Wedding Photography and Photo Booths

A few years ago (Sheesh, where does the time go?) I had a wedding I was very nervous about. I researched images for months because I knew this client needed to be impressed. I came across this very cute assembly of images of the bridal party. It was fun, flirty and modern. I thought, “I can do this, this will turn out great.” Wow, it is to this day one of my best.

 

I tell my bride and groom well in advance about the image I plan to take. I warn them it takes a lot of time, but the results are fantastic. Day of the wedding I warn them again. I proceed to tell everyone that will need to be in this image over and over. With weddings you have to keep telling people because they are so overwhelmed they don’t initially hear you. At some point after the ceremony I collect everybody in one spot. What happens then is seriously one of the best parts of the whole wedding.

 

I gather everyone around me and tell them this is photo booth time. They are not allowed to leave, they must come up with four different poses and my big important one and they cannot wave their arms up. Waving their arms up crops them off and looks weird. The first brave soul walks up and gives me their best poses. By the time the second person is up the whole group is getting into the idea. As more and more people go up for their picture this magical thing happens where they cheer each other on, they offer ideas for those that get camera shy and the whole group gets pumped up. It is so fun to do and has become a staple of the images I take.

 

Having a photo booth at a wedding upsets me. I get jealous of the photo booth. I wish people could feel that free in front of me. It makes me so sad that people are so reserved, proper and cold when they are photographed. When they step into the “booth” all that goes away. I want to be the photo booth. I want those crazy fun pictures and I want people to be happy about it. So, so far this photo tactic I have developed for myself is working out. I only hope that someday I can photograph in a world where people don’t feel like they have to hide their enthusiasm in a booth. I will be here, ready to photograph those wonderful people.