I am asked quite often if my clients choose to have bridal sessions, as well as the pros to having them. It usually goes along the line of “Do I really need a bridal session, won’t you get plenty of shots of the bride on the wedding day”? In my opinion, bridals, while not essential to every wedding, are very worthwhile and I usually recommend that all brides consider them along with their wedding day coverage. The reasons are numerous, but the biggest has to do with time. On the wedding day there just isn’t enough time to dedicate to bridal portraits, at least not an extensive amount of time. If I can have 5-minutes on the wedding day for bridal portraits I would be lucky. The average wedding is fast paced and between getting all the pre-ceremony detail shots, as well as bridesmaids/groomsmen shots, it is difficult to spend any real length of time for dedicated bridal portraits. This is why I think future brides should consider a bridal session. My sessions last around 2-hours and often include two locations. Most of the bridal is dedicated to getting every element of the shot (hair, dress, pose, etc.) exactly perfect. A great deal of time is often spent setting up the lights/reflectors, making sure the dress is not touching the ground and carefully crafting the most pleasing lighting effects. These are the types of elements that can be too difficult to achieve during a wedding due to time constraints. So if you think you might want to have a dedicated bridal do not hesitate, do it! You deserve it! You may have spent countless hours picking out the perfect dress, considering all the options and what was best for your wedding. Why not cap that process off with a bridal session that allows you to immortalize the dress and how it looks on you! Below is a sample from a recent bridal session with Brittany. In this session I was able to use a variety of lighting techniques, both natural and artificial. Careful attention was paid to each shot, often it took 5-10 minutes to set-up the shot! I think this session shows the advantages of having a bridal session.
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Putting together quality photography is more than a fancy camera and fast glass. It requires careful color coordination in terms of the clothing, as well as a good grasp of lighting, posing, etc. Below is a good example of what I am talking about. I had the pleasure of working with a great family, three generations in fact! With so many people, I had to create different levels/layers to the image by carefully posing the family. This helps to create a cohesiveness to the image, while also allowing each family member to stand out. The family wanted to use an old tractor as part of the image. When I arrived, the field where I was to shoot the session was washed out in sunlight with no trees, making photography very tricky. I immediately noticed that off in the distance was a stand of trees way off on the horizon. So I rounded up the family and headed off (with tractor in tow!) to the tree line. This made the backdrop for the images both pleasing to the eye, as well as providing enough shade to prevent the images from becoming washed out. I always like working with backdrops like this, because if carefully placed, I can create a wonderful rim light around my subjects. This is when the sunlight forms a rim around the subjects head(s) as it filters through their hair. A carefully placed reflector was used for fill. We brought along some hay bails to create layers and for a more authentic feel to a country themed, all-American portrait session. Here is the results, I loved how it came out! Lauren & Chad will be getting married really soon, so I thought it was fitting that I post some of their engagement pictures. They had a great idea of cutting out their date using cardboard, then having me take some images of it. I really like the date against the blue sky! NoDa provided the backdrop, so we moved around the area taking advantage of the colorful buildings they have there. I thought the session was really fun and the smiles come through very well. Lauren and Chad are awesome to work with, I can’t wait for their wedding later next month in the mountains! More to come on that! Ria is so cute, I enjoy every opportunity I can work with her and her parents, truly one of the nicest families I have ever met! I recently met with Ria and her parents at Freedom Park for a celebration of her 1st birthday. We had a number of tasks at hand. First, we wanted to get some great family portraits. Second, we had to have some cool candids of Ria. Finally, the session was topped off with a little smash cake! If you have never heard of this, it is a simple concept. Buy a cake, put it out in front of your 1-year old, then let them do the rest! It makes for some great memories and the photos are awesome. |
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