As a wedding photographer, the final product you provide to clients is more than just a collection of pretty images. Your job is to tell their love story in the most authentic and beautiful way possible. And while capturing stunning shots is an essential part of it, crafting a thoughtful and well-curated wedding gallery is equally important. A gallery that captures the essence of the couple, their day, and each unique moment is something every client dreams of. But how can you achieve that perfect gallery? Here are some useful tips for new wedding photographers on how to curate stronger client galleries.
Removing Duplicate and Similar Images
When culling through your wedding day images, try to weed out any duplicates or similar shots. There is no need to showcase multiple images of the same pose or composition. Keep the best one that tells the story most effectively and discard the rest. Your client will thank you for not overwhelming them with too many images AND it will instill more trust from your clients. When images are too similar, clients can be unsure of which one they themselves should download and use. They might find themselves questioning “Well…which one is better?”. Make that choice for them. You are the expert and you know your work best. This means spending more time culling!
Removing Filler Images
As you review the images, evaluate which ones don’t contribute to the story. Sometimes, you might have taken shots of decor and reception details that don’t truly add to the album’s overarching story. Remove any photos that won’t make it into the album or the client won’t find interesting. However, there is a fine line between erasing history and making a gallery stronger; don’t remove key moments even if they aren’t photographically groundbreaking. For instance, sometimes speeches can be considered “uninteresting” or photographically boring, however, if you remove that image, you remove the memory of that person speaking at the wedding. Thread the needle of these two perspectives when culling.
In-Camera Shooting Tips for New Wedding Photographers
Being intentional while in the planning and shooting phases of the wedding day can also be a huge time-saver. Spend time consulting with your clients, figuring out which moments are the “must-haves” that will make their story complete. Knowing what to look for results in fewer pictures taken, and less culling and editing. Hello, we love an efficient artist!
Straighten All Horizon Lines
When curating your galleries, there’s nothing more distracting than crooked horizon lines. I know, I know, it’s trendy. One of my biggest tips for a new wedding photographer is to follow the rules before you learn how to break them. A horizontally wonky image can be disorienting and disconnected to the viewer. Pay attention while shooting about keeping any lines and horizons (like the ocean or the arch) straight so you can edit less and leave a better impression through the gallery.
Put Images into Storytelling Format
Imagine curating the wedding gallery as creating a movie of the wedding day play. The more you can tell the day’s story in the right sequence, the better. Try putting the images in chronological order and grouping them to show the key parts of the day as a story. As a tip for new wedding photographers, I suggest mixing up the locations, the people, or the timing can also add interest and keep the viewer engaged. So, basically, play around with it, but also be intentional!
Curating a wedding gallery isn’t just about cherry-picking pretty images. It’s an opportunity to create an emotional and narrative masterpiece that tells the story of your clients and their love story. By applying these tips you can create a holistically strong client gallery that’s bound to exceed your client’s expectations. And who knows, maybe even win you a couple more clients in the process!
If you’d like to learn more about being a new wedding photographer, I’ve got more education for you! Let’s connect!
