Streamlining wedding shoots
By Fireflirt
@Fireflirt (10)
October 7, 2010 1:31pm CST
As a relatively new wedding photographer (I have been shooting them off and on for four years - usually between pregnancies) I'm interested in learning tips, tricks and favorite creative ideas for accessories. Here are my thoughts:
Always have two photographers and backup equiptment
*Try* to do formal shots of the bride and her party - the groom and his groomsmen before the ceremony. Anyone having any tips on getting the bride and her party to cooperate? It seems to me even if it is set up a year ahead of time they never allow for adequate time to prepare and take pictures.
~For creative, a few of my favorites are the ring(s) on a mirror compact
~Obviously the rings with the flowers
~Having someone drop the ring into the bride's cupped hands and capturing it just before it hits
~ I also usually get the rings on either a shoe strap or the heel if it is slender enough.
I could use experienced wedding photographers ideas, as well as anyone else's. If you're not ahead of the curve you're out of business!
So - current hot trends? Any ideas?
3 responses
@ThomasVH (381)
• Belgium
7 Oct 10
About that hot trends: you can try to make the whole picture in grey and than only leave some part of the photo in colour! That is just look amazing I think and people think it is hard to do but in fact it is not!
Just open PhotoShop and open the picture. Now duplicate that layer and make that duplicated layer grey. Now take the eraser tool and erase the part that contains a lot of colour (like a red head or a green shirt) and you are done!
@Fireflirt (10)
•
7 Oct 10
I've done a few of those - I had one bride who wanted me to do all of the bridal portraits that way, but...it was a December wedding with an unusual amount of snow on the ground, and her dress and roses were plain white. I think I finally positioned her in front of some colored Christmas lights, lol.
@Fireflirt (10)
•
7 Oct 10
That's what I always thought, too. I wasn't left with many options. I might try the frame thing. Not to sure how well that will go over, but it can't hurt to try.
@bobmnu (8157)
• United States
7 Oct 10
I have heard where a photographer will do a lot of informal shots a few days before the wedding. Such shots as walking by a lake, or at home or other outdoor shots where the weather may be a problem. Such shots required a ;ot of cooperation from the Bride and Groom as they are the only ones in those pictures.
@Fireflirt (10)
•
7 Oct 10
I would not do this unless it was specifically asked for because you run into to many issues. The bride will have to have her hair and makeup done twice, there is more chance for the dress to be ruined and usually the bride does not want the groom to see the way she looks before walking down the aisle. If he does, there may not be the look of awe that most grooms get when they catch the first glimpse. Priceless!
@flowerpeople (235)
•
7 Oct 10
I have a flowershop and we do many weddings and I see many photographers work
The trend seems to be to start photos 3 hours before the wedding. The brides seem to like the shot where the groomsmen are holding her up but that trickey . Shots of people jumping bridesmaids and groomsmen and the lonely shot of things like a bride in her gown with his golf club and his golf shoes on But it depends on the hobbies etc.
@Fireflirt (10)
•
7 Oct 10
Thanks! We try to do a lot of those - I have never had a golfer's wedding, though. I just can't seem to get the bridal party, and less often the groom and his guys, to cooperate with the timing. The jumping shot started in England - I think they almost always turn out to be one of the best pictures.
