Aiming for the Right Mix Between Candid and Formal Wedding Photographs

February 18, 2008 |

Andrew and Mauritza, photographed in 2007 at Queen Elizabeth Park. (Julia Pelish photo)

Candid or formal?

Finding the perfect ratio between the two will be a topic you discuss with your wedding photographer. On one hand, candids are fun and free and capture life as we lived it. Formals, though, are more likely to provide the two or three images that you will want to have printed large and displayed prominently in your home.

So how do you ensure that you have a mix that works on your wedding day? First, you and your photographer need to make sure you’re on the same page about what you want. Most photographers excel in candid, or photojournalistic, photography because it relies almost entirely on their eye. They will have an on-camera flash (and ideally a stand-up strobe to provide cross-lighting at your reception) but the key to candid photography is more about instinct than technical understanding of the craft.

Formals require high-end lighting equipment as well as patience from all involved. That also means adequate time needs to be set aside for a photograph session. If you’re using a wedding planner, she or he will likely allot about 90 minutes between the ceremony and the reception for formals. That may not be enough time, depending on how long it takes to get to each location. If your formal photograph session includes parents, grandparents, other close relatives and a bridal party of four or more couples you can be looking at more than two hours to get all the photographs on the checklist.

What I suggest is keep things simple.

The day is about you two and the formal session should be as well. Spend most of the time allotted for formals before the reception alone with your photographer getting stunning photographs at the inception of your marriage. Whittle down photographs that include family members and the bridal party to the minimum required and take them at the reception site or at a designated spot immediately following the ceremony.

The truth is members of the bridal party would rather enjoy themselves at the cocktail hour and reception than stand on hand for 90 minutes posing for off-site photographs. And waiting 90 minutes for a photo session can be wearying on older members of your family. You’ll still get the fun posed shots of your friends, siblings and cousins in your bridal party but you won’t make them restless waiting and you will have a respite between the ceremony and reception to spend intimate moments together. More than likely you’ll also be happier with the photographs you receive.