Posing the Bride

The Bride

Pay particular attention throughout the day to posing the bride.  She is the most important person in your photographs.  Before firing the shutter always check that she is looking her best.

When the Bridal car arrives, ask Bride and Father to remain seated, you should compliment her at this point, it will help her relax.  Take a flash shot from inside the car then ask Father to step outside the car and take his daughter's hand asif helping her out of car. 

Take another shot of Bride and Father standing outside the car, and then approaching the church entrance. 

A shot of Bride and Father with Best Maid/Chief Bridesmaid and Best Man in the church doorway could also be taken. 

You should also take one of the Bride and her Father at the church entrance.  Take a shot of Best Maid/Chief Bridesmaid attending to the Bride, you should work quickly at this point.

Pay specific attention to the stance of the Bride.  She should be posed by asking her to stand at a slight angle to the camera.

The foot nearest to the camera should be extended forward three or four inches towards the camera with the knee slightly bent.

Now ask her to transfer her weight to the foot farthest away from the camera. 

Her head should be turned towards the camera and tilted slightly.  Avoid straight limbs, for example arms and wrists should always suggest a gentle curving, almost flowing movement.

Flowing Lines

When you are composing a full-length portrait of the bride, make sure that you position the bouquet where you would a fig leaf! When you place the bouquet in this position the arms will look more graceful.

Ensure a gentle curvature of the elbows. If you allow the bride to hold the bouquet higher than this, you cover the detail in the waistline and body of the dress, and you put harsh angles into the arms. Not graceful or pleasing to the eye.

The most important single thing to remember when photographing women at any event is that they must look graceful.

Also remember to keep the bride at a slight angle to the camera, never directly face on. Approximately 30 degrees is flattering. You can get away with less of an angle with thinner brides.

Elevate her index finger slightly above the others for a graceful hand and be sure to show the side or edge of the hand and not the palm or back of the hand.

When photographing the bride and groom together, or the bride with any male, angle the shoulders so that the male is wider to the camera than the bride. The last thing you want to do is make the bride look bigger than the groom.

Tilting the Head

Head tilts are another important subject when posing the bride. Your goal is always flatter the subject to the best of your ability. There are two basic head tilts, masculine and feminine. Masculine head tilts place the head leaning down toward the front of the body while feminine head tilts have the head tilting down over the shoulder toward the back of the person. Feminine head tilts look best on thinner brides.

When posing the bride and groom together, or the bride with any male, angle the shoulders so that the male is wider to the camera than the bride. The last thing you want to do is make the bride look bigger than the groom.

 Wedding Photography Tips