The Fine Art of Photographing Formal Gowns Brisbane
wedding dresses online Australia will require photographers at some point in their professional career and will find themselves at a wedding or formal evening event charged with the task of photographing fabulous fashionistas frolicking in formal wear. There are a number of challenges involved with working at large and busy events and we will take a look at the perks and pitfalls inherent in operating in such hectic environments.
Doing the Preparation
There is nothing worse than arriving at an event and discovering that the lens bag is still sitting in the studio, or worse that the battery packs that you brought to the gig are flat or the second rig that you brought for close up work is still grimy from the field trip it last was taken to.
Ensuring that you have all the gear that is required to be professional (even if the job is done for love and you are not getting paid) is vital to a smooth running photo shoot.
Check list. Go through all of your gear a couple of days prior to the event and ensure that all the gear that you will need is present. Check the straps and bags to ensure that all are in good condition and are clean and presentable. This advice particularly applies to lenses. Make sure that all of your lenses are clean, in good condition and are easily accessible whilst you are in the midst of a busy formal event. The time wasted by fossicking through an over stocked gear bag could mean a golden photo opportunity is missed. This point could not be stressed enough. Ensuring that your gear bag is clear of any clutter and has all of the necessary equipment at your fingertips is key to ensuring that your mind is clear and the transitions from one lens or battery pack to another is done with minimal fuss.
Knowing the schedule for the formal event is essential to planning how you will circulate throughout the celebration and ensure that you provide fair coverage to all of the guests. In addition have a clear idea of the physical layout of the formal location, ideally you will go to the location prior to the wedding or gala and be able to visualise the guests wearing formal gowns and evening wear in situ. This level of preparation is vital to being able to be at the right place at the right time with the right photographic equipment and take that million-dollar photograph.
Set Shots
The set shot is the most traditional form of photography, hailing from an era where models would be literally bolted into place due to the long exposure times of the primitive ‘films’. Whilst the technical need to secure the subjects so they don’t move has since passed, the desire for many at formal events to have a
traditional set photograph in their prized formal gown is still a long held expectation.
The trick with making great set shots is the ability to put the subjects at their ease. Set shots are unnatural and most people feel greatly self-conscious whilst having their photograph taken in this fashion. A great formal or wedding photographer will be able to make people comfortable with the process and distract them from being overly self-conscious.
Candid Snaps
Candid photographs can often be found on the highlight reel of many formal attendees. These once in a lifetime shots that capture a moment of joy, celebration, love and human connection often resonate most deeply with us.
Interactions are the best way to get a perfect picture. Particularly with children and animals. These unrehearsed interactions can make a series of photos transform from run of the mill to extraordinary. Keeping a weather eye on kids who look adorable in formal attire and their interactions with the adults around them will make a candid shot accessible to all who attended the formal function.
There are many skills and abilities the finest wedding photographers must master to produce superb shots that cast the bride and gown in the best light.
Perhaps the most important skill a professional photographer may possess is being present to flow of an evening and then able to predict what will happen in order to be at the right place at the right time.
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