Wedding Portraits; when to take them, who should be in them, how long should they take and where to take them. Check any internet message board about weddings and you’ll find hundreds of opinions on wedding portraits! So, when is the best time for your photographer to take your wedding portraits on your wedding day?
The Definitive Answer Is: it Depends
We can say this for certain, most wedding days have a portion of the day devoted to taking formal portraits of the family members, bridal party and the bridal couple. However, each wedding will be different depending on the desires of the couple and the style of the photographer. Some photographers specialize in portraiture, and you’ll find their portfolios laden with lots of beautiful images of people that are staged and manipulated by them so everyone looks their very best. Other photographers show very little formal portraits, with the emphasis of the portraits being more of a “just the basics” approach of key family members and the bridal party in more casual poses. Neither is right or wrong, the important part is that you hire a photographer that is on the same page as you are stylistically. Look through some of ISPWP’s winning photos of Bridal Portraits to get a sense of what appeals to you.
It Depends on How Many Portraits You Want
Good portraits take time. You can’t expect a photographer to be able to take a grouping of 40 poses in 30 minutes. If you want a lot of people in your portraits, you must be willing to make the time on the day, which may mean you’ll miss out on mingling with your guests. There are many workarounds for this, including doing some of the portraits before the ceremony, or doing some later in the evening, so talk to your photographer. They will give you a realistic time frame once they understand how many different photos you desire. Creative portraits also take time. A photographer may try many different lighting techniques and posing to get amazing photos for you so you must give them enough creative license and time to make the art you desire.
It Depends on the Location
If you’re getting married at an amazing venue, or at your home church that means a lot to you, it only makes sense that you would want to incorporate those special places into your wedding photos. You may also want to go to other locations for photos. Lighting, accounting for weather conditions and any challenges to getting to those locations need to be figured out in advance of the wedding day so please talk to your photographer. They can make a game plan with you to make sure things are in place with the venues, any permits or permission needed as well as getting everyone to the location.
Portraits are an important historical part of your wedding day. Having these memories preserved by a professional wedding photographer is so important so that you can pass the photos onto future generations. Find an ISPWP certified photographer in your area to capture these important memories for you on your wedding day.
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