Wedding Photography: List of Necessary Photos
Tanner |
Thoughtfully composed by Tanner Filed under: Wedding, Wedding Photography |
Before you go out and enlist Captain High School student as your wedding photographer to save A LOT of money and end up being disappointed by his overly emo-esque photography of your wedding (that will be on your mantle forever), you will want to go over this list of poses that you ABSOLUTELY need to ask for from your photographer. Heck, even print this up, draw little boxes next to the poses, and hand it to the photographer to use as a “photography checklist.”
Photos During the Ceremony
• Interior of the church (or other wedding site) with guests
• Lighting of church candles
• Parents and other honored guests being escorted to seats
• Entrance of minister (or other officiant), groom, and groomsmen
• Minister, groom, and groomsmen waiting at altar
• Entrance of bridesmaids (escorted or unescorted)
• Entrance of flower girl and ring bearer
• Entrance of bride and father (or other escort)
• Father giving away bride
• Various shots during the ceremony (usually without flash and from the back of the church, from balcony, or best available vantage point)
• Telephoto close-ups of bride, groom, and officiant at altar
• Wide-angle shots of entire wedding party at altar
• Special moments (such as bride and groom facing one another, lighting of unity candle, vows, ring exchange, kiss, presentation of bride and groom to the guests as new husband and wife)
• The recessional (bride and groom walking back down aisle, groomsmen escorting bridesmaids down the aisle)
Formal Photos after the ceremony
• Bride (many individual shots)
• Groom (many individual shots)
• Bride and groom (many “happy couple” shots)
• Bride, groom, minister (or other wedding officiant)
• Bride and maid-of-honor
• Bride and bridesmaids together
• Bride and flower girl
• Groom and his best man
• Groom with all of the groomsmen
• Groom and the ring bearer
• Bride, groom and the bridesmaids
• Bride, groom and all groomsmen
• Bride, groom, maid-of-honor, best man
• Bride, groom, flower girl, ring bearer
• Bride, groom and the entire wedding party (bridesmaids, groomsmen, flower girl, ring bearer, ushers, wedding crashers)
• Bride, groom and bride’s parents
• Bride, groom and groom’s parents
• Bride, groom with both families
• Bride, groom with bride’s extended family (grandparents, sisters and brothers, other special family members - various combinations are usually desired)
• Bride, groom with groom’s extended family (grandparents, sisters and brothers, other special family members - various combinations are usually desired)
• Bride, groom with any special friends or guests in attendance (elvis)
Photos at the Reception
• Entrance of bride and groom
• Bride and groom being served or in food line
• Bride and groom at wedding party table
• Bride and groom during toasts (and those giving toasts)
• Bride and groom cutting the wedding cake
• Bride and groom feeding each other wedding cake
• Bride and groom first dance
• Other special dance moments (father/daughter, mother/son, etc.)
• Bouquet toss
• Garter removal/toss
• Bride and groom’s hands/rings (ring shot)
• Bride’s bouquet
• Parents and special guests at parent’s table (and other “table” shots, as appropriate, and as desired by the bride and groom)
• The gift table and guest book sign-in table
• The wedding cake
• Special decorative arrangements (florals, ice sculptures, etc.)
• Musicians and/or singers
• Candids of bride, groom, and family members/friends
• Candids of various guests, (as appropriate and as desired by the bride and groom)
Here is an excellent printable pose checklist.
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June 1st, 2007 at 10:21 am
Great post Tanner. Although, if couples hire a photographer with years of consistent experience (shooting, let’s say at least 10 - 20 weddings a year for the last five or more consecutive years), a shot sheet is not necessarily essential. However, it can give the bride and groom a more sure sense that they have their wishes understood well by their photographer.
I would also add that it is essential for couples to introduce a “point person” to their photographer on the wedding day. Your shot sheet can say, “groom with grandparents” but it helps to have the maid of honor or other person in addition to the couple who can help point out and gather specific family members. The photographer is meeting all of your family and guests for the first time on your wedding day, so she or he will not know who uncle Bob is just from looking at a piece of paper.
Communication is the key, and when it comes to couples and photographers there is no such thing as too much information.