10 guest wedding

OK so im new to this ish

But this has really got me stumped

 

Im shooting a wedding this weekend civil with 10 to 12 guests easy enough but

I have been asked to attend a park following to take a few photographs of the

bride and groom, I want to give them somthing special as no guests are

prepared to go to the park with them, but am stuck for insperation on shots to

take in the park.

 

the bride said she is happy to take direction but what to do to make her day

for her?

 

any help you can give thankyou

 

Steve Minett

Maybe I mis-understand, but I'd start with the Learn/Portraits tab in this forum to get an idea how to go about this.

 

For shots in the park, can't really provide any idea without knowing what's there. There's a creative side to composition regarding using the environment for framing, etc.

I'm not trying to stir the pot here, but with four days to go, you want to learn how to pose and shoot wedding formals?...

Steve - I'm assuming by 'something special' that you mean making some nice photographs, and not suddenly surprising the couple with a bottle of champagne?

 

if you want to see some good use of parks as a photographic setting, start to click around on the portfolios of the top 10 wedding photographers that you hear about. copy images (if you can) and put them in an 'inspiration' folder. keep looking at them.

 

silly as it sounds, before I shoot a wedding, I flip through a file of contemporary quasi-formal shots that I'm trying to improve. my formals are good, my PJ is pretty strong, IMHO, but my contemporary, with-a-twist formals are always getting better. some people are against this b/c it means that you are just trying to emulate someone else instead of developing your own style, but I disagree. relatively few photographers really have their 'own style', and being able to see and shoot and be inspired in different ways always makes you a better photographer.

 

so - go start a clippings file. hurry.

 

conrad

Well, the job isn't going to disappear on Steve, so maybe we could help him a bit?

 

First go to the park and scout locations. Try to do it at around the same time you'll be

shooting so you can see where the sun is. Look for a bridge, fountain, statue or some

other landmark you can use as a backdrop or place to shoot the couple. That's where your

inspiration will come from. For example ....

 

If there's a bridge just ask them to stroll hand in hand toward you from the other side and

snap away.

 

Get them to kiss in front of a fountain or statue (if there is one) ...

 

Put them on a park bench and shoot them from behind as they look back at you.

 

Get them to share affection for one another in the way they do and shoot away.

 

Maybe the last thing you want to do is formally pose them ...<div></div>

Scope out the park in advance if you can. Trees, shade, sun, flowers, fountains, streams, bridges, gazebos, geese and ducks (and poop) on the grass. Any issues with fees, reservations or permits?

 

One of my wife's favorite shots was taken sitting on the grass with her dress spread neatly around, with all the nieces and nephews. You may not have "prop" kids but sitting may be an option - or not. Find a good sized but undamaged tree and "carve" in a heart and arrow - using post-processing, not a knife.

I had a wedding last year with no guests! I had to bring my wife along as they needed two witnesses. Their under age kids were the only others there.

 

I'm sure your park has lots of opportunities. Mark brought up some great ideas. Good luck with it!

lean groom against a tree( non sticky one) have him pull bride to him. try vice-versa. have them sit at base of tree. look for the prettiest foliage. use tree as a frame, ie: overhang. can they have some fun ones, piggy back? some couples might look silly in marcs photo. some might look better.(though i doubt it) would a step stool help any, to shoot down on them. helps avoid flab under the chins. an outside hands/ring shot is always nicer than a ring shot inside i think.<div></div>

Watch your lighting...!

 

Try going for backlit shade.. Anotherwords, sun filtering through green leaves behind the couple. Great if you can get some of the light in the hair/veil.

 

Sitting in the grass can be super! Couple tends to be more relaxed when sitting. As Marc said.. a bench is good too.

 

Have them walk away from camera - and shoot them holding hands walking away... Tell them to stop and face each other and take a "moment"... to hug, kiss etc.. and then tell them to look at you - faces together... After they've hugged and kissed and whispered sweet nothings to each other.. they'll look more relaxed and emotional...

Hi Steve, I've only done a few shoots myself, but love Marc's suggestion and Conrad's and would use them in combination with Mary's suggestion of finding shade. In observing the pro at a friend's wedding, I noticed as the shoot went on and they and the pro joked with each other, they got more and more omfortable and it really showed in the pictures. Even just talking while shooting helps everyone relax. Put them in a pose, but then instead of saying, 1-2-3, "do this" or "do that", just have them keep talking to each other while looking at each other or do something goofy which would generate a laugh.

 

My friends were very comfortable with my being there and I was able to offer a couple of suggestions, also on another shoot, the groom's Mom came along and it was obvious she was close with the couple and they could be natural around her. She also helped with posing and keeping them relaxed. - (sure not everyone has that relationship with Mom - but maybe there is a best friend or sibling?)

 

I'm just rambling on... hope it was some help!

Here's what works for me: go to the park today, take your camera. Go to the location where you'll enter the park with the couple and start looking for Key Locations that the camera is interested in. Make a "tour" of the park in a logical path taking photographs to test the locations you like. Imagine yourself and the bride and groom walking the tour around and through the park. You should be able to find a minimum of 8 locations to just sit them down or have them stand and interact in a way that is comfortable to them ... just shoot them.

 

Have them walk ahead of you then you get ahead of them as you move from one prescouted location to the next prescouted location on your tour of the park. Ask them to be on the lookout for "locations" in the park that interest them and don't critique their choice just shoot it and move on to the next location.

 

Preplanning is the key for this particular event.

 

The next time you do it the "tour" will feel more natural and you'll "see" the locations as you come upon them but Scouting ahead of time, by yourself or with a friend, to do test shots gives you confidence in yourself and it establishes a planned "tour" of the park which allows you to look and feel more prepared and professional.

 

Best of luck to you ... you'll knock them out with lovely images!

I just did a wedding two weeks ago with only 11 guests... The bride's kids, grandkids, myself, and our other best friend. This was a bit harder than I expected simply because there was not a lot of room to move around in the bride and groom's small living room. And nearly impossible to get a photo without a child's hand or foot sneaking it's way into the image.

 

The best couple shot I got was outdoors afterward, while they were each smoking cigarettes. They started kissing and I started clicking. Because it was so casual, I was able to photograph the emotion, and not have to worry about photographing a dress, or a ring or something, ya know?

 

My only suggestion, keep it fun. If they are having fun, the photos will be fun. Listen to the bride and groom, too. Their personalities will form a lot of the best photos you'll get.

If the park has you stumped, use the couple as your inspiration, not the park. Get close, then get closer. Shoot the details - her flowers, her ring. Have them interact with eachother (kissing, whispering in her ear), use a longer lens and document that observation.

 

I love shooting on location because of the range from formal to informal/spontaneous images you can get from it. That said, if you're nervous, it can make the couple nervous and that will translate on film. I like to used the tried and true "twirl the bride" to get the couple loosened up and laughing. I've never had it backfire on me. Just have groom carefully pick up the bride and give her a twirl. You can get some really nice images from that. A recent wedding yeilded the image below on the left from that 'technique'. From there, hopefully your creative juices will flow. I had another couple actually play in the park - although the image below is not my favorite from the shoot (technically not the greatest image), it was the bride's favorite.

 

I agree that you should scout out locations ahead of time for not only ideas, but lighting conditions. Follow the suggestions of the previous poster's and you'll be on your way to a great shoot.

Good luck!<div></div>

My Apologies! I wasn't very observant! Your shoot probably happened yesterday. I hope it went well. Maybe you can use the advice on your next shoot.