wedding photography tips

Choosing a Wedding Photographer

A good wedding photographer is experienced, practical and capable with a sense of fun. At Serendipity we have shot over 1,000 weddings between us, and the studio specializes in personalising your wedding coverage, colours and tones of your images and type of album design to reflect your personality and the theme of the wedding. Members of the Serendipity image team have degree level and postgraduate qualifications in Photography, Computer Engineering and Art and Film Theory, and a wealth of industry experience over the last twenty five years in photography, graphics and visual image post production and editing. We are passionate about producing fantastic albums that reflect your unique qualities and style.

Often couples choose locations that suit the theme of the wedding or have special memories, such as the cafe for your first date or your favorite beach. It is good to have a variety of looks and choose places that are multi-faceted and without parking problems or requiring long walks from your car in high heels.

While you may have your heart set on blue skies and beach boxes, if the weather takes a turn for the worse then sunny day locations will be far from ideal. In this situation the trick is to be flexible, which can simply mean swapping fair weather locations for more sheltered spots while maintaining a delightful alfresco feel.

There are various possibilities to choose from, such as the Stokehouse, the Block Arcade, St. Kilda Town Hall and many cafes with great visual atmospheres. The best idea is to have a flexible schedule and be willing to change locations if the weather demands.

portraits advice

Sally Newell of Serendipity Photography Melbourne gives advice about looking great in your portrait photo

Bridal Portraiture could be said perhaps to said to be the most important part of wedding photography! It is the moment where the photographer and the bride work together with the colours, lights and tones of the venue and environment to create and intimate and lasting memento of the happiest day of your life.

Most brides feel on the day that they shoudl be natural and spontaneous and that weddings should be easy but wouldn't it be good to stand out and look very extra special? Why is it that some people seem to have that wow star quality? Is it innate or is it something that we can learn? I remember walking in to a room and seeing Susan Renouf just in the crowd but she shone out like a beacon - not just blonde hair, but a powerful sense of presence. When flipping through a friend's wedding album, you may be surprised by the seemingly magical glow of radiant serenity that the bride embodies. A beautiful bridal portrait is, of course, not magic, but a careful collaboration between a photographer and the bride.

If you have six months to reprare regardless of how much time there are things you can do to have that extra sense of confidence and look wonderful. Try dance and gym classes to loosen up your body and add a bit of extra energy. If you have more time maybe even sign up for a model preparation course with a good agency for a bit of professional polish. Something really easy is to observe yourself and change the way you stand or move and see what looks great.

You should like the makeup you see in the mirror. The old style of heavy stage makeup allowed photographers to use especially soft film and still emphasize the features with much skin detail. Now, skilled photoshop usage allows softer yet still natural skin, while the features become more expressive or glamourous. Therefore bridal makeup now often is more like slightly defined day make with more coverage. Even with more personalized natural or expressive or glamour makeup looks what holds is what you see is what you get, although many photographers can change tone and contrast and coloration in a range of photographic looks in wedding album post production.

One of the hidden features of makeup is contouring or face shaping, which emphasizes your best features, and allows your personality and natural beauty to be projected rather than a mere painted on face. Slight shading under the tip of the nose nose reduces its length, similarly a little shading on the sides of the nose reduces its width, helpful for those of us who are worried about a wider nose. The same applies to your chin or forehead. The smile is the most important part of a portrait.. no just that also a happy glow.

How do models look good in front of a camera? They practise. Learn to feel comfortable, be aware of the best tilt for your head, and of poses to suit a range of moods. Twine your fingers in your hair in front of the mirror and observe or use a fan or your veil; partially cover your face and move it slowly and gracefully away. Consider what do you do with your hands - as hands hanging down limply are not the thing. Look through magazines and photographs of people you admire for inspiration. Practise, emulate, or hold onto that bouquet!

Work with your dress. Try bending moving, tilting the hips and shoulders in opposite directions, and then a swirls.. see if t you can make the dress spin out while you go round and round, then stop, and again in front of a full length mirror, pick up the dress behind the side seam at a bit below knee level and try and throw it forward ... The dress is more than just something to stand still and be pretty in, it should move and glide with you to create wonderful glorious images of you.

wedding planning timetable

Before six months

Although not always possible, choosing the reception, wedding gown and photographer and videographer earlier ensures optimum planning and results that will suits your expectations and budget. For busier parts of the year, many photographers are fully booked by six months before the day, and well known reception centres without multiple rooms may need eighteen months notice for a March Saturday

If you have been contemplating joining a gym or starting some yoga classes then now is the time. An exercise regime will have you looking and feeling great, especially when combined with a good diet and some time out from your usual routine. Consider having a massage or pampering yourself in some other way. A little relaxation can be extremely beneficial especially during this busy time.

Before four months

Finalise your bridal party choices, cars, cake and flowers and bridesmaids dresses. consider apparel choices fro family especially Mothers of the Bride and Groom. Choose or design your wedding invitations; listen to clips from different musicians, and choose a band or DJ. Organise your hair and makeup; it is very much worth having a good trial and being confident that your look coordinates well with your dress and accessories.

Before two months

Finalise your guest list and send out invitations at least 6-8 weeks before the day. Confirm your celebrant, and attend to service content and details. Now is the time to finalise honeymoon arrangements, and fill out your Notice to Marry- which must be done before one month before. Arrange accomodation for interstate or overseas guests and consider your wedding cake purchase.

At one month

Pick up your rings and arrange engraving if required. Decide on the order of the speeches and finalise reception details and timing. Attend planning meetings with celebrant or priest, photographer, videographer and reception.

Two weeks before

Reconfirm your suppliers, start writing thank you notes as you receive presents

One week before

Pack your bags, have some beauty treatments and a day spa if possible, pick up tickets and arrange insurance. Check on the speeches and bridal party travel arrangements, planning and and timing.

Two days before

Lay out our dress, veil, shoes and accessories. Reconfirm your tickets 72 hours before and have some early nights and pamper yourself.

your gown

Every bride deserves to look spectacular on her day, and the choice of wedding attire is the most powerful determinant in setting look and feel for the whole event. There is nothing like a dress that has been made for you, fits perfectly and is comfortable to help bring out that sense of radiance and assurance that you are looking your absolute best.

It is worth taking your time to visit several designers and wedding dress studios. Trusted professionals will help you find designs that are flattering and stylish; a designer who has had many years of working with brides will be able to help narrow down the dazzling array of so many choices to several clear directions, saving you time and optimising the result. Many well known designers do have more affordable ranges, and it absolutely worth avoiding the heartache caused by trying to get by with expecting relatives or dressmakers without enough experience to be able to make a perfectly fitting dress. Good cutting, fitting and finishing are the keys to success, and these skills take many many years to perfect. If you are more petite than average, or with a more generous figure, or particularly tall, then it is particularly important to ensure the dress is made for you; off the rack dresses are unlikely to bring out your best, whereas a good designer will be able to create a triumph.

Please avoid leaving the dress to the last minute. Major studios prefer at least six months for the best results, although we know of several instances where a large High St design firm was able to create a sensational dress in under two weeks!

makeup

Using a professional make-up artist is the key to great photographic results, as well as a look that will last throughout your entire day.

There really are no shortcuts when it comes to make-up. In fact the 'no make-up look' seen in magazines often takes more time to create than a more made up look and while sheer or shiny make-up might be the current fashion for adolescent models, this may not be the optimal choice for today's bride.

When selecting a make-up artist it is advisable that you view examples of their previous work and also organise a trial so that you can feel completely at ease on the day of your wedding. Allow a full hour to complete the make-up of the bride and half an hour each for the attendants.

Your make-up artist should demonstrate an awareness of wedding industry styles and use industry quality products. Professional foundations are less transparent than street make-up, providing even toning for a smooth and pleasing complexion. They are also longer lasting and, unlike water based foundations, these products will not become patchy, wear off or create a 'checkerboard' look in hot weather.

Skilfully applied professional make-up will result in a flattering look that highlights the very best of your features. Contouring is used to create depth and modelling in your face while concealer will ensure even skin colouring, especially under the eyes. In addition, the shaping effect of professional make-up is important to counteract the flattening effect of some professional lighting techniques and create the optimum results in your images.

How light reacts to bare skin and make-up can vary in some instances and is a factor requiring particular consideration. Differences can result when studio style lighting has a high UV component, as is used for the bridal portrait. This is because the chip records the UV response differently for bare skin than for make-up. While some more traditional photographers disguise light variations by using a lot of diffusion, this can limit the range of photographic possibilities and is unnecessary when correct make-up is applied.

 A good quality make-up artist will apply foundation and/or body make-up to the neck, decolletage and perhaps even lightly on the arms. This is finished with a setting spray to ensure that no make-up will come off on the dress. Although some make-up artists may suggest using a bronzer, this does not have the same effect in the photographs. A bronzer is also likely to wear off and may stain your dress. If body make-up is unavailable, foundation is the next best choice and hair spray may provide a suitable substitute for setting spray.

While the foundation will generally be heavier than you would normally wear, the colour treatment to your eyes and lips need only be slightly more defined than usual. Although our photography introduces some subtle diffusion, the images will genuinely portray you as you appear. You should consult your make-up artist regarding colours and definition, however it is important that you feel comfortable with the result and are happy with how you appear in the mirror. Being happy and comfortable with your appearance is the first step to looking wonderful.

bridal flowers and photography

Every bride wants to shine, and flowers are a perfect medium for adding extra glamour and style. Sally Newell, co-founder of Serendipity Media Melbourne, a boutique Melbourne wedding photography company for Melbourne brides, gives advice regarding photography and bridal flowers for creating stunning wedding images, and answers your questions regarding flower size, shape, colour and holding the bouquet in relation to to your theme, mood and figure.

Flower choice

Fresh flowers are the best, they look better and last better so choose flowers that are in season for the most beautiful look in the photos and the lowest impact on your budget. Out of season flowers may not stand up well to the climate or time on your day.

Most brides use flowers to complement rather than overpower the dress and decorations. At Serendipity Image we find that is easy to make beautiful photographs from bouquets with either a single flower type with a softness to the rhythm of the flowers or subtly toning colours or textures, rather than harsh contrast of, say, white and red roses jam-packed in one posy.

Bouquet types... Most brides carry some variation of the posy, often larger and softer than the traditional Victorian version, graduating up to the larger teardrop, trail and cascade bouquets, with origins in the shower bouquet (complete with trailing flowers on lovers knots) of the 1920's and 30's. It is good to complement your dress and figure: a larger bouquet may overpower a more modest dress or petite bride, but be fantastic for larger figures; you can hold the bouquet across the neckline or over the shoulder to enhance bridal close-ups, or hug the figure at the waistline for three-quarter portraits.

Colour and mood

A question to consider when you are choosing a bouquet, is when your family and guests see you, will they first up see mainly the bouquet or rather your face. The bouquet should enhance your own skin and dress tones. The more dramatic rich flower colours suiting darker skins would swamp my Celtic looks, for instance, which are better with toning pastel roses and orchids. Some brides choose a theme with brighter colours or a stronger, more exotic look and that mood should carry into the bouquet and floral accessories.

Holding the bouquet

The short answer is any way you like! Swing it, trail it, by your waist or side or under your chin... Flowers can really enhance bridal portraiture. At Serendipity Image, we create beautiful bridal portraits, using the flowers to softly frame the face, or the bottom of the photograph, even shooting past several bridesmaids bouquets held close to the camera, so the bride can be surrounded by a sea of flowers. Alternatively, the bouquet can be placed on the table, nestling in the veil perhaps with jewelry, and photographed with softly rounded backlight, or, for those who want something sharper and crisper, flowers could become an abstract shape on a glass surface.

Timing

A good time for all your flowers to arrive is around two hours before you leave (drive time, plus ten minutes extra to cater for chats with neighbours, last minutes checks and special moments with family) so that you can have beautiful photos with your flowers where you are getting ready and the flowers will be as fresh as possible.

Flowers on location

For wedding photography in Melbourne, we all have to consider the weather! Four seasons in one day, or straight sun/ no clouds - equally bad for photographing weddings where you would generally prefer the soft light of a balmy spring day with a light dusting of clouds. At Serendipity we conserve the condition of your flowers on very hot days - by choosing shady or interior locations, more flattering for faces as well, or suggesting a water spray or even cradling your flowers in an esky when driving. Of course it is important for you to have asked your florist to prepare the flowers for maximum freshness, a service offered by any reputable florist.

At the reception

Ask your photographer to place the bridal bouquet next to the centre table flower arrangement and then shoot between them for a nicely framed couple portrait at the bridal table. We gather plenty of views of the table, cake and other details of the room with using your flowers for that extra touch of glamour; for instance holding a bridesmaids bouquet next to a mirror frame for a view of the room with a glint of gold through the edge of the bouquet; or having flowers at the top of the shot of the place names. For the photos of throwing the bouquet, take your time, throw with a slow up sweep and rush over to congratulate the winner for lovely candid shots.

In your album

Bridal flowers in all their variety of shapes and sizes, with the changing rhythms of both fine and larger details can form beautiful backgrounds in contemporary digital wedding albums. Backgrounds can very very subtle or form an inherent part of the image mix. Flowers can offer shape, line and texture to your album images - imagine the intricate patterns of orchids or the long sinuous lines of lilies in your page mix. Perhaps you prefer the classic shapes of rose petals as a contrast to your jewelry or dress fabric.

cars

Julian Meehan, owner of Serendipity Photography Malvern, gives advice about choice and style of cars for wedding photography

Have you given thought to you choice of car? The car you choose to transport yourself and your bridal party to and from the ceremony makes a definitive statement about you and the wedding you want to have. Do you want a demure, classical wedding with elegant cars from yesteryear, or a shining limo or stretch hummer if you want to indulge in a little show-offery.

Older cars were made as a prestige item containing interesting surfaces and textures with romantic lines and curves that appeal at a distance. Detail and textures that appeal when closer. They were designed to be a beautiful moving sculpture that was born out love for beautiful objects, not wind-tunnel testing. A classic car can add glamour and romantic mystique, which will delight your guests and your photographer with the ease at which he can work with the grace and elegance of the cars lines.

The opposite is a limousine, which is hard to photograph for many reasons. The length and lack of maneuverability of a limo makes it hard to reach out of the way location shots. It's probably easier in a wedding to choose a smaller car, or even hire a limo for fun and a smaller, special vehicle that makes a statement. The hard lines and stark colors of a limo also present a problem when intimate and frank action shots. Black is usually best because a brides dress contrasts against it and we can work with the reflections off back. A black matte finish helps highlight the brides facial features, hands and dress.

From a photographers point of view, the best cars were made between 30s and 50s, with flowing lines which were born from a designers pencil, rather than a utilitarian profit-centred approach. Cars were made to be aesthetically pleasing to enhance the buyers prestige and comfort.

hair & accessories

Hair styling

It may not be a connection that you would obviously consider, but how your hair is styled can greatly effect your photographs and the timing of your day.

Completely recreating the look of your hair can be tempting; however this is not only costly, it could also be a lengthy and painful process. Creating curls where there were none before, or straightening hair that is naturally curly are hair treatments that may not last the distance and could very well see you running late. Hair straightening can also involve lengthy and painful combing on the day and is much more successful if straightened permanently 1-2 weeks prior.

A style that enhances your hair's natural qualities usually works best and while your hair stylist will be the best person to advise you of the possibilities there are a few things worth considering. Hair should be gently lifted away from the face, as heavy fringes or sweeping hair that falls forward can shade your face, or conceal it from the camera's view altogether. Ballerina-like styles that are tightly coiffed can often look severe, causing ears to appear prominent and faces broad, however this type of style may be suggested by hairdressers as it will stay perfectly put for hours.

It is important to have a trial so that you can test run the style as well as check on the time that it takes to arrange. This is a good opportunity to see how the hair and make-up will look together and to determine how your hair style will stand up to the activities of your day. The best styles are usually slightly soft and do not conceal the face, but fall elegantly as you run, jump and enjoy yourself.

Winter warmth

On a winter's day a little preparation can go a long way towards keeping you warm and smiling. Remember, it can be extremely cold when you are at locations and it is very important to bring a warm woollen coat to snuggle into between shots. Bridesmaids can be particularly susceptible to the cold as they are often dressed lightly and can spend considerable lengths of time out and about on location. Consider incorporating a matching wrap or jacket as part of the bridesmaids' attire and ensure that they bring along those essential woollen coats and even a rug for snuggling into in the car.

A discreet way to keep warm on very cold days is to slip on a pair of cut off woollen tights underneath long skirts. Being warm will not only ward off goose bumps, it will keep you feeling energised, happy and looking good for the camera.

Shoes on locations

While shots in parks and on the beach can produce fantastic results it is not always the best location for a new pair of delicate shoes. To be prepared, some girls choose to bring a second pair of pale coloured shoes to wear. These need not be expensive as they will be barely noticeable in the photographs. The replacement footwear will save your new shoes from possible mishap and is a particularly good idea in winter months when the ground can often be damp. In summer barefoot is ideal for the beach, but be sure to pack some spare stockings and a small towel to dry off damp and sandy feet.

Refreshments

Food and drinks are important to keep you going throughout the day. Car companies often provide hampers and it is worth checking what this includes. High energy, non staining finger food is ideal, especially things like sandwiches, nuts and jelly beans. Cool fruit drinks are great for summer, while a thermos of tea or coffee is welcome on a cold winters day.

Of course water is the best way to keep hydrated, so don’t forget to include a few bottles of H20. This is important to keep you looking good and feeling energetic in all seasons, but most essential on hot summer days when you should provide a full litre of water for each person in your group.

children

Children on the wedding day

Children can be a delightful addition to your bridal party, however it is an inclusion that works best when given some special consideration. While they bring a special magic to images, children have different needs and tolerances than adults so it may be an idea to limit their participation in the photography to the first location. It can be helpful to have a supervisor along who can ensure that children are given something to eat and drink, and also provide alternative transport to the reception. Remember to check that toilet facilities are available and if the weather is cold don't forget to include warm coats. While undoubtedly exciting for kids, it can also be a long and stressful day, so be careful not to plan too much and don't forget to pack a few sweets and gifts for encouragement along the way!

Younger members of the bridal party and wedding guests

It is often good to make sure that there is time to photograph the very young members of the bridal party at home or just after the ceremony. Certainly preschoolers find the normal location schedule difficult, particularly in the winter, and it is advisable that they don't have to come on locations. If that is not possible, make sure that they have their own support person with independent transport, books, toys and snacks.

All it takes, often, to calm a hysterical toddler just before the family pictures, is the magic appearance of a pop-top with some fruit juice (no Ribena!), a packet of sultanas and perhaps a little later a muesli or fruit snack bar. Bribery helps, and a kit of small books, new plastic toys, coloring pencils and pad or similar, pulled out at intervals, can keep the support person at the scene during the most critical moments. We do not recommend Snakes or colourful cordials under any circumstances and the consequences of chocolate do not bear thinking about!