there are many skills that make up a superb second shooter (and lots of preferred skills that vary from primary photographer to primary photographer), here are a few of my top tips for being an outstanding second shooter, all of which I have found in my second shooters and assistants:

1.  Have a servant’s heart and mentality towards the wedding couple.

The way to the primary photographer’s heart is through their wedding couple. Primary photographers (typically) want to give their clients THE BEST experience when it comes to their wedding photos, and having a second photographer who is willing to go the extra mile to serve the bride & groom truly stands out (so long as it doesn’t interfere with any work the primary has specifically asked you to do).

2. Have a servant’s heart and mentality towards the primary photographer.

I love photographing weddings, but I’m willing to admit that sometimes they can be a bit stressful. Many times, being a wedding photographer means more than just documenting a wedding day - it means coordinating timelines and keeping the bridal party, wedding couple, and family members ON that timeline, which can be an all encompassing task (on top of trying to make sure everyone looks perfect in photos!). Being a second photographer who goes the extra mile for the primary photographer can go a long way. Asking if the primary needs any food or water, helping with bags, setting up light stands, calling out names during family formals, or simply taking initiative throughout the day helps the primary photographer focus on the day as a whole.

3. Study the primary photographer’s style.

One of my favorite things about being a second photographer at a wedding is the increased ability to be creative! If the wedding day is crunched for time, the primary photographer’s goal is to first get the “safe shot,” and then move on to more creative compositions. But the great thing about being a secondary photographer is the decreased amount of stress to get the “safe shots.” You can take risks and get creative because you can trust that the primary is, at the very least, getting all of the “necessary” shots. But before you shoot with a primary photographer for the first time, be sure to study their work. How do they compose shots? Are they consistent in their use of light, or varied? Do they prefer more posed shots or more candid shots? How does your work compliment theirs? (Or how can you use your style of work to compliment their style?)

4. Ask if there are any specific photos the primary photographer wants you to get at any specific time.

While many primary photographers will let their second photographer know if they need a specific shot (or shots) from them, some photographers prefer to let the second photographer “get what they get,” for lack of better words. As a primary photographer, I always appreciate when a second shooter asks if I’m looking for any specific shots, whether it’s at the beginning of the day or throughout the wedding day. For example, during the ceremony, I’m in the front of the church getting the shot of the bride coming down the aisle. I’m also trying to get the groom’s reaction to his bride. But if I can have my second shooter focusing on getting the shot of the groom’s reaction, I can focus on the bride and her dad – which is always a huge help! A second photographer also is helpful during bridal party shots. While the primary is getting the group shot, the secondary can be snapping little details (bouquets, boutonnières, candids, etc.) to provide a more robust final gallery!

I am so thankful for my second photographers and assistants who help me through wedding days and sessions. They are the ones who have made this blog post possible and the reason why I can share this information – because I see these things so clearly in them! Thank you to my second shooters and assistants for making all of my weddings and sessions 10X better! Without you, this wouldn’t be possible!

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Two FANTASTIC people who help make wedding days possible!

Groom Wedding Day Detail Checklist

We’ve talked about what should be included in your bridal detail wedding day checklist, but what about the groom’s details? Many times, we try to take a few photos of the groom’s wedding day details, since many of them are so thoughtfully planned and executed! Having some photos of the groom’s details also looks great in an album spread! If you’re looking to have photos taken of your groom’s details, you might want to consider including the groom’s:

• Tie or Bowtie

• Cufflinks

• Socks (if they’re a fun pattern!)

• Watch

• Shoes

• Boutonnière (adds a little bit of color!)

• Belt

• Pocket Square

• Glasses

• Cologne Bottle

• Any notes or gifts from the bride

• Any gifts given to the groomsmen

And to help you organize your groom’s details even better, I’ve created a comprehensive PDF freebie that you can download straight to your computer! Print it out to put in your wedding binder, or simply keep it in a folder on your computer for your reference - simply fill out the form below to download it!

get your free GROOM DETAIL CHECKLIST here!

One GIANT Tip for Spending More Time with Loved Ones on Your Wedding Day

You might’ve read the title of this post and been a little confused (especially if you haven’t experienced a wedding day as a bride or groom first hand): isn’t it a given that you’ll spend the whole wedding day with your friends and family?

Well… yes and no.

Of course, you’ll be spending your wedding day with your family and friends in the same vicinity as you, but that doesn’t mean you’ll be actually spending time with them. And to be honest, sometimes wedding photography takes up a significant portion of a wedding day. And it’s challenging, because as a wedding photographer, I want to get the BEST images possible for my couples – and of course, getting the BEST images possible takes a little bit of time, between bridal party photos, family photos, and photos of the happy couple.

But what if I told you there was one magic way to spend more time with your family and friends on your big day? ONE thing that you can add into your day that will give you that time that you so desperately want?

That “thing” is a first look.

WAIT. Don’t go. Don’t click out of this post yet! A first look can evoke a lot of different emotions in a lot of different people. But before I go into why a first look might be the best thing you could do on your wedding day, let me explain what a first look is:

A first look is where the bride and groom have a private moment together before the ceremony. Yes, you read that correctly. The bride and groom will see each other before the ceremony even starts, but the beautiful thing is – they will get to have that moment together. They can talk together, laugh together, hug each other, kiss, and cry with just the two of them present.

I understand that a first look isn’t for everyone. Heck, my husband and I didn’t even do a first look at our wedding! But a few weekends ago, Nick and I photographed another wedding with a first look, and on our way home, he looked at me and said “I kind of wish we would’ve done a first look. Those two got to spend so much more time with their family and friends and shared in that moment together. I wish I would’ve been able to tell you how beautiful you looked and hugged you when you came down the aisle!”

Bingo! Though Nick and I decided to opt out of a first look for our wedding, looking back on our day – we realized that it might’ve actually been a better decision for us. We took our wedding photos right after our ceremony during cocktail hour (which is a normal time for photos!), so we didn’t get to spend that time with family and friends who had traveled so far to celebrate with us.

BUT – if we had done a first look before our ceremony, before all of the guests had arrived – we could’ve been a part of cocktail hour and would’ve had much more time to talk to our loved ones.

So the moral of the story is: if you want to spend more time with your guests, a first look might be the best option for you. We’ve heard time and time again how much more relaxed and at ease our couples have felt after having a first look on their wedding day, which is the most important thing.

Have a question about a first look? Feel free to email me at jhidingerphotography@gmail.com with any questions!

6 Unexpected Milestones to Hire a Photographer For

Much of the work I do revolves around engagements, weddings, high school senior photos, and family photos (for holiday cards). All of these milestones are great reasons to have photos taken – but there are a few other milestones in addition to those mentioned previously that I would highly recommend hiring a photographer for:

1. Wedding Anniversary

Why: This one I can relate to the most because it’s the one Nick and I try to do every single year! Having photos taken for your wedding anniversary (whether it’s every year, every other year, or every five years!) lets you update the photos you’ll be leaving your children, grandchildren, and those who care about you someday as your legacy. Do you want the only beautiful photos you leave those who love you to be from your wedding day (when your kids didn’t even know you)? A wedding anniversary is the perfect occasion to splurge and update your photo collection!

2. Buying Your First Home

Why: Buying a home is a HUGE accomplishment, no matter who you are. Having photos taken of you and your spouse, or you and your family inside your first home is a wonderful way to commemorate all of the hard work that went into your purchase!

3. Birthday (for you or your child!)

Why: What better excuse for a photo shoot than a birthday?! One of my longest standing clients has birthday photos taken every year for her daughter’s birthday. She does an amazing job of pulling together unique props and outfits to make the photos special and different every single year – plus, she gets to see how her daughter has grown from the year before!

4. Pregnancy

Why: Pregnancy is a huge milestone in any relationship, and maternity photos are the perfect way for Mom-to-be to remember such a precious time in her life. Plus, it’s a great excuse for an expectant mother to pamper herself – nails, hair, makeup, a new dress, the whole nine yards!

5. Before/after a big move

Why: Consider this: you’ve grown up in one city for your entire life – you’ve gone to school there, fell in love there, said “I do” there – and now, you’re moving to a new place you’ve never been before, leaving your history behind you. Moving is the perfect excuse to commemorate the city you love in photos to remember your roots!

6. Graduating College

Why: When I was attending Robert Morris University, every senior was required to have a LinkedIn account, and we were all strongly encouraged to have a “professional looking” photo to represent us to potential employers. And a professional photo does just that – it gives a potential employer the best impression of who you are! (Read more in my article “Why You Should Have a Killer LinkedIn Headshot”)

Are there any other milestones you would add to the list?

What is the Best Time of Day for Photos?

Recently, I had a sweet mom of a senior ask why I limit my session timeframes to the morning and the evening – right after the sun rises, or before it sets. I love this question, because I can see how it might seem counter intuitive to schedule a session during the not-so-bright times of the day – but there is a great reason for doing so!

When taking photos outside, the sun is the main light source. When the sun is rising and setting, it’s at it’s lowest point in the sky (hang with me here!). In the middle of the day, the sun is at it’s highest in the sky – typically, right overhead, which is known as the toughest time to take photos. But why?

When the sun is right overhead, the light is very harsh. The light often creates big, shadowy circles under the eyes (which is very unflattering) and is harder to control because it’s just so bright! But in the morning and evening – the sun is lower, and the light is softer, which makes it easier to control the light and eliminates the dark shadowy circles that will often appear under the eyes in bright light! In addition to being lower and easier to manage, the light typically has a warmer temperature to it, which flatters the skin!

However – there is an exception to this rule. On a cloudy day, the sun is still the main light source, but the clouds act as a diffuser, diffusing the light to make it soft, manageable, and more flattering to facial features.

So what it comes down to is this: scheduling my sessions in the morning and late afternoon/evening makes it easier to manage my main light source (the sun) and flatters my clients (no dark circles and warmer light).

4 Tips for Preparing Your Groom for Your Engagement Session

Are you a bride who’s wondering how your groom will react to having his photo taken? You are most certainly not alone! One of the biggest questions I am asked by my brides is how to prepare her groom for the engagement session. So many of my couples who were nervous before their session walk away saying: “Wow! That was actually fun.” And that’s what it’s about – not just getting some great photos, but actually having fun while doing it!

So if you’re a bride who’s a little bit nervous about how your groom might react to the engagement session, here are a few of my top tips:

1.  Sit down and show him a couple of your favorite blog posts or galleries by your photographer.

Sometimes the scariest thing about going into something new is the unknown – the same is true for going into an engagement session! In most (not all) cases, the bride is the one looking for and booking the wedding photographer, which means that she will already be very familiar with the style, look, and posing associated with a particular photographer by the time the engagement session rolls around. However, if a groom hasn’t been involved in picking the wedding photographer (or has only seen a few samples of work), they could be a bit blind-sided going into a session by what to expect. By looking at a few blog posts or galleries the night before your engagement session, a bride will give her groom realistic expectations for how the session will pan out!

2.  Leave early to arrive ahead of schedule!

This tip might not seem like it fits quite as well, but I know from photographing many sessions (and from being in a relationship myself ;) ) that timeliness can sometimes be a point of contention between any two people who love each other! Be sure to leave early enough to arrive on time to your session. Starting off your session in an argumentative manner from tardiness can put a damper on the beginning of the shoot!

3.  Plan to do something fun together afterwards.

So maybe taking photos isn’t necessarily your guy’s favorite thing to do – or maybe he’s nervous because he’s never had his photo taken professionally before! Whatever the case, plan to do something fun before or afterwards that you can both look forward to – whether it’s going out to dinner, seeing a movie, going out for ice-cream – having something fun to plan for after your session will give you both something to look forward to and will make your night for getting engagement photos done more into a date night!

4. Have patience & be an encourager.

Getting your photo taken can be awkward if you've never had it done before, or if it's been a while! Don't forget to have patience and grace with your groom, especially if he's feeling uneasy. It's completely normal to feel nervous before having your photo taken - the best thing you can do is continue to encourage and build up your groom throughout the whole process!

And just to show that it is possible for guys to have fun during the engagement session, here are a few of my favorite photos of grooms genuinely enjoying their session:

5 Commandments for Mastering Family Formals

Family formals (aka, mom’s favorite pictures from the wedding day [for good reason]) are a necessary component of any wedding day, and are sometimes one part of the day, unfortunately, that stresses brides out the most. From family members making a dash from the ceremony to cocktail hour to your niece (the flower girl) needing to use the restroom, you might be wondering: is there any way to successfully (and quickly) work through the family formals section of a wedding day?

What if I told you, bride-to-be, that family formals don’t have to be so crazy? That all family formals could be done within a short, concise timeframe? By following these five commandments of family formals, you will be sure to make it through your entire list without letting your list take the entirety of cocktail hour:

1. Have a specific list with specific names.

This is the number one most important key to mastering the family formals portion of your wedding day: have a specific list with specific names. Spending five minutes a month before your ceremony writing out exactly who you’d like to have a part of family formals can save lots of time on your wedding day. Don’t forget to touch base with your groom, your mom, and your mother-in-law to make sure their requests are on the list, too!

Our strategy for wedding days is to have a specific list to work from so nothing has to be decided on the fly the day of the wedding (i.e., one less item for the bride to have to coordinate). If we know exactly who needs to be in your formals beforehand, we can start gathering people directly after the ceremony, calling names, and putting people “on deck” for the next photo.

2. Don’t stray from the list.

Commandment number two might be just as important as number one – once you have your list finalized, don’t stray from it! I’ve seen many a list get elongated throughout the family formals timeframe from well-meaning family members who want a specific combination that the bride (and the bride’s family) aren’t interested in having. Allowing friends and family members to elongate the list during this specific timeframe can cut into bridal party portraits, as well as portraits of the bride and groom. Know what shots are important and stick to them!

3. Keep your list simple.

Simplicity is best when it comes to family formals. If you have a limited timeframe to complete formals, keep it short and sweet – keeping the list to immediate family members and grandparents is a great way to save time (less people to gather), and other larger portraits (i.e., your mom’s whole extended side of 30+ people) can be saved for the reception, where the DJ can announce: “we need all of the bride’s mother’s extended family on the dance floor for a photo!” or the like.

4. Let everyone on the list know exactly where they need to be, and when.

What takes up the most time when it comes to family formals? Gathering family members. Alerting family members ahead of time that they will be needed for a photo, whether it’s directly after the ceremony or at an alternative specific time, will save ample amounts of time. Tracking down someone in a 200-300 person crowd can be tough (especially during cocktail hour when there’s food and drink involved!).

5. Bust through your list right after the ceremony.

At your ceremony, everyone will be sitting in the same room – which means everyone is already gathered and ready for formals! After the couple has exited the ceremony, many couples have their pastor make an announcement to have family members remain in their seats so that they’re ready for photos. If no one leaves the ceremony, it’s easier to jump straight into photos!

By following these five commandments of family formals, you’re sure to breeze through your list with ease and efficiency and spend your day celebrating with family members, rather than just taking photos with them – and that’s what is truly important!

Have any tips to add? Drop them in the comments below!