Getting Creative at Weddings?

[EveryMilesAMemory]

How many weddings did you shoot before you started going away from the traditional poses?

I've shot a few weddings now, 3 under my belt, and have yet to get any shots that I'd like to showoff.:(

Granted, the bride and groom have loved all the images, but me as a photographer dont like the traditional posings for the simple fact that they're just that, traditional poses you see on everyones mantle.

It might help to point out that in the last two weddings, both brides were not into the photos to begin with? When I met with them before the wedding to go over what they wanted and expected from me. Both brides said "I'll let you know right now that I hate my picture taken and could really care less if I have a bunch of shots, I just know I have to have pictures for family."

For women like this, I spent extra time to make them look as beautiul as possible and they were estatic witht he pictures, but it makes it hard to experiment with cool shots when they're not into it to begin with:(

I'd love to find some couples that are into the pictures as much as I am so I could really try some cool stuff like I see on some many of these posts.

I guess my main question is how long did it take for you vetrans to get really creative and how did you warm the bride and groom up to the task?

Any hints or tips would be greatly appreciated

[chuckvanhalen]

Not exactly a veteran here but getting more experience... the couple seems to have a lot to do with it -- some people seem to be really into it and are naturals and others aren't. I guess when you get even more experience you can start turning work away if you feel you don't connect with the bride.
I don't believe any of the very best stuff we see here is all because of the photographer or the subject -- I think the best work comes when both are in sync.

[Mike30D]

This is why you do engagement sessions before the wedding date. This way you and couple get to know each other a little before the big day.

Look to other photographer's for inspiration, don't copy poses but try to figure out why they chose that pose or why the lighting was the way it was.

You also may take on the idea that when you first meet possible clients you explain your style that way if they don't exactly fall in love with it, then maybe they're not the client for you.

As for formals, if you want some inspiration for those check out "Toogy" here on the forums. He has a cool approach to doing formals.

You also need to remember that the formals that we think are boring, a lot of clients want those shots. A lot of the shots that we think are creative or cool or awesome, the client may not really care for.

[EveryMilesAMemory]

Thanks for the comments!

I agree with you 100% that you need to connect with the clients to make the shots work. I've done modeling work in the past and some of the girls-guys just connected right from the first meeting, where others felt uncomfortable the entire time no matter what I did to relax them.

One of the weddings was outdoors and a very windy day and the bride had long hair and a long veil and I wanted to try some shots with the veil blowing in the wind. When I mentioned this to her, she just looked at me and said with a straight face "No, I'm not into that." WTF!

So I guess I'm just frustrated with seeing all these amazing wedding shots and mine are all just the same ol' same old.

Thanks for the input

[PaulGallagher]

This is why you do engagement sessions before the wedding date. This way you and couple get to know each other a little before the big day.

You also need to remember that the formals that we think are boring, a lot of clients want those shots. A lot of the shots that we think are creative or cool or awesome, the client may not really care for.

This is so true, I was speaking to another photographer a few weeks back and he done a shot of the brides dress hanging and the bride didn't like it at all so it never made an album, but he went on to win an award for it and has a big print of it hanging up in his studio.

[form]

I would also like to do non-traditional, unusual and interesting creative shots, but the clients are paying an hourly rate for my services and probably want to get the most "bang for the buck." Plus, I almost always blank when trying to find an interesting place or think of an interesting pose, which is just another reason why I prefer photojournalism.

I can think of a dozen ideas right now...when I'm not on the job. When I'm out there, they vanish.

I'm in a similar boat as you, but I have captured some good shots and emotions with unplanned shots, and some of them are posted on my web-folio. The emotions and personality of the people being captured make all the difference in the world.

[sdphotoforum.com]

I agree with the masses on getting to know the client before the big day.

Most of the time it is you the photog who breaks the ice and gives the people confidence to do the non traditional stuff.

In this wedding I shot this past saturday I met the couple for the first time 15 min before the ceremony! I had no Idea what I was in store for.
Luckily I was able to break the ice and have them dance around.

http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h37/sacredfire01/IMG_9420Dance.jpg

[Teachflute]

I think the formals with the family can be tough, but when it comes to the bride and the groom, I make that time feel personal, special and intimate between the couple. Usually it is the first time they spend together, alone (with me) as husband and wife. I get them to do a lot of interacting with each other and tell them to forget I am taking pictures. They talk about the ceremony. It hits them that they are really married.

After I do the pictures of the two of them together, I shoot some of each of the bride and groom alone with the other watching. I whisper to the groom "Just before I shoot the picture, tell her how beautiful she looks." Usually the bride beams at that point and I get amazing shots. I then say to the bride "Now you've got to out do what he just did. Just before I take the picture, you need to say something complimentary. See if you can make him smile." Usually the bride makes the groom laugh and I get a good shot.

I usually have shot some of the bride and groom by themselves earlier in the day, but the ones that I've done with the other watching are always my favorite.