Why it’s Important Wedding Photographers Pose Clients on a Wedding Day

Why Posing is Important on a Wedding Day

A Photographer’s Perspective

bride getting ready with bridesmaids on porch

I understand that a lot of couples want their wedding day to have as many genuine moments as possible and so do we! But it’s important that the day also has structure, so everything goes smoothly.

A photographer’s job is to not only provide beautiful photos but to make the day as easy as possible for their couple. Your wedding day shouldn’t feel like just a photoshoot and it’s important that you stay in the moment and enjoy it with the ones you love! A photographer’s goal is to be as hands-off as possible, however there are times in a wedding day where instruction and leadership are important to keep the day on track.

Posing is one of the easiest ways we can guarantee that not only will it help keep your day on track but it will make sure that you get every photo you would want on your wedding day! Each wedding usually consists of a timeline. I will put an example below:

  • Bridal Details 2:30 – 3:15
  • Bridal Prep 3:15 – 3:45
  • First Look 4:00
  • Portraits 4:15 – 4:45
  • Bridal Party Portraits 4:50 – 5:20
  • Bride in Hiding 5:30 – 6:00
  • Reception Details 5:30 – 5:50
  • Ceremony 6:00 – 6:30
  • Family Portraits 6:40 – 7:10
  • Sunset Portraits 7:15 – 7:30
  • Reception 7:30
  • The Exit 10:30

Now I understand that looking at this may be overwhelming. But again, let us worry about the timeline while you enjoy the day with your friends and family!

Let me paint a scenario of why posing is so important. Wedding Timelines can and will fall behind. Let’s say Makeup and Hair takes longer for the bridesmaids to get through and we fall behind 30 minutes or longer. Something like the Wedding Ceremony is nonnegotiable in terms of moving the time due to family and guests. So as photographers it is our job to get everything back on schedule!

With the system we have in place in terms of posing this will allow us to make up time efficiently while making sure you are having a good experience!

bridesmaids helping bride get ready on outdoor deck

Here is a small sample of the Bridal Prep section of the day. These photos and many others were taken in 10 minutes or less which allowed us to quickly make up time while still having fun and making memories!

Now here is a big insider tip from us photographers:

Bridal Party Portraits and Family Formals are the most intense part of the day!

Why? As much as we are happy as your wedding photographers that you are so enthusiastic about your photos, not everyone is as thrilled to be photographed. Which is completely understandable! It’s probably hot and everyone’s probably hungry so they want to move onto the next part of the day! Unfortunately, this is the main part of the day where everyone needs to be involved in the photo process and photographers have to be the most proactive in terms of creating and setting up a photo.

Now let’s say we decided to shoot Bridal Party Portraits and Family Formals in only a candid way. While this sounds great on the surface, what this would most likely result in is having something take 30-40 minutes that could’ve taken 15 minutes or less! And when this happens nobody wins. This eats into our portrait time with the bride and groom and it delays cocktail hour and dinner for the rest of the guests.

Also, I’m sure we’ve all experienced a long school day where one of our teachers asks us all to go around the class and say a fun fact about ourselves and how we all collectively groan when that happens. It’s the same situation here! In the midst of chaos everybody wants some sense of direction.

bride and groom sharing a kiss while bridal party cheers

However, there are many parts of the day where we are hands off and capture candid moments! One of the best examples is the first look. It’s important that this intimate moment is captured in a way that is non intrusive and private. Remember that we understand that this day first and foremost belongs to the couple and we want them to have the best experience possible.

bride and groom embracing each other while over looking a lake

Other moments that include a lot of candid shots is the getting ready process, the ceremony and the reception!

There are many other reasons why photographers pose clients. It gives you more variety on a photo album spread and gives you more options to choose from in your delivered gallery. It can also help set the stage for other genuine moments such as the signature laughing poses. The trick is not the fact that we ask you to laugh, that honestly never feels natural. The reason why this usually works is because someone in your bridal party will laugh in a way that makes everyone else genuinely laugh which produces a series of great candid photos!

bridesmaids and bride laughing and posing for a group photo

Finally, and personally I think this is the biggest reason for why it’s so important that we guide people on a wedding day is that not everyone is comfortable in front of the camera. Staring down a giant lens can cause people to feel like a deer in headlights. Providing instruction is a great way to make everyone feel at ease and start to get their own rhythm when it comes to being photographed. I personally have seen couples and other members of the bridal party start to become naturals in front of the camera by the end of the day!

My personal favorites are staging the family in moments that may not necessarily come naturally to them in their own lives such as affection and intimacy. A mother kissing her daughter on the cheek or a father embracing his child may not be something that happens in your personal life often but it’s a moment that you will treasure for many years to come!

I hope this post has helped you understand the importance of why posing is important on your wedding day!

If you would like to see the full post of the wedding featured in this article you can view it here

Have a happy wedding season!! Thanks for reading 🙂

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