The Classic Story Telling Shots ... What are they for you?

Are you asking for the traditional coverage 'must have' shots?

Bride with bridesmaids in a posed getting ready set up Bride alone, formal, full length (possible half length, more casual but still posed) Bride with parents Groom alone, formal, full length (possible half length, more casual but still posed) Groom with parents Groom with groomsmen, in a 'waiting in front of the church' situation Bride and father down aisle Back view of ceremony Kiss or recessional Head table at reception Toast Table shots of family tables First dance Cake cutting, posed Bouquet and garter toss Leaving in the car

Most are posed or directed. However, if you take away the posed part, the same images can still function as the bare bones of a modern story. After all, a wedding then had the same elements as a wedding now. A guy, a girl, their friends, their family... They get married, they receive their community, during which they eat, toast, cut a cake, possibly throw a bouquet and garter, and leave to start their life together. Of the shots above, the only real candids were likely the processional, back view of the ceremony, bouquet and garter tosses, and possibly the toast, first dance and leaving, although those could be posed.

Gee--don't know what happened to my list--it got all mushed together. Sorry.

Thanks Nadine ... I suppose I'm asking for the traditional list if George is referring to that from his wedding 25 years ago.

As I read your list I don't really see anything that unusual from what everyone seeks to capture today in some form or another.

Yes, the bare bones set of images is the same. I've looked at wedding albums from the 40s/50s--as George says, about 20-24 black and white 8x10s in an album. And I should add, above, rather than a guy and girl--two people...to be politically correct.

Hmm...I skipped over the family formals! Anyway, add wedding party formal, each immediate family formal. B&G formal. These are right after the ceremony.

Interesting way of asking a question that shows up quite ofter, which is "what shots do I take?";) There is a lot more depth to your question, which is a indicative of your experience. I'll take a stab at it.

I'm more of a documentary style of a shooter, yet I know which traditional/ posed/ must have shots need to be captured. Essentially, I work it counter-intuitively to the traditionalist; meaning, I document the day as it unfolds and stage the shots that are the essentials. Example, photograph the bride getting ready with the dad on standby, then get the mom and dad for a quick formal/ posed shot. This can often times be very emotional, and this is where my documentary hat pops back on. Same thing for the groom, emotions expressed differently often times, but emotional shots nonetheless. Often times if find that while posing the 1 tot shots (father and bride) I get then to look at one another and an emotional burst will occur, where to documentary cap comes back on.

So, long way around trying to answer your question from my perspective and experience is that each story is different, but I find that the shots liked by most of today's bride and groom's are the one's that capture the emotion, the staging of the CLASSIC SHOT^^/ posed shot often catches an eye, but gets replaced quickly when the emotional expressions are captured in the following shots, if that makes any sense.

As for a list, I've abandoned that. I've found it to interfere with the documentary (which I assume you would interpret as 'candid') scenes. There is something more to that last statement that I will clear, from my perspective. I personally see a difference between candid and documentary. Personally I see documentary much more academic and technical since a planed approach is set into motion (meaning lens selection, aperture, ambient light, ISO, shutter speed, flash implementation, etc.) to not only achieve proper exposure but to capture the scene for dramatic effect, or to expose with a planned post production method in mind (which may not necessarily be 'proper' at time of capture). A candid shot, by definition, is taken informally, without the subjects knowledge. So, from the aspect previously mentioned (planning/ calculating) I don't think documentary is necessarily informal, it is however, non-TRADITIONAL, which I would agree on. (Nothing wrong with traditional in my mind by the way.) Just thoughts;)

Sorry, that's meant to be '1 to 1 shots' above - not 1 tot.

I`d like to put a different spin on this and not just provide a `list`, I think, if restricted to `a list of 20`, most lists would be very similar. I`d rather attack the question from another angle.

Criterion for the 20 photos to Tell the Story and are which are Important:

1. Each is a cracker image.

I understand that this is not the type of answer / comment you are seeking, and, I do think that it might be very important to some clients that there must be a shot of the ACTUAL `cake cutting` . . .

But as an example of my spin on the question: if the Cracker shot was the B&G behind the cake with Champagne glasses just touching and that special glint in both their eyes both in half profile, their hands off the knife, but it seen remaining in the cake . . .

Then that is `The Cake` shot which is the most `Important` and should be included in the twenty, to tell the story . . . IMO.

WW

I appreciate the feedback ... it's limited as I suspected it would be but the quality of the responses is helpful and insightful.

I found myself wondering if the classic Traditional shot was code for taking a "safe" shot from a rather boring and static position and it involved little creative energy from the photographic artist with the end result being a method that best fits the photographer as opposed to what a modern client wants in today's digital age.

Todd and William make me breath a bit easier but I'm still puzzled as to what it means to have 20 shots in an album hold a sense of reverence over having many more shots of the event via the digital age tool box.

If having 20 photos in 8 x 10 is what satisfies people 25 years later then a lot of people are doing this wrong right now; and I don't think they're doing it wrong ... I think they are using more modern tools and giving service based on the needs of the savvy customer who has grown up in a Digital Age and expects and wants more even though they want the same 20 shots they want more! (I just chuckled to myself).

I find that taking the safe / traditional shot is a must-have shot but then I keep seeking another angle and another viewpoint to shoot the scene from ... another way to tell the story of that part of the wedding day celebration. I find that the digital age now allows us that opportunity and it would be a shame to have the equipment and the artistic eye to capture more than a "classic" shot during one of the classic / traditional moments in a wedding.

Our children want something different from the norm and I think the bridal couples of today want the traditional shots but they also appear hungry for "more". They want the shot from different angles and they want the shot taken with the cake in the center of the floor (not hidden in a corner, ug!).

Giving a bridal couple 1000 shots of a wedding does not mean that one has not captured the 20 shots that can make up a memorable album! This is my point!

It's what I was wanting to get clarity on from those who respect (rightfully) the good ol' days of 20 classic shots in an album is the way to go. I agree. But, can the box be filled with a few more shots for Today's bridal couple. I think it's a good thing to give families more photos. They've grown up in a Digital Age ... why hold back!

We are in an active media oriented age and the customer desires the use of the available tools and they desire an end product which is "active" in nature and still includes the magic 20 shots. No right or wrong just a different toolbox and a more savvy and demanding customer. ?? dunno ...

This past weekend I did find myself checking to see if I was capturing those classic 20 shots as mentioned and listed by Nadine. I think that I was losing sight of some of those moments so a review of the classic moments and the 20 shot album was wonderful. The quiet review of the classic moments gave me anchor points.

These anchor points in a wedding day are important for beginners to learn.

Do those who shoot only for the 20 classic shots have anything to learn in a digital age with digital savvy customers?