Shooting group photos at weddings is probably the oldest tradition that links photography with weddings. And as much as I dislike doing them, I do realise they have a purpose, and a certain degree of importance to the documenting of your day. I totally get it… at your wedding are the most important people in your lives, taking part in possibly the most important day of your life (so far), so making sure you get a photo of you and them together in the same shot is a huge deal.
The biggest mistake most couples make when it comes to having their group photos taken on their wedding day is the amount of time you put aside for it. Or possibly the huge amount of time your photographer has put aside for it. Believe me, there are some photographers out there that bloody love doing endless group photos… I’m not one of them. I’d rather be spending my time getting fun, emotional, creative, and natural photos of you and your guests enjoying the day without the faff of a boring two hour staged photoshoot. Your day will go by in the blink of an eye, don’t waste it doing something you really don’t want to.
Admit it, we’ve all been to a friends wedding where the group photos seemed to take forever to get done… people started arguing because they were taking so long… or Uncle Dave was missing from the shot (almost certainly at the bar!)… well, this is exactly the reason why I give all my couples two simple instructions to make the group photos part of their day go as smoothly as possible.
Keep your group photos list to around 6-8 groups MAX!
We shoot them 10-15 minutes before you sit down for food/speeches… and the whole process doesn’t take longer than 10 minutes!
Right, now let me ease you in gently. I’ll keep it simple, and with a bit of luck you’ll like the images I’ve captured, and agree that this is exactly how you want your group photos to look like.. If you want any posed/staged photos at all that is!
In an ideal world, all group photos would look something like this…
and these…
…Chilled-out, totally relaxed, sometimes even completely candid and caught in the moment images! That first image may look like some epic staged affair, but in actual fact took about six minutes to setup and shoot. Then everyone was called in for their meal!
(BELOW) Still don’t believe me that group shots can be quick to shoot and totally natural? Here’s a selection of fun alternative shots taken around the time of me shooting the formal versions.
Photo 1 - Taken just after the formal group photo…
Photo 2 - Taken just before the formal group photo….
Photo 3 - THE formal group photo… (as formal as it gets with me!)
(BELOW) The boys!
The best advice I can give you for getting really relaxed shots of lads, is to have a drink! Have a few beers… chill out with each other, and then I’ll approach you and take a fun group photo. And you never know, I may even catch a fleeting BROMANCE moment too.
(BELOW) A perfect example of a candid group photo. The bride and her bridesmaids all gathered, waiting to go through to the ceremony room.
(BELOW) The girls! Here’s a small collection of extremely simple setups. As you’ll see, whether you’ve got 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, or more bridesmaids… I like to keep the frame filled, but a nice simple and clean shot. Minimal distractions and always a cool backdrop.
(BELOW) Here’s a collection of group photos that really benefit from vibrant colours. I always edit my images in a subtle manner. I’m not a fan over over-saturated filters/presets at all. I want my photos to look natural, and truly representative of the day you got married!
(BELOW) For this large family group photo I shot in France last year I continued shooting after I’d taken the simple group photo. I personally prefer the second shot! It has a lot more energy and humour to it than the first. But what I like isn’t always what everyone else likes, so I will always deliver both options to the couple.
(BELOW) Mix it up! Blending the boys and girls together for a fun and (moderately) formal shot.
(BELOW) Find the perfect location… and stick to that perfect location.
(BELOW) Go with the flow. I shoot SO many frames when I’m doing the groups. Probably because I’m rattling through them as quick as possible so you can get back to the party, but also because I always capture the unexpected, and random events that happen in the moments in between!
(BELOW) In my experience the wider picture is ALWAYS more interesting…
(BELOW) This kid was slowly sliding out of the shot… I think he heard an ice cream van go by!
(BELOW) Suggesting something a little different - Its not unusual for me to say to a bunch of flower girls “JUMP!”… this instantly makes them do something fun, but also creates a cool portrait.
