When you're planning your wedding, the time and effort you put into setting up the photography is just as important as the work you put into planning the ceremony itself. Your wedding photography is the most reliable way to capture those moments forever. In fact, images taken while everyone is getting ready before the ceremony are often in high demand. Here are some tips to help you get pre-ceremony photos that you'll want to look back at even years later.
Consider the Location Carefully
The backdrop for your pre-ceremony photos will be nearly as important as the one for your ceremony photos and portraits. You don't want to have all of your pre-ceremony preparation photos featuring cluttered, disorganized shelves in the background.
Choose a place that has lots of natural light when you're deciding where you're going to get ready. The natural light will be easier for your photographer to work with than the yellow tint cast by overhead fluorescent lights.
You should also make sure that there's enough room for the photographer to move around while you're getting ready. The preparation stages often provide some raw emotions for the photographer to capture, but he or she will need to be able to work around the bridal party to get the candid shots that you will value so much later.
Let Friends and Family Know if You Need Them for Pictures
One of the biggest sources of frustration for the photographer and the bridal party is having to track down the family members and friends needed for pictures. If you plan to have certain people in the pre-ceremony photos, let them know before the big day. They'll need to know what time you want them to be there and what they should bring with them. This will save you from having to find people or wait for someone to arrive to finish the photos.
Talk to Your Photographer About a First Look Shoot
One of the newer trends in wedding photography is the first look shoot. It refers to a time where the bride and groom see each other briefly before the ceremony, allowing the groom to get the first look at his wife-to-be.
This private, intimate moment often results in beautiful images that capture the emotion of the day without the pressure of the entire venue full of people watching. Sometimes, the first look happens in a separate room before the ceremony, while other couples have the images taken in the same location as the ceremony, but a half-hour or so before the guests arrive.
The goal of your wedding photography is to capture the special moments of the day so that you can look back at them later. With the pre-ceremony pictures, you'll be reminded of the jitters, excitement and happiness that you felt leading up to the vows. Talk to your wedding photographer about what he or she needs to make your pre-ceremony pictures a success.
Share21 November 2014
Ever since my parents allowed me to snap a few photos on their camera on vacation when I was a young child, I have loved photography. While we lived in the Midwest, I became hooked on taking photographs of the ocean and boats when we visited the Florida coast during one of our trips together. I found that just being near the ocean really made me happy, and after we returned home, I was able to "take the ocean with me" to experience that same feeling by taking photos of it. Being near the ocean is so calming and uplifting, but most people don't live near the coasts and don't get to experience its beauty every day. I now live by the ocean, so I decided to create a blog to share my tips about how you can best photograph the things you love.
