Sure, your wedding photos
may look great now, but will you cringe when you look at them in 5, 10 or 25
years? As you research photographers for your big day and start to think
through what you want in your photo album, it's important to figure out how to
find a balance between what's on point right now and what's truly timeless.
Fashions may come and go, but your wedding photos are forever!
If you follow the idea of
keeping things simple and elegant, you are on your way to having timeless wedding
photography. I believe that the couple’s love should be the main focus of the
photos, that is what will make it truly timeless.
You want images that won't
seem stale or passé over time. That may mean avoiding photographers whose work
includes images that are over-styled or have too many post-production finishes.
If you want a trendy pose
for a picture, that's not a problem. But if all of your formal photos
fall into that category, what are you left with? Couples should consider how
they'll feel about their photos years after the wedding. Do you want 'clean'
timeless images or photos that leave you saying, 'Oh, that picture is so [insert
year you were married,]'?
So how do you ensure your
wedding photos will stand the test of time? We asked professional photographers
to share their tips for how to get classic photos that won't fade like a
passing fad.
Tip 1: Review the
Photographer’s Portfolio.
Before you hire a
photographer, look through his portfolio and get a feel for his style. Are the
images very of-the-moment? Do they rely on Instagram-like filters and finishes
to get that polished look? If so, know that your album could have a similar
feel to what you're seeing online and may end up feeling like a virtual
timestamp of exactly when you tied the knot.
Ask the photographer you're
considering hiring how he or she shoots weddings. One question I asking is,
"Are [the photographers] predominately taking candid photos or are they
arranging and staging pictures throughout the day to create photos that are
trendy?" The way the photographer answers will reveal a great deal about
their end result.
Tip 2: Your Photographer
Doesn't Rely on Postproduction to Create a Look.
These days, wedding
photography is often synonymous with postproduction, where everything passes
through some form of edits, including a coloring and shading, and overall style
is finessed until it's just perfect. But that kind of styling can lead to
images looking quite dated.
As long as the photographer
isn't heavy handed with the post-production filters and processes, the couple
isn't going to get many images that could be considered 'dated, remember simple
elegance never goes out of style.
Tip 3: Avoid Gimmicks.
Classic photos don't rely on
gimmicks to tell the wedding story.
Timeless images are those of
the bridal couple doing things they would have done yesterday or 50 years ago:
walking, talking, kissing, and looking at one another.
Go gimmick-free and steer
clear of what Corey calls 'Pinterest inspiration.' That means "no random
objects in the hands and no bridal party running away from a dinosaur" in
her book. Instead, she recommends sticking to natural moments that aren't
forced.
Tip 4: Avoid a Super
Specific Shot List.
Sure, you have specific
photos you want for your album (or grandma's mantle), but you might end up
hampering your photographer's creativity with a must shoot list.
Once you start telling a
photographer that these are the 100 'must have' photos during the ceremony,
you're taking all of the spontaneity out of the process.
Besides, many of the photos
on shot sheets are often trendy and will create dated photos. Do you really
want that shot with everyone in your wedding party jumping for joy? Or one with
you and your spouse forming your hands into a heart a la Justin Bieber?
You should still definitely
let your photographer know the specific people or backgrounds you want in your
images, such as a family portrait with your grandparents or pics of the
ceremony site pre-vows.
Tip 5: Say No to Trends.
Being trendy will make your
pics look very dated sooner rather than later. Remember the selective coloring
of the 80’s and 90’s with a black and white image but a colored rose? Yeah...we
can't forget that either.
The 'vintage' look has been
very popular for the last several years, but if you can look at a photo and
have no idea when it was taken, then you have a timeless photo, when you look
back at photos, you want to be immediately transported back to that day
emotionally and not be stopped by thinking 'Oh, why did we do that trendy
thing?
Tip 6: Hire the Right
Photographer.
Make sure you click with
your photographer and love his or her style. Your relationship as a couple will
be evident in your connection with the photographer.
The truly great
photographers will have a photographic 'style' that is their signature. Do not
hire a photographer and ask them to shoot as another photographer would. Asking your photographer to be like someone
else will likely backfire, so don’t do it.
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