Photography Tips – Engagement and Wedding Photos

Professional Studio or Do-It-Yourself, Affordable Tips, Pictures

Jun 9, 2009

Capturing the emotions involved with engagement and weddings - the exchange of love and vows of commitment, can be very difficult without a bit of professional guidance.

Wedding and engagement photography is often miscast as overpriced and seemingly standardized - the prevailing notion being that it is going to cost a fortune and that the shots will always be boring and uninspired.

Nothing could be further from the truth, the truth being that wedding and engagement photography is a booming industry with a large pool of skilled photographers and artists who truly invest a great deal of pride and creativity into their work – as well as a growing number of amateur photographers who, due to the falling cost of professional photographic equipment, are willing and able to shoot these ceremonies and themes themselves!

Posing, Pose Ideas, Dress Code, Expression, and "The Framed Kiss" Shot

Conservative couples may opt for the more traditional pose immediately, without regret – the simplest pose being the female or shorter partner seated with the male or larger partner kneeling behind on blocks, with a gentle hand on the shoulder. The crop is typically taken medium, below the breast of the front subject and slightly above the hair of the subject in back. Backdrops typically range from traditional white muslin, plain burgundy or navy, or black velvet.

Those opting for a more modern or artistic pose may choose from a variety of thematic poses - one of the most popular being the "picture-frame" pose. When done correctly, this pose looks fantastic and highlights the love between the couple in a fun and expressive way. It can also be a great pose for DIY or do-it-yourself photographers seeking a pose idea – it is inexpensive, requires few materials, and looks just as good on the beach or in a wooded area as it does in a studio with professional backdrops.

The only prop required is a large picture frame. Be sure both subjects are dressed nicely – in this instance there is no such thing as being overdressed, but being underdressed with spoil the shot entirely – and that you have selected an appropriate and scenic backdrop. A coastal beach with clouds in the bright blue sky, or a wooded meadow filled with verdant greens and chocolate browns will do very nicely.

The subjects face each other while holding the picture frame at 45 degrees, forming a diamond shape. Within the psuedo-frame, the couple should kiss. A slight smile is permissible in the kiss, and laughter makes for a good "funny" exposure as well, but a serious one will go a long way towards solidifying the emotion of the shot. A variety of crops should be used, ranging from a very tight crop on the frame and the couple within it, as well as a moderate crop allowing for a bit more to be seen (nothing should be seen below the waist) as well as the background scenery.

Formal Wedding Photography

With regards to more formal wedding photography during the ceremony itself, it is important to take as many exposures as possible – this is a night to remember and the more exposures one takes, the better likelihood that your guests and clients will be satisfied with your work. This is not an excuse to produce roughshod exposures, but rather an appeal for both quality and quantity.

This is not to argue that quantity is more important than quality – by no means – but it is important to have a great measure of both in this instance. The key to building great portraits during a wedding ceremony and the reception is to remember to crop closely, to capture moments where the subjects are engaged in normal behaviour in order to build a casual compliment to offset the more obvious, formal component of your portfolio.

When shooting the bride and groom (or bride and bride, groom and groom as the case may be), it is important to gather a variety of shots including just the two of them, tightly cropped, in both traditional poses (as mentioned above) as well as more interesting shots – a shared glance over dinner, a laugh following an amusing toast, or simply the couple's hands intertwined, both bands showing and reflecting their newly minted vows of lifelong commitment. Incorporating touching and creative thematic exposures into the finished portfolio will greatly increase the staying power of your images and will lend a "human" feel to the entire body of work and ensure their longevity.

Those interested in pursuing a career or even a hobby in engagement and wedding photography would do well to be sure that their photography is engaging aesthetically while implementing fun and creative poses as well as offering professional and artistic post-production. The finished product not only reflects on the ceremony, but also on one's own skills as a photographer and as a graphic artist – be professional and above all, take an interest in your subjects.

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The copyright of the article Photography Tips – Engagement and Wedding Photos in Photography is owned by Nicholas Morine. Permission to republish Photography Tips – Engagement and Wedding Photos in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.