June 20, 2010
Wedding Family Photos Dos And Donts
Your ceremony has recently wrapped up. You are delirious and overjoyed. Congratulations all around. There may be a Receiving Line. Next on the timetable afterwards - the Family Portraits.
But, while Family Pictures are important, there are bigger concerns, namely the Couple shots (with the Wedding Party shots taken in between). So, with time usually being a factor, it’s a good idea for the wedding photographer to get the Family Shots squared away as promptly as possible. Under the optimum conditions they are a breeze. On the other hand, they can be a maddening experience (mostly for the Couple).
Firstly, you have to decide where to do the Family Shots. If the ceremony and reception are in one venue, it’s a non-issue. Otherwise, you’ll probably have two choices: (1) at the ceremony site; (2) at the park.
Pix at the ceremony location is perfect because (1) everyone is already there. Note that some elders cannot even get into the park (eg) wheelchair; (2) if the pix are to be taken at another location, such as in a park, everyone is required to find their way there - which can take a lot of minutes and can end with some people getting lost - which can be a real problem if a late person is someone important, like the Groom’s brother.
If the Family Pictures only include the immediate families it should be a simple endeavor. However, with big families, including cousins, aunts and uncles, then you’ll want to have a shot list to avoid a potentially excruciating experience. The issue? You’ll have 25-40 people standing around waiting for their turn. If you don’t have a list there will be any number of people giving ideas as to what picture to take next (and it’s uncanny how often the most irksome member of the family comes front and center with their picks, which drives people batty - especially the Bride and Groom). The upshot is it’s a huge waste of time. That’s when people float away - to go pee, to get out of the heat, etc.
All of this can really mess with the timetable thereby threatening the time there is to get the Bride and Groom shots - by far the most important shots. The wedding photography will suffer. Furthermore, anything that results in noticeable setbacks is a cause for stress, which the Bride unfortunately seems to take on more than anyone else. Always keep in mind, “Happy Bride, Happy Day”.
Will the List limit the number of shots? No, it won’t. The List is not carved in stone, but having it to work from makes it easy to do additional unplanned shots.
Beyond that, begin with the first side of the family, for example the man’s side, ending with his parents. With his parents still there, you hit the other half, starting with the Bride’s parents (for the two parents shot), then dive over to her side.
A final note about the List. It must be in the hands of a reliable and capable individual, someone who knows practically everyone and who is not timid - because it can be a little crazy with so many people waiting around and talking.
The Family Pictures are clearly not the most imaginative of the day’s pix but they should not be overlooked. If they are organized properly they end up being both straightforward and appreciated, which contributes to more creative wedding photography as a whole.