Candid photography at weddings is fun not only for the bridal party and the guests but also for the photographer. A wedding a joyous occasion, where people get together to celebrate life. And have fun. And return with lots of happy memories. Throughout the day, the wedding photographer or in this case more aptly referred as the wedding photojournalist has plenty of opportunities of taking shots that will create such memories. More than the formal portraits, these are the shots that friends will talk about more, share, and remember when they think about the day in the future. For me personally, a formal portrait session is something I have be methodical about and rely more on my brain but when I am doing candid photography at weddings I am counting more on my instinct and my heart.
The photographer should never get in the way and ask for a pose with an intention of making it look like a candid shot. It will neither be a candid shot not a carefully constructed portrait – it will look like a caricature.
Getting Ready
Right from the beginning, when the bride and the groom are getting ready, the photographer has to be alert to capture these moments, which are never staged or repeated. The bridesmaids and groomsmen are the closest friends of the bride and the groom and they are comfortable in their company. There will be plenty of candid moments. I got a priceless shot when the bride grimaced as a bridesmaid sprayed perfume on her. On the other side, the groom, his brother and their dad pulled out small liquor bottles. The expression on the dad’s face as the groom dispatched the bottle is what makes the shot memorable for me.
The Ceremony
The ceremony is a more formal time, where you don’t want to miss the key moments. However, in between those key moments, you might get lucky if you are alert. Right after the ring exchange, the groom, for a second looked at his finger, and probably pondered about this new chapter in his life that the ring symbolizes and smiled. The bride and the officiant looking at him, completed the story. This is also the time you might be able to catch some someone like a parent or uncle for whom the happiness and the tenderness of the moment is too moving. A tear drop will force its way out and hand will be raised to wipe it off. Be ready.
The Cocktail Hour
This is a great time for candid shots. The ceremony is done, and while the bridal party is getting photographed, the other guests are milling around and having a great time. Assuming you are busy doing the bridal party portraits, this is where a second photographer can return with some great candid shots of the party.
The Dances and the Speeches
The dances and the speeches are likely to produce predictable shots that the photographer is expected to capture. However the reaction from anyone from the guests can be a great candid shot. No one can tell which guest(s) at which table will create this fleeting moment, if at all. It depends on the luck and alertness of the photographer.
The Dinner and the Wedding Cake
People are generally having a great time already and food and drinks are going to loosen them up a bit more. So they will talk more and laugh more – grab a quick bite and have a glass of water, so that these moments are not missed. The bride and groom will thank you for these unique shots. At a wedding the bride and groom was a dinner table when bride leaned to kiss her groom. He wanted to be kissed but instead of turning his head, he twitched his lips towards her. After the cake was cut, I got my favorite shot of the day, when the groom wiped off a spot of icing from the corner of his lips.
The Party
By this time, the tempo is at the peak and whether the music is slow or fast, you will shoot great candid non-stop, as long as you can keep up. I got the shot of a guest and his mother dancing together. The mother’s eyes were closed and she nestled in his son’s arms and for me that was an unforgettable moment.
What Really Matters
The wedding is the main story. But sometime there are incidents that are not part of the script, yet which help to remember the special day. An officiant showed up without realizing it wasn’t his wedding to preside over. This happened when the bride and bridesmaids were getting ready. He started explaining the what and how of things and it took a while before the confusion was cleared up. Finally he realized he had to leave, and as he was getting up the bride and her mother had a laugh about this silly incident. I am sure that wasn’t the last time they would laugh about that and the picture I took would help them to enjoy this funny moment long after.
