Too often I get questions on how to best shoot a wedding, especially the groom and his men, who, lets be honest, are not as glamorous as the bride and her maids, or so they say!
Beyond the technical requirements to produce sharp well lit photos, capturing moments in weddings comes from developing an intuitive understanding of when clicking that shutter will memorialize a truly amazing photo. And you know what? I script ALL my moments! Hahaaaa!!! How do you like them apples? I NEVER leave anything to chance and hope for the best.
I script all my shots, especially signature moments at each stage of the groomsmen getting ready…I direct all movements like we have a stage play underway with all shots posed, with the light just right and the scene set. Its important to give the groom and his men the same attention as the bride and her maids, because this is after all, his wedding too!
In a nutshell, I never approach a wedding like a photojournalist or event photographer, letting the scene play out. Instead, drawing on my expertise in shooting commercial ads, I script and direct all key players at each stage, until off course it gets out of my control once the church ceremony gets underway……but I have been known to require the groom to kiss the bride again if i have missed my shot or didnt like the angle captured!
And there you have it…know what you want to shoot in advance, having gotten to know the couple and their style and what matters to them, and executing the wedding shots like a director at some Shakespearean play!
