Tips For Candid Wedding Photos
When I initially meet with couples before we agree to choosing each other I always ask them what attracted them to my work. Most of them say they love the candid nature of my wedding photography. That makes me so happy because it’s what I love most about being a wedding photographer. Being able to capture those real, raw moments is what keeps me inspired. If I had to edit a thousand photos of a perfectly posed couple on a mountain top I would be really bored. I love photos of laughter, of tears and of imperfection. Here’s some tips of how to get those amazing candid photos on your wedding day.
Choose The Right Photographer
Finding the photographer that you click with is so important. You’re going to be spending the whole day together so it really needs to be someone that you feel relaxed enough to let your guard down and have fun with. My ultimate goal is for everyone in front of my lens to feel comfortable and I’ll do anything to help you loosen up. I think if you feel uncomfortable then you’ll look uncomfortable in your photos and you’re never going to love them. My approach is to get you feeling comfortable, put you in the good light and then step back and let you interact with each other. I love being a fly on the wall and try to stay back and just capture moments as they happen. Often my favourite photos end up being the ones where you’re not looking at the camera at all. This isn’t everyone’s approach though, some photographers are more hands on with posing or into setting up elaborate detail shots. As you’re combing through portfolios make sure that you’e choosing someone with the candid vibe that you’re looking for.
Design a Relaxed Timeline
It’s pretty hard to be candid if you’re stressed out and have every second of your day planned. I try to work with all of my couples to plan a timeline that allows them to have some downtime for those relaxed, candid moments to unfold. I love when we have time to do something unplanned like stop off for pizza or grab a pint at your favourite brewery. I think incorporating an activity that reflects you as a couple or is something you would do on a normal Saturday will keep things fun and light. Cocktail hour is one of my favourite parts of the day and I always try to have my couples back in time to enjoy it with their guests. Everyone is usually having such a great time that they don’t even notice me. There’s always so much laughter and hugging when the cocktails start flowing. Sneaking away for few minutes at sunset is always a great idea too. At that point all the stressful parts of the day are over, you’ve probably had a cocktail or three and its a really nice way to have a moment with just the two of you (and me).
Do an Engagement Session
All of my packages come with a complimentary engagement session and I think that’s why I’m able to get those relaxed, candid photos. Sure the photos are nice, but the main reasons I offer them are so that we can get to know each other, shake off the nerves and have a bit of practice before the big day. Having the chance to go through it means that on your wedding day you know what to expect and photos are the last thing on your mind
Hire a Wedding Planner
The most important thing you can spend money on for your wedding in my opinion, is a wedding planner. I’ve shot many weddings without a planner and many weddings with a planner and the days are always so much smoother when you hire a professional to take care of any potentially stressful situations. This allows you to relax, enjoy your day and be fully present. Asking a friend to act as a planner is not the same thing as hiring a trained professional, its kind of like asking your cousin to shoot your wedding because they have a “nice camera”. Every single wedding that I’ve shot without a planner ends up running late which eats into our valuable photo time.
Here are a few amazing Calgary planners that I’ve worked with in the past
Be F*cking Candid
If you tell me in our pre wedding consultation that you love and want candid photos but then be precious about your dress getting dirty, complain about the weather or use our allotted photo time to redo your hair then unfortunately I can’t make that happen for you. Be in the moment, laugh with your people, have fun, trust your photographer and you’ll have amazing candid photos that you’ll cherish forever.
