Five Ways to Take Care of Yourself as a Wedding Photographer
As photographers we tend to forget that we are human. We are capable of amazing , crazy, and insane things. I have stood in a river with all my gear on me, hung out of an awning on a castle for a shot, climbed a rock to get the whole view of an overhang, and climbed in ice and snow over rocks to get an epic wedding sunset photo. I’ve also gone hours without water, gotten a wicked bad sunburn, drove 3 hours in a whiteout snowstorm, and have gone without food. The point is we need to take care of us because the wedding hangover is real. REAL.
Food and Water: I always make sure I eat a decent breakfast before I go. I usually do something protein heavy cause I know it’ll be a few hours before I get food. I try and drink my whole 32oz water bottle before I leave. I have 1 energy drink before I arrive.
Footwear: I have durable Eddie Bauer boots for my winter sessions and flats/sandals for summer. Not the best footwear but they keep my feet from overheating (which bothers me soo much) and most locations are fairly flat. Not great if the ground gets soaked but I usually just go barefoot at that point. I also have back up shoes in the car in case I need something with more grip. I also carry yak tracks in the winter for the same reason. Saved my butt a few times at Devil’s Thumb Ranch, Keystone, and Spruce Mountain Ranch.
Clothing: When I worked for the studio it was all black all the time. While working for myself, I like to go with colors and lighter fabrics like satin or silk in the summer. Cotton or wool in the winter. I have a pair of black Express slacks that I wear for pretty much every wedding. If the temperature is above 80 degrees and I know I will be running around outside most of the day, I have a knee length black dress that I wear my husband’s black boxers under because, duh, I’ll flash everybody without them. I also ALWAYS keep extra clothing items in my car because disaster can and will strike. Whenever it wants. Don't tempt fate.
Physical Care: I always try to get a solid 6-7 hours of sleep the night before. When I wake up, I like to stretch, double check my gear, and eat breakfast. I have started working out this year so I’m hoping that will help with the fatigue I have after a wedding. Though my wedding load has dropped from 30 a year to a handful, haha. I typically carry all of my gear on me. Which is between 40 - 50 lbs on me all day. To say I need upper body strength and core strength is TRUTH. Baths are a great thing I have learned to take after a wedding. It helps me sleep and relaxes my muscles.
Mental Care: I go into every wedding with the thought that something will change and I need to be okay with it. Being a former classical violinist, my mind can be rather rigid. I prepare for what could happen and I’m ready for it. I’ve had late second photographers, high groomsmen forgetting what time it was, people fainting, someone with altitude sickness, dress mishaps, Maid of honors showing up 10 minutes before the ceremony not dressed (true story), a fight at a reception in which the police were involved, and drunken guests throwing sparklers all over a mountain side. You gotta breathe deep, push through, and just reassure yourself that you are doing the best with what you have. People are people and it is what it is.
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