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The 48-Shot Wedding - Part Two - part 3 of 1 2 3 4

by Mark Cleghorn Published 01/08/2009

Shot 35 - B&G & Special Family Members - Special family and friends are where the pound notes can be found in reprints, so I always encourage groups shots when I am doing my pre-wedding with the clients. It's almost guaranteed that someone is going to ask for a group picture, even when I am commissioned to shoot just a reportage wedding. This is where I make it quick, and as easy as possible, for both the guests and myself.

Shot 36 - Confetti - I love confetti as it breeds some real fun shots as well the basics. I always announce and arrange it, to guarantee the quantity of the confetti, as well as guiding the direction it's coming from and who it's being thrown by.

Shot 37 - B&G with Car - It's usually a good idea to get some images of the car with, and without, the couple, even it's an informal wedding. They have paid a silly amount for the hire, so they want to see it, perhaps that's what still makes it one of the most requested shots at weddings

Shot 38 - B&G Full Length - When I start the Bride and Groom portraits I always set the scene first with full-length images to show the setting. When weather is not on my side I am probably at my best, as I am looking for new locations in hotels and receptions to shoot in, but when the sun breaks through storm clouds I want to get outside as fast as I can, as variety will flow quicker in natural light.

Shot 39 - B&G Three Quarter Length - Gradually I move in closer and closer to the couple, shooting from the full length to ¾ length, as well as close-up in the same location, before changing my background. A background change can be as simple as moving the camera position 180 degrees around to see what's behind the original camera position, even if it means just throwing the background out of focus.

Shot 40 - B&G Close Up - To add to the flow of image variety, especially when the lighting is bad, a 'looking at each other' or a kissing shot are a great way to disguise the lighting problems. The best kiss shot, photographically, is when the couple are about to kiss as there is a small space between the faces and not full face-melt with each other, which happens during a good old snog. Go Groom!

Shot 41 - Bride Full Length - If you don't want a writ on your hands don't forget the bride on her own shots, it sounds so basic but if you only saw the number of brides who used to come into our studio to complain about other photographers and the lack of variety, never mind the quality, you would be amazed. It is a bit harsh to say, but often the quality reflected the price the couple paid for their photographer, at which point I used to feel upset on one hand for them, because of the images, and on the other hand feeling 'serves them right for doing it on the cheap'.

Shot 42 - Bride Three Quarter Length - Similar to the bride and groom shots I work at distance first for the full-length then gradually move in for the close-ups. I do this out of habit now, but this style started because in the early years, now 29 years since my first paid-wedding, I was forgetting to set the scene as I concentrated to much on the three-quarter as well as head-and shoulder images because that's all I ever saw in the Amateur Photographer magazine.

Shot 43 - B&G Creative - Make the time no matter what, especially on wet wedding days, for the creative side of photography. A quick location tip is to head for the closest light source, dramatic light source, I should say. Down lights, picture lights, room lights, the bar, a doorway - in fact anything before flash so as to keep the set-up simple. Alternatively use flash! A Speedlite or a Quantum flash on a stand, to get the flash off camera, will often cure the creative juices, using just one light in the set-up is often the secret to dramatic images.

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1st Published 01/08/2009
last update 09/12/2022 14:50:40

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