As a wedding photographer, your job is to create amazing images of all the wedding details. However, it seems like there’s a conspiracy again shooting these images – the cake is delivered late, the centerpieces and bouquets haven’t arrived! Delays drastically shrink your time to capture the amazing details. Suddenly, sixty minutes of scheduled shooting time turns into six minutes. How do you overcome this challenge and still deliver creative images?
My unique solution is to have a formula that allows me (and my team) to systematically shoot all the details quickly and efficiently, while still keeping our creativity high. These formulas keep our detail images consistent and creative. I believe creativity is not only about WHAT you’re shooting, it’s also about changing your perspective and composition while you’re shooting. Our goal as creative wedding photographers is to show the unique way that we viewed the event.
Here are my “Foskett Formulas:”
(Above all, always remember – to keep the bride very happy, get out there and take more wedding details!)
The Formula: VH
How to remember it: “Very Happy”
What it means: Vertical, Horizontal
Description: It takes just seconds to add a horizontal shot right after vertical shot, yet the value it adds is priceless. Having both a vertical and a horizontal shot of the subject is extremely helpful in both magazine spreads and wedding album design.
The Formula: OUT
How to remember it: “Get OUT There”
What it Means: Over, Under, Through
Description: OUT is my favorite formula and acronym. It reminds me to look at the subject in a new and creative way. “O” stands for shoot OVER the subject, looking down from a high perspective. “U” stands for shoot UNDER the subject, looking up from a low perspective. And “T” stands for shoot THROUGH something, helping the viewer to focus on the subject.
The Formula: TMW
How to remember it: “Take More Wedding Details”
What it Means: Tight, Medium, Wide
Description: The goal is to shoot a series of images showing the context of the scene. “T” stands for shoot TIGHT to show extreme details, think about textures colors and shapes. “M” stands for shoot MEDIUM to show moderate details. Focusing on showing items in context of the setting. “W” stands for shoot WIDE to show the over-all scene and environment of the space, capturing more of the space surrounding the subject.
Since we started implementing these formulas for shooting details, I’ve seen a great improvement in both our creativity and our consistency. Our clients (and publishers) know that we can be counted on to capture details in unique and creative ways. Are you ready to consistently be creative under pressure? Then, while shooting at your next wedding, remember this: to keep the bride very happy, get out there and take more wedding details!
About the Author:
Julie Foskett is the crazy creative lead photographer of Foskett Creative; an international wedding photography company based out of Arizona. She is often seen working next to her husband Jack Foskett, owner and lead cinematographer of Vortex Cinema Production. When not taking care of their 3 crazy kids, they provide creative photography and cinematography to couples worldwide.