Wedding Photographer’s Survival Kit

Posted by chris on September 5th, 2011

The most stressful photography job there is - photo Ziko van Dijk

The most stressful photography job imaginable is wedding photography.  There’s a reason most photographers who have been doing it for years charge a lot of money.  Not only is it stressful at the time, it can be really stressful after the fact when it comes out that you missed the shot of the bride and her Aunt Mable, who passed away shortly after the ceremony, and the last moment of them together has been lost forever and it’s all your fault.  How do you feel about wedding photography now?
Still, someone has to shoot all those weddings and, imperfect as you may be, you may be called upon to be that person, either as the primary or second shooter. The time to develop survival habits for wedding photographers is before you ever get near accepting a paying job.
Over the years I did wedding photography as a sideline job, I built up a box of stuff, much of it totally peripheral to photography itself, that I carried to every single wedding.  I called it my “sanity box” because the items in there saved my sanity and someone in the wedding party nearly every time.
Shot Sheets
I had laminated shot sheets for every wedding and wore them around my neck during the crucial after-the-ceremony shot fest.  Sure, it looks dorky, but would you rather look dorky or miss one of the critical wedding shots?  You’d be surprised, in the heat of the moment, how often you forget which group you just shot.
If you’re lucky enough to have an assistant, their job will be marking the shot sheet and corralling the next group.  Put the shots with older people and kids up front.  You don’t want old people standing around getting sore feet waiting on you and keeping kids in line is like trying to herd cats.  Get their shots done first and send them on their way.
I also made spare shot sheets for the DJ at the reception, so they knew what was coming and in what order.
Stain Sticks and Shout Wipes
Those were always in my sanity box.  Every single time the bride or one of the bride’s maids will get something on their dress by the mere act of walking from the chapel to the garden.  Nothing can diffuse a stressful situation and make you look like a hero than being able to say, “I got that.”
I also carry a roll of paper towels, alcohol wipes, a pair of scissors and a lint roll.  All for the same class of emergency.  You’d be amazed how much spilled champagne a paper towel can blot up.
A Padded Hanger
For some reason this frequently gets forgotten by the alterations place.  There’s nothing like the moment of panic when everyone discovers the cheapo plastic hangar for the dress shot.
A Spare Bow Tie
Another thing that used to gripe me was how fast the groomsmen would want to get out of their tuxes.  You can’t wait 15 minutes to get through the formal shots?  Really?  More than once one managed to lose their tie between the church and grassy lawn.  So I carry a spare.
Hair Spray and Disposable Hair Brush
Somebody’s hair is going to lose it, I’ll guarantee. The last thing you want is one of the wedding party running off to get a brush, comb or hair spray.  Much better to just pull it out of the sanity box and get your shots.  Unwrapping a brand new hair brush from the wrapping spares you any questions about where it came from.
Trial Size Everything
I carry a trail size of just about anything stocked at the store.  Deodorant, toothpaste, mouthwash, a spare tooth brush, disposable razor, shaving gel, baby powder, and dental floss.  I actually fixed a flower arrangement with dental floss one time.
A Stapler and Double Sided Tape
I’ve fixed hem lines, cuffs, and trousers with a standard office stapler and double sided tape. Sometimes the ribbons on a flower arrangement just won’t want to cooperate, so out comes the tape.
When you’re shooting a wedding, you don’t have time to screw around or chase things.  Anything you need has to be right there, right now and the only person you can count on to have what they might need is you. Not your job?  Totally right.  But it’s your time and your career.  Just imagine how much work you’ll have as the second shooter when every time a crisis pops up you can say, “I got that.”