There are so many special moments on a wedding day and it’s hard to make sure that you have time for all of them. Often, after the girls are finished getting ready, we are rushing to get the bride into her dress and off to the ceremony. If you can try to allot 15-20 minutes with the bride alone, it will mean so much to her. At this time, she looks and feels her absolute best which is the perfect time to snap a few portraits of her alone.

1. Specific Instructions

Have you ever been the one having your photo taken? It starts out awkward. You have no idea what to do with your hands, fingers, neck, etc. The more specific instruction you can give your bride, the more at ease she will feel.

2. Breathing

It’s quite common for subjects to become a bit stiff and hold their breathe which causes their shoulders to start rise. It is our job as the photographer to ask them to take a deep breath and exhale that breath in order to release the tension in their shoulders.

3. Encouragement

Giving encouragement during the photoshoot is crucial to making your bride comfortable with having her photo taken. Remember, she’s by herself at this point, posing for you. Ensure you leave little amount of time in silence. The more you talk, the more comfortable she will feel.

4. Plan in Advance

Similar to what you would do when photographing the bridesmaids, you will want to arrive early to the “getting ready” location to scope out where you will take these photos. Not only will you figure out where you will take these photos, you will also plan what angles and lenses you can use in that specific area.

5. Shoot with Intention

When photographing the bride, have a list in your head of what you what to accomplish. For example, far away full body vertical and horizontal, half body vertical and horizontal, bouquet vertical and horizontal, head shot vertical and horizontal. If you can keep these in mind, you will be able to do this quickly and efficiently.

I hope that you found this helpful. If you want to learn more about wedding day timelines, grab my FREE Ideal Wedding Day Timeline!

And if you want some more tips on wedding day photos, check out How to Photograph Bridesmaids.