Getting Ready Shots and Why They are Important
They are an important series of shots that the couple will love.
Getting into the dress is a ritual and it is the threshold moment of the day- it is the moment when everyone knows it’s game on. Or in the words of a brides maid at a recent wedding- ” The s***ts about to get real” to which everyone bust into hysterical laughter.
Things I do to document the moment is to control the event.
For example, I ask the groom to put the jacket on in a certain spot- natural light and clean background. Never have them look at the camera- always out the window. Ask them to play with their cuffs or lapels. They need to look cool and James Bondish.
For the Bride there are many options and I try to get a sense of the flow of the dress and the people around them. One of my favorites is the mother applying the final touches of the dress. This is a timeless ritual and it shows a link to the past
I photograph it at the mothers level, Never from above because it looks poor, and always with a backlight behind her. It creates a nice glow around the mother.