Perhaps it's the wedding industry's current obsession with over-styled, quirky, vintage-inspired portraits that is steering me in the opposite direction, but I've found myself drawn to a looser, more free-flowing style of photography lately. There's something incredibly powerful about an image that shows a subject caught in a beautiful moment, completely lost in their own world. There's a sense of freedom about these images & the way they're photographed that's so alluring.
When it comes to photographing wedding gowns, I love images that use movement & fluidity to highlight different styles & fabrics. As you move about naturally, swept up in the moment as a newly married couple, or in anticipation of your ceremony, there are so many beautiful details in your gown that can be highlighted to help show your individual style & tell your story.
A great wedding photographer should be able to look at the style of your gown and shoot in a way that does the shape & fabric of your dress justice. If your gown features sheer layers of silk, tulle or delicate lace, a backlit photograph as you peer out a window or walk into the rich afternoon light perfectly reveals the fabric of your dress and sets a soft, ethereal mood. Gowns with hand beading and intricate embellishment shimmer beautifully in low light on your dancefloor, and strong shadows cast over dramatic ruffles highlight the intricate details.
If you're wearing a long cathedral veil, take advantage of a windy afternoon and let the soft tulle or layers of your gown blow in the breeze. Details like the lace edge of your veil floating over a set of stairs or the bottom of your gown sweeping against sand as you walk also make beautiful pictures for your album.
Here are a gallery of images I wanted to share - some of them wedding photographs and many fashion editorials, which I acknowledge are produced by a team of stylists/art directors/models however they offer great inspiration for photographing fabrics and capturing movement & fluidity to convey emotion...
(View a list of wedding photographers we recommend here)
Links: Couture Couturier, SBeautiful, Jacques Dequeker, Mon Sheree, Scarlet Ibis, Camilla Akrans, Silverin, Queen of Teacups, 26 Media, Walking Through a Fog, Lady Limoges, Lauren Ross,
