FAQ: formal pictures

One question I get asked by a lot of brides, typically on behalf of their mother, is if I ever take more formal, posed family portraits. The answer is a big YES! I ALWAYS make time to get some pictures of the people most important to you all dressed up and looking their best! Those pictures don’t typically make it on to the blog or website though as I don’t really feel that they show off my best work, and they’re definitely not why a bride and groom should book a photographer! It takes veeery little creativity to get a good family formal picture, really all it takes to get a great family formal picture is soft light and a cooperative group! ;0) I try to make the family formals part of the day as quick and painless as possible, usually around 10-20 minutes or so, as it has a tendency to run long if you’re not careful. I typically tell the bride and groom to let their family know at the rehearsal dinner who they would like to be in their family pictures and where they should meet on the wedding day, that way there is no confusion about who should stick around for portraits and who can go onto the cocktail hour! As always, soft natural light is absolutely the best for shooting family formals, so I try to shoot all these pictures outside whenever possible. The natural light is significantly more flattering than the harsh overhead lights that most churches provide, so outside is always the first option. Here are just a few examples of some family formals from weddings this year:

From Justin and Emily’s wedding earlier this month: justin_emily245-copyjustin_emily274-copyand of course we include the wedding party in this group as well! here’s one of my favorites from Eric and Laura’s: img_2364-copyDavid and Crystal: img_3745-copyJoey and Ariel: img_4542-copyimg_4568-copyimg_4572img_4611I always try and get just a small handful of more formal pictures of the couple as well, the grandparents seem to appreciate it ;0) Ken and Michelle opted to do more of a “Just Married!” session after their wedding and wanted a much more formal portrait of the two of them outside the washington DC temple where they were married, and i was more than happy to oblige: img_4325img_4410img_4816img_4892Hope you had a great weekend! :0)

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  1. Cindy Hayduk says:

    I love it when you post FAQ posts :) I find them so helpful!

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