Say cheese ...

You pose a group - B&G + mums and dads, say - and you're ready to take the shot. How would you interact with the group to get that facial expression you're looking for?

My mum always used to say "say cheese" just before she pressed the button so it's no wonder in my famiy portraits we all look, well, odd - a bit like Wallace in Wallace and Gromit.

I've got my first wedding Saturday - I'd appreciate some tips here ...

Cheers! Martin

well the whole time you should be talking to them, reassuring them that they look good, that way you can fine tune the way that they look.

For something to say, you can do something like, big smiles, or count 1 2 3, whatever works for you. But keep talking, joking with them, whatever you have to do to ease their anxiety. chances are they have never had som many pictures taken of them in their whole life. I know my mouth was tired of smiling by the end of the night.

I like to talk to them and when I think they are ready take the shot. If you warn them it is comming sometimes they look away or close the eyes. Not sure why but I just think it is human nature. Another idea is to take the shot on 2 and not 3.

The word "cheese" is used because it put the face into the same shape as a smile. I use it sometimes. Other times I make bad jokes.

I use 1, 2, 3
This way people know when to get ready and smile, and then i do a 3 burst anyway so in case someone has their eyes closed i have 3 photo's to work from...for other shots i don't use that method - it's only used for the family photo's!

Del

With large group photos it can be the 'luck of the draw'.
I find that there is always one or two in a large group who won't smile no matter what. Even when you say cheese, count down or up, smile with them, joke with them etc.

I do what del does, a burst and hopefully almost practically most within the group is smiling or even looking at the camera in one of the shots.

i dont think its a huge biggie...with the larger groups, i NEVER worried about that when i got my wedding photos back, the smaller groups i was happy to find most of them everyone was looking and smiling, but the larger groups i wasn't really fussed in the end!

I make them say "stoofvlees" (a typical flemish meat dish) - it usually makes them laugh because they all expect "cheese". Works very well with kids also.

P.

I usually just blurt out a comment when I am ready that makes them laugh and thats when I shoot. If I run out of funny things to say or that family just doesnt go for it then I will go with something like "all happy now, they just got married!!" That works 99% of the time to at least get a smile

I would just say something like "if y'all don't smile, bridezilla's gonna come after me in court. then I'ma come after y'all that didn't smile. and I'll win cuz I have photographic evidence!"

Ok I wouldn't really. Or would I?

Lucky you're not a wedding photographer then eh Donald?

tim wrote:
Lucky you're not a wedding photographer then eh Donald?

lol. I've shot a few but I don't do it regularly (obviously!)

I came across a photographer somewhere that used to have everyone say "sex" ... it usually puts a smile on everyone's face in one way or another. I think it's a better, less forced smile as well ... just mouth "cheese" and "sex" and I think you'll see what I mean.

When i was 16 and was on our royalty court for our town the photographer said say "****" i think thats super inapprociate. I would also think sex is too. Well to the wrong people some would think its funny but i would hate to test it out on people i didnt even know. Plus being a mom i wouldnt want the photographer even saying sex outloud for them to repeat in a group shot.

mrs jb

Maybe if you got 'em to say "PRENUP!" and catch 'em on the "pre"