Photographing the Bride so she looks amazing
Photographing the Bride and Making her Look Great
Your photographer must take exceptional breathtaking kickass Holy Molly drop dead amazing pictures of the bride – PERIOD!
It’s her day and she is going to look incredible so you better have a plan on how to capture her in all her glory. This is one of those shots that you must get.
Here’s what I do:
1- Best case place to photograph her- Photograph her in the location she is getting ready in- I have no idea what the space she will get ready will look like. But I know I can control in a lot more than say the church which will most likely be dark and cluttered. Control is the key word. I search for house or hotel room to find a room that I can clear of all the stuff and has good lighting.
The above is the spare room. I took pictures off the wall and moved everything. If something gets damaged? Be careful and nothing will. If it does? That’s why you have liability insurance.
I like to do the first set of many pictures of her at her location because she still looks fresh and bright. Fatigue has not set in. Also, there is something magical about the bride when she is wearing her dress for the first time. It’s in her eyes and body language and it lasts about 1 hour before the hectic flow of the day starts.
2- Get the lighting right- Open blinds, turn on lights, bounce flash … do what ever to get the space bright. Ideally you know something about light and how it falls and moves- both natural and flash. That’s what a professional means- you know your stuff and make magic happen. If you don’t know how to make it happen, give them their money back and stop booking weddings until you know.
I knew instantly this room was going to be it. The white walls, large windows and blinds made for perfect lighting. She would be backlit and I am bouncing light off the front wall the light her face a touch. I over exposed by a 1/3 to blow out the light even more. I wanted an airy feel to the shot.
How long did I plan this? Days, weeks, hours?
It took one 30 second look in the room and I knew. The whole session in this space took 4 minutes after I moved everything.
3- Posing- Study fashion magazines. I do it while I am waiting to checkout at Schnucks. Other people pick the shortest line. I take the longest line or even better the trainee cashier. I want time to do my homework by scanning Cosmopolitan and Vogue.
For a woman, any woman, curves are appealing.
These are my instructions:
a- push top of your head to the ceiling to elongate the body.
b- pull your tummy or core in the show curves up top
c- arch the lower back to create curves in the behind area.
d- relax shoulders and pull them back to emphasize curves.
e- Put all your weight on foot closest to me to create curves in behind area.
f- Relax hand on hips or thighs and relax elbows away from body. Hands are gentle in posture.
g- Twist at waist a fraction to slim the waist down.
h- chin forward and down, relax the eyes.
I- look over shoulder and down and then over shoulder at me. And BAM!
All the above happens in about 3 seconds in a calm series of instructions.
I know the pose and picture before I take it and it’s just a matter of being VERY clear in posing instructions.
