Posed vs. Candids - Group Examples

I took a nice long weekend off; it was much-needed after the wedding season! I also realized that my own wedding is a month away. Time to kick it into high gear!

I’ve been collecting a number of group photos from weddings and unions because of the ongoing traditional vs. photojournalism debate. Brides, know that although you may want to have your ENTIRE wedding photographed in a journalistic (aka candid) style, grandma is still going to want these photos. And really, this is what you (9 times out of 10) put in an album. But don’t fear; there are still fun ways to do it!

First, if you want to have more traditional group photos, you can spice it up by having an interesting backdrop. Many couples opt to go outside or stand in front of an altar; find a new and interesting structure! If you’re in Washington DC or the DC metro area, go to the monuments! Scout out your location to find any interesting staircases, balconies, or ask the owner of the property to give you tips. We walked around with a Hotel Monaco (in Washington DC) employee and found this beautiful room:

The Action Shot. If people are moving they won’t be worried about the way they’re posing or how fake their smile is. It allows them the freedom to take their mind off of the photograph. If you don’t want to get too crazy, just have people walk (or run) towards the photographer.

The Big Group Shot. I’ve stood on many a balcony to get this group photo, with numbers of guests ranging from 60 to 200. I wouldn’t suggest you do this photo with much more than that unless you and your photographer can work it out. It’s a great way to capture everybody, and you can definitely still have fun with it! Here’s one I took where I asked people to toast the brides.

The Silly Shot. You know you want to. Do yourself a favor and take the typical traditional posed photos, and then… let loose. This works best with a creative group of people. I’ve asked folks to “give me your best Rat Pack”, “kiss the person next to you”, “do something crazy”, or here, “show me some leg!”