The Photographic Diet

The Photographic Diet

So you're a professional wedding photographer and you have been asked to photograph your cousin Alison's wedding. You are all ready with your equipment and the date is reserved but there is one problem facing you. 

Alison is a little overweight and despite all efforts will probably remain so for the wedding. She has great confidence in your photographic abilities and expects you to make her look beautiful in her wedding album.

There are a few tricks you can use to help her look slimmer. One favorite of mine is to partially hide her body with the person she is with. She can stand a little further away from the camera and about one-third behind her partner. Similarly, medium close ups are effective when she places her arms around the groom's shoulders from behind in a hug while the groom is seated.

Doorways and windows present a great opportunity to capture the bride with a side light. Place her facing the light and have her turn her heat slightly toward the camera. The shadow side will slim down her waist effectively.

A short telephoto lens should be used for close up portraits. If flash is used, make sure that the flash head is directly above the lens and at least twelve to fourteen inches above. This flash placement firms the chin line, emphasizes the cheek bones and keeps the neck in shadow. Natural light portraits show best with the light coming from the back and side. Vignetting can be added later. Try a few profiles, too.

A high camera angle emphasizes the face and minimizes the body for a different and flattering shot. Doorways and see throughs can frame the subject with a natural cropping of the body. Avoid straight on shots and medium shots out in the open. If straight shots are unavoidable, shoot twice as far away than necessary so that her figure is small in the composition.

When posing the family portrait, place the bride and groom in the middle standing with the rest of the family standing to the left and right. If necessary, additional members can be seated in front, leaving a space in front of the bride and groom so that the gown and tuxedo shows.
When photographing the couple remember to place the groom a little closer to the camera than the bride. A forty-five degree turn of the bride's body with her elbows away from her waist is the most flattering. Of course, all these tricks are done without anyone's knowledge. I'll never tell.