Unique Idea for Formal Wedding Photos

December 8th, 2010

The trend in wedding photography these days is away from the posed group shots in favor of more candid photojournalistic wedding pictures. That can be a great way to capture what was really going on during the reception, and yet, it is also nice to have a visual record of the entire wedding party. When you only have candids, you risk omitting important people from your album. What if there was a way to take formal group shots of the bridal party without having them look stiff and boring? There is! A really unique idea for formal wedding photos is to have the bridal party pose like they are in a painting. Learn how to pull it off here.

The idea is so simple, yet absolutely brilliant: if you want your wedding photos to look like works of art, why not model them after your favorite works of art? This is a fantastic approach to group photography of the entire bridal party. You can get all the shots you want of the bride and her bridesmaids in their dresses and bridal party jewelry, without the deadly dull effect of lining people up in rows like statues. Of course, you will need a creative photographer with a good eye to get everyone arranged properly.

Start by looking through art books to find an image that you would like to recreate with your wedding photography.  Ideally, it would make sense with the style or location of your wedding in some way, and it helps if the scene has roughly the same number of people in it as you plan to have in your bridal party. Remember that the original painting is for inspiration only; there is no need to faithfully copy it pose for pose. If you are having a hard time finding ideas, take a look at artists such as Renoir, Fragonard, and Seurat.

This same idea would be a wonderful concept for special wedding portraits of the bride and groom. Choose a romantic scene such as one by Fragonard to get you started. If you like, your photographer can even use special editing techniques to make the photographs really look like Old Masters paintings. What an amazing wedding portrait that would make to display in your first home together!

Hot Trends in Wedding Photography

October 16th, 2009

Like any other aspect of a wedding, the photography follows trends and fresh ideas. The stiff group portraits that were the standard in wedding photography for generations have become the exception rather than the norm. For inspiration for your own wedding, check out these hot trends in wedding photography.

Informal candids are definitely the most popular variety of wedding photos. They are intended less to be a visual record of who was at the wedding, and more as a fluid overview of some of the high points of the day. They should capture the mood and spirit of the wedding by giving the viewer glimpses into the little moments that make the day special.

The bride might want her photographer to be there when she is getting into her bridal gown and wedding jewelry to get a snapshot of her dress going over her head or her sister struggling to pin on her veil. A good candid photographer will have an eye for the other memorable parts of a wedding, from capturing a meaningful glance exchanged by the bride and groom to the look of pure joy on the face of a flower girl on the dance floor.

Wedding photography taken in unusual places is one of the hottest rising trends in weddings. Many of these pictures are taken as engagement photos before the wedding, but they are nothing like the posed studio shots your parents had taken when they announced their betrothal. Urban backgrounds are particularly popular, ranging from black and white photos set against a towering city skyline to gritty scenes in front of graffitied brick walls.

For couples who do not live in a city, popular backgrounds include seasides, natural locations, and even places like carnivals and zoos. These settings are also gaining popularity for day-of-wedding photography; the contrast between the wild setting and the bride in her exquisite bridal gown, veil, and wedding jewelry makes for an interesting juxtaposition which gives the pictures an edgy quality. With all of the amazing technology at our fingertips, wedding photography is a field that is only going to continue evolving in new and fascinating directions.

Memorable Pre-Wedding Photography

July 16th, 2009

In the rush to get everything ready for your wedding, it can be easy to forget to slow down and take the time to simply enjoy your engagement. Many couples do not even think about having professional pictures taken until they are already married and hear about someone else’s engagement pictures. That’s when you say, “Darn! I wish I had thought of that sooner!”. The last thing that you want to feel later is regret over a missed opportunity, so be sure to find time in your busy schedule for some pre-wedding photographs.

It used to be that engagement photos were very formal. The traditional pictures were generally composed as a close-up shot of the engaged couples from about the waist up. The bride would usually wear a pretty dress, and maybe a piece of her wedding jewelry if she already had it. The groom typically wore either a suit or a nice sweater or golf shirt. As people have gotten away from formal or stiff wedding photography, this style of engagement portrait has fallen from favor. One exception would be the couple who is planning to have an engagement announcement in the newspaper, in which case, this may be exactly the type of picture that is needed.

Just because posed wedding portraiture has gone out of style does not mean that you should skip the engagement photos altogether. The new trend in pre-wedding pictures is to have images taken that are fresh, playful, and creative. These photos are intended to capture the spirit and personalities of the bride and groom-to-be. To make this happen, engagement photos are now being taken in interesting locations, with festive attire, and with whimsical props.

Golf courses, carnivals and fairs, museums, and parks are all wonderful sites for your engagement photo shoot. As it is a special event, you will want to choose a lovely outfit, even if the locale is low-key. Imagine a picture of the two of you drifting around the carousel at the fair; the bride can wear a pretty sundress accented with her wedding jewelry, and the groom can wear a nice button down shirt. The final result will be pictures that are playful, memorable, and that capture some of the spark of young love.