1.How would you describe your wedding style?
a) Formal and traditional
b) Relaxed and informal
c) Traditional but relaxed
2. Are the majority of your wedding guests?
a) Family
b) Friends
c) Close friends and intimate family only
3. Do you want traditional group shots in your wedding album?
a) Yes, I’ve got a big family and would like them all to be pictured
b) No, I can’t bear posed photographs
c) It’s more a case of need than want, but I don’t want it dominated by them
4. What best describes your favourite photo of you and your groom?
a) A professional photograph that we had taken in a studio when we got engaged
b) A photo of us laughing taken by a friend without us realising
c) A picture of us on holiday that we took ourselves, holding the camera out in front of us.
5. You’re having a photo taken. Do you…
a) Stand up straight, look directly at the camera, pout and pose. Victoria Beckham’s got nothing on you!
b) Pretend you don’t realise it’s being taken – you always feel such an idiot when you fake a smile
c) Encourage lots of people to get in the picture, you love having photos of all your mates having fun
6.You’re wedding colours are:
a) Lots of pink as it’s your favourite colour
b) Bright, bold and blinging! A fiesta of colour...
c) Chic and understated; lots of white and little splashes of colour
7. Your worst wedding photo nightmare is:
a) …Great Aunt Maureen being left out of the group family shot. She’ll go mad if she’s not able to show off her new lilac two-piece
b) …ending up with lots of cheesy, sepia-tinted shots of you and your groom standing by a lake. So not you
c) …your mum forcing you to spend three hours having endless family photos taken
8. What special effects would you particularly like?
a) Airbrushing – like they do in magazines - some soft-focus close up shots.
b) I just want the fun, party atmosphere to come across – no special effects necessary
c) Some black and white shots would be nice, alongside the more traditional colour prints
9. Which celebrity wedding picture would you most like to recreate?
a) Charles and Camilla – it was so lovely seeing the bride and groom with all their family
b) Brad and Jen. That black and white shot of her gazing at him, while he gazed at her wedding finger brought a tear to your eye (as did the news of their break-up)
c) Vernon and Tess outside the church with all their guests. It was contemporary but traditional and didn’t look all stuffy or formal
10. The main thing you’ll tell your photographer is:
a) To follow your shot list exactly as you’ve specified. You already know exactly how each photo will look and don’t want him to deviate
b) To focus on the detail: lots of arty, close up shots of the flowers, your shoes (you’ll only have a pair of Jimmy Choos once in your life, right?) and to use his imagination
c) To capture the atmosphere of the day, but to make sure he gets everyone together for a few posed shots too
If you answered mostly a’s…. you want Fixed style photography
You’re a traditional girl at heart and you want to look back on your photos and see all the people you love standing alongside you and your husband. You love portrait shots, beautiful compositions and flattering poses and want to ensure you look your very best on your wedding day, which means being prepared. You don’t want the photographer taking sneaking shots when you’re not ready! Choose a photographer who’s skilled at high-quality portraits. Scour their portfolios for good lighting, impressive background settings and lots of family group shots.
If you answered mostly b’s… you want Informal photography
You’re a thoroughly modern millie and don’t want any formal photos. Your house is filled with creative, artistic photos of family, friends and your fiancé – so why should your wedding photos be any different? Make sure you find a reportage photographer with plenty of experience. It is more difficult than it looks to get consistently good reportage shots. You might also want to consider having some black and white photos. But remember, although colour can be changed into black and white and sepia, it doesn’t work the other way round. Although you may be tempted, it’s best not to shoot on black and white film because you might want some colour shots to capture such a colourful occasion.
If you answered mostly c’s… you want Informal and Fixed photography!
You love the idea of lots of natural pictures, but know you have to keep the family and out-laws happy with some posed group shots too. However, you don’t want these to dominate your day and want your photographer to capture both the contemporary feel and the traditional details. It’s best to choose a reportage photographer who’s willing to take those essential group photos with the family (beware – some can be snobby about this type of photography) rather than a traditional photographer who might not be as skilled at reportage styles. Make sure you discuss your needs carefully to ensure he/she is happy and able to do a combination of shots.
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