I AM PHOTOGRAPHING STRANGERS: LITERALLYIT IS SO IMPORTANT TO KNOW HOW THE WEDDING PARY WILL BE ON THE DAY OF THE WEDDING! EVERYONE ON EARTH HAS DIFFERENT PERSONALITIES AND I, AS THE WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER, AM MEETING SEVERAL OF THEM ALL AT THE SAME TIME ON THE SAME DAY! SO, I TRY TO GET TO KNOW THEM A LITTLE BEFORE THAT DAY AND HERE IS HOW! #1. PLANNINGI TALK WITH MY BRIDE AND GROOM AHEAD OF TIME. I ASK THEM ALL THE QUESTIONS. HOW MANY ARE IN THE WEDDING PARTY? HOW MANY ARE SHY? HOW MANY ARE OUTGOING? (THOSE QUESTIONS BELIEVE IT OR NOT ARE SO IMPORTANT BECAUSE THEY DETERMINE RATHER THESE PEOPLE ENJOY THE CAMERA OR NOT.) WILL THERE BE ALCOHOL? (THIS IS ANOTHER QUESTION THAT IS IMPORTANT TO ME BECAUSE IT DETERMINES A TON OF THINGS. ALCOHOL CAN LOOSEN UP THE SHY AND MAKE THE WILD MORE LESS TAMED. I ALSO USE ALCOHOL TO MY ADVANTAGE WITH PICTURES FOR TOASTING, LIPSTICK AROUND THE RIM OF A CHAMPAIGN GLASS, ETC. SO I LIKE TO KNOW IF IT IS A DRY WEDDING OR NOT.) I MAKE A PLAN IN MY HEAD WITH THE LITTLE INFORMATION I KNOW BEFORE GOING TO THE WEDDING.  #2. TAKING AS MANY DIFFERENT PICTURES AS POSSIBLETHE WAY SOMEONE BEHAVES NORMALLY IS NOT ALWAYS THE WAY SOMEONE WANTS TO BE SEEN. READ THAT SENTENCE AGAIN! YES, SOMEONE WHO IS THE "CLASS CLOWN" MAY NOT WANT TO ALWAYS BE THAT IN PICTURES. SO IT IS SO IMPORTANT FOR ME AS A WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER TO TRY MY BEST TO AIM FOR EVERY PERSONALITY OUT THERE. THE TIP I HAVE FOUND TO WORK FOR THIS IS TO TAKE BOTH TYPES OF PICTURES. IF I HAVE A WILD AND CRAZY BUNCH (WHICH I LOVE BY THE WAY) THEN OF COURSE I TAKE THOSE KIND OF PICTURES WITH THOSE PEOPLE. I LET THOSE PERSONALITIES SHINE THROUGH. MOST OF THE TIME WHEN YOU HAVE A OUTGOING FUN BRIDAL PARTY, THE BRIDE AND GROOM FIT THE NARRATIVE. SO THEY AS WELL WANT THEIR DAY TO BE FUN AND LAID BACK. MOST OF THE TIME BUT NOT ALWAYS. SO TO PREVENT ANY MISHAPS WHEN THEY RECEIVE THEIR GALLERY FROM ME, I MAKE SURE THEY HAVE A MIXTURE OF BOTH FORMAL AND FUN PICTURES. WE WILL TAKE THOSE GOOFY FUN NATURAL LAUGH PICTURES BUT WE WILL ALSO GET SERIOUS FOR A MINUTE AND TAKE THOSE BEAUTIFUL MATURE PICTURES SO THE COUPLE HAS BOTH TO CHOOSE FROM.  #3. TRYING TO AVOID AWKWARD PAIRING.I TRY MY VERY BEST TO AVOID PUTTING EXES TOGETHER OR THE MOTHER WITH THE NEW STEPMOTHER ETC. BUT LETS BE HONEST. I DON'T KNOW ANYONE AT THIS WEDDING. SO I USUALLY ASK MY BRIDES TO WRITE ME A LIST OF ALL NAMES OF THE BRIDAL PARTY AND THE FAMILY MEMBERS THEY WANT PHOTOS OF. I HAVE ALSO STARTED ASKING THE QUESTIONS "ARE THERE ANY DIVORCES OR DEATHS I SHOULD BE SENSITIVE TO AND AWARE OF IN YOUR WEDDING PARTY OR FAMILY?" "ARE THERE ANY PEOPLE HERE THAT DO NOT NEED TO BE PHOTOGRAPHED TOGETHER?" I TRULY BELIEVE IN WEDDINGS, I TRULY BELIEVE IN TURNING THE OTHER CHEEK FOR THE GREATER GOOD OF A PHOTO FOR LITERALLY 30 SECONDS, BUT NOT EVERYONE BELIEVES THE SAME THINGS. IT MAKES THE WEDDING, THE PICTURES, THE CEREMONY, EVERYTHING GO SO MUCH MORE SMOOTHLY IF I KNOW IF THERE IS ANYONE IN THE WEDDING PARTY OR ELSEWHERE THAT JUST DO NOT NEED TO BE NEAR EACH OTHER FOR A PICTURE. WE WILL AVOID THAT AT ALL COSTS.  GENUINE LAUGHS AND FLATTERING POSES ARE EXACTLY WHAT I AIM TO CATCH. I WILL PLAY AROUND WITH A FEW IDEAS FOR THE PARTY TO GIVE ME JUST THAT. ONCE I GET MY FEEL OF THEM AND WHAT WORKS, WE EASILY CONQUER THE DAY. THEY WILL FEEL SILLY AT FIRST BUT ONCE THEY GET THE HANG OF MY PHOTOGRAPHY STYLE, THEY USUALLY JUMP ON BOARD. BY THE END OF THE DAY WE HAVE MADE FRIENDS AND ARE HANDING OUT CARDS WHICH IS EVERYTHING THE BRIDE AND GROOM ASKS FOR! LETS GET SOCIAL!AUTHOR: STEPHANIE TAYLOR
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THE EMOTIONS OF YOUR WEDDING DAY....
AND CATCHING THOSE EMOTIONS ON CAMERA
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The emotions on your wedding day can be like a roller coaster ride. One second, you are on top of the world and the next, you are wiping away tears. Your dear friends are all gathered around you, celebrating you, and the love they have for you sines like a beacon. Your mom has cried a million times already and your dad is just barely hanging on. Seeing their beautiful little girl all grown up is a proud moment for them. The excitement of walking down the isle in just a few short hours paired with the emotional happiness you feel to have such special people in your life, is a proud moment for YOU. No wonder those emotions run high.
  From your mom Mending your dress to make sure it is perfect, to your dad making you cry with his kind words, to your bridesmaids laughing hysterically at you can't remember what, you will LOVE all the emotions of your wedding day that goes on behind the scenes! And if you are lucky, you will have the same kind of photos of the groom!!     |  As a photographer my advice for those emotions is this, LET THEM HAPPEN GIRL!! Those emotions of, not only you, but everyone around you makes the sweetest pictures. Some of them may not be "social media worthy" because, I mean, lets face it, not all faces are pretty when they cry. My face is definitely NOT, I am a very UGLY CRIER, but even though you may not want to share them for the whole world to see, you will be so happy you have them and those raw, pure, real moments were caught on camera.     |
LETS BE SOCIAL
@MARILYNRAYPHOTO
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AUTHOR: STEPHANIE TAYLOR
OWNER/PHOTOGRAPHER OF MARILYNRAYPHOTOGRAPHYLLC
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GETTING THOSE AUTHENTIC SMILES TO SHINE BRIGHT
RECENTLY I HAVE HAD WEDDINGS WHERE THE GROOM AND GROOMSMEN AREN'T REALLY INTO THE PICTURES. WHICH IS COMPLETELY UNDERSTANDABLE CONSIDERING IT HAS BEEN NEARLY 100 DEGREES OUTSIDE WITHOUT THE HUMIDITY (AFTER ALL,WE ARE FROM GA SO IT MAY BE 98 BUT IT FEELS LIKE 118) SO LEAVING THE COMFORT OF THE AIR CONDITIONER AND SMILING THROUGH THE PAIN OF THE HEAT ISN'T SOMETHING ANYONE WANTS TO DO. THE GIRLS ARE MORE ABOUT IT BECAUSE, WELL, WE ARE GIRLS AND LOVE PICTURES OF US ALL DOLLED UP, BUT THE GUYS, NOT SO MUCH. SO LESLIE AND MYSELF HAD TO COME UP WITH SOME PRETTY CREATIVE IDEAS TO MAKE SURE THOSE GUYS GIVE YOU THE SMILES THE BRIDE DESERVE.
THE ONE IDEA WE HAD AT OUR LAST WEDDING WENT OFF LIKE FIREWORKS. AT FIRST, THEY DIDN'T WANT TO DO IT. BUT THE LONGER THEY STOOD THERE IN THE HEAT, THE HOTTER THEY GOT AND THE MORE INTRIGUED THEY BECAME.
SINCE IT WAS SO HOT WE USED WATER BUT OF COURSE THIS WILL WORK WITH PRETTY MUCH ANYTHING. YOU COULD USE BEER, A FLASK, HIS WRITTEN VOWS, HIS RINGS, ANYTHING.
SINCE IT WAS SO HOT WE USED WATER BUT OF COURSE THIS WILL WORK WITH PRETTY MUCH ANYTHING. YOU COULD USE BEER, A FLASK, HIS WRITTEN VOWS, HIS RINGS, ANYTHING.
YUP.. YOU GUESSED IT... WE MADE THEM RACE FOR A BOTTLE OF WATER. WE GOT SO MANY NATURAL SMILES AND LAUGHTER. THIS IDEA MADE THE BEST PICTURES AND IT WAS SO MUCH FUN WATCHING THEM KICK THAT BOTTLE AROUND TO WIN BECAUSE IT WAS SO HOT OUT.
ANOTHER WAY TO HAVE THOSE GUYS SMILING NATURAL SMILES (ASSUMING ITS NOT A DRY WEDDING) IS TO HAVE THEM TOAST THE GROOM! THESE TOASTS ALWAYS MAKE THE FUNNIEST STORIES. WE STAND THERE AND TAKE PHOTOS OF THE GROOMSMEN POKING FUN OF THE GROOM. SOMETIMES THIS CAN MAKE YOU CRY FROM LAUGHING, SO BE AWARE. THIS LITTLE TRICK IS NOT ONLY FUN FOR THEM BUT FOR US AS WELL. WE LEARN A THING OR TWO ABOUT THE PERSONALITIES WE ARE WORKING WITH FOR THE DAY AND GIVES US LITTLE HINTS AS TO WHO IS GOING TO BE THE CLOWN OF THE GROUP AND TO WATCH THAT PERSON CLOSELY.
ANOTHER LITTLE SECRET TO CATCHING GREAT PHOTOS OF THE GUYS, IS SUPER SIMPLE. AS I MENTIONED ABOVE, MOST OF THE TIME THERE IS AT LEASET ONE GUY OF THE GROUP WHO IS GOING TO BE THE CLOWN AND USUALLY IF THEY START TO GOOF OFF, THE REST WILL FOLLOW. YOU CAN CATCH ALL OF THEM BEING 100% AUTHENTIC WITHOUT THEM EVEN KNOWING. JUST STAND BACK AND LET THEM DO THE WORK. IT MAY BE TOWARD THE END OF THE NIGHT AND NOT IN THE SCHEDULED TIME WE HAVE BLOCKED OFF JUST FOR THEM, BUT THAT IS OK. AS LONG AS YOU CAN CATCH THOSE PICTURES OF THE GROUP OF MEN WHO STOOD BESIDE HIM ON HIS WEDDING DAY WITH AUTHENTIC SMILES, YOU DID GOOD! THE BRIDE WILL BE SUPER HAPPY. AND SO WILL HE.
LETS BE SOCIAL
@MARILYNRAYPHOTO
| FOLLOW US ON FB | FOLLOW US ON TIKTOK |  WE ARE ON WEDDING WIRE |  FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM |
AUTHOR: STEPHANIE TAYLOR
OWNER/PHOTOGRAPHER OF MARILYNRAYPHOTOGRAPHYLLC
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