of them as we go along. It’s far more than ‘put your
arms here, move closer together’ - it’s explaining
what I’m doing, and why, so that they feel completely
comfortable, and they understand the process.
generally everyone can benefit from a few reminders:
• Of course, capturing a smile is wonderful, but only if
it’s natural. They will always happen spontaneously
throughout the day and it’s a photographers’ job to
anticipate them, and to know the many key moments
when to expect them!
• Bulky keys/ phones/ speeches out of pockets please,
grooms!
• Arrange an engagement session with your
photographer; by the time you get to the wedding you
will feel like you know your photographer and their
shooting style, how they work, and what they expect
of you.
• Make sure you plan a 15 minute session alone with
your photographer into your wedding day schedule
(usually during the reception). If you are rushed
or haven’t prepared this time alone, it is more of a
challenge to capture natural, elegant photos.
Light
The key element to every photograph is light, and
throughout the day I am constantly checking the
quality of light wherever I am, whether in or out.
I am essentially a natural light photographer, and I
am always searching for the best light. This means
avoiding bright sunlight where possible, and bringing
the formal groups into the shade if the light is hard.
This soft, diffused light is a much more flattering,
and more forgiving! It avoids harsh shadows on the
face, and stops everyone squinting into the sun.
The best light of all is during the golden hour – that
luminous 30 minutes before and during sunset. I love
to photograph people at this time and if possible, I
will ‘backlight’ my couples; this means that you will
have your backs to the sun, and the photographer is
shooting into the sun. The results can be magical.
Posing
Once I know that my couples are totally relaxed, there
are a few pointers I often give them. As every couple
is different, I don’t have any set poses that I do, but
• ‘Stand tall’ – shoulders back and down - no slouching,
girls!
• I generally don’t stand couples straight onto camera,
but angle them slightly.
• If brides are holding a bouquet, I will ask them to
hold their elbows very slightly away from their body
by an inch or 2. This is more flattering than having the
arms held tightly to the body.
• If you are self conscious about something, it’s
really important to tell your photographer before
the wedding. There are lots of things they can do to
minimise them on the day, such as to photograph you
slightly from above. Have an open dialogue with your
photographer and hopefully you can work together to
achieve something beautiful.
• Movement is a great way to achieve a really natural
looking dynamism between 2 people. Remember
you don’t always have to stand still for great photos!
Walk away/ towards camera or dance together, and
you will soon start to relax and forget you’re being
photographed.
• I remind couples beforehand to remember they
can hold/ touch each other – it’s amazing how many
people are so overwhelmed by the whole experience
that the forget they can put their arms around each
other!
Contact :
Sophie Lindsay
Tel: +44 (0)78 5057 6325
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.sophielindsay.com
Facebook Page: Sophie Lindsay Photography
Location: London
Photo Credit: Sophie Lindsay