Today is cool, gray, a tad rainy in Chaumont, NY. It is Sunday and I am photographing a wedding today. Sunday's are starting to be more common for weddings, at least in my area the last couple of years.
This was a "grab" shot. An unplanned group photo at a recent wedding I photographed. It is another example of being alert to what is going on around you and being ready to respond to spontaneous moments. In this case the bride picked up her niece for a photo. Well, there's not much that will takle attention away from a bride other than a cute baby. Anyhow, I noticed the brides mother, sister, and others in the background watching me photograph the bride and her niece. They are all happy, seeing a photo being made of two of the day's leading lady and supporting star. So, I wanted to include them in the photo. Worried that they might move, I held my hands up and told them, "Everybody freeze, just where you are." And then I snapped the photo. You see, groups of people just naturally fall into poses, or arrangements, as part of the un-concious social order of things. (Am I making sense?) Anyhow, arranging people for group shots can be a challenge. So, when they fall into place naturally, be ready to grab the photo.
Though the bride was posing with the infant, the folks in the background were unposed. They were just standing in the background watching, in a natural state. One of the key things I strive for in any photo shoot of people is to get that feeling of naturalness. I want things to look real, unposed, un-contrived.
