03/06/2008 by paul.

The group shots at weddings turn many a would be wedding photographer’s knees to jelly.

Whats the answer?

Well, if you’ve chosen  to do a wedding whether you’ve been paid or doing it as a favour one thing you really have to get used to is being the centre of attention. Like it or not, an average wedding party will contain anything from 40-200 guests and if you want the wedding photographs to resemble wedding photographs in a traditional format that people can share some groups shots are inevitable.

Planning

1.To make life easier for yourself go to the venue beforehand and look for suitable locations to take the photographs. Keep the background simple so avoiding trees growing out of guests heads. Find out beforehand how many group shots are going to be photographed and see if you can find an area where these can be done using different positions and try varying backdrops to avoid all the photographs looking the same. Try to keep everyone together either drinking champagne (the norm after a wedding) or nearby outside.

2. Wet weather. It happens, look inside for staircases , fireplaces, comfy chairs anything that can break-up the usual firing line a group shot can turn into. Check for light, is there enough? If you have to rely on flash try and bounce it, check what colour the ceiling is (the colour will bounce back)and check the height, as a bounced flash has along way to go.

You can get away with alot using a dedicated flash gun but never take chances, always know its limits. Do tests beforehand. I cannot emphasise enough how important it is to keep things simple and make sure you get a result. Its better to have simple shots that come out than getting out of your depth and messing up.

If you work alone, make sure an usher is appointed to you. This person will then have the thankless task of getting the next group together whilst you photograph.

The Day.

 Main group.

I always do the main group shot straight after the ceremony whenever possible. Look for somewhere directly outside the venue, remember 200 people can take up alot of space and more importantly to see all of them is going to involve either you being higher than them or the group on a terrece  or stairs . You can achieve this quite simply by getting everyone as soon as the come out the church to directly start lining up as the bride and groom are at the front already. Keep coaxing them into position and Shepherd them into the right place without it sounding bossy(easier said than done). Promise them as soon as it over they can drink champagne (this normally speeds things along). Try not to stress, a loud voice is OK but shouting isn’t, some people haven’t seen each other for years so would much rather gas than be in your photo. Go up to them apologise and tell it really wont take long, painless in-fact!

Then tidy up the group into some sort of shape so it doesn’t look ragged. Make sure you can see everyone , talk to the audience (their all looking at you now). I’ve climbed lampposts , stood on top of bins , castle ramparts with huge drops behind me to achieve this. Once its done thank every body , above all keep it light and no matter how much your dying inside.. smile.

Small group shots

Once at the reception give the guests half an hour to unwind and chat. Then get the bride and groom together and find out if they are ready, they are paying you so will be quite happy to get pictures. You will normally get 2-3 hours between the end of the service and the start of the reception. Its probably taken half an hour to get the group shot outside the church and another half an hour to get everyone to the reception. You only really have an hour for the rest of the group shots so keep an eye on the time, running over time dosent go down well with the reception wedding planners or the cooks.

Go outside to your chosen area and keep it clear of people, find your usher. What I like to do is start with the biggest group and take people away for the first couple of shots. So both complete families, then grandparents-parents, then parents… pulling people out is easier than putting people in to start with. Tell jokes , keep it friendly. Try different ways of positioning people so the photographs look different. Have a good look at other wedding photographers work and see what they do to make the shots more interesting, then quite simply rip them off!

If you can try to persuade the bride and groom to keep the group shots down to 10 or so, tell them your happy to do as many as they want but they themselves will begin to tire after an hour of smiling. With 10 shots you can pretty much cover all the combinations most couples require.

No two weddings are the same so be prepared to alter plans, always keep an open mind and go with the flow of events. Be flexible and fit in around what is happening that way you’ll get more relaxed photos and alot less hassle.

Now thats done its time to get shots of the couple, but thats another story…..

Posted in Toast photography, edinburgh wedding photography, Wedding photography | 1 Comment »

31/05/2008 by paul.

So I’m back on here, why? My website has fallen off planet Google so this would appear to be a waste of time. But, never count your parsnips before they roast (or however the saying goes). Whats up Toast I hear you shout! Not alot, Sals slowly tuning  into Germaine Greer with her feminist essays. I’m turning grey and the world is turning around ever faster; Its JUNE!! Half way through, were did that go?

Anyway as Google has gone Ga Ga , I’ll stop here and see if mentioning wedding photographer in Edinburgh (ho, ho) or I’m a photographer who does weddings (but hasn’t yet talked about one….Patience..) helps

Posted in Toast photography, edinburgh wedding photography | 1 Comment »

22/05/2008 by paul.

Evening all.  I am the mysterious Toast; A photographer who’s set up a wedding photography blog.

 Well I must confess that last statement is a complete lie, as I got ‘The Sparkle’ to make this blog spot. A mysterious being is Sparkle, she puts together websites, makes me dinner and entertains me in ways that I couldn’t possibly divulge on here.

 I have no idea what I shall write, maybe I’ll talk about weddings, maybe beer, maybe travel stories, maybe I’ll just go off on one like I am now. Anyway tomorrow it starts.

 So manyana!

Posted in Toast photography, edinburgh wedding photography, Wedding photography | 4 Comments »

12/05/2008 by sallysparkle.

I thought that I would quickly scribble a few words on this nice new clean sheet of paper to start things off.

It all began a few years ago standing  on top of a big mountain in the Pyrenees wondering what to do next with our lives…as we stood feeling a little giddy in the high altitude the idea came that perhaps we should leave Cornwall [when we got off the mountain] and become wedding photographers in Edinburgh…..altitude does strange things to your mind….but here we are, well Paul is the photographer and I help with websites and bitz an pieces. I must confess now that I won’t be having a wedding photographer at my wedding [hence the ‘to be’ bit], nothing personal against them but I loathe to be in front of the camera. Anyway if wedding photographers out there wish to tell their funny or not so funny stories [all good therapy] here’s the place to be

Posted in Toast photography, edinburgh wedding photography, Wedding photography, Uncategorized | No Comments »