When you go for a wedding shoot, the shoot will happen both indoors and outdoors. Both these shooting has got its own challenges. When you shoot indoors, you will not get the luxury of using natural light all the time. There are many other challenges that you will face during an indoor wedding shoot.

In this guide, I will share 12 useful indoor wedding photography tips and ideas that will help you overcome all the challenges and take your indoor wedding images to the next level.

Let us get started.

#1. Don’t Be Afraid to Shoot at HIGH ISOs

Indoor Wedding photography

Many photographers tend to go with low ISO values when they shoot indoor wedding images. It is due to the fear of introducing noise in the image. 

Nowadays camera technology and photo editors have reached a level where it is possible to eliminate noise completely even at high ISO values. 

The highest ISO value you can use with minimum noise level will also depend on your camera. So, find out this maximum value and try to shoot within this range. It will help you capture shake-free images.

#2. Use High-Quality [Branded] Artificial Lights

Don’t forget to invest in high quality artificial lighting setups for your indoor shoot. It can be continuous light or flash. 

I strongly recommend not going for cheap lights. It can create unwanted color casts in the image which will spoil your picture. It is because they will have a slight deviation from the actual color temperature value. 

Also, they may not perform in the same way when you use them for a long time.

#3. Select the Right Shutter Speed

Indoor Bride and Groom Portrait

The right shutter speed will help you capture images without any blur. Otherwise, the subject will look shaky in the image. 

You need to select the shutter speed according to the lighting and subject movement. You may find it a little difficult when you do it for the first couple of times.

Once you get used to such indoor wedding shoots, you will find the perfect shutter speed for different indoor lighting conditions.

#4. Play with Depth of Field

It is also a good idea to play with the Depth of Field. Images can be boring if you shoot everything with the same aperture value.

Try using lower aperture values to get a nice background blur with beautiful bokeh. 

Here the trick is you must know when to go for a low aperture. It works well when you shoot individual portraits of the bride and groom. It also works well for couple portraits.

#5. Make Sure there is Light in the Subject’s Eyes

Indoor Wedding Picture

There is no point in capturing a wedding shot if there is no light in the eyes of the subjects. Also, make sure that the eyes are sharp in the picture.

When you position the lights, you need to ensure proper lighting on the subjects. If the eyes are in the shadows, you will have a tough time fixing them in the editing stage.

By embracing these indoor photography tips, you will be perfectly poised to create an exceptional wedding photo album that captures every cherished moment.

#6. Capture Candid Shots

Wedding photography is incomplete without candid shots. Candid images help to capture the emotions of the bride, groom, and other family members.

It is a good idea to carry a telephoto zoom lens for capturing candid images. A 70-200mm lens will be a perfect choice for such pictures.

It will give you enough working distance between the subject and the camera. Thus, you can capture images without getting noticed.

#7. Use Gels with Artificial Lights to Create the Perfect Mood

Bride Portrait

You can change the whole mood and feel of a wedding image by introducing color gels along with your artificial lighting setup.

An orange gel will help to make the scene warmer. But make sure the gels don’t create a color cast in the image. 

You will need some practice to identify the right gel colors and their positioning to create a perfect image.

#8. Use a Macro lens to Capture Details

It is a good idea to carry a macro lens when you go for indoor wedding photography. 

There are two advantages of using a macro lens. The fast aperture of the macro lens allows you to shoot at fast shutter speeds. 

You can capture the beautiful details in the jewelry, dress, flowers, and other interesting subjects at the wedding. Thus, you can capture the whole feel of the wedding process with your camera and hand over it to the client.

#9. Compose & Capture Images

Couple Portrait

One of the best indoor wedding photography tips that I want to share with everyone is regarding image composition. Composition is the key to any type of photography. So, as a photographer, you must ensure to use any of the composition techniques to make the image interesting for the viewer.

So, don’t just capture full-body shots of the bride, groom, relatives, and their friends alone. Use proper composition techniques for each of your images to take them to the next level.

Your profession as a wedding photographer will be successful only if the clients are satisfied with the images.

#10. Try Different Vantage Points

Don’t stick to the usual eye level viewpoint for all your indoor wedding images. Try to create some unique pictures by changing the angle of view. 

You can go for a top or low angle shot. But make sure that the end result is interesting for the viewer.

It requires some practice to understand the different vantage points. that work in different situations.

#11. Use Tripod if Necessary

Indoor Wedding Portrait

It is also a good idea to use a tripod for the indoor shoot if possible. 

The tripod allows you to shoot at slow shutter speeds without any shake. Thus, you can capture images at low ISO values.

 It will help you avoid the denoising process while editing the images. Thus, you can accelerate the photo editing workflow.

#12. Retouch the Images

Last but not least, retouch all your images. It is a bad idea to hand over the images from the camera directly to the clients.

You need to do some adjustments like color correction, exposure adjustments, and some fine-tuning to take the images to the next level.

Retouching also helps to show your signature style to the clients. 

Final Thoughts

You can use these indoor wedding photography tips to take your wedding images to the next level. You can also apply the same tips if you are providing pre-wedding photography services that happen indoors. Pre-wedding photography has become a trend nowadays.

You must also ensure to invest in the right camera gear for wedding photography. Only then you will be able to deliver professional high-quality images to the customers.