International Wedding Photographer Jules » Get Better Photos Series

What is the best time to have our photos done?

Jules — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 13:34:22 +0000

This point is absolutely the single most important deciding factor as to the quality of your photos. If you are getting married in the middle of the day and it is sunny and then you want group photos or photos together as newlyweds then bear in mind that you have chosen the worst time of the day photographically to have photos done.

If you are getting married in a hot country during the day the temperatures are going to be at their highest. During the day the light is too strong, harsh and white. Absolutely the best time of day is towards sunset when the light is softer more romantic and flattering.. Ideally we need to time the day so that the photos you do together with me are done about 30 minutes before sunset and 15 minutes after. If not then we need to at least leave the photos until as late as possible and avoid during the day.

The Wedding Party/Disco

Jules — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 13:33:24 +0000

The disco and party shots are great if they look like everyone is having a great time, after all your wedding should be cause for celebration when it’s time to start the party you can have your first dance and then invite everyone to join you afterwards for at least a couple of songs this way the dance floor is filled and the photos are much more fun.

Brides with veils

Jules — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 13:32:45 +0000

A long veil is great for photos as we can play with it and use it for some creative photos. I would suggest you remove it later on to have some photos with and some without.

Bear in mind if the veil is very short then it is less easy to get those flowing veils shots. I also feel that the veil should be placed higher up on the head, not attached at the bottom otherwise it looks like a pony tail.

Confetti sucks! Petals and/or rice RULES!

Jules — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 13:27:39 +0000

Paper confetti being thrown at the exit/end of the ceremony is a waste of time as it is so light you can’t throw it, if there is any wind at all that will take it away. Ask your florist for a basket of coloured petals. You can throw them and they won’t blow away. If they are coloured they can even match your colour scheme.

You can mix rice in with the petals as well as this looks great in the photos and according to Italian tradition brings good luck. If you buy the prewashed kind it doesn’t have any dust with it that marks the groom’s suit. (If you can’t find the prewashed type don’t worry as it brushes off.)

Exchanging your vows and the rings

Jules — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 13:27:07 +0000

If you are exchanging vows please take the time to learn them or at least write them out on a small attractive piece of card. Nothing looks worse than you standing in front of the entire congregation with a crumpled piece of A4 paper that you printed out at home.

Exchanging the rings. When you are exchanging the rings try and bear in mind how you appear to the photographer who has to photograph this crucial moment. If you turn slightly or block their view with an arm, shoulder or your back, the chances of getting a good shot are greatly reduced.

If you are getting married in a church and have chance to speak to the priest try and check the for the following:

Is the priest planning on having you speak into a microphone for the vows?

Sometimes in the church (often the larger ones) they use a wireless microphone so that the congregation can hear you loud and clear. The problem is that while we are trying to photograph you looking at each other and saying your vows to one another, the priest has a tendency to stick his arm out and put the microphone in front of your mouth, this clearly is not going to help the photos. Assure the priest that you don’t need one and can speak up and be heard just fine.

The other thing to watch is the priest may have a tendency to come very close to you this greatly reduces the angles from which we can photograph you and avoid having the priest in the photo. For some photos we will photograph you and the priest together but we would also like to be able to photograph you apart from the priest.

The exchanging of the rings is one of those moments when we would ideally like to have a clear shot of you without the priest in view.

Obviously these are delicate matters that need to be approached carefully to avoid causing any aggravation with your priest. If you know your priest or have one that seems very friendly and approachable you can try and tactfully address these points.

Does having a tan make for better photos?

Jules — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 13:26:09 +0000

If you are going to get married in a sunny location then a light tan is helpful as you will generally look more radiant and healthy. Also if your skin is a bit darker it is less reflective which will help in the sunlight. If you are going to spend a few days in the sun before the wedding then having an existing tan will reduce the risk of sunburn or red skin as you already have some tan, of course wearing some sun block is essential.

If you are going to get a fake tan get it done by a professional who sprays it on. Many of the cheaper creams have colours that aren’t natural, they leave you looking rather yellow or too orange and if it is self applied it is easy to miss a spot and achieve a rather unflattering streaky look.

If you plan on coming abroad and getting a tan in the days before your wedding that’s fine but please be careful not to get sunburnt. A red face from the sun is not very flattering and if you’ve overdone it in the sun the skin has a tendency to sweat more. Worst of all avoid getting burnt and risking peeling skin!

The Bouquet

Jules — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 13:25:04 +0000

My personal preference for the bouquet is the classic round compact small bouquet. I also prefer coloured flowers as if you are wearing a white/cream dress then a matching white bouquet gets lost in the photos when you are holding the bouquet in front of you. I think it’s more beautiful to have a contrasting colour of bouquet as it adds a splash of colour to the photos. You can also be creative and use it to have a colour scheme that matches bridesmaids’ dresses or the groom ties and buttonholes.

I definitely do not like a long stemmed bouquet, they are hard to hold and unflattering as you can’t hold one in a casual manner it can only be held in a rigid and formal way. I prefer the round bouquet as when it is held in front of you at about the same height as your belly button it creates symmetry in the photos as you are holding it centrally. When you are not holding the bouquet centrally you want to be able to extend you arm and let it swing at your side in a relaxed manner like when you hold hand with the groom and go for a walk. A long bouquet cannot be held centrally and so does not give you symmetry.

A cascading bouquet can be ok as long as it is the right size for you. I have seen some huge bouquets that were stunning but the bride was just too petite for such a large bouquet so you need to watch the size.

Guide to Group Photos

Jules — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 13:23:57 +0000

If you don’t want to do any group photos that’s fine. If you want grab a few or even spend an hour doing them that’s also fine. However you need to know what groups you want to do as we do not know who is present at your wedding. In order to avoid forgetting someone that you really wanted a photo with I would suggest writing a list and bringing it with you. The groom can keep it in his jacket pocket.

In order to calculate how much time is required to do the groups I would estimate about 90 seconds per group photo. This seems quick but if you think that you may require 20 group photos then that means it could take 30 mins. Of course it depends a lot on how large the groups are and if everyone is present and ready for the photos. The time is a guide and it may take much less but it could take more.

To help speed up the process whilst we take the photos a best man or relative who knows everyone at the wedding can help gather the next group and make sure they are ready for their photo.

Here’s a guide to some of the group photos you might want to consider, there are many more that can be done but there are already quite a few here. A lot will also depend on your particular families members and relations. Remember it is just a guide to consider and help you produce your own list.

Bride + brides parents
Bride + brothers and sisters
Bride + brides parents + brothers and sisters
Bride + Groom + brides parents + brothers and sisters
Bride + brides close family + brides extended family
Bride + Groom + brides close family + brides extended family

Groom + grooms parents
Groom + brothers and sisters
Groom + grooms parents + brothers and sisters
Groom + Bride + grooms parents + brothers and sisters
Groom + grooms close family + grooms extended family
Groom + Bride + grooms close family + grooms extended family

Bride + bridemaids
Bride + Groom + bridemaids
Bride + bridemaids + flowergirl/s
Bride + Groom + bridemaids + flowergirl/s
Bride + flowergirl/s
Bride + Groom + flowergirl/s

Groom + bestmen
Groom + bestmen + pageboy/s
Groom + pageboy/s

Bride + Groom + everyone!

Other combinations can include, friends, work colleagues, girls only, boys only…

General tips to get better photos of the preparations and make your life easier!

Jules — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 13:22:20 +0000

Get a room that is spacious. Chances are there will be quite a few people in the room so it helps if we all have space to be able to move and work, we don’t want to be struggling to move about and working in cramped conditions.

If you are getting ready in a hot country then get a room with air conditioning, you will stay calmer and arrive to the wedding looking perfectly fresh and beautiful.

Try and choose a room that is bright and airy, natural light is important for the photos and also for you to be able to see for hair, make up, and everything else.

Keep your room tidy. Please bear in mind that we are coming to take photographs and so whatever is lying around the room will be in the photos. If a messy room with clothes all over the place, empty drink cans, beer bottles, unmade bed etc is fine with you then its fine with us but I can guarantee you that a clean and tidy room is much more attractive and it will also keep you more relaxed.

The preparations aren’t just about hair and make up

Jules — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 13:21:17 +0000

During the preparations as well as photographing the hair and make up being done, there will be lots of moments that offer opportunities for some lovely candid emotional photography. You will be interacting with the people around you and so there will be lots of emotions and excitement to be photographed.

While you are getting ready we also like to photograph details, we will be able to photograph the flowers, shoes, dress details, rings, garter, jewellery and much more depending on what you choose to have available. Later on in the day there won’t be time to photograph these important elements of your day and things like the flowers may have wilted, the shoes and dress may be dirty and may not be looking there best later after a few hours of use. It is also nice to have photos of the items when you are not wearing them and the only time to do this is before you put them on!