One of the most important moments of any wedding is when the bride walks down the aisle.
The music swells.
The guests stand.
She appears… and the tears roll.
Jordan cried
Even though Amy is usually the emotional one in our relationship, something inside Jordan just cracked that day.
(Actual video footage of Jordan on our wedding day)
But seriously…
It’s an intensely emotional, once-in-a-lifetime moment.
Which is why it’s so important that the photographer not only…
– Doesn’t miss it
Today, we’re going to show you exactly how to do that.
More and more often, at the beginning of wedding ceremonies, officiants make an announcement:
The bride and groom have requested that you put your cell phones away during the ceremony and just enjoy the moment. There are professional photographers here to take pictures.
THAT’S US.
THAT’S YOU.
In other words, this is…
– A once-in-a-lifetime moment
– That will be over in just seconds
– There are no “do-overs”
– You’re responsible for capturing it
– And everyone knows it
YIKES!
Talk about pressure!
Here’s the good news…
We have a really simple way to make sure you not only never miss this shot…
But that you nail it.
Every. Single. Time.
We’ve been wedding and portrait photographers for over ten years.
At almost every wedding we shoot, we do the exact same setup.
Amy, our first shooter, stands in front of the front row on the bride’s side, between the mother of the bride and the altar (so she doesn’t block Mom’s view of anyone coming down the aisle).
That way, when the bride is walking down the aisle, she can get shots of the bride and her dad or escort.
But she can ALSO…
Quickly and easily…
With a quick turn of her hips…
Get shots of the GROOM reacting to seeing his bride like THIS
These images together pack a powerful one-two punch because they help tell a complete story for viewers (later) when they see the side-by-side.
Not to mention…
There are few things sweeter than a crying groom.
See what we mean.
Quick note: For many years, Amy shot the bride coming down the aisle with her favorite lens (50mm 1.2). But after a fling with the 28-70mm 2.0, she switched to that lens when the bride is coming down the aisle, because it gives her the f/2 aperture she wants in that situation (where she can’t move her feet) with the ability to zoom in and out with a beautiful quality photo.
The question you might be asking yourself right now…
Great question!
Jordan is responsible for getting what we call “the money shot.”
What’s the money shot?
It’s a single shot of the bride coming down the aisle that tells a complete story in one image, because you can see the bride and groom in the same shot.
Let us explain…
If the venue permits, Jordan stands *behind* the altar.
Using a long lens (like a 70-200mm), he uses the groom, officiant and/or elements of the altar as a foreground and shoots through
This is always one of our favorite shots on a wedding day when we can get it because it gives the viewer the feeling that they’re peering in on a really special moment.
Which they are!
It’s an angle that NO guest gets to see, so it’s extra unique.
So if you’re a first shooter, we’d highly encourage you to ask your second shooter to get this shot!
Note: If you’re shooting a wedding by yourself, we recommend getting Amy’s shot, not Jordan’s, because we think it’s more important to have images of both the bride’s and groom’s faces (even though Jordan’s angle is more fun and artistic).
If we’re at a venue where it’s not possible to get this angle, Jordan will look for an alternate angle that looks different from Amy’s but still adds something special to the gallery.
Clear communication between the first and second shooter before the ceremony starts is KEY to nailing those once-in-a-lifetime moments for your clients.
We hope this helps at your next wedding!
SHOOTING & EDITING COURSE
One of the most important keys to wedding photography is feeling confident with your camera and nailing your photos in all kinds of light, which is exactly what we show you how to do step-by-step in the Shooting & Editing Course. You can find out more about that here. We’d love to have you join us!
