Wedding Photography: Bridal preparations

Bridal preparation, photography is now a common request made to wedding photographers. I feel extremely privileged to be a voyeur of the bride at her most vulnerable moments. I personally love starting the wedding day photographing the bride. The bride is often extremely nervous and full of excitement. The emotional depth you can achieve in your photographs at this time should not be missed. You will need to go through the emotions with the bride, starting with the sleepless night she may have had, being overwhelmed by other people’s excitement, anxiety over accessories, flowers, the hairdresser, the bride maids turning up late, the realization that the day is actually happening and most of all wanting to look more beautiful than ever. There will be laughter, tears from the bride, mother of bride and bridesmaids, and there will be moments when the bride will be deep in thought.

The best style of photography to use for Bridal preparations is Reportage or Documentary Photography. This is when you spontaneously take shots of anything that you think records the day, almost like a storybook. You are basically a fly on the wall, trying not to get too involved and at best to go un-noticed, so as everyone feels comfortable going about their business and unaware you are photographing them. Start to take photographs after the bride has started to have her make-up done. She won’t want pictures of herself with a bed head and just woke up look. Take as many photographs you can of the bride and bridesmaids having their make-up and hair done. Take shots of the accessories; the flowers, hair pieces, jewellery, shoes, wedding dress, bags, ect. Place an accessory like the wedding shoes on a plain coloured surface, like dark wooden flooring, a glass table top, a wicker chair, so that it does not distract you from your main focus. Try to make these images more interesting by using a shallow depth of field and blurring the background. Important shots to get are of the bridesmaids and mother of bride dressing the bride and the reaction of everyone in the room when they see the bride ready.

When everyone is ready take some posed shots of Bride on her own, Mother and Bride, Bride and Bridesmaids, The Bridesmaids on their own, the Father of the Bride and Bride, the father, Mother of Bride and Bride and of everyone together.

Lastly get some shots of the Bride and Father of Bride walking out of hotel or house where they were preparing to get ready, and into the vehicle waiting to take them to the ceremony.

Please go to the following link to see examples of Bridal preparation photography

more examples at http://www.vickieblairphotography.com/Galleries/Wedding_Jan_2011/index.html