Groom Gets Ready
For most photographers the first stop on the wedding day is the groom’s house, as this often takes less time than photographing the bride. Therefore for the first post in our series, we’ll be focusing on what the groom as he gets ready in the morning of the wedding day.
It’s best to have any important details and objects prepared beforehand, so that they can be photographed first. This would include such things as the tux, shoes, boutonnieres, cuff links, and of course the rings, if the groom has them. Detail shots may seem small and insignificant, but they really round out the story of the day – so you wouldn’t want to forget anything!
Then the photographer takes a step back and doesn’t impose on the natural moments that are happening between the groom and his friends, but rather tries to capture them. At this point, they are usually helping the groom get dressed and ready. This process is filled with many moments of laughter and fun, which makes for excellent pictures, as everyone is having a blast. More sincere and emotional moments between family members are captured as well. This part of the morning is truly like documentary work – the photographer documents the range of emotions that are happening: from the laughs to the tears of joy.
Towards the end of our 45 minute with the groom, there’s time for some more creative shots as well as some posed portraits. The portraits really give the groom a chance to relax before the ceremony, and to show off his best side to be remembered for years to come. Over all, with the groom, we try to focus on strong graphic compositions and dramatic lighting, as these techniques usually work better for a stronger and more solid character. If the wedding day is to be portrayed as a story, we try to portray the groom as the hero of this story – the strong masculine, yet gentle and caring man, that the bride fell in love with. The most important thing is trying to balance this strong imagery, with a natural feel.
It’s a pretty simple process, and as long as the groom acts natural and excited, the pictures will be amazing!