For a bride and groom, their wedding day is a unique event to be remembered for a lifetime. Emotions run wild and there is a feeling that anything is possible on a wedding day. The job of a photographer is to capture these feelings. Moreover, your photos need to give the impression that everyone at the wedding feels this way, not just the bride and groom. This is why candid photos of the guests are just as important as shots of a nervous groom or a crying father.
Candid guest shots are proof to the couple that their wedding was a special day to remember for everyone who attended. Imagine how the couple will feel when they see a candid photo of their uncle teary-eyed, or of their college roommate who always seemed so shy but at the wedding he just tore it up on the dance floor.
Obviously the best way to catch candid shots is to pay attention to what people are doing around you. But to take this one step further, you need to know what is going to happen before it happens. This means you need to start to really pay attention to the flow of events so you know what to expect.
An example of knowing what to expect during the ceremony: when the priest is talking to the bride and groom. You should get your normal couple shots of the bridal couple at this point. Great. But for the next few minutes you know that the priest will keep talking, and the bride and groom are pretty much going to look the same. This is the time to turn around and see what the guests are doing.
But remember it needs to be candid. So what I do is I kind of take a general sweeping look at the guests behind me and face forward again. Nobody knows that I was looking at him or her, it just seems that I was looking around. Still facing forward, I have in my head the image I want to shoot of one guest in particular who I think looked to be in a moment. So I set my camera settings, then quickly turn around and get the shot before the guest realizes he or she is a photo opp.
To use another example of knowing the wedding flow to be able to anticipate candid photo opps is when the music starts at a reception. Normally people are still too shy to start dancing, but because you are the super wedding photographer you know that the children at this reception are going to run out and play on the dance floor. This is because it's finally time where they don't have to sit still and listen to speeches and they can get rid of all the pent up energy. As you are walking over to them I hope you are adjusting your camera to high speed settings. Kids are always great for candid shots. This means it is a good idea to kind of know where they are in the back of your mind as you are getting other shots. If you see something out of the corner of your eye, and there is a lull, go shoot it. If you do this you'll get some great shots.
Try these tips at your next wedding. Thanks for reading!
Candid guest shots are proof to the couple that their wedding was a special day to remember for everyone who attended. Imagine how the couple will feel when they see a candid photo of their uncle teary-eyed, or of their college roommate who always seemed so shy but at the wedding he just tore it up on the dance floor.
Obviously the best way to catch candid shots is to pay attention to what people are doing around you. But to take this one step further, you need to know what is going to happen before it happens. This means you need to start to really pay attention to the flow of events so you know what to expect.
An example of knowing what to expect during the ceremony: when the priest is talking to the bride and groom. You should get your normal couple shots of the bridal couple at this point. Great. But for the next few minutes you know that the priest will keep talking, and the bride and groom are pretty much going to look the same. This is the time to turn around and see what the guests are doing.
But remember it needs to be candid. So what I do is I kind of take a general sweeping look at the guests behind me and face forward again. Nobody knows that I was looking at him or her, it just seems that I was looking around. Still facing forward, I have in my head the image I want to shoot of one guest in particular who I think looked to be in a moment. So I set my camera settings, then quickly turn around and get the shot before the guest realizes he or she is a photo opp.
To use another example of knowing the wedding flow to be able to anticipate candid photo opps is when the music starts at a reception. Normally people are still too shy to start dancing, but because you are the super wedding photographer you know that the children at this reception are going to run out and play on the dance floor. This is because it's finally time where they don't have to sit still and listen to speeches and they can get rid of all the pent up energy. As you are walking over to them I hope you are adjusting your camera to high speed settings. Kids are always great for candid shots. This means it is a good idea to kind of know where they are in the back of your mind as you are getting other shots. If you see something out of the corner of your eye, and there is a lull, go shoot it. If you do this you'll get some great shots.
Try these tips at your next wedding. Thanks for reading!
About the Author:
Kevin Heslin is one of the foremost Wedding and Commercial Photographers in Costa Rica. Besides commercial and wedding photography, Kevin also specializes in Travel and Cultural Portraits. To see more photo tips click on his blog Costa Rica Photographer Or to see photos of his weddings in Costa Rica, or travel and cultural photography in Central America check out his website Costa Rica Photography. Free reprint available from: Make Your Wedding Photos Unique by Capturing Great Candids of Your Guests.
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