The secret to getting good portraits is taking advantage of opportunities that come up during the wedding day. It might be the weather that tells adds a certain unique story to the wedding day. It might be lighting that I can use (think twinkle lights... they are EVERYWHERE these days). It might be that the wedding party is super close and love hanging out together.
Why is it important to make wedding portraits fun? Well, if people aren't happy, or are standing out in the sun too long, or freezing in the winter... guess what? They don't look happy (or normal). Who wants wedding portraits when people don't look happy? If no-one is having fun anymore, it's time to move on.
Catching couples in great light with some prompts that work for them helps break the ice. It takes a few minutes to relax into the process and trust me that I am getting them at their peak stunningness (yeah, I made that word up) and that all they have to do is enjoy each other and play for a little while.
Often my favorite wedding portraits are before the pose or after they think they are done with it. That's when personalities and spontaneity come out and are captured. Lots of couples know that this part of the wedding day is really tight for time and the pressure is on to "perform". Once my couples know that there is no pressure, only opportunities, they usually relax and enjoy this tiny little breather in a jam packed wedding day. It's pretty much the only time of your wedding when you get to have a quiet moment together. And that's when the magic happens.
Often I will take suggestions from the wedding party the day of the wedding so I can get a flavor for how they fit together as a group and also because what might seem super cheesy to one group is what a different group has dreamed of doing for years. Blending tradition, creativity and a pinch of opportunity are the secret sauce for creating fun and epic wedding portraits. I always use what's around me to help tell the story of the wedding day. Another thing that makes photos better? Having fun! It really is that simple.
Thanks for looking through my wedding portrait portfolio and hope you'll check out more galleries while you're here.
