|
Acne Free In 3 Days!
All Natural Cure For Stopping Acne In 3 Days. Suffer no more!
Author: Bobby Jones Article source: http://www.articlealley.com/. Used with author's permission.
Do you know what is involved in photographing a wedding? If so you probably dont need to read this article! However, most amateur photographers and even some professionals will benefit from the broad guidelines in the article.
Wedding photography is within the reach of many amateurs, however never underestimate what is required!
The aim of this article is to give you a broad overview of the procedure on the day of the wedding.
Procedure
The following paragraphs outline the procedure to follow on the day.
Arrive at the bride's home with plenty of time to spare; you should be aiming to arrive at the church before the guests, Groom and Best man and in time to have a word with the Minister. If you must go to the Bride's house aim to spend no longer then 10 - 15 minutes there.
In The Church
You must gain the co-operation and confidence of the minister. When you arrive at the church introduce yourself to the Minister and ask what shots you will be allowed with / without flash etc. Establish which aisles will be used and where the register will be signed.
Take another meter reading inside just in case flash is not allowed. If flash is not allowed you will probably require a tripod.
Choosing Locations
If it is your intention to take all shots in the church grounds you must inspect the backgrounds available and select one or two before anyone arrives. When choosing a new location you must be aware of the direction and strength of the lighting.
Try never to shoot in direct sunlight; it is too harsh and contrasty. If possible choose a shaded area where you can position the group with the sun behind them to prevent eyes being half closed. With the sun behind the subject you will have to exercise extra caution with your exposure reading, move in closely and take readings directly from the subjects' face.
The Guests Arriving.
Prepare for the guests arriving. Check exposure and if you are using fill-in flash set appropriate values on auto flash setting. Set daylight exposure on camera manually. Choose an appropriate spot to photograph the guests as they arrive.
Shoot the guests full length, however if you are stuck with an unattractive background, three-quarter length is often more appropriate. Engage the help of one of the ushers to hold guests back from entering the Church until you have the chance to photograph them in pairs or small groups.
Groom, Best Man and Bridesmaids
On their arrival, greet Groom and Best Man. Congratulate him, tell him how smart he looks, he'll probably be a little nervous and will appreciate the compliment. Explain to the Best Man where you intend to shoot the wedding and ask him to inform the rest of the Bridal party. This simple instruction can prevent possible confusion later.
The Bridesmaids Arrive
The Bridesmaids should arrive next - take one full length and one three-quarter length of them, and one portrait of the Maid/Chief Bridesmaid alone. The Bride's mother will usually arrive with the Bridesmaids; make sure that you include her in some of the shots. Recheck exposure and be well prepared for the Bride's arrival.
The Bride Arrives
When the Bridal car arrives, ask Bride and Father to remain seated, you should compliment her at this point, it will help her relax. Take a flash shot from inside the car then ask Father to step outside the car and take his daughter's hand as if helping her out of car.
Take another shot of Bride and Father standing outside the car, and then approaching the church entrance.
A shot of Bride and Father with Best Maid/Chief Bridesmaid and Best Man in the church doorway could also be taken.
You should also take one of the Bride and her Father at the church entrance. Take a shot of Best Maid/Chief Bridesmaid attending to the Bride, you should work quickly at this point.
Leave the front of the church and take up position to shoot the Bridal party arriving at the top of the aisle.
During The Service and Signing Register
Always be discreet and non disruptive in the church. If you have been given permission try to capture the exchange of rings but be very discreet. Any shots you miss at this point can be posed after the service.
Some photographers choose not to take any shots during the service. However some churches ask the couple to sign the marriage register at the alter during the service; you must be prepared for this. If the register is being signed in the vestry then you must follow the Bridal party there.
In the majority of cases the Minster will wish to allow a proper signing and then allow you to pose a shot. Congratulate the couple using their new name, this will raise a smile.
You should now leave quickly and go to the bottom of the aisle.
There are two ways of capturing the aisle shot, either pre-focus on a chosen spot and take the shot as the couple reach it or, ask the couple to stop. If you get them to stop, focus quickly then ask them to start walking again, at this point take the shot.
Outside the Church
You should now (weather permitting) go outside, check exposure and stop the Bride and Groom in the doorway, take a minimum two shots, one full length and one three-quarter length.
Posing the Bride and Groom
Turn their bodies inward toward each other and ask them to lean their heads toward each other too. As mentioned in the portraiture session, this is about illustrating and capturing the intimacy of the day; to do this effectively you need to exaggerate some of the poses.
The groom should stand on the right of the bride. Ask them to hold each other's right hands. This technique will pull their bodies naturally closer. The bride should then hold the bouquet in her left hand using it to cover the clasped right hands. The groom should have his left hand gently on the brides back, ensuring the fingers are not protruding from her side.
Start with the Biggest Groups and Work Downward
You should start with the biggest group and reduce it for subsequent shots, this way people do not have the chance to wander off. This approach also allows the Bride and Groom to relax during a few group shots in preparation for their own photo session nearer the end of the day. When posing groups you should try to avoid straight rows, a slight V-shape is more attractive.
The Bridal Party
With all the large group shots taken you should now concentrate on the Bridal party, anyone who has been missed can be taken later at the reception.
To give some variety to the wedding album I would suggest that you now, if possible, change backgrounds. Leave the front of the church and choose somewhere with a more picturesque backdrop.
Taking the Bridal party somewhere away from the other guests is advantageous for another, more important reason. It allows you to work undisturbed by large numbers of guests all wanting to congratulate and photograph the Bride and Groom. It will also allow the Bridal party to relax into the photo shoot.
Don't Forget the Car!
Remember to photograph the Bridal car. If you are traveling to another location then be sure to take some shots of the Bride and Groom in and beside the car, either before leaving the church or after arriving at the new location.
They have spent a small fortune hiring the cars and would like to look back on this as an important part of their memories of the day.
At the New Location
On arrival at your chosen location your first sequence of shots should be those, which include the parents of the Bride and Groom. Next you should shoot the Bride and Groom with both sets of parents and then with each of their parents in turn.
If you did not visit the Bride's house earlier then you should take a shot of both sets of parents on their own. It is probably a long time since the parents had a photograph of themselves together and looking so smart, this shot is usually a good seller.
Having earlier taken so many shots of the Bride and her father it is to be expected that Mother may feel left out, so a this point take two shots, one full length and one three-quarter of the Bride and her mother.
Ask and Ask Again.
Always ask at regular intervals if anyone would like any permutation of shots. This does 2 things, it gives you a greater range of sellable shots and if anyone asks you later why you didn't take such and such a shot, you can refer back and say that you did ask.
Allow the Parents to Leave Quickly
At this juncture you should point out that, unless there are any shots that they would like, you are finished with the parents. This will allow them to return to act as hosts to the guests. They will appreciate your efficiency of time with them. It is small points like this that people will remember you by.
Bride and Bridesmaids
Next, you should take the Bride with her Bridesmaids; take at least two or three shots varying the pose each time. Get them in close to each other, show their affection for each other.
This is a good time to shoot the garter shot, try to make it humorous, use some imagination.
Some shots of the Bride and Groom with their Bridesmaids and Best Man should now be taken. You could also take the Bridesmaids alone. Remember they could be your future customers, treat them well! Any other permutations of requested or planned shots should now be taken.
The Bride And Groom
Aim to shoot the Bride and Groom on their own, away from any distraction. When you have satisfied the Bridal party and yourself that every permutation required has been taken, take the Bride and Groom aside for some shots alone and allow the rest of the Bridal party to leave and go to the reception.
The Bride and Groom are your First Priority
Remember it is the Bride and Groom who matter most, it is them you must please most. Ensure that you have a good repertoire of poses, which you can quickly and effectively arrange. You should shoot at least 8 to 10 of the couple and at least 10 of the Bride alone.
Posing
In all shots check for small distractions which will detract from the overall appearance of the shot. Some of these may be, gentlemen's jackets unbuttoned, people holding both hands clasped in front of zips, stance with feet too far apart, someone looking out of picture, litter on the ground, graffiti and any other potential distractions.
Backgrounds
As mentioned earlier, avoid too much sky in the background and avoid too many brightly coloured flowers. Always aim to fill the background with as much green foliage as possible; this will focus the attention of the viewer where it should be, on the bride and groom. An exception to having brightly coloured flowers would be if you are intending to use the flowers as an integral part of the picture. (see picture on right)
Show Them What you Want
When posing some shots it is sometimes easier to show the couple exactly how you want them to appear, ask them to relax from the pose, then ask them to return to the former position.
Another tip is to ask the Bride to close her eyes just before the shot is taken, when you are ready to take it ask her to open her eyes and take the shot immediately. (See shot on right)
This will often result in a more spontaneous and relaxed shot. Always tell the couple that it is important that they feel comfortable, if they do not feel comfortable it will show.
When arranging the pose, it can be helpful if you are allowed to physically position the subjects. It is, however important that you ask before you attempt this, as there are a number of people who will not feel comfortable with this approach.
Height Difference
A potential problem with groups is height difference. Use the potential problem of height difference to your advantage. If there are steps available you can use them to elevate the smaller people, if not then you must arrange the group in a composition which pleases the eye.
You can however often use height difference to your advantage, use it by carefully positioning subjects so that their faces, when viewed together run in a smooth flowing composition. Do not be afraid to use the ground as a starting point for posing Bridal party group shots.
Bridesmaids are often asked to pose on the ground in front of the rest of the group. You can then build up the composition by placing any smaller children next to the Bridesmaids and eventually working upwards using smooth flowing lines toward adults in a standing position.
Some photographers will always position taller people near the centre and taper off to smaller people at the ends. I prefer to work on a flexible basis and treat each situation independently sometimes using smaller people near the Bride and Groom and working towards the edges with taller people. This approach can give more emphasis and prominence to the Bride and Groom.
Positioning the smaller of the two nearest the camera can compensate for height difference between the Bride and Groom. This technique, in the Brides case, will not be required too often; society readily accepts that on average females are smaller than males. However you may encounter, as I once did, a couple where the Bride was taller and had specifically asked to be made to look smaller, even if it meant posing her husband on a step!
The Bride
Pay particular attention throughout the day to the Brides appearance. She is the most important person in your photographs. Before firing the shutter always check that she is looking her best.
Pay specific attention to the stance of the Bride. She should be posed by asking her to stand at a slight angle to the camera. The foot nearest to the camera should be extended forward three or four inches towards the camera with the knee slightly bent. Now ask her to transfer her weight to the foot farthest away from the camera.
Her head should be turned towards the camera and tilted slightly. Avoid straight limbs, for example arms and wrists should always suggest a gentle curving, almost flowing movement.
Flowing Lines
When you are composing a full-length portrait of the bride, make sure that you position the bouquet where you would a fig leaf! When you place the bouquet in this position the arms will look more graceful.
Ensure a gentle curvature of the elbows. If you allow the bride to hold the bouquet higher than this, you cover the detail in the waistline and body of the dress, and you put harsh angles into the arms. Not graceful or pleasing to the eye.
When photographing the bride and groom together, or the bride with any male, angle the shoulders so that the male is wider to the camera than the bride. The last thing you want to do is make the bride look bigger than the groom.
The Reception
Before leaving location for the reception you should ask the couple if there are any additional shots they would like taken, either now or at the reception. You must now leave as quickly as possible for the reception.
When you arrive there introduce yourself to the person in charge and explain how long you will need to complete the photographs, this will give them a chance to plan their own schedule. After you have agreed on this time you must strictly adhere to it.
Cutting the Cake
After any remaining groups have been taken you should now set up the cake cutting shot.
Keep the Bride to the forefront of this shot; this will display her dress to full effect. Ask the groom to hold the knife and to place the Brides hand over his; now take one full length and one three-quarter length.
If you ask the bride to use the hand nearest the camera to place on the knife then you should ask her to place the other hand on the small of her husbands back. A variation would be to ask her to use the hand furthest from the camera and to hold her bouquet in the hand nearest the camera, this can be an attractive shot. (See right)
Check for any Last Requests!
After this you should make a last check with the Bride and Groom and both sets of parents to see if there are any further variations of photograph required. Unless you have previously arranged to shoot at the speeches and record the first dance, you should now wish the Bride and Groom good luck and leave.
The First Dance
Always pose the shot of the first dance. If you are staying on at the reception to record the first dance, one point to watch is the composition; a full-length shot often looks silly (feet pointing in different directions!). The dancing shot must always be three-quarter length. Bride and Groom cheek to cheek, heads turned toward camera is good.
Powered by CommonSense CMS script - http://www.sensesites.com/
| 
Print this page