How to get those way-cool Wedding photos!
Back in the day, wedding day photos meant that the family and wedding party would be gathered for a lineup, a few shots would be taken and that would be the end of it. Although these pictures grace the walls of your grandmother’s home, they may not necessarily work for you. Traditional wedding portraits are lovely, but they tend not to show the true personality of the couple. Here are some tips to make sure you get the perfect wedding photos that really reflect who you are:
Back in the day, wedding day photos meant that the family and wedding party would be gathered for a lineup, a few shots would be taken and that would be the end of it. Although these pictures grace the walls of your grandmother’s home, they may not necessarily work for you. Traditional wedding portraits are lovely, but they tend not to show the true personality of the couple. Here are some tips to make sure you get the perfect wedding photos that really reflect who you are:
1. Make sure your photographer knows who you really are.
When you start meeting with your wedding day photographer, it is important that they get a sense of who you and your fiance are. They should be asking questions about your personality, your hobbies, your ceremony and reception venue(s) and even your wedding day attire. This helps them determine what you want out of your wedding day portraits, and provides inspiration for unique wedding portraits that allows your personalities to shine through. A helpful hint for helping you determine if your photographer is willing to see your vision is by looking at samples of previous wedding photos. If you end up seeing the same pose over and over, then you know the photographer does not cater to the wedding couple.
When you start meeting with your wedding day photographer, it is important that they get a sense of who you and your fiance are. They should be asking questions about your personality, your hobbies, your ceremony and reception venue(s) and even your wedding day attire. This helps them determine what you want out of your wedding day portraits, and provides inspiration for unique wedding portraits that allows your personalities to shine through. A helpful hint for helping you determine if your photographer is willing to see your vision is by looking at samples of previous wedding photos. If you end up seeing the same pose over and over, then you know the photographer does not cater to the wedding couple.
2. If the photographer doesn’t ask questions, speak up!
If your photographer doesn’t take the initiative to ask questions, don’t be afraid to let them know what you want. I’ve seen too many wedding party photos that look like a “usual suspect” lineup-not exactly what you want to convey for your happy event. These kinds of photos are usually the result of the photographer not asking questions about their clients and/or the couple not saying what they want for their photographs. The best pictures that I’ve seen have been portraits where I look at the couple and say, “That is so them!” Remember, the point of wedding photography is to be able to look at your pictures years later and smile at the memories. If you’re not happy with how your wedding pictures were captures, it will show in your photos. If you find yourself unsure of what to say to your photographer, just think to yourself, “What do I want to look back on and remember?” That usually helps determine what you need to say in order to get the photos you want.
3. If you’re not sure what you want, do some research!
The other cause of bland wedding day photos is a lack of inspiration. There are some wonderful wedding blogs out there with some great wedding day photography ideas that truly show who the couple is. Most of the featured photos are quirky and inventive, and show just how much fun the couple had on their special day. These pictures can be helpful in determining in what you want for your own photos and you can even put your own unique twist on what you’ve found. If you’re really stuck, take a look at what you do as a couple. If you like board games, have a picture taken where you and your new spouse are playing Monopoly or Scrabble. Are you a couple of pool sharks? Find a nearby bar and rack up those billiard balls! The possibilities are endless and whatever you find will definitely create some amazing results.
Hopefully, with these tips in mind, you and your photographer can come up with some unique and fun photo ideas for your wedding day that are true to who you and your spouse are.
Hopefully, with these tips in mind, you and your photographer can come up with some unique and fun photo ideas for your wedding day that are true to who you and your spouse are.
Guest blogger - Jessica Sherman
