Styles
Wedding photography ‘fashions’ have evolved a lot in the last 15-20 years. From the ‘old school’ approach where the photographer would take a series of set piece images starting with the bride leaving the house with Dad through to a mock up of the cake cutting. Then in the late nineties and through the noughties the Photojournalism/Reportage/Candid school of wedding photography ruled and the key word was ‘natural’.
At the moment I find my brides want a blend of the natural and (relaxed) formal. We capture some group photographs and also spend time with the bride and groom to make sure we have a gorgeous photograph of the two of them. However there is still a desire from couples for photographs that show their friends and family relaxing and enjoying their role in the day’s proceedings.
So How Do We Get Candids?
I have covered here on Wedding Dates before how you should liaise with your photographer to get the best group and posed shots possible but how about those candids? How do you brief your photographer and let him know what you want?
Well the answer is you don’t. Candids, or natural photographs, will occur, well, naturally. You can’t plan or schedule them in like you can the formal shots. An experienced wedding photographer will know how to mingle with the guests but at the same time remain unobtrusive so as to capture the joy and emotion of the wedding day.
Relax
It will be your duty to relax, enjoy yourself, talk to your guests and have a ball. Remember, we all look better when we don’t know we are being photographed, our smiles are more natural and we look more at ease.
Make sure to tell your guests to forget the photographer and let him (or her) get on with doing their thing.
Lloyd Dobbie captures wedding photography in London and across the UK and Europe. You can see his wedding portfolio here on his website.
