Put some snap into your wedding photography with creative portraits.
Sometimes, brides might feel like they’ve missed their own weddings. With all the commotion, the day may feel like a blur.
So, when the professional photos arrive later, it can be like living the experience all over again, but this time with a front row seat on how gorgeous the day actually was.
Yet for the ultimate album, capturing the joy can start long before the ceremony. Some of the most breathtaking moments often happen when the wedding party actually isn’t out of breath from racing around on the big day, and when everyone is relaxed for a portrait.
Modern portraits aren’t necessarily the staged sittings that they once were. Along with setting up carefully arranged groupings, a skilled photographer will be able to capture glorious, impromptu expressions through candid photography. And beyond photos of the party, contemporary brides are adding in extras, ranging from engagement and bachelorette parties, to even a lovely gift for the groom: boudoir portraits.
Working with a creative, professional photographer can lead to inspired results. Sonoma County photographer Dawn Bryan, for example, specializes in boudoir, family, and wedding portraits that rely on a unique, collaborative approach for extra sparkle.
Each subject – be it the mother-of-the-bride, the children in the party or the best men – express their individual personalities, rather than fitting into a format. The settings, too, are carefully chosen for how they relate to personal spirit. A bride and groom who love the outdoors will shine against a backdrop of spectacular Sonoma landscape, as playful as soaring on a tree swing at the edge of the Russian River, or riding horseback over the Mayacamas mountains. A couple that adores wine, meanwhile, might relax in a romantically set wine cellar framed in candlelight.
A specialist like Bryan can help with suggestions for setting, wardrobe, and even hair and makeup, with exclusive access to wineries, resorts and private estates for sumptuous backdrops. Boudoir photos – mischievous, naughty, or in an elegant twist, haute couture – can be set in a private, professionally lit space, such as the Dawn Bryan studio in Santa Rosa.
There’s more to a photo, too, than just taking the picture. Photoshop skills can erase any blemishes, or enhance virtually any area. Bryan says she has added that finishing touch to many lingerie portraits, with custom retouching for details such as “the perfect derriere.”
Whatever the choice for photography, it’s important to work with a professional who pays close attention to each bride and groom’s needs, to ensure portraits evolve as rich, vibrant storytelling instead of simply flat canvases.
With a bit of planning, and an eye for fun, it ensures that through the wedding and beyond, the moments are memorialized.
Details: Dawn Bryan Photographic Art, 707-888-0096, dawnbryan.com.
