Five tips for those who want to take good “sudden” photographs. Features of wedding photography V

In its specificity, professional staged photography is very close to the work of an artist and requires no less talent. There should be nothing superfluous in the frame. Main feature staged shooting lies in the thoughtfulness of the little things that fall into the frame. The role is played by the pose of the model, the background, as well as the plot. Unlike standard photography, you do not get a moment captured by chance, but the result of the joint work of the photographer and the person who gets into the frame. Professional staged photography in Belgorod is carried out by a photographer with extensive experience who has a creative approach to solving the task. But you need to understand that preparing for filming will take a lot of time. Haste can ruin the result; it is important to pay attention to every detail. The shot itself takes a fraction of a second; most of the time is spent on preparation, which is the emphasis in this type of shooting.

Staged photography is, first of all, preparatory progress; the photographer takes upon himself the elaboration of the plot, the selection of the ideal shooting location, the angle that in the best possible way suitable for specific conditions, adjusts the light, adds to the frame additional elements or vice versa removes something. He will also help the model take a suitable pose, ideal for the photo. The main thing here is to do everything carefully and slowly; only by paying attention to details can you get the desired result. A professional staged photography studio offers its services at an affordable price and guarantees that you will be satisfied with the result.

Photographer for staged photography

Often, professional photographers not only take pictures, but also work with them in Photoshop to add new effects and make the frame even more interesting. In this way, you can even combine the resulting images with each other, which will make you look at them in a new way.

A staged photo allows you to realize any, even the most creative ideas, which becomes possible thanks to careful preparation. The shooting process can take place both on the street and in a professional studio, where you can choose a background and have a large selection of decorations. You can arrange a themed photo shoot by arranging the background in a certain style. This could be a family, wedding or children's photo shoot.

A talented posed photographer will help you prepare any image and get into the best position for the photo so that you are satisfied with the result. You can be made into a fairy-tale princess, a fairy-tale character, everything is limited only by your desires and imagination. As a result you get a collection beautiful photos, which will depict you or your loved ones.

The benefits we offer you:

• Extensive experience in this area and a creative approach to solving the problem;
• Usage professional equipment, which allows you to get the best quality images;
• The opportunity to receive original photographs, the plot of which is built depending on your wishes;
• Prices that everyone can afford.

The best photographs are taken in moments of natural, unstaged action. Spontaneity and sincerity make photographs unique and alive. A charming half-smile on the face of a person who does not know that he is being photographed is sometimes more beautiful than a million perfectly rehearsed poses and facial expressions. Natural, spontaneous photographs are a real art, and many authors strive to master it.

by Lia Mstislavskaya

Andy Hamilton, a wedding photographer from the Canadian city of Saskatoon, experienced first-hand how hard it is to take “easy” photos. The award-winning author for his unusual approach to creativity, receiving commissions from Australia, Saudi Arabia, his native Canada and many other countries, promotes an innovative view of photography. His photographs combine passion and a sense of the moment with technical precision and compositional flawlessness. Andy has prepared some tips for those who want to learn how to take spontaneous photos.

What is spontaneous or sudden photography?

Sudden photos are those in which the model is not aware that she is being photographed. The person in the frame is absorbed in some action, thoughts, he is smiling, reading or just walking down the street. It is impossible to achieve the desired effect of spontaneity by staging, and the photographer has to work in conditions of complete unpredictability.

As a rule, such work is more difficult than shooting “with preparation” and requires a serious level of skill from the photographer. Only a skilled author with a “trained” eye will be able to take a successful shot. To learn how to shoot in the "sudden" technique at weddings, festivals, and public events, follow Andy's advice.

Try not to use flash

Spontaneous photographs work best if the model does not even know that she is being photographed. If you don't use flash, you have less risk of being discovered. To minimize the negative effects of low light, experiment with your camera settings. It is important that the photo comes out as natural as possible - this is the meaning of spontaneous photos.

by Massimo Giachetti

Look for a suitable place

The experience of a photographer is manifested, among other things, in his ability to choose the right angle and point for shooting. Find a place that will give you an advantage - a special setting, an environment, an advantageous position as a model. You can diversify the plot - for example, if the object in the foreground is out of focus, you photograph the main character from behind someone's shoulder, and so on.

by Leniel Velazquez

Remember dynamics and composition

The most important point in spontaneous photography is non-stagedness. The model should not give the impression of posing, knowing that she is being filmed. Dynamics are often used to create a “peeping-in” effect. By photographing actively moving people, you will create the right mood. If it is impossible to make the subject move - for example, during commercial photography - composition will play the necessary role. Change the angle from which you shoot (sit down, lie on the floor) and the photo will become more natural and non-trivial.

by Brett Goldsmith

Use continuous shooting mode

It is impossible to predict when the most best moment to press the shutter button. In addition, there is always a danger that the model will be out of focus and the photo will be blurry. Using continuous shooting mode helps reduce risks. Take a quick series of photos so you can choose the lightest, most spontaneous and emotional one. Continuous mode greatly increases your chances of success, especially if you have little experience in spontaneous shooting.

Bring a telephoto lens

Telephoto allows you to shoot from a considerable distance, maintaining high quality photos even in close-ups. The farther the photographer stands from the model, the less danger there is that she will notice his presence and the camera pointed at her. Telephoto lenses allow you to take stunning, spontaneous photos, as well as create stunning, complex compositions from greater distances.

Spontaneous photos are difficult to create - the quality of the frame depends on too many factors. It is important for a photographer who likes a suddenly emotional genre to learn patience. To take a memorable photo you will have to wait, remaining alert all the time. It doesn't matter how much time you spend if the result of your work is a unique moment of true feelings and perfect naturalness captured by your camera.

Needless to say, a wedding is one of the most memorable and exciting events in the life of every person. And it is quite natural that every beloved couple wants to preserve the memories of this day in bright and festive photographs, which could subsequently be viewed many times in moments of joy and misfortune. Wedding photography appeared as a genre at the dawn of photography in the mid-19th century. Despite the fact that at that time photographs were taken on glass or metal plates, and the photography process itself was very far from ideal, newlyweds lined up to see the photographer to be photographed in their wedding dresses.

Today, wedding photography is considered a special art form in photography. Wedding photography combines such genres as artistic portraiture, reportage, product and interior photography. For a photographer, photographing a wedding is a big responsibility, because wedding photographs will have to remind the couple for decades to come about their feelings and happy moments on this special day.

Wedding photography: staged and reportage style

Nowadays, it is customary that beloved couples turn to the services of an experienced, professional photographer who is capable of performing wedding photography at the highest level. The demand for such services is constantly increasing, despite the fact that the genre of wedding photography itself remains quite conservative.

There are two main styles in wedding photography:

— Classic staged photo

The first style includes classic, staged photography, which appeared in the 19th century. Then photographers took exclusively staged photographs, which were designed to convey the newlyweds’ feelings for each other. Such photographs were preserved as souvenirs for future generations. The staged style is still widely used in wedding photography today. In many ways, this is where the photographer’s talent is revealed as a kind of director and plot director, whose main goal is to reveal the true feelings and emotions of young people.

Staged photography involves capturing individual moments of the wedding day, mainly in the form of narrative and portrait photographs. Not only the bride and groom, but also parents, friends or relatives may be present in the frame, that is, staged group photographs are taken.

Staged photos, in particular, are taken during the ceremony at the Wedding Palace and the newlyweds’ walk. Festive shots with the cutting of a cake or the lighting of a symbolic “family hearth” are also traditional for the production style. Staged photographs allow you to convey the beauty of wedding dresses, flowers and hairstyles, as well as the feelings of the married couple. But to obtain bright and beautiful staged photographs, the photographer has to come up with some original and interesting plot, and not use simple templates.

— Reporting style

The reportage style in wedding photography arose much later, when fairly compact cameras with flashes and interchangeable optics. This style is considered one of the most difficult types of shooting. In this case, the photographer does not interfere in any way with the special event, without indicating to the guests or newlyweds when they need to take a certain pose, look into the camera lens or smile. His task is to be invisibly present at the wedding and notice the most interesting and exciting moments of the celebration, capturing them in photographs. The difficulty of such shooting lies precisely in the photographer’s ability to see unique moments and have time to capture them in the frame, because most of such moments at a wedding cannot be repeated.

The reportage style is the complete opposite of the classical one: here the photographer needs to see an interesting shot in a constantly changing environment and work, as they say, “from the first take.” But it is shooting a wedding in a reportage style that allows the photographer to truly reveal his talent, show his individuality and his own vision of the events taking place around him. It is not without reason that many famous wedding photographers have received wide recognition thanks to their reportage photographs. Often, reportage shots from a wedding look much more interesting than staged ones, since they use unusual angles and shooting angles, and convey dynamic moments with the newlyweds dancing, sneaking a kiss, breaking glasses and throwing a wedding bouquet.

For reportage photography, the ability of modern digital cameras to shoot several frames per second is great, which allows you to capture truly unique moments in your photographs. The peculiarity of reportage photography is that in each individual case, be it a wedding ceremony in the registry office or a festive banquet, the shooting is carried out in completely different conditions. As a result, the photographer needs to stock up on a whole set of interchangeable lenses and apply different approaches to building exposure and shooting parameters.

In addition to staged and reportage photography, there are also special types of photography in wedding photography. For example, a pre-wedding photo shoot in the style of Lovestory (“Love Story”). This is a preliminary shooting, during which the photographer, together with the newlyweds, can choose the most beautiful and advantageous places in the city or in nature, as well as determine the most successful angles and scenes for staged photographs. Since a wedding day happens only once in a lifetime and it will be impossible to repeat it (at least in this composition of the bridegrooms and guests), such preliminary photography and planning turn out to be very useful.

Currently, most wedding photographers work in both staged and reportage photography, trying to successfully combine both genres. Although each of these styles requires the photographer special approach and special skills. But long wedding celebrations with a ceremony in the registry office, a walk and a festive banquet allow you to take both staged and reportage shots.

Black and white wedding photographs look very good, so quite often newlyweds order just such shots from a photographer. Also, wedding photos can be digitally processed, for example, to change or blur the background, or to make them look antique. In addition, colorful wedding collages are very popular today.

Outdoor and indoor wedding photography

When performing wedding photography, a photographer should always be guided by several important points. Firstly, wedding photographs should convey warm feelings and positive emotions of the newlyweds. A sincere smile, a loving or intimate look, a pose - all this acquires great significance in wedding photos. Such emotions cannot be created using software already in the process of digital processing of photographic images. Processing only helps to enhance or emphasize these points. That is why a wedding photographer is required to be able to feel and convey sincere emotions in photographs.

Secondly, the responsibilities of a wedding photographer include searching for the most interesting and highlights. It is very difficult and requires great experience, since he simply cannot be physically present at all events. In any case, it is advisable for the photographer to stay close to the newlyweds, since all the most important things will happen around them.

The entire ceremonial part usually takes place in the Wedding Palace, where the shooting and actions of the photographer are strictly regulated. At this stage, when shooting in the halls and premises of the registry office, the photographer is simply required to technically correctly record the ceremony in conditions where the spread of illumination in different parts of the hall can vary greatly - there is usually more than enough light under the chandeliers, but sometimes there is sorely not enough light at the edges.

You can achieve a high-quality result only if you use all available lighting wisely. In some cases, a flash can be a good assistant for a photographer. At the Wedding Palace, in addition to taking pictures of the ceremony, you can also take several staged photographs against the backdrop of the interiors.

When photographing newlyweds while walking, the photographer is more free in his actions and plans. Both staged and reportage photographs are welcome here. Outdoors, you can use a lens with a longer focal length to create three-dimensional shots in which main object shooting stands out from the surrounding space. In particular, a wedding photographer’s arsenal should include 85-135 mm lenses with an aperture ratio of 1.4-2.8.

The most interesting and striking shots can be taken during a walk, when the photographer can try on the role of a director and work on a variety of subjects. Footage from a walk, as a rule, turns out to be very lively and cheerful. When shooting walking, you should also not forget about the flash, which in cloudy weather will help smooth out the lack of natural light. The main thing is not to miss a single moment, since every next moment can be important.

When shooting outdoors, a photographer must have a variety of photographic equipment and a whole set of lenses with him. You never know what will happen with the weather or lighting. Sunny weather can completely unexpectedly give way to heavy rain and the photo shoot will have to be urgently moved indoors or under a roof. That's why experienced wedding photographers always take two cameras with them to shoots - one with wide-angle optics, the other with a telephoto zoom lens. It is advisable to use high-aperture and sharp optics.

Posing

One of the most important aspects of wedding photography is posing. Here you need to remember that wedding photographs are the fruit collaboration photographer and newlyweds. The choice of certain poses should be determined not only by the photographer’s intention, but also based on individual characteristics couples, as well as their personal wishes. Before shooting, the wedding photographer should try to relax the couple by talking with the bride and groom. It is necessary to help the newlyweds relax so that on this holiday they can calmly throw away all their worries and give free rein to their feelings. The presence of a photographer at wedding events should not distract the couple in love.

Unnaturally freezing in one position is a fairly common mistake for the bride and groom when posing in wedding photographs. You probably won't want to look at these pictures. Much more interesting are the shots in which the bride and groom smile and laugh a lot, flirt with each other and literally glow with happiness. The classic pose for wedding photography is when the newlyweds are close to each other, holding hands, and their gaze is directed directly into the camera lens. In this case, the background must correspond to the stylistic decision of the photograph.

When photographing the newlyweds while sitting, the groom can hug his beloved around the waist and hold her hand with his other hand. The bride can put her free hand on her dress or on her knees. It is important to pay attention to the position of your hands - under no circumstances should they simply be lowered limply. A beautiful and gentle photo is obtained when shooting in a “face to face” pose. This position is ideal for couples where the bride and groom are approximately the same height.

The pictures are interesting when the bride and groom stand at a distance of a meter from each other, leaning over to kiss. All you need is the right background, with the help of which you could ideally play up the symmetry of the composition. The collection of wedding photos must also include a photograph in which the bride is looking into the camera lens, and the groom is looking at her, or vice versa. This pose can be called “one look.” When photographing hugs, you need to make sure that the bride simply rests her head or leans lightly on the groom's shoulder, while he stands straight, looking either at the camera or at the bride. When photographing the newlyweds in various poses, do not forget about the smile.

Gone are the days when wedding photographers in the registry office photographed newlyweds literally as if on an assembly line, with standard poses and angles. The output was the same type of photographs, the same as those of other couples. Today, the tasks of a wedding photographer include the need to use all the equipment, experience and knowledge available in his arsenal to ensure that the finished photographs literally radiate love, happiness and romantic feelings. Naturally, such work requires from the photographer not only relevant knowledge, but also the ability to be a psychologist, to subtly feel people’s experiences and the atmosphere of the holiday.

Wedding photography is one of the genres of photography, the development of which keeps pace with the development of the global photo industry and uses all its achievements. Today's newlyweds have much more opportunities to capture the main day of their lives in photographs than their parents did. Once upon a time, it was considered the height of perfection to take staged wedding photos in a photo studio or to take photographs in the registry office during the ceremony and with the guests.

All other photographs could only appear if the owner of his own camera was present among the guests. Today, professional photographers, when photographing weddings, work on the holiday from beginning to end. At the same time, any professional photographer will confirm that wedding photography is also one of the most complex and time-consuming types of photography.

Actually, wedding photography combines two styles: staged and reportage. Staged photographs are the decoration of a wedding album, pictures in a classic, romantic style, when the newlyweds pose for the photographer. Moreover, the opinion that staged photographs are necessarily shots with frozen poses and stone faces is fundamentally wrong: in the modern sense, staged wedding photography is a “story”, a “story” about the wedding day, written with individual very beautiful and natural shots.

Reportage photographs are captured moments, captured real emotions and unexpected angles. All together, combined, forms the staged and reportage style of wedding photography, in which most professional wedding photographers work.

As you know, a wedding day is divided into several stages, and in each of them you have to use a different method of shooting. You can consider this topic in more detail using the example of a traditional Russian wedding (this is exactly the scenario it takes place in 90% of cases).

Preparation, getting ready for the bride and groom. Morning bustle, excitement and joyful forebodings: all this - good material for reporting shots. Decorating cars before leaving for the bride, the groom putting on a tie, parents blessing, etc. The bride's morning preparations are an opportunity to take both reportage and staged photographs.

The process of applying makeup, creating a wedding hairstyle, caring for friends and relatives - this makes for a rather interesting report. Staged shots are taken when the bride is already dressed in her wedding dress, the image is complete, and the festive whirlwind has not yet begun, respectively, both the outfit and hairstyle are still perfect.

Arrival of the groom and ransom of the bride. At these moments, very emotional pictures are obtained: competitions and tasks for the groom, bridesmaids who are in joyful euphoria from what is happening, friends of the groom who encourage their friend. Staged photography can be done when the whole company is already in the bride’s house and champagne is opened.

The wedding ceremony in the registry office is the main and most exciting moment of the wedding day. While waiting for an invitation to register, the newlyweds and guests are almost always noticeably nervous, so the photographer’s task is to distract them with staged “general” and group photographs, but at the same time, quietly making portrait reportage sketches. During the ceremony, reportage photographs are taken, which are actually very close to staged ones: signatures on documents, putting on rings, the first kiss of the spouses, presentation of a marriage certificate, etc.

Congratulations to family and guests immediately after registration is completed is a good opportunity to take a photo filled with emotions. The same can be said about the newlyweds leaving the registry office, throwing flower petals and grain at them, releasing doves, breaking crystal glasses (experienced photographers manage to capture a glass in flight, its impact on the asphalt and the scattering of fragments).

Sometimes after the registry office there is a wedding in the church. For a photographer, this ceremony presents a rather difficult task, since a wedding is a rather intimate process, one cannot interfere with or distract the newlyweds and the priest, and one cannot walk and move everywhere. In addition, it is not advisable to use a flash in a church. In order to take successful reportage shots during a wedding, the photographer has to become “invisible”. Staged shots can be taken in the interiors of the church and in front of the entrance after the wedding ceremony.

Walk. All professional photographers will confirm that the walk is the most favorable part of the wedding for photography. You can do everything: a staged photo session with the newlyweds against the background of attractions, natural landscapes, in the interiors of buildings (depending on where the walk takes place), and reportage photos of vacationing guests, and general photographs of guests with the newlyweds. We can say that the scope for creativity while walking is limitless. It is during the walk that the bulk of the photographs for the wedding photo album are taken, both reportage and staged.

Wedding banquet in a restaurant or cafe. With the exception of certain moments, reportage photography is done at the banquet. A colorful meeting of the newlyweds, congratulations to the guests, dancing, competitions, lighting the “family hearth”, throwing the bride’s bouquet, etc. Staged shots at the banquet are most often taken when the wedding cake is brought into the hall: before this miracle of confectionery is cut, it , as a rule, are recorded entirely for history. Reportage photography in a restaurant can be somewhat difficult for a photographer - if the room is too dark, then you have to often use the flash and carefully control the exposure so that people's faces do not come out overexposed.

It is not uncommon today to photograph a wedding with two or even three cameras: both staging and reporting are done from different points and angles, which significantly enhances the ability to compose the most successful shots.

Photographing a wedding is at the same time an interesting, complex, and responsible process (“a second take” is often impossible to do, most events happen for the first and last time), so the photographer has to skillfully combine reportage and staged shooting styles, understanding where and what style should be applied, and not forget about the creative approach: after all, a wedding in most cases is a rather beautiful event, and for a real artist this is an excellent material for creativity.

There are no identical weddings, so it is also important to convey the individuality of each couple. True, a lot here depends on the newlyweds themselves... but this is a completely different topic.

Photography is one of the few types of art in which the result (i.e. photo) can be obtained through both initial preparation, thinking, and completely spontaneously. Not every sculptor picks up a piece of clay without at least roughly knowing what he wants to sculpt. Just as an artist is unlikely to initially simply move a brush across the canvas until he gets something that looks like a painting. But in photography, both ways of creating works are possible.
There are two main types of photographer's work: staged photos and random, spontaneous shots.
Let's look at them in order.

What is staging?
In short, this is the implementation of a certain plan, scenario.

In photography, this is done using the shooting point, angle, photographic equipment, optics, light, actors, filters and more. Staged photography or, as it is also called, artistic photography, implies an idea in design. This is the basis of any staged photo. It will differ from all the others in that it does not imply an objective reflection of reality, but rather captures pictures specially selected or hand-made for photography in order to display a certain artistic idea.

Look through albums at home. Wedding photos, photos of other celebrations, staged photos of boys in musketeer hats and girls in lady costumes from their school years. Any photos where the model is posing in any way. These are all staged photos. In ordinary life, this genre is used for photographing special, memorable events and carries certain information about the event, characters and, as a rule, many of these photographs are labeled “memory.”

But there are also professional productions. They are dealt with by professional photographers in their studios, where anyone can order a special series of photographs with a specific plot. Or the photographer is engaged in this type of filming for himself, in order to improve his own skills, obtain real works of art that are worthy of even serious exhibitions, and their cost is calculated in considerable amounts.

This type of work requires various technical components. Camera, lighting, final processing of the image, elements of purposeful materialization - objects, actors, makeup, natural elements, and, directly, the artistic idea. This is a kind of result of a set of images and technical ideas that require quite serious skills and knowledge in working with photography, and, of course, the artistic eye and imagination of the photographer, which, however, does not deprive amateur photographers of the opportunity to try their hand at staged photography. photography. This is available to everyone, because... The main condition for them is the presence of imagination and imaginative thinking.
Now let's move on to the second type of photographic work.

What is a spontaneous photo?
A spontaneous, random photo is interesting in its own way and much more filled with life. There are also no restrictions on the degree of professionalism, the presence of expensive optics or props, and, again, there is a prerequisite for the author’s imagination and artistic vision.

What is the difference then, you ask?
Firstly, in the absence of a choreographed, artificial plot and planned pictures for shooting. Secondly, such photographs could not be more subtle and accurately reflect the characteristics of a person’s character, his emotional and mental state. We can say that these are the most truthful photos. And here's why.

This genre involves a “hunt” for real pictures of everyday life, the living emotions of people who are unaware that they are being filmed, people who are carried away by experiences or some kind of action. For a family album, such pictures can be taken without leaving home, capturing moments real life Your loved ones, pets, and trying to catch a frame in which the character has not yet realized that he is being photographed and is enthusiastically busy with something of his own. For more serious work, just go out into the street, in any weather, just according to your mood and without any specific thoughts, walking around the city, you can notice many interesting pictures and entertaining situations.

The keen eye of a born photographer will immediately snatch from the bustling crowd, even in bad weather, one face shining with happiness, a person completely immersed in himself, or ready to cry. Usually, passers-by rarely notice this - everyone is in a hurry about their business. Here is a touching moment - a three-year-old toddler, who has no idea that he is being watched, hands his candy to the fawning mongrel. Or a girl in thin stiletto heels, indignant at the annoying drops of the beginning rain, runs to a dry place to shelter from the weather. Not noticing anyone around, he makes a very funny cute face. These are the simplest examples of what spontaneous shots can be. But with the acquisition of experience and skills in classical photography, you can also achieve amazing results in this genre.