To Pose or Not to Pose...

[GCRollo]

That is my question.

I'm curious how many of you whom shot weddings choose to pose your shots?

Not formals, but the "action" shots.

e.g. The Kiss, The Ring Exchange, Lighting of the Candles, Throwing of the Bouquet, Garter, etc.. etc.. ect...

[Wilt]

Most action shots I take are unrehersed and unposed. But some traditional shots like the cake cutting are taken as one or two posed shots (e.g. knife just before entering the cake, held by both B&G) but then the B&G are told to proceed at normal speed in the actual cutting and captured as genuine candid shot. The cake stuffing in the face, if any, would certainly be nothing but candids!

[Padawan Dad]

Aside from formals, I never pose shots... thats my "style" and I am up front about it with my clients. I believe it's the photographers job to capture the wedding day, not stage it. I guess I am more photojournalistic, than traditional.

I have heard off photog's re-staging the "moment" if they missed a shot. I've never felt that necessary in my two years of experience in the field.

I'm not saying it's wrong to "stage" a "moment;" it's just not my bag. To each their own.

[liza]

Some photographers do that, but I think it defeats the purpose of wedding PJ.

[song4themoon]

I only pose the formals and thats what my clients like.. they dont feel like their picture is taken all day long!
Another bonus.. it just looks more natural.. you may not always get the perfect angle.. but the natural expressions make up for that!

[jillybean]

I never pose any of those shots

[Wilt]

Some photographers do that, but I think it defeats the purpose of wedding PJ.

Liza, the B&G often tell me "We hardly noticed you were there!" So the few times when I 'freeze time' with setup shots do not detract at all from the otherwise PJ style of coverage that I provide. I do mix in posed formals to go along with the relatively few "hold it for a moment (click)" shots, but otherwise PJ prevails...I was a photojournalist long before I undertook any studio work! The styles can very nicely be mixed into a hybrid approach. But like Bill I feel it's the photographers job to capture the wedding day, not stage it. I hate it when I see someone stage everything...I feel like saying, "gimme a break, it's their wedding not yours!"

[picturecrazy]

I only pose formals. I'm such a poser.... lol
seriously though, I don't pose anything else. Even the registry signing.

[BJ Pulsipher]

Only formals, not the 'event'. I do ask the bride and groom to remember to face each other a little more during the ceremony and not just present their back to the audience while facing the minister. No one ever remembers to do that so I have to be care of my angles to get their expressions.

[RobKirkwood]

We will only pose stuff we absolutely have to.

I only pose formals. I'm such a poser.... lol
seriously though, I don't pose anything else. Even the registry signing.In the UK it's almost impossible to photograph the actual signing of the register (most Churches won't allow it, and Civil Registrars we've met definitely won't allow the actual book to appear in shot) ...so this often has to be posed immediately afterwards.

Rob

[picturecrazy]

Wow, really? Sounds like your registry book is more sacred than the bible, torah, or Holy Qur'an!!

Why do they not allow this?

[kawter2]

no pose

[xandria]

I don't pose during the ceremony or other times when you just want to capture the moment as it happens, like the cutting of the cake, bouquet and garter toss, dancing, etc..

[verty]

i get them to pose for some shots...
like i find some couples want shots with their mum and dad...
there is nothing wrong with that...

i like a mixture of natural and shots with family members when they know the camera is firing...

[JaertX]

I've actually worked with a pro (exactly ONE time) who posed every shot he took except a few pictures during the ceremony and even then he gave pre-wedding directions. I think he might have snapped 150 images at most. Every image he takes is perfectly exposed, perfectly focused, perfectly posed and perfectly boring.

Don't get me wrong, traditional wedding photography is sadly becomming a lost art and there are people out there who still desire those type of images and their corncob never falls out when they hire someone like this guy. Not for me though. I might not make as much money as him and I definitely work a lot harder...so maybe he's the smart one, but I'm not in this game because it's easy and I'm not trying to get rich. I pose formals and that's it.

[jessiper]

e.g. The Kiss, The Ring Exchange, Lighting of the Candles, Throwing of the Bouquet, Garter, etc.. etc.. ect...

I never pose any of the shots you mentioned, but sometimes I have to tell a couple to kiss or look at each other or something (enjoy each other). Sometimes, even right after they walk down the aisle, the B&G will just go their separate ways into the reception and don't come back together again unless I ask them to. They just get too excited to be with their friends and family. I've never restaged a moment, say, from the ceremony or anything. As others have said, just the formals are posed for me.

[gcobb]

I didn't do reception poses either. For the ceremony pics I went one more step. I'd talk to the B&G to see what if anything they preferred. Then I'd get names of each person in the wedding party who would be in the pics. So while I was there shooting, my assistant could call out names and be a little more personal with the people there. That always worked for me.