Wedding Photo Tips for Newly Engaged Couples – Featuring Advice From Susan Shek Photography

The Short Version: Weddings should be unique and tailored to the beautiful couple and that includes choosing the right person to be your wedding photographer. When looking for the right wedding photographer, couples should look for someone who completes them. Capturing a beautiful moment with a camera is photographer Susan Shek’s specialty. Over the years, the personable photographer has gained a lot of experience helping couples make their weddings even more magical with fine prints. From the proposal to the big “I do,” Susan Shek Photography aims to create a personalized experience that couples will remember for a long time.

What makes a wedding so special? Is it the love, the life-long commitment, or the families gathering together to become one? I like to think it’s all of the above. Weddings are special because you get to witness love firsthand and participate in a special moment. Planning for such a big day is so exciting, but it also has its fair share of challenges. It’s good to have a helping hand — like from a wedding planner or even a friend — throughout the process. 

Couples looking for a unique and nontraditional wedding photographer can check out the popular New York-based company Susan Shek Photography. Susan has gained the reputation of helping couples relive their special day with exceptional photos. Susan fell in love with photography 18 years ago. She told us that she helped a high school friend with her wedding photos and was surprised at how much her friend and her family adored them. 

Susan’s style of photography is different from that of other photographers. Susan aims to capture the essence and the emotions of the day, not only highlighting the couple, but all angles of the story from the wedding day. Susan considers the guests a big part of the wedding day. Her photos often include pictures of family members crying during the ceremony or guests laughing during the reception in Susan’s gallery. 

“My style is definitely more of a mixture of candid and documentary style, I like to tell the story of the whole day — no moment is missed,” said Susan. “I get to know my clients throughout the whole year and I communicate with them through the whole process. I’m here for them to answer questions and not just go and take pictures. The experience goes beyond that. I’m like a friend.”

At the forefront, Susan goes above and beyond for her clients. Most clients compliment Susan’s warm personality that helps them feel so comfortable throughout the process. 

For some couples, it’s helpful to have a wedding photographer who is a good friend as well. Those photographers are often considered the best of the best. Simply because they get to know their clients on a more personal level. Anyone can capture photos with a camera, but a great photographer knows the couple and tailors which photos to take based on their personalities. 

Whether you’ve hired Susan for your photography or cinematography needs, you’ll be receiving more than anticipated. Susan considers herself more than just a photographer for her clients. Apart from capturing great photos, Susan shares great advice and wedding tips for couples looking for something unique. If having your photo taken has never been your favorite thing, Susan can come up with a not-so-awkward pose or a confidence boost that helps you relax and enjoy the moment so you forget the camera is there.

“I like to talk to couples and be their friend and not really just take pictures. I like to ask them questions and get to know them as people and not just directing and taking pictures,” Susan told us.

After every photo session, Susan creates a gallery for couples to look over and choose which photos they want. Depending on the package, couples can opt-in for an album as well. Photo albums cover highlights of the day that Susan recommends for couples to use for their living room decor. 

“Susan caught our attention because of [her] unique photos – capturing each couple in a way that told their own story. So many other photographers had their ‘style’, which made sense but took away from the unique qualities of the couple,” said Susan’s client, Leah in a testimonial on the homepage. 

Preparing for a wedding can be stressful at times. So stressful that couples sometimes can slip up and forget the purpose of their wedding — to celebrate their love for one another. With a billion things to check off their to-do list, couples can get lost in their tasks. In between the wedding process, Susan encourages couples to make time to reflect and think about their love. Thanks to Susan, couples are quickly reminded to take a pause from everything during her photo sessions and just have fun! 

“I aim to get laughs out of couples by asking them to remember something that was a funny moment or something romantic such as a first date. This usually brings a lot of emotions out of them,” said Susan. 

Weddings are such an intimate moment for a couple. It’s a time for two people to confess their true feelings toward one another in front of a crowd. You don’t want just anyone to be a part of your big day. Susan told us that she noticed that more people are having larger weddings. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, couples had to resort to smaller and even virtual weddings. 

With the restrictions lifted, weddings are getting bigger as more people are wanting to be a part of the special celebration. Susan said she advises couples to choose a photographer who they can trust to be at the wedding. She suggests selecting someone who has a friendly attitude and makes everyone at the wedding feel comfortable. 

“There are many elements that contribute to the success of one’s wedding day, and as a previous wedding planner, I am familiar with the importance of all these details. Susan Shek provided the care and attention on my wedding day that I couldn’t have anticipated needing or lacking,” said Susan’s client, Alina in a testimonial on the homepage. 

As mentioned before, Susan is at the forefront of every wedding. Unlike other companies that choose someone to just cover the wedding day, Susan is proud to say that she is fully invested in each of her clients’ processes from the minute they inquire to the final delivery. Susan told us that couples don’t forget how you make them feel so she aims to leave a great impression. 

“The perfect moment can happen at any time. It’s the photographer who gets you the perfect shot, it’s the photographer who captures wonderful moments when you don’t realize it. It’s the photographer who has a good eye for lighting and knows how to compose the picture in just the right way. That is exactly what makes an experienced wedding photographer like me, irreplaceable,” said Susan. 

Susan operates under a three-structured process: create, visualize, and tell. Couples first meet with Susan and share their wedding ideas with her. From there, Susan creates a visual design structured around the couple’s personality and surroundings. Susan concludes the process by snapping away what she thinks the couple would love the day of. 

This process ultimately serves as a great way to get everything the couple wants and more. Susan’s clients praise her for always being alert and for paying attention to the little details of such a big day.

“My greatest passion is finding a unique way to preserve the important events, emotions, and environment of your day. And ultimately, create a personalized experience, help you visualize your day, and tell the story of your love with noteworthy imagery.”