Posed or Unposed?

So one of the things I hear when meeting new wedding photography clients is “I don’t want to do posed pictures.”

Believe me,  I get it.  I don’t feel super comfortable in front of the camera myself.  Sometimes it can feel a tad bit awkward.  But let me ask you this one question–if I can make you look absolutely fabulous with just a few simple directions, would you let me do that?  If I can simply turn your body slightly, move your arms away from your torso or shift your weight from the front to the back foot to make you look slimmer, are you interested?  Because if there is one thing I have learned as a photographer, it is this:  If I tell you “Oh, just go stand over there,” 90% of the time you will stand directly forward with your arms plastered against your body and look super awkward.  Not a good look.  This bridal photo session I recently did with the stunning Nikki at the Embassy Suites in Saratoga Springs illustrates what good posing and lighting can do for you.

Here is my thought process for the bridal portraits below.  The dress is a trumpet silhouette, so you want to show the flair at the bottom.  Weight is on the back foot almost always to give an S curve to the pose.  Arms are always away from the torso to emphasize the shape of the waist.  Off camera lighting was added to give dimension and a little drama.  I love the Old Hollywood look to these.  Taking a minute to think about what you want the finished image to look like makes it much easier than randomly going in and shooting away like you have a machine gun.

The photo below is a variation on the pose to add variety.

We moved over to a window to take advantage of the beautiful light streaming in the large windows.  They had some really cool white leather chairs.  Again, the body is turned slightly and arms are away from the body.  Her face is short lit to give dimension.  She has catch lights in her eyes to give them a little sparkle.  One thing that I think is important to any pose is hands.  You want them to look graceful, not like claws.

So then I saw this really nice little area in the lobby.  It had bad light, so I knew I needed to add off camera lighting.  Again, the body is slightly turned and the arms are away from the torso–showcases her lovely curves.  I went super dramatic with the lighting contrast.  Just because.  LOL.

So let me ask you again–If I can make you look the very best you can with just a few simple directions and some kick ass light, would you like that?  I know which one I prefer.

Don’t you just love this dress?  You can find it at Danielle’s Bridal in Saratoga.  Do you like the lobby of the Embassy Suites?  They are a newer hotel in Downtown Saratoga Springs.

If you enjoyed this post on wedding photography, you might like to read a post about Meg + Nick’s Wedding in Saratoga.

Are you ready to hire a photographer for your upcoming wedding?  Please schedule a wedding photography consultation with us.  We would love to photograph you!