Have you ever been on a shoot where your second shooter or assistant caught a better shot than you from a different perspective, after you put in all the hard work? If not, you will be; and if you work alone, you’ll never know what could have been. The problem is that when we’re shooting on auto-pilot at weddings, we get so focused on what we want to look for that we miss what we could look for. I remember the huge relief that I felt early in my career when I reached the end of an event.

With that came a sense of relaxation and lightness. My sudden relaxed demeanor allowed me to slow down, to widen my gaze, to see and process more. That’s a great thing, up until I started to wonder if I saw everything when I was in my adrenaline-fueled state at the time. And then panic set in. I realized there was a disconnect between my conscious and relaxed state, and my seemingly “unconscious,” focused state of mind. 

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Turn Off Your Photography Auto-Pilot

This experience taught me a valuable lesson that I’ll never forget: Always slow down. Always have a wide gaze. Always be relaxed.

Consider that what you’re seeing is happening in three dimensions, being witnessed by people occupying different spaces. If you work alone, remember to turn off your auto-pilot mode. Consider how the scene looks from not just the bride’s point of view but also the groom’s, the parents’ of the bride, the little kid sneaking a peek down the aisle from under the seat. Consider what the bride and groom’s loved ones are seeing and tell the story from their perspectives. 

Once you realize that you had an auto-pilot that you weren’t necessarily aware of to begin with, you can turn it off and open yourself up to a perspective that was always there. And it’s liberating!

[Read: Takeaways from Being in My Brother’s Wedding as an Off-Duty Photographer]

Focus on Emotion

An alternative point of view is only a small part of this approach. Don’t forget emotion. I don’t mean the emotion in the scene, or the parents’ tears. I mean your own emotions. 

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Allow yourself to feel what the family and friends are feeling on the day. Laugh with them, cry with them, feel the elation, warmth and love that’s in the room and respond to it with your camera.

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When you truly connect on that level, you’ll be amazed at how this affects your images and, in turn, how people respond to them.

Double Your Coverage

It takes practice to consider alternative points of view and the possibilities they present. Moreover, it usually takes a caring second pair of eyes to really see the potential. So if you do shoot alone, perhaps consider taking a friend with you, or hire a photo assistant or associate photographer, to be your second pair of eyes and ears.

[Read: Building an Associate Photo Team—Is It the Right Move for You?]

This will give you the freedom to tell a more well-rounded, complete and touching story that more people can relate to. Your clients will love you for it and your work will be elevated visually too—a win-win situation.

Sanjay Jogia and his wife, Roshni, make up Eye Jogia Photography, a London-based luxury destination wedding photography business of ten years and counting. He has been a WPPI Print Comp judge and instructor for the past three years, and he has earned over 30 WPPI accolades in only a few years of entering.