5 wedding photography tips

• Try some open shade for your group shots. Cameras can't quite capture the whole range of tones that the eye can see. If part of your subject is in the light and part of your subject is in shadow you will most likely end up with black shadows obscuring something important. This effect can be used for creative purposes but you should avoid it for simple portraits. If the shady area used for group shots and portraits has a sunny area nearby that is reflecting light in it creates an even more pleasant look.
  
  
• Take lots of detail shots. If you have a break from the main wedding action take that time to get some close ups of any of the wedding decorations. It's not hard to get a great shot. Make sure to turn of the flash though-- close up photography almost always looks better without the flash. Also-- shoot the items from 4 or 5 different angles and delete the worst ones. It's not like shooting people-- the objects will wait patiently while you find the best angle and lighting.
  
  
• Natural light beats flash for a pleasing look most of the time. You do want to have an external flash for a simple reason though. There is usually one or two directions to shoot that produce the best lighting. Sometimes you find that you want the direction with the worst natural lighting because you have a perfect composition or something behind the subject that you need to include. That's when the flash becomes invaluable. The built in flashes on your camera are really limited. Flashes that you mount on the camera have so many more options.
  
  
• If you find you are in a reception venue with really bad natural lighting and you have to turn on the flash try aiming the flash at the ceiling and shooting that way. You'll avoid the on camera flash look. Set your flash and camera exposure manually in these types of settings.
  
  
• Mirrors always add an interesting element to any composition.
  
  
• Hold the camera over your head and point down for a different angle. If you are shooting digital you have nothing to loose.

If you need a tip about any specific part of photography just ask me a question in the comments.