Wedding Group Photos-Simple “Do’s” and “Don’t’s”
Typically, at least the “official” wedding photos are taken at a time when everybody wants to relax and unwind with something cold and tasty to drink and some delicious food to eat. Even though everyone is chomping at the proverbial bit, this segment should not ever be relegated to anything less than paramount, as the photos you have of the big day will be what you turn to, over and over again, in reflecting back on your big day, for eternity. While having a great photographer (and a really good looking group) are essential, there are some other pointers than can ensure that your wedding photos are ones you will look at and want to share with others in the years to come.
Choosing Your Photographer
Photographers first and foremost, are people. And people have different styles and personalities, so it’s important that you secure the professional services of one with whom you meld. This way, communication will be smooth, and you will get the ambiance of photos you desire. This is especially important as photography styles for weddings continue to evolve, in terms of creativity and tradition breakthroughs. Today’s wedding photos are more casual and relaxed, and can include a number of candid whimsical moments that add dimension to the mix. In choosing your photographer, look for a well rounded, versatile attitude, in addition to experience and evidence of a general understanding of what you want, in terms of style and ratio of convention vs. serendipity.
Preplanning is Essential
Obviously, taking group pics requires much more expertise than individual shots, and the group photos of your wedding party and family will be among your most treasured keepsakes from the day. More and more couples are dedicating a great deal of time to purposefully plan their official wedding photos, even predetermining which ones will go in the album, the wall and various other locations, framed. Try to limit the number of group shots to around 6 to 8. If the session drags on, so will the pictures. In advance, plan the content of these shots. In each one, jot down a list of who you want in it, where you want them to be positioned, and any other details. It’s good to have a mix of a few officially arranged views, even if you are mostly leaning toward the new trend of artsy and cleverly arranged whimsy that is so cool.
Leave Enough Time
It takes time to gather everyone together, make sure everyone looks right and is standing in the right spot, and so on. By limiting the number of group shots, you won’t risk exasperation and defeat. Your session should last around 25 minutes, once everyone is gathered. Plan on it.
Last Minute Requests For the Photographer
Assuming that you have fully addressed all details with your photographer, try to avoid last minute changes. Sometimes they can’t be helped, but the fewer, the better. An experienced professional photographer will, however, be able to accommodate most of these without becoming ruffled.
Artistic Leverage for Your Photographer
For a couple of the shots, try giving your photographer some artistic freedom–to select the background and to position everyone at different levels, with some standing, kneeling, seated in chairs, etc. Advance thinking of fun props for these photos will be advantageous, too. You want your personality as a couple to shine through in your wedding photos.
We hope you have enjoyed these wedding photography Tips! Please visit Scala Photography at: Scalaphotography.com