Tips For Shooting The Bride And Bridesmaids Getting Dressed

For wedding photographers, the shoot begins long before the bride walks down the aisle at the start of the wedding ceremony. It's common to spend time with the bride and her bridesmaids while they're getting dressed for the big day and shoot a series of photos of this lengthy process. These photos can be a real highlight for the bride, so it's important to proceed with this task in the correct manner. Here are some tips that you should employ to do the best job possible.

Determine Everyone's Comfort Levels

Photographing the bride and her bridesmaids getting dressed involves some degree of being undressed, so you should always talk to the bride and each of the bridesmaids at the start of the day to get everyone's comfort level about this topic. Some brides and bridesmaids may not have trouble being photographed in their underwear as they pull their dresses on, but you can be sure that not everyone will share this mindset. 

Some people may be extremely conscious about their bodies, and you moving around the room snapping photos could seem like an invasion of privacy. A polite discussion in advance will make everyone feel more at ease about your presence.

Watch Out For Reflections

Whether you're shooting the bride and her bridesmaids in a private home, a hotel room, or somewhere similar, there will be at least one mirror in the room for the people to check how they look. Whenever you set up to take a photo, be cognizant of the position of the mirror. 

You could ruin an otherwise perfect shot of the bride putting on her makeup because there's a reflection of someone in a partial state of undress in the mirror behind the bride. Always knowing where the mirror is in relation to your shooting angle will help you avoid such problems.

Get Everyone's Consent Before Publishing

Today, many wedding photographers upload their images to the internet and may also tease select images on social media. While you'll always want to check with the bride and groom about their favorite shots, you should be wary of uploading any getting-dressed images before you get the consent of each subject. 

It's advantageous to get the email address of each person in the room so that you can send her a proof of your work before you do anything with it. Should she not be pleased with how she looks, you must avoid using the photo.

Contact a company like Alive Photography for more information and assistance. 

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