Wedding Photographer's Handbook

by Bill Hurter

  The Three-Quarters View. This is when the far ear is hidden from camera and more of one side of the face is visible. With this pose, the far eye will appear smaller because it is farther away from the camera than the near eye. This makes it important, when posing subjects in a three-quarters view, to position them so that the smallest eye (people usually have one eye that is slightly smaller than the other) is closest to the camera. This way both eyes appear to be the same size.

  Of course, you will not usually have the luxury of time to refine your group poses to this degree. When photographing the bride and groom, however, care should be taken to notice these subtleties.

  Profile. In the profile the head is turned almost 90 degrees to the camera. Only one eye is visible. When photographing profiles, adjust your camera position so that the far eye and eyelashes disappear.

  The Gaze. The direction the person is looking is important. If the subject is aware of your presence, start by having the person look at you. If you step away slightly and engage your subject in conversation, allowing you to hold the subject’s gaze, you will create a slight rotation to the direction of the face. You can also have the person look away from you until you best utilize the light and flatter your subject. One of the best ways to enliven the subject’s eyes is to tell an amusing story. If they enjoy it, their eyes will smile—one of the most endearing expressions that people can make.

  One of the best photographers I’ve ever seen at “enlivening” total strangers is Ken Sklute. In almost every one of his images, the people are happy and relaxed in a natural, typical way. Nothing ever looks posed in his photography—it’s almost as if he happened by this beautiful picture and snapped the shutter. One of the ways he gets people “under his spell” is by his enthusiasm for the excitement of the day. It’s contagious and his affability translates into attentive, happy subjects.

  Hands. Hands can be strong indicators of character, just as the mouth and eyes are. Posing hands properly can be very difficult because in most portraits they are closer to the camera than the subject’s head, and thus appear larger. One thing that will give hands a more natural perspective is to use a longer lens than normal (75-130mm in the 35mm digital format). Although holding the focus of both hands and face is more difficult with a longer lens, the size relationship between them will appear more natural. And if the hands are slightly out of focus, it is not as crucial as when the eyes or face of the portrait are soft.

  One should never photograph a subject’s hands pointing straight into the camera lens. This distorts the size and shape of the hands. Always have the hands at an angle to the lens, and if possible, try to “bow” the wrist to produce a gentle sloping line. Try to photograph the outer edge of the hand when possible. This gives a natural, flowing line to the hand and wrist and eliminates distortion.

  As generalizations go, it is important that women’s hands have grace, and men’s hands have strength.

  Martin Schembri had his beautiful bride face away from the camera but directed her to bring her gaze back to him at the camera position for a more engaging pose. Notice how he handled the visible single hand, photographing its edge with the fingers separated and gracefully bent.

  Subtle posing techniques abound in this blue-toned portrait by David Worthington. The antique car’s running light not only provides a good posing prop, but it allows the bride to separate from the car, revealing her slim waistline and the details of her embroidered dress.

  CAMERA HEIGHT

  When photographing people with average features, there are a few general rules that govern camera height in relation to the subject. These rules will produce normal, undistorted perspective.

  For head-and-shoulders portraits, the rule of thumb is that camera height should be the same height as the tip of the subject’s nose. For three-quarter-length portraits, the camera should be at a height midway between the subject’s waist and neck. In full-length portraits, the camera should be the same height as the subject’s waist.

  In each case, the camera is at a height that divides the subject into two equal halves in the viewfinder. This is so that the features above and below the lens-subject axis will be the same distance from the lens, and thus recede equally for “normal” perspective.

  When the camera is raised or lowered, the perspective (the size relationship between parts of the photo) changes. When you raise your camera height, the portion of the subject below the lens axis becomes farther away, and thus appears smaller. Conversely, if you lower the camera height, the portion of the subject above the lens axis becomes smaller because it is farther away from the film plane. This is particularly exaggerated with wide-angle lenses.

  There are many reasons to raise or lower the camera height, most of which have to do with corrective portraiture—making a more flattering likeness by diminishing the effect of certain body parts. For instance with a middle-aged man who is overweight and balding, you might raise the camera angle and have him look up at the camera. While it won’t cure his baldness, it will trim a few pounds from around his middle. Another example might be a bride with a wide forehead. In this case, lower the camera angle so that that area of her head is diminished in size because it is farther from the camera.

  While there is little time for many such corrections on wedding day, knowing a few of these rules and introducing them into the way you photograph people will make many of these techniques second nature.

  PORTRAIT LENGTHS

  Three-Quarter- and Full-Length Poses. When you photograph a person in a three-quarter- or full-length pose, you have arms, legs, feet, and the total image of the body to deal with. A three-quarter-length portrait is one that shows the subject from the head down to a region below the waist.

  Note that when you break the composition at a joint—an elbow, knee or ankle, for example—it produces a disquieting feeling. As a result, it is best to compose your three-quarter-length images with the bottom of the picture falling mid-thigh or mid-calf.

  A full-length portrait shows the subject from head to toe. The person can be standing or sitting, but it is important to angle the person to the lens—usually at a 30- to 45-degree angle to the camera. If they are standing, make sure your subject has their weight on their back foot. Be sure to have the feet pointing at an angle to the camera. Feet look stumpy when shot head-on.

  Head-and-Shoulder Portraits. With close-up portraits of one or more people, it is important to tilt the head and retain good head-and-shoulders axis positioning. Shoulders should be at an angle to the camera lens and the angle of the person’s head should be at a slightly different angle. Often head-and-shoulders portraits are of only the face—as in a beauty shot. In these images, it is especially important to have a dynamic element, such as a diagonal line, which will create visual interest.

  In a head-and-shoulder’s portrait, all of your camera technique will be evident, so focus is critical (start with the eyes) and lighting must be flawless. Then, use changes in camera height to correct any irregularities.

  FORMAL PORTRAITS OF THE COUPLE

  Scheduling. In your game plan, devote about 10 to 15 minutes to the formal portraits of the bride and groom alone. The bride can be done at her home before the wedding; the groom can be photographed at the ceremony before everyone arrives. You will have to wait, in most circumstances, until after the wedding ceremony (but before the reception) to photograph the bride and groom together. Often, formals are done before the bride and groom leave the church grounds.

  Sometimes an overhead camera height provides such an unusual perspective that it is a very natural choice for a bridal portrait. There are no corrective techniques involved, only that the photographer, Anthony Cava, wanted a little different view.

  Yervant used a very low camera angle to photograph this bride. The lighting is so minimal that only a sliver of her face is illuminated. One of Yervant’s favorite techniques is to use a 100-watt quartz-halogen video light on location for his portraits. The light can be feathered or softened ea
sily and quickly for elegant close-range lighting.

  Mauricio Donelli created this very elegant full-length profile portrait using a single diffused strobe and no fill light for dramatic effect. He had his bride turn her head back toward the camera slightly so that just the eyelashes of the far eye are visible. The open door adds depth and intimacy to the portrait.

  Mauricio Donelli made this enticing close-up portrait of the bride. Notice the design of the image. Follow the line of the eyebrow, down the nose through the neckline of the dress, back up through the veil and then back to the eyebrow. It’s a very clever and effective means of keeping the viewer’s eye within the image.

  Yervant enjoys having the bride play with her veil. He has created a number of signature images of similar scenes. Here the bride is tossing her veil into the breeze and watching with delight. He photographed her from a low camera angle so that all of the motion and lines ascend upward, like her gaze.

  Formal Bridal Portrait. In the bride’s portrait, you must reveal the delicate detail and design elements of her bridal gown. Start with good head and shoulder axis, with one foot forward and weight on her back leg. Her head should be dipped toward the near (higher) shoulder, which places the entire body into a flattering “S-curve,” a classic pose.

  The bouquet should be held in the same hand as the foot that is placed forward and the other hand should come in behind the bouquet. Have her hold the bouquet slightly below waist level, revealing the waistline of the dress while creating a flattering bend to the elbows.

  For another portrait, turn her around and have her gaze back at you. This reveals the back of the dress, which is often quite elegant. Don’t forget about the veil—shooting through the tulle material of the veil for a close-up portrait makes a fine portrait.

  Scheduling a time to photograph the groom and his groomsmen is an important element of the album. Here, Marcus Bell photographed the boys in a light-hearted moment. The image has a carefree editorial style.

  Tom Muñoz is a master at the formal bridal portrait. The location, with its open arches receding into the background and its coral and sand colors, ideally offsets the formal gown and pose. Notice how he has arranged her pose to form an elegant S-curve. Her front foot and leg are extended outward to give a better line to the dress and her hands are delicately holding the train of the dress, a pose that extends the horizontal base of the image.

  If the gown has a full train, you should devise a pose that shows it in its entirety, either draped around to the front or behind her. Remember, too, to have someone help her arrange and move the dress; you don’t want the train dragging around in the flower beds.

  If you photograph the bride outdoors by shade, or indoors in an alcove using the directional shade from outdoors, you will probably need an assistant to hold a reflector close to her to bounce additional light into her face. This will give a sparkle to her eyes and also fill in any shadows caused by directional lighting.

  Joe Photo captured this handsome editorial portrait of the groom by leaning him on a banister, which created a strong diagonal line that defines the pose. He used available window light and bounce flash for the lighting and the expression he elicited makes this shot memorable. He used controlled blurring and other Photoshop effects to enhance the portrait.

  Normally, large people are not photographed head on as it makes them look even larger. The trick was that Joe Photo allowed the black tuxedo to merge with the dark tones already in the image, thus blurring the lines of reality. The pose also makes the groom look exceedingly strong and masculine. In contrast, note the slimming effect of turning the bride to a near-profile pose.

  In this formal portrait, Joe Photo let the surroundings dictate how he would render the scene. The pose is stately and almost architectural, tying in to the formal elegance of the room. He white-balanced the scene for the outdoors “cloudy,” allowing the tungsten interior lights to record even warmer.

  Ron Capobianco made this formal portrait in a vineyard, an unusual but perfect place for a formal portrait of the bride and groom.

  Formal Portrait of the Groom. Generally speaking, the groom’s portrait should be less formal than the bride’s. Strive for a relaxed pose that shows his strength and good looks. A three-quarter-length pose is ideal for the groom because you are less concerned about showing his entire ensemble than you are about the bride s.

  If the groom is standing, use the same “weight on the back foot” philosophy as before. The front foot should be pointed at an angle to the camera. With the shoulders angled away from the camera lens, have the groom tilt his head toward the far shoulder in the classic “masculine” pose.

  Side lighting often works well—and the classic arms-crossed pose is usually a winner; just remember to show the edge of the hands and not let him “grab” his biceps, as this will make him look like he’s cold.

  Another good pose is to have the groom’s hands in his pockets in a three-quarter-length pose. Have his thumbs hitched on his pants pockets so that you can break up all of the dark tones of his tuxedo. Also, if he has cuffs and cuff links, adjust his jacket sleeves so that the cuffs and cufflinks show and look good. It’s always a good idea to check the groom’s necktie to make sure it’s properly tied.

  Another good pose is to have him rest one foot on a stool, bench, or other support that is out of view of the camera. He can then lean forward toward the camera on his raised knee.

  A gentle smile is better than a serious pose—or one of the “big smiley laughing” variety. Although there are no hard and fast rules here, “strong” and “pleasant” are good attributes to convey in the groom’s portrait.

  The men’s fashion magazines are a good source of information on contemporary poses.

  Formal Portrait of the Bride and Groom. The most important formal portrait is the first picture of the bride and groom immediately after the ceremony. Take at least two portraits, a full-length shot and a three-quarter-length portrait. These can be made on the grounds of the church or synagogue, in a doorway, or in some other pleasant location, directly following the ceremony.

  The bride should be positioned slightly in front of the groom and they should be facing each other but each at a 45 degree angle to the camera. Weight should be on the back leg for both, and there should be a slight bend in the knee of the bride’s front leg, giving a nice line to the dress. They will naturally lean into each other. The groom should place his hand in the center of the bride’s back and she should have her bouquet in her outside hand (the other hand can be placed behind it).

  This rainy-day formal by Frank Cava might be the most wonderful photo in the bride and groom’s album.

  The bridal party is often very big, like this one. Joe Photo created a wonderful group portrait by arranging the group into subgroups with kneeling groomsmen in the foreground and bridesmaids on the mens’ knees. The group is diverse because of the different head heights. Joe also incorporated the group into the hotel grounds and used diffused overhead light, blocked by the tops of the palm trees so that it is less overhead and more frontal in nature.

  Many seasoned wedding photographers will tell you that the best groups and formals occur seconds after you’ve told the people, “Thanks, I’ve got it.” Everyone relaxes and they revert to having a good time and being themselves. This is a great time to fire off a few frames. You might get the great group or formal that you didn’t get in the posed session.

  Have your assistant ready and waiting in the predetermined location and take no more than five minutes making this portrait. Your assistant should have ready the reflectors, flash, meter, or other gear you will need to make the portrait.

  Vary your poses so that you get a few with them looking at each other and a few looking into the camera. This is a great time to get a shot of them kissing. Believe it or not, very few images like this get made on wedding day, because the couple is so busy attending to details and guests.

  GROUP PORTRAITS

  You will need to photograp
h the groom and his groomsmen, the bride and her bridesmaids, as well as the complete wedding party in one group. Other groups you will need to photograph depend on the wishes of the couple. They may want family formals (his and hers), extended families (this is a much bigger group, usually), or a giant group shot including all of the attendees.

  This is a group of groups on a typical album spread by Jerry Ghionis. Notice how the photographer arranged the groups so the head heights are all different, making the collection look almost like a musical score. Both pages are of the bride, her bridesmaids, and her parents captured in a cohesive unit designed for the album.

  You do not have to make the portraits boy-girl, boy-girl. That is usually a pretty boring shot, even if you have a great background and all else is perfect. Instead, opt for something completely unexpected. Incorporate the environment or architecture or ask your wedding group to do something uncharacteristic. Even though this is a formal, posed shot, it does not have to represent a pause in the flow of the wedding day—it can still be fun and you can still get a wonderful group image if you exercise a little ingenuity.