When it comes to taking good portraits at a wedding, I can’t stress enough the importance of showing your subjects being social, interactive and connected with each other. The challenge, as a photographer, becomes in digging a little deeper and creating something that gives us a sense of who our subjects really are.

Take, for example, this image of a groom alone (below) as he is looking into the camera giving me a “cool” look. Unfortunately, it doesn’t really say much about him other than that he is a good-looking guy.

To relax him and loosen him up, try telling a joke or giving him a drink, then direct his eyes off camera and voilà—you have a photo of the groom that shows us more of his personality, rather than an unemotional gaze into the camera.

When it comes to taking group images during the wedding day, like that of the groomsmen and bridesmaids, these shots have been a staple on my checklist at every single one of my weddings since the beginning of my career. And while they can sometimes show the viewer nothing more than happy smiles and an historical record of the group on a wedding day, they do have a place in every photographer’s wedding coverage.

Does Mom or Grandma appreciate that backlit shot of a couple in the rain or that clever crop of half of the bride’s face shot at f/1.4 that is in every photographer’s portfolio? Probably not. Chances are that your grandparents were photographed in a studio with a slow shutter speed and had to hold still for several seconds; a passive, emotionless stare into the camera is all their photographer could hope for. Although such a photo may have seemed static at the time, they served a purpose. That’s why I always make sure that I create photographs of people looking into the camera and smiling, in addition to my more interactive shots. The former is there for those who want something a little more traditional, and you’ll never have parents question your coverage. There should always be something that pleases everyone. Do what you have to do (formal or traditional photos, for example) so you can also do what you want to do (more creative photos).

If you look at the following “after” portraits of the groomsmen and the bridal party (above) they tell us so much more about who these people are and give us a glimpse into their relationships. The groomsmen image shows best mates teasing each other as they often do. The bridesmaids giggling and interacting give us a much more meaningful memory of them seeing their best friend on her wedding day.

Taking it one step further, look at how much more personal and social this interactive, closer cropped photograph of the bridal party looks (above) compared to its “before“ version above it. Again, these variations give insight into the bond that these friends have and will evoke a much more powerful feeling when looked at with every year that passes.

Remember to tell a story that goes above and beyond just capturing what people look like. We also want to know who they are, even just a little bit. The legacy of your clients immortalized by your photographs will be so much more meaningful and give the next generation an understanding of not only what it was like to be there, but to know the depth and strength of their relationships, too.

Widely regarded as one of the best wedding/portrait photographers and educators in the world, Jerry Ghionis is a USA Nikon Ambassador and has won more awards than any other photographer at WPPI where he became the first Grand Master.

To learn more about and from Jerry Ghionis, visit www.jerryghionis.com.

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