Wow! This book was beyond my expectations. Well written, easy to follow and extremely difficult to put down. I have much more confidence to shoot weddings and events with the information provided. Thank you!!!

This is a wonderful book for photographers who are just starting out in the wedding business, and there's a reason this book is rated so highly. The book goes through the entire process a wedding photographer should be thinking through, from planning the shoot, capturing the moment and to the final product. It has great photos and lots of advice on technique and the thought process behind photographing a wedding. I personally read it about 18 months ago and I still refer to it from time to time. Nothing profound here, just good substantive photography and good technique. Its a "must have" for the beginner!

-Martin

Sometimes artists need motivation. This book has plenty of motivational techniques. Great coffee table book.

Great Book! Perfect for people who want to start the wedding business... not for people looking to learn how to use a camera.

I was asked by a friend to photograph her wedding. Since I had never done such before, I decided to purchase a book on the subject to try and get some information on wedding photography. This book was very helpful to prepare me for shooting the wedding along with various tips on taking the photos. What was really valuable was the subject of lighting both natural, flash fill, and total use of flash. I would recommend this book to anyone who wanted to know the basics of wedding photography. The pictures in the book were very helpful for the author to substantiate his points.

The content and images is average, just like my cousin took wedding pictures. I so fortunately live by the library of Phoenix,AZ. I can loan ton of books just for wedding. 80% by Bill Hurter books, I recommend to everyone.

I've been doing photography as a business for about two years and have always been hesitant to shoot a wedding. Much of this is because I'm working in an information vacuum. Short of apprenticing with an experienced wedding photographer, Glen Johnson's book, "Digital Wedding Photography - Capturing Beautiful Memories is a great way to get your bearing in the world of shooting weddings.

Johnson assumes a basic knowledge of photography and dives-in with a description of the three prevailing types of wedding photography today: Traditional, Journalistic, and Portrait Journalistic. He explains how the photographer's financial needs may actually dictate which artistic style is chosen.

The book covers how to be prepared for the key events in any wedding, and strongly emphasizes the authors philosophy of non-interference in what should be a couple's key life event. Not turning that blessed event into 'a photo shoot'. He covers photographic technique; which equipment is essential to (digitally) shooting a wedding, and what not to waste your money on; to creating a manageable workflow.

I'm still not convinced that wedding photography is right for me, but I am sure that any digital photographer who is considering entering this area of specialty, cannot afford NOT to buy this book!

Rating 5!

Would give this book a 5...if only it came without creased covers! Amazon, please be more careful with packing next time! Didn't want to return it because I was so excited to read it. I read the reviews, and I'm pretty much just a hobbyist that occassionally get calls to do event gigs. =). This book worked like a guid, as if though i was working with the pro himself! Some seasoned pros may not find this book too useful, but for some of us who are just starting out, or at least in the middle of making sense of our own photography style, this book is a gem. The tips on pricing models, shooting styles, album resources...and a lot more, are just great. Thank you Glen Johnson for writing such a concise and easy to read book. Photos are great...and if anyone just reads the "photos" on this book, you can actually have enough to go with to shoot/cover a wedding. Thanks! Great book!

I'm new in the wedding photography business and have ordered many assorted digital wedding books to further my knowledge. Glen Johnson's book is so well thought out and covers things one never even thought of which makes his book stand far above the rest. The most exciting thing I discovered from reading his book, is what type of photographer I really am. Sounds crazy, I know, but after reading his clear explanations, I realized I'm a Portrait Photo-Journalist....that simple. Here I've been trying to be everything others wanted me to be and I realize now, that it is best to stick with what you feel you do best...let the others go by the wayside if they don't like your style. He gives so many examples and shares his intimate experiences in his doing weddings all over the world that made me feel even though I'm a novice at this, that this is something I can do...I have the greatest confidence now and am ready to take on this new and exciting wedding business. You won't be disappointed by purchasing this fine book. It's one of the best!

I got this book to help me over the winter, my off season, for weddings. I needed new inspiration and new ideas, and I was not disappointed! Great book, I highly recommend this for anyone looking for fresh ideas!

I purchased this book when one of my friends asked me to shoot his wedding. Having never done one before, I took the opportunity to expand my library. This was a good decision. Glen Johnson breaks down the essential elements of, not only the wedding day shoot, but the entire business aspect of digital wedding photography. I didn't want to put it down, I was learning so much. I was able to incorporate his tips into the final product and my results were more than pleasing. I still go back to it from time to time as a reference. Johnson has provided web sites and product names that have proven very effective for any photographer. Before reading this book, I foresaw owning my own photography business as something that would only be feasible years down the road. With Johnson's suggestions and resources, I am launching my own site and making profit on something I love! Highly recommended whether you're a professional photographer or someone who's just starting out and wants to learn more about the highest paying aspect of photography.

This is my first time writing a review on Amazon, but I really wanted to give this book the kudos it deserves. I've bought and browsed through many photography books, and this one is a standout. Johnson advises readers on so many things--from traveling with equipment, to meetings with clients, to setting up a workspace, to work flow and options for retouching He goes over the different types of lenses and what kinds of shots each one is good for. It's also in full color with great examples/illustrations. Johnson gives you tips for getting great candid shots and on finding locations for portraits. He addresses common challenges (as well as situations and practices to avoid) and provides solutions. I've been re-reading this ever since I bought it. Aimed at baby wedding photographers, I'd think that the material would benefit more experienced pros as well. It's an invaluable reference and a great addition to any library.

As an advanced amatuer photographer, I became interested in doing wedding photography after attending several weddings for friends and family in a single year. Most of them had paid photographers, so I was free to practice without pressure. A couple were so informal that I was actually asked to be the impromptu photographer. I found that really I enjoyed the work, and was actually pretty good at it too! Somehow word of mouth landed me three paid jobs for weddings in the following year. Having no formal training or experience, I was terrified! So I decided to hit the books.

I bought Glen Johnson's "Digital Wedding Photography: Capturing Beautiful Memories" at the same time as Bill Hurter's "The Best of Wedding Photojournalism: Techniques and Images from the Pros." Though Bill Hurter's book had some nice pictures and ideas, I was more impressed with the comprehensive business approach that Glen took in his book. He covered all the basis: from developing your own style and business model, ettiquette & attire, equipment & tools of the trade, ceremony/reception logistics, photo tips & pitfalls to avoid, techniques for working with people, the right camera settings for different scenes, and post-processing workflow. He uses photos to complement his text, but it doesn't appear to be a portfolio for him to show off his beautiful pictures. You can see that on his website.

As some have complained, he doesn't attempt to cover every topic in boring depth. Instead, he provides an overview of key points, supplemented by useful references and WEBSITES where you can learn more. His own website is a comprehensive learning site, with all kinds of tips. He even has his contract online for you to reference when developing your own. I also liked that he interviewed several other professional photographers on their ceremony techniques, workflows, and software preferences to show how different approaches can work.

It isn't his job to teach you how to use Photoshop, or how to design your webpage. So he instead highlights where you can get tools (i.e. Actions, templates, and programs) to make them work better for you. If you need to learn how to use Photoshop or how to design a webpage, there are plenty of other great books out there on that.

I have now successfully shot all three of those weddings, and see a bright future ahead for my new business. I owe a majority of my success to Glen's book, for giving me a solid ground to start on.

If there was a course in photography dedicated to wedding photography this would be the text book. It is written like a college course book and not only gives the opinion of one man but several wedding photographers. It tells of the history of wedding photography as well as the different types that are out there today. It gives techniques, advice, and insight. I would suggest this book to anyone trying to break into the business.

-David-
Beautiful Union Portraits

As a teacher of Photography , including wedding Techiques , and an avid reader on the subject as a whole, I found this an interesting well set out and I love the logic shown. The author and I share the same thoughts and techniques .

Wow, this is a very good book of information on digital wedding photography. Very easy to understand for almost anyone.....

This book is both for beginners and more experienced photographers. It was a great help and had excellent advice all throughout the book.

This book doesn't cover posing much, but is very valuable in its tips and insights into how to run the business side of photography.

If you are looking for a book that will give you ideas on how to shoot a wedding...this is the book for you.

If you are looking for ideas on how to run a wedding photography business, again this is the book for you.

Soup to Nuts...the book covers everything you will ever need to know about running a wedding photography business with lots of amazing shots included.

Excellent.

This book really is fabulous, in a word. It is by far the best resource I have encounted for digital wedding photography. It is quite current and timely, and discusses popular styles of photography that are most often sought after by clients.
Though I'm not a professional photographer, I have a strong background knowledge of photography and have shot as an amateur for 5 years. The technical information in this book was right at the perfect level for me; I learned some new tricks and some ways to employ certain techniques, but a basic knowledge of photographic processes is necessary. The amount of information within this book is just incredible for what it costs.
In addition to covering the more technical aspects of digital wedding photography, the author addresses issues such as workflow, shooting on location, running one's own business, and wedding day etiquette. The reader will even get some basic photo editing tips. The author's advice is insightful and very practical.
Though the book is thick with information, it is incredibly readable. The photos are modern (which is more than I can say for many books on the topic) and inspiring as well!

I was very disappointed by this book and don't agree with the glowing reviews.

I am a photographer who was interested in the difference between film shooting and digital shooting in a wedding situation.

I found this book to be VERY basic and is more appropriate for someone who is brand new to the wedding photography.

Even with that I found the information stated the obvious. For example, I think working with flash to be one of the more challenging areas of being new to digital. There were some basic instructions and some pictures that would be in my waste basket not shown as some "cool" effect.

All in all this is a general text for someone who may never have been to a wedding and/or has very little exposure to wedding photography. I would not recommend this book to anyone above the amateur level.

kind of vague not as much technique as I expected, but i dont regret buying it

I find it hard to find anything to agree with the positive reviewers. After reviewing this book, I conclude that some photography books are just about selling books, not valuable instruction. This one does not provide anything but the most very basic input. If you are not completely new to photography, then this book is probably too basic for you.
I purchased this book because I have a couple of weddings booked as an assistant & 2nd shooter, and like you wanted something to "bone up" on that I may otherwise miss. I flipped thru each section, but decided to return the book instead of spending valuable time reading further. This book is so basic, covering the most basic camera functions and simple personal interactions, that it is not worth the time to read thoroughly. My teenage daughter has taken some high school basic photography classes, and politely commented that "this book is silly".

A wedding shoot is critical to the couple, and there are no 2nd chances for a re-shoot. If you really feel the need to cover the basics, I suggest one covering general photography elements, practicing, and returning to weddings after those become second nature. Although a different genre, I can recommend Michael Freeman's "Light & Lighting in Digital Photography".

I am new at wedding photography so I purchased this book. It is absolutely the best one I have read so far. It covers everything! Glen Johnson walks you through every aspect of the photography business. It is much more than a "wedding" photography book. It covers everything- from equipment to lighting to everything. I love it!!!!!

Very inspiring book and one thing I've noticed about Glen is he is all about helping others. Many photographers want to keep the secrets to themselves, but Glen let's all the good stuff out in this book. I highly recommend this book to anyone remotely interested in Wedding Photography as he gives you such a wide range of information covering nearly every aspect of the wedding photography project to completion and gives several recommendations on current products on the market. I even noticed after reviewing Glen's website that he offers this book signed by him from his website. It's much more affordable here on Amazon, but it's different to get the signed version. My hat's off to Glen for an outstanding book.

I recommend this book to the non-traditional photographer. This would appeal more so to the photo journalist or the portrait journalist as this is Glen's photography style. Thanks for putting this book together Glen!

This was an excellent book, well worth the price. I bought it based upon all the reviews, and was really happy with how much I learned from it. It was great for me, a newer wedding photographer, to see sample workflows that the author presented, and an overview (soup to nuts) on how other very experienced wedding photographers have honed their workflow. I would think that aspect alone would be valuable for even advanced wedding photographers, but the real value here was for newer photographers like me.

The introduction to this book explains that it is not for photographers that want to know about depth of field or composition. It is geared toward photographers that already have a decent handle on taking photos but would like insight into what is involved when it comes to wedding photography using a digital camera.

There is an interesting section in the book that explains the differences between traditional, classic portrait wedding photos and the new, now in vogue, photo-journalistic style of wedding photography. Further, why each is important and how to execute each of the two approaches. The book even goes as far as explaining about different revenue models and the strengths and weakenesses of each. This is valuable information (no pun intended).

There are lots of photo examples complete with EXIF camera setting data for each one. The book also gives some excellent tips on taking wedding photos inside and outside given the wide disparity of lighting situations. Great information on using flash and when it is appropriate and how it is best accomplished is included as well. There is a section that explains what lenses are best used in certain situations and why.

In addition to the valuable technical tips and techniques, there is a great deal of very useful information on how to best relate to various situations during the preparation, ceremony, and reception phases of the wedding. This includes manners while taking photos, the best way to approach certain situations, and the people involved that the photographers needs to pay special attention to. One of the more interesting aspects to photographing the actual wedding ceremony are the hints and tips on how to be unobtrusive, how close to get to the wedding couple and the "must have" shots for any wedding.

I already know that I will re-read this book several times in order to commit much of the great content to memory. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in the complex and specialized field of wedding photography and especially to those who don't consider themselves "experts". It is loaded with useful information. Weddings take a limited amount of time and the photographer must know what they are doing to get it right the first time because there are no second chances...

I enjoyed reading this book from the minute I rec'd it. It is full of practical knowledge that you can apply to your photography immediately.
I highly recommed this purchase.

I purchased Digital Wedding Photography: Capturing Beautiful Memories this summer to help me prepare for my first weddings that I am shooting in August. I have bought a lot of photography books, but this is by far the best one that I have read so far. I'm just getting my feet wet in the area of wedding photography and I feel like this book really taught me a lot. I feel very comfortable going into these situations now that I have the knowledge and tips from this book.

As a general overview of wedding photography from a photojournalist's point of view I doubt that Glen Johnson's Digital Wedding Photography can currently be beat. No one topic is covered in great detail but he also does not seem to left any significant aspect uncovered. The book should appeal most to those new, or who are contemplating entering, wedding photography. Some sections seem to have been written for individuals who have only point & shoot experience but who have been asked by a friend or relative to take photos at their wedding as he discusses some very basic camera operations and functions.

If you are new to wedding photography this book would be useful to you as a quick way to begin to understand where you need to learn more about the field. Because Digital Wedding Photography is a general overview nothing is covered in any depth. For example Johnson discussion of PhotoShop is so basic that he could have saved space by just saying that a knowledge of PhotoShop is a necessity for a wedding photographer and then given a list of recommended readings or workshops. Personally I would have liked to have seen more of the business side of wedding photography. This is covered somewhat but again all too briefly.
[...]

I'm just making the transition to wedding photography and this book provided exactly what I wanted.

Experience wedding photographers may not see a whole lot of value in reading the book, but photographers just starting to shoot weddings, it's a "soup to nuts" instructional manual.

I am still new to photography and this book has been a great guide for me. Weddings and family pictures are mostly what I do and this book has already given me good advice. I am not yet completely finished reading it but all that I have read has been extremly helpful.

I'm a photographer/graphic designer, shooting weddings in my spare time. When I first started out, it was scary. When I asked advice from other photographers or in forums, most of them were discouraging and downright snooty. Glen Johnson's book was like having my own personal wedding photography mentor. He explains procedures and options in a very easy-to-understand, down-to-earth, and encouraging manner. I savored every page and was sad when I finished the book. It was comforting that all that I've learned on my own was what other professionals do. I still refer to it once in a while, if not to just look at his amazing images. A must have for budding wedding photogs!

I'll give it 1 star, only because a half isn't possible. From the author's description, you'd get the impression this is a book on individual technique and style. There's really not much of that. On page X (preface), he talks about how this book is not designed as a beginning photography book, but he seems to stick to a lot of basics throughout the book, for example page 30-31 discussed the strengths and weaknesses, pros and cons of digital SLR vs. point and shoot cameras. That alone is about as basic as it gets. I believe most anyone who is above 'beginning photography' level is fully aware how to use flash, knows that larger apertures are better in low light, and that a hard case is better for travel than a soft case, etc, etc. This book is overloaded with similar basic 'filler', like his explanation of what depth of field is on page 35. And I'm sorry, the 'secrets' of creating a successful wedding photography business aren't really secrets at all. It's just how he's done things, and reflects a few ways others have too. What this book has to offer is really just a partial printout of the vast resource of wedding photography information which is available for free on the internet through any search engine. There are far better books on this subject. Disappointingly, his one really has little to offer. Books like this, with a description like his lure uneducated, unexperienced camera owners into believing they can get out there and offer services that go shoulder to shoulder with the experienced pros. With 30 years experience in the trade of wedding and portrait photography, I can assure you that the required education and training aren't encapsulated in books like this. Wanna learn quick? Save your money. Work as an assistant for an established, experienced professional. You'll learn more in just a few weddings than a book like this offers. Pretty cover, though...

This is absolutely the best book I have ever seen on digital wedding photography. It covers anything and everything you'd want to know. It's written in easy-to-understand wording and the illustrations are beautiful. I highly recommend this book. You'll be delighted with it. I am so glad I bought it. It's worth every penny I paid for it...and more! I can't rave enough about it. It is awesome!

One of the most practical, comprehensive and truely useful book written for wedding photographers. A must read if you plan to shoot wedding as a career,part-time or as a hobby.

After a numerous wedding photography books...i finally found a good one that stays on my desk...instead of the bookshelve. Other wedding photography books have so much fill its unbelievable. I know what aperture and shutter speed is already, no need to tell me and no need to spend chapters on it!!! I'm gald this one dives right in. If you are a beginner...then maybe this book is a little too fast paced for you. Well written and the illustrations are good. Also has good tips that i haven't seen in the others wedding books. Real solid reading and advises. Of the 8-9 wedding books i own...this one ranks 1st or 2nd. Good Job Mr. Johnson!

This is a fabulous book for anyone who is enjoys photography. It is a comprehensive step by step on how to get the right shot, using the right lens, down to how to pack for destination weddings. I would recommend this book to anyone in photography.

I am starting to shoot some wedding this year 2007, and this book gives me practical knowledge dos & don't on posing, event managing, and where has the best angle to shoot. As a newbie, this book is wonderful.

This book gives a tremendous amount of valuable information. The author covers many aspects of the wedding photography world, both the photographic side and the business side. The reason I gave this book three stars, rather than four or five stars is because the author seems to have the idea that the more and fancier equipment a photographer owns, the better and more successful a photographer he or she will be. Throughout the book, the author concentrates on exotic locations and seemingly tries to make a correlation between expensive camera gadgets and sales, instead of concentrating on technique and how to get the best photos out of the equipment you may already own. In reality, a camera is only a tool, and even great equipment can yield poor photos in the wrong hands.

I think this book would be better suited for already-established photographers who are looking for ways to expand their business and build their gadget collection with art lenses and other fancy gear. This book would be the perfect companion to a local part-time photographer looking to go full-time into the world of destination wedding photography, or to any photographer who aspires to one day cater exclusively to the wealthiest and most celebrated clientele. To a less-experienced photographer, or a novice photographer looking to go pro or semi-pro, this book is -- as a college professor once told me -- smashing ants with hammers.

This book is well written, well organized, very thorough with good discussion and tips on the different wedding situations. It starts from the basic aspects of the different wedding photographic techniques, business models, the different lenses to consider and many more. This is my first wedding photography book and I have been impressed ever since! I would highly recommend this book to anyone wanting to learn wedding photography from the ground up. I give it 6 stars!!

As an advanced amateur photographer (I have a love/hate relationship with the phrase "prosumer", but that is me) I have recently read several books on wedding photography, as I plan to enter that field professionally. This book provided all the information I was looking for, as well as answered many of my more mundane, logistical questions about shooting weddings. I also found huge amounts of useful information on the author's website, so the book provides more than what is just between the pages. If you are a wedding photographer already, about half of this book will be old news to you. If you aspire to be a wedding photographer (or have attempted to shoot a wedding and fell on your face) this is the perfect book (and website) for you. I can even say it was an interesting read - informative as well as entertaining. This is the book that will answer most if not all of your questions.

I have never taken the time to review a book but after reading this book I am compelled to do so. I am an avid videographer and photographer just breaking into the professional realm. This book is a masterpiece for the intermediate photographer, not just for weddings but for tips and idea's on how to use that camera of yours. I am VERY impressed and have learned tons. Thank you for a book well done!

This is an excellent book for the beginners or the intermediates. This book is well written and well organized with many examples and tips on "how to" in many different situations. I would highly recommend for anyone who wants to get into wedding photography.

Kamlesh

If you have shot 0-4 weddings then there is plenty of good information. The book is very detail-oriented around the business aspect of wedding photography along with some coaching around events, shots, etiquette, etc. So if you are new to digital photography and want to shoot weddings this is a very good resource. However....

If you are looking for lots of ideas for shots this is one place where the book is adequate but really missing a big opportunity. For all the 336 pages you get lots of text and relatively slim numbers of photos. If you are looking to shoot a wedding what you need as much as business sense and technique is.... ideas. Creative ideas are one of the most important things you can have. And for most of us who do not hallucinate about weddings all the time what you really need to seed your creative juices is lots of photos of what others has done. In this specific respect this book did miss this opportunity and hence 4 stars instead of 5. (Twice as many photos would have been the minimum for 5 stars IMHO.)

If you want something to seed your creativity that is slightly better than this book (for concepts) then check out 'The Best of Wedding Photojournalism: Techniques and Images from the Pros' by Bill Hurter.

I purchased this book 2 weeks ago and have not put it down. I have read it twice and still enjoy leafing through the pages. It is beautifully illustrated and very well written. It is extremely easy to read and understand. I would definitely recommend it to anyone interested in wedding photography. Kudos to Glen for such a fabulous book!

I bought this book because I wanted to learn more about wedding photography as I am considering trying to do it as a side business. I have used 35mm and digital cameras for many years now and wanted to find out more about wedding photography.

I have to say, this book is excellent! It really gives you so much helpful information that even if you've never done wedding photography before, the information in this book will help you speak knowledgably to potential clients.

This book does assume you already know photography well as it gives detailed information on exposure and camera settings- and if you don't have a full grasp of these topics, it may go over your head (as it did mine many times). However, the author does explain these concepts and it really helped me to understand photography a lot better.

The pictures in this book are beautiful and this book has certainly inspired me to persue the dream of being a wedding photographer.

Overall an excellent must read book for anybody considering getting into the wedding photography business as a side business or as a full time job.

Yes, as everyone has said its a phenomenal wedding photography book. But, its also a great photography book!
You do need to know the basics to pick this book up, but it can definitely be an asset to help take you to the next level. In terms of general stuff, there's great info on exposure considerations, jpg vs. raw, composition, shooting in sunlight, and just the best stuff I've read on properly using flash.
Wow!

It's a good overview of the whole process of shooting weddings for money. There isn't a lot of depth to each topic covered, but it does give you a pretty good idea of how to get started. I'd say it is worth the purchase price.

After reading several reviews of this book I had to check it out. As an aspiring professional wedding photographer I found this book had lots of great tips from lighting to what workflow works best for you. I got it a week ago and haven't put it down! The photographs are amazing, and what's better is Glen tells you how it was made. I would definately reccommend this book to anyone interested in wedding photography, from beginner to novice.