Pets, small children and authentic emotion offer great photo opportunities at weddings.
Some couples ask about including their pet in their engagement session. Absolutely bring them! They're part of your family, right?
Bringing a pooch to the shoot is a great way to start, especially if you're a little uneasy about being in front of the camera. It gives you
something to focus on and encourages you all to play.
Photo credit: Lindsay Docherty Photography
Dogs that do well off leash are especially welcome. I ask my clients to let me know what commands their dog knows as well as any
hand signals and I always carry my secret weapon: a squeaky toy! Know your pup and what locations would work best. Like sessions
with little kids, don't worry if your frisky canine isn't perfectly behaved. This is life and it's great to see the family as it is. That being said,
if the dog is not people-friendly or especially difficult to control, it's best to leave Fido at home. I often recommend bringing a babysitter
to look after the pooch halfway through the shoot so that we can get pictures of just the couple as well.
Photo credit: Lindsay Doherty Photography
Often, there are flower girls and ring bearers in the wedding party to photograph. Small children in wedding parties are so much fun
because you never know exactly what you're going to get! If you have a young ring bearer and/or flower girl, don't expect perfection. Some
of the best images come from children getting restless during ceremonies or playing in their own world. As far as formals, try to get the
pictures with children and older relatives finished first while their clothes are still fresh and before they get too restless. If they're not up to
it during the formals, just put those pictures aside and try to come back to them later in the day. Wrangling unhappy children into smiling
is futile. Children at weddings are great for candids, whether they're in full breakdown mode or blissfully twirling on the dance floor.
Photo credit: Lindsay Doherty Photography
Creating artistic images without the cheese is my specialty. I'd rather see images of couples interacting with each other, not me. After all,
this day is about the celebration of their union and I want to help celebrate that. This means I'll certainly get images of them looking at the
camera but most of the images will be about the two of them enjoying each other - walking, talking, canoodling, and laughing. It's about
finding the right light, texture, and angle, putting them there, and encouraging them to be present with each other. I don't go for high
fashion with manipulation and lighting that takes 10 minutes for each picture; I go for genuine emotion and play with little posing and a lot
of fun.
~ Lindsay Docherty Photography
Photo credit: Lindsay Doherty Photography
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