storytelling with bridal portraits

The job of storytelling through portraits is to read behavior and interpret it as the correct emotion to convey to those that were not at the event.

There are three key elements to storytelling through portraits. The first is light. If you don’t have good light, you don’t have good portraits. To create more dimension and hide distracting elements, photographers use shadows and highlights. This is where having an assistant for shooting at weddings pays off. You only get one chance to get the photo at a wedding so having an assistant there to help move lights around can prove invaluable.

The second element is composition. Composition is critical for good photography. Without good composition your frame is a mess of elements with no direction.

The third is moment. As a photographer you need to constantly be ready for the moment by having your lighting and composition lined up. You need to anticipate the moment, be patient, and shoot through the whole moment. If you try to shoot through a moment with only 4 to 5 shots you might miss the best combination of lighting, composition, and expression but if you shoot 20 to 25 shoots you’ll increase your odds of getting the best combination of the three.

Overall, the key to telling your story with bridal portraits is to choose locations, props, and poses that are meaningful to the bride and groom. By doing so, you'll create a set of photos that not only look beautiful but also capture the essence of the couple’s relationship.