Natural-looking Wedding Photographs

By Author: Shawn Engbrecht
Total Articles: 4762
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When wedding photographs are viewed together, they should paint a visual story of, what is for many, one of the most intimate, emotional and memorable days of their lives. Whether you are a friend, family member, or a professional photographer, you have an important responsibility when taking these photographs. The couple is depending on you to deliver to them a visual record that they will cherish for the rest of their lives. Every detail and event, including the clothes, emotions, flavors, ceremony, and the people, must be weaved together into a fabric of photographs that will revealed the very best of those memories.

One of the secrets to taking memorable and natural-looking wedding photographs is in the preparation. It is extremely important to organize and coordinate the photo shoot. Do some research. Before the wedding, you should spend some time with the couple to get a feel for their style. Visit the church or facility around the same hour as the wedding. Walk around the building and the grounds. Most importantly, be sure to check out the lighting. You should also identify natural backdrops or other potential ...
... backgrounds for your photographs.

Based on your discussion with the couple, you should have a list of the group combinations of photographs that you will be taking throughout the wedding. Generally the breakdown will be as follows: bride, bride and groom, bride and bridesmaids, groom, groom and groomsmen. Also, there is the entire wedding party and family portraits. Plan how much time you will allocate to each of these wedding group categories.

Don't be the proverbial "wedding photographer". Get actively involved in the event! You should be like a caring member of the family, or a dear friend of the couple, who has been trusted with a very important task. Your objective is to tell the story of their wedding day from the photographs you take. Through a series of formal, detailed and candid shots, your mission is to illustrate their wedding in a visual style that is effective and natural.

Generally, the day commences with taking shots of the bride and groom, as they prepare themselves in separate locations. This phase is probably one of the best times to capture a wide range of emotions, especially as it gets closer to the hour. Keep in mind that the best natural shots usually have an element of activity or motion associated with the subject. People are often dancing, kissing, crying or laughing. When photographing the bride, keep in mind that she wants to, and should be, treated like she was a supermodel.

You should make sure there is a balance of traditional poses as well trendy fashion-oriented shots. There should also be playful photographs that capture the bride's personality. Remember, weddings are as much about details as anything else. Concentrate on the small and romantic features that make up this big day, including the dresses, shoes, hairstyles and rings, flowers, and decor. In addition, remember that this is a day of "firsts" for the couple. You must be ready at all times to capture that unexpected moment! It could be the couple's first kiss as married partners, or their first dance.

Whether you are posing individuals or groups, don't hesitate you give out suggestions and instructions that will make the pose shoot seem as natural as walking or breathing. All photographers should understand that positioning techniques, such as having people "lift up their chin" eliminates double chins. To reduce the width of the upper body, and emphasize the bosom, have the subject hold his or her elbows away from the torso. Emphasizing sexy curves is just a matter of shifting the weight to the rear foot; this technique locks the hips into just the right position.

When you use a backdrop, make sure that it doesn't distract from the subject. Also, the subject should not look posed. Many of the best natural-looking photographs focus on the iris of the subject's eyes. Think about how often you look at a photograph and are immediately drawn to the mysterious, playful or alluring eyes of the person in the picture.

Perhaps the most important element in shooting natural wedding photographs will be how adept you are in your use of lighting. Flash and lighting equipment should only be used when absolutely necessary. Then, you should only use fill flash or bounced flash. Diffused lighting is a valuable tool for any photographer. This type of lighting, which makes light appear to flow from multiple directions, softens images and makes them appear gentler. It also eliminates shadows.

You should make it a point to take lots of outdoor photographs. Because people tend to be a bit more relaxed outdoors, this is where you may take some of your best natural-looking photographs. The sunlight can accentuate the face, skin or hair of a subject. This may introduce a warm and romantic flavor to the picture. In contrast, harsh sun and shadows can ruin the shot, so you'll have to maneuver yourself into the right positions for taking the photographs.

For the most part, taking high-quality and natural-looking wedding photographs is a matter of having the right equipment and understanding the basic tricks of using natural lighting as much as possible, posing your subjects without it being obvious and having your eyes wide open and having your camera ready to capture even the most unexpected moments. Try to anticipate when you can capture the true and natural personality of the couple as well as family members and guests.
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