Picking up my groom getting ready portraits int West Bend, here's Chris at the Hampton Inn and Suites. I've included some thoughts behind the shots.
What I'm doing with these detail shots is incorporating the person in a natural way so it's not just a shot of the suit hanging against a wall, or a dress in front of a window. By putting Chris in the picture and letting him pick up and brush the suit, it's so much more interesting than "Here's the suit draped over a chair, again."
When I photograph, I'm conscious that every portrait I make is someone important looking at his future self. It's not just Chris. It's Chris looking at Chris 30 years from now. And he's looking at Ashley 30 years from now, so when they look back at these portraits, they connect with that moment of youth, love and beauty that may have been forgotten or put aside.
Now as to whether these are candid or directed, well, Chris is going to put on the jacket at some point, right? The answer is I just make sure it looks as cool as I can make it in the time and conditions I have, in whatever way works best for the shot.
One of the things most pretentious with wedding photographers is this notion that if a shot is staged, coached, directed or posed, it automatically becomes undesirable and that spontaneous moments are the only desirable portraits. This isn't the New York Times or World War I documentation. It's wedding photography. Play a little and have fun with it.
Hampton Inn & Suites is one of the best West Bend getting ready locations. Ask for a suite so you have plenty of space and nice window light. The suites have clean walls with minimal distractions. I'm Joel, a West Bend hotel wedding photographer serving real couples having real weddings.
Contact me today so I can serve the aesthetic and historical significance of your wedding.
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