Mia
Weddings are rare events and everyone hopes that theirs would be the talk of the season. With everything appearing similar, there is only one place where you can truly make your wedding unique and memorable and that’s in your wedding photos. Over time everything else will disappear and all you will have left will be the photos to remind you of the best day of your life. In this article, there are some fresh ideas to make your wedding the actual talk of all time.
Choosing the Right Style
A wedding, just like a movie, must have a theme. You can decide to either go for retro or classic. There are over 50 different styles, and therefore you should be able to know which one you prefer and have your photographer understand your needs. Do you need a timeless look or something that is minimalist? Some people want their weddings to look like a Vogue photo shoot and others want the good, bad and the ugly all thrown in the mix. So once you understand exactly what you want, then you are well on your way to getting it right.
Make It A Journey
The photojournalist perspective is fast becoming a go-to trend and the style seems to capture both the realistic aspects as well as the dreamy side of it. One of the most common types of wedding photography is photojournalistic, or documentary photography. While the precise description may vary from one photographer to the next, there is general consensus that they are unposed shots that put the viewer right in the middle of the action.
The photographer is (just) observing the subject from a distance and not interacting with them directly. You can convey the story’s essential elements without engaging in direct dialogue with or otherwise directing the subject’s actions. You will particularly like the natural expressions captured in photojournalistic wedding photography than the staged shots that may often make people appear uncomfortable.
Dark Can Be Good
Most people’s idea of a wedding is something that is bright and full of color. Well, this time dark and moody is getting some good attention since it has the capacity to show some great shots and timeless moments. Though dark and moody has generally been used for somber moments, but when used in wedding photography it creates drama and this is great especially if you want your wedding photographs to be the talk of town.
Light is the foundation of dramatic wedding photography. The lighting might come from the sun or from artificial lighting equipment brought in for the special occasion. It’s possible that the photographer would experiment with the strong contrasts between light and dark. The photographs have a dramatic, filmic quality, perfect for a wedding. These photographs are often edited to heighten their dramatic effect.
Play Around With Selfie Shots
When selfies emerged, people immediately saw them as a bonding thing whereby you could only do it with someone you are really close with or someone you’d want to keep close. Selfies, or self-portraits, have become an integral part of the language and culture of our modern, Internet-based society. Every celebrity has used the selfies to create a sort of welcoming and friendly aura around themselves and for your wedding you should definitely lighten up the mood by taking as many selfies as possible.
In light of this trend, social media-savvy couples are providing guests with “selfie stations” at their weddings, complete with a pretty backdrop, so that they can take photos of themselves having a wonderful time at the ceremony and reception.
Have Some Day After Shots
Of course everyone knows that weddings are practically rehearsed moments and to bring some levity to your wedding, you could think about ‘Day After ‘shots to show just how human and not-so-perfect everything is. Day after shots are ideal to show that your love and romance is not staged or rehearsed for guests and the tired but free smiles, hugs and kisses are the true element of real love.
You can choose a different location for your day after shot, where the focus will be exclusively on the couple and this allows you to take some really romantic photos where you can be free with each other and experiment with different styles, clothes, backgrounds and even photography styles.
What This Means For Designers And Photographers
Eventually, the photos might need to be designed either for an album, a magazine cover or simply for social media. Photo retouching is common and it allows the photographer to remove elements that might interfere with the entire mood of the wedding. So what if you get a little Photoshop to remove an unsightly cake mark on your dress, or to remove the guest passed out near the groom?
The bottom-line is that for timeless wedding photos, it’s best to align your goals with everyone who matters. The groom and bride’s needs need to be at the top and everyone else’s follows. Know whether there are people who wouldn’t want to appear in the photos or if some don’t prefer being airbrushed. Some people can be a bit difficult and you’d still want to be in their good graces.
To ensure that your goals for a design project are on the same page, it is essential for you, if you are a designer, to have a firm grasp of current photography trends before beginning a shooting. Understand the location early on and take some pre-shoot photos to check how the lighting will play out on the day of the wedding. Overall, this should be a fun event and whether the photographer is a professional or a friend/relative, they need to understand that the primary focus of any wedding photography is the people; their smiles, hugs and kisses and most of all the love between the bride and the groom. Otherwise, nothing else really matters after that. It is about making the best memories and not taking shots of alcohol or tents.
