Pre-wedding shot ideas

[RecurrentNerve]

Howdy folks,

My sister-in-law-to-be is getting married soon. Her husband's best man is a shutterbug and will be taking shots of the groom (and the second best man as it happens) getting ready for the big day, and my sister-in-law wants me to do the same for her.

I think the best way to go will be to keep things candid, but does anyone have any ideas on specific shots to get? I'll probably be using my 35mm f/1.8 mostly.

Thanks in advance

[Niresangwa]

Cover the little details, like her make up and bling, flowers, beer bottles in the room etc..

Ask her what time she is going to put the dress on, and then get there half an hour before so you can take it and her shoes somewhere cute to shoot...

shots of people helping strap her in etc...

use mirrors, or perhaps shooting from another room into the one they're using... it gives a bit of a voyeuristic touch to the composition and prevents it just being a straight up shot of someone fastening her up etc... use chairs to get up and vary up angles etc.

one thing i've experienced is that even the most benign images can be amongst the best when trying to establish the feeling of the day, so don't always try and shot something 'meaningful'.

[terri33inne]

I agree it's about capturing the details... I always like shots of the dress hanging somewhere in preparation (ones I really like are when the dress is hanging in a window).... If Mom clasps her necklace for her....last mirror check... flower girl fidgeting...the flowers lined up in the delivery box... leaving for the church... A few candid posed ones of the important people there...etc.

Check out some wedding photographer websites for ideas... It's a more photojournalistic style that I tend to see for these shots.

[RecurrentNerve]

Thanks guys. I think the real trick will be to make people forget I'm there so they relax and I can just get some good candids. I will definitely try and capture some details of the dress etc before it goes on. My wife insists I take some shots of the shoes which are very nice, apparently!