How Many Hours of Wedding Day Photography Coverage Do You Need? (2024)

FAQs

How Many Hours of Wedding Day Photography Coverage Do You Need? ›

If you want coverage of pretty much everything and you don't want to feel rushed, 10 hours is usually the best option. It will also allow for plenty of time to get all of the most important shots if you have to commute to different locations on your big day.

If you want coverage of pretty much everything and you don't want to feel rushed, 10 hours is usually the best option. It will also allow for plenty of time to get all of the most important shots if you have to commute to different locations on your big day.

Advice – Wedding Party Photos should be around 45 minutes to 1 hour. During this time, we get a variety of shots in a variety of poses. We start off with the basic, classic photos focused on great expressions and lighting.

If you are not doing a grand exit, Budget for the photographer to be at the reception for 2 hours. That's typically enough to cover the entrance, cake cutting, dances, toast, and after a certain amount of time all dancing photos start to look the same.

So how many hours do YOU need? Every wedding day is totally different, however, most couples need between 8 – 10 hours of photography coverage to make sure the getting ready portion of the day through the dance floor opening are photographed.

and though the answer can vary, it is quite simple.

On average, couples can expect 50-100 photos per hired hour, which is pretty standard for most wedding photographers. So, let's say you hire your photographer for 8 hours, your gallery will likely contain 400-800 photos.

Eight hours is the most popular option because couples generally want getting ready photos, and it also allows for some travel time as long as your getting ready, ceremony, and reception locations are fairly close together.

ADVICE - Wedding Party Photos should be around 45 minutes to 1 hour, depending on the size of your party. During this time, we get a variety of shots. The photos start off with more formal images & lighting then we can have more fun and creative images.

I recommend starting your ceremony about 1 to 1 1/2 hours before the sunsets. This will give you amazing photos during the ceremony as well as afterwards, or if you decide to do a “First Look,” with portraits before.

For the best results, photographers agree that wedding party portraits take about 30 minutes, family portraits take about 30 minutes (if you're sticking with only photographing close family), and couple portraits take between 45 minutes to an hour.

Do you really need 2 photographers at a wedding? ›

What you may not have heard yet is that many of the most important moments of your day may be happening simultaneously in two different places! That's why we always recommend hiring at least two wedding cinematographers.

However, the good news is that the photos usually aren't taken all at once, and the time is broken up throughout your day. Most photographers say you need about 30 minutes for wedding party portraits, 30 minutes for family portraits (close family only), and 45 minutes for couple portraits.

Ordinary number of pictures delivered by hours

To give you an idea, the average number of pictures delivered by a wedding photographer for one hour is between 50 up to 100 wedding photos. Most of the time I will deliver 800 to 1000 digital files for 12-hour reportage.

There is a term called Pareto's Principle, or the 80/20 rule, which refers to situations where 80% of the effects come from 20% of the causes. This is a very important idea to understand when growing your photography business. 80% of your overall sales could come from 20% of your clients or products.

Use the rule of thirds.

It involves evenly dividing the frame between two equally spaced horizontal and vertical gridlines, creating a three-by-three grid. In order to create balance and flow within the image, compositional elements should be placed where these lines of the grid intersect or segment your image.

What is the rule of thirds? The rule of thirds is a composition guideline that places your subject in the left or right third of an image, leaving the other two thirds more open. While there are other forms of composition, the rule of thirds generally leads to compelling and well-composed shots.

Depending on the types of portraits you want your photographer to take (different wedding photographers have different styles!), it will probably take you at least two hours to get all the shots. However, the good news is that the photos usually aren't taken all at once, and the time is broken up throughout your day.

Ordinary number of pictures delivered by hours

To give you an idea, the average number of pictures delivered by a wedding photographer for one hour is between 50 up to 100 wedding photos. Most of the time I will deliver 800 to 1000 digital files for 12-hour reportage.

On average, you can expect to receive your complete collection of wedding photos anywhere from four to 12 weeks post-wedding. This timeline can vary based on the season and how busy your wedding photographer is at the time of your wedding.