Modern wedding photography, regardless of the offered packages, is based on documenting the entire wedding day, i.e., the so-called wedding reportage, which includes wedding preparation photos, ceremony, and wedding party or intimate gathering in case of smaller ceremonies. Sometimes, the couples I talk to are reluctant to photograph preparations, arguing that “nothing interesting will be happening, just makeup and hairstyle.” 🙂 If by photography we understand only pictures of the Bride during makeup and hairstyle preparation, then I also wouldn’t want such pictures 🙂 For me, photographing during preparations is something more. It is an element that can be presented in many ways in photos, and it is also a means to achieve an important goal: to take more natural photos during later parts of the day.
1. Wedding preparation photos as a way of outlining the background of events
I am definitely a proponent of taking photos with people’s participation, and I am less excited about photographing still life. However, to outline the background of events, it’s worth taking a few shots of the location to bring the context closer to those who look at the photos but didn’t have a chance to participate in the ceremony. I often take such pictures during preparations, for example, when the Newlyweds organize a wedding and reception at one location. These can be photos without people’s participation or indirectly showing them.
2. Let’s get to know each other during wedding preparations
Wedding preparations are also the time for me to “catch” the context, i.e., figure out who is who, so that in the later stages of the reportage, I pay particular attention, for example, to parents or “grandparents”. It’s a time when I can get to know not only the Newlyweds but also the family and friends in less formal circumstances than a church ceremony. Finally, it’s a time when everyone, both me as a wedding photographer and you as models, get used to each other and the lens. It’s a time when I can observe you in front of the lens and give you valuable tips.
3. Wedding preparations – makeup and hairstyle
Let’s return to the theme of makeup and hairstyle 🙂 If we limit preparation photography to “step by step” photos of makeup or hairstyle preparation, it would be hard to talk about reportage. To create an interesting story, we need people and interactions between them. If you have more space and can invite a wider family or friends to your wedding preparations, do it, and you will find that you don’t have to have a ready-made plan for wedding preparations. It’s enough to act naturally in the company of your loved ones, and I will take pictures “on the occasion.”
Did I convince you to take wedding preparation photos?
Photographing preparations is an opportunity to capture the context, get to know each other better, and get used to the lens, which gives us not only a tangible benefit in the form of pictures but also a more relaxed atmosphere during the further parts, i.e., the ceremony and wedding. So even if you’re still not 100% convinced about the wedding preparation photos themselves, treat them as an investment in the pictures from the later stages of the wedding day 🙂