Having a shot-list at a wedding is essential and is what you really need to make it a success.
You’ve all heard about Wedding Photographers taking ages and this can be put down to several factors. Probably the highest factor would be a shot-list that was too long or the absence of a shot list altogether. A shot-list is a plan.
Shot-lists need to be managed and edited as required. You should call on the experience of your photographer for guidance as to how long each group shot will take and plan accordingly.
I send out a proposed shot-list to each one of my couples which I know will take approx 15 minutes to complete PROVIDING everyone who is on the list knows where they have to be and when. They also need to know why it is important to be there at that time so that things can be kept on track. If they know that it will only take 15 minutes then they will be more likely to comply.
This is why in my opinion it is better to keep the shot-lists short and sweet.
When you are putting together your shot-list you should run it in decreasing order of importance so that if it needs to be cut short then you know the important ones are in the bag.
Shot-lists are no use what so ever if you have a timid photographer who has no people skills.
A photographer needs to have the diplomatic skill and confidence to quickly and effectively arrange the different groups and a photographer who has an efficient system for this is worth their weight in gold.
Group shots are where things are nearly guaranteed to fall apart if you ask a friend who hasn’t these other skills to photograph your wedding.
Let's be honest nearly everyone hates group shots. It’s like pulling teeth, so you want to find a dentist/photographer who can do it as quickly and painlessly as possible.
What are the key takeaways from this:
- Shot-lists are essential to effectively manage time on your wedding day.
- Shot-lists make sure you get all the important pictures that you want.
- If you are going to have a long shot-list then you must make time to accommodate it.
- Email your shot-list to your photographer so that you have a copy if needed. Paper copies can be lost accidentally ;-)