The Real Secret to Great Bridal Preparation Photos

Many experts advise brides-to-be to seriously consider the dressing rooms of wedding venues before making a choice. They say that for great bridal preparation photos, you’ll want a spacious room with lots of natural light streaming in through windows. And, wherever that dressing room may be – at the church, a hotel or home – you’ll want to tidy it up before your wedding photographer arrives.

While that’s really good advice, in my experience, it’s not the make-or-break for amazing bride prep photos. You see, a good wedding photographer will be resourceful. He or she will have scouted the room prior to your wedding day and will come prepared for anything.

For example, if your dressing room has no windows (which is true of many historic Florida churches and venues) or if it’s an evening wedding, he’ll bring a set of lights, lenses and flash techniques to compensate for or even “fake” natural light.

If the room is small and packed with 22 people, he’ll manage to find a quiet spot within or outside to shoot your wedding gown, bouquet, shoes, jewelry and so on.

If the room is cluttered, he’ll roll up his sleeves and help tidy up. Though this may take precious time away from photographing the beautiful details of your wedding attire and bridal party, he’d be happy to do it.

The point is, a little teamwork and creativity can overcome dressing room limitations. But only you can control the real secret behind breathtaking bridal preparation images. Your state of mind.

I think the ultimate advice to every bride should be: When you step into that dressing room, let go. Allow the plans that you have carefully scripted over the past weeks or months to take over.

If at any moment you feel overcome by nerves, emotion or even panic, don’t worry. You’ll be surrounded by some of the most special people in your life. Their love will steady you.

The very least of your concerns should be your wedding photographer. If a pro, he or she will work quietly in the background, nosing for details and watching for candid displays of tenderness and emotion as you get made up and dressed up.

He’ll never get in your way nor take you out of your way for information or direction. Instead, he’ll work with your maid of honor, mother or coordinator to find and photograph your special “somethings” – old, new, borrowed and blue – sparkly, fragrant and other things, too.

This is your time to get ready for an extraordinary moment that’s about to happen . To become the beautiful bride you’ve always dreamed of. A good wedding photographer will help you get there.

If he asks you anything at all, it’ll be if you’d like to see just how beautiful you look in the shot he just took.

Until Next time,

SC

www.scottcraigphotography.com

Personality or Essence? What Do You Really Want Your Wedding Photographer to Capture?

As a bride or groom-to-be, you’ll often be advised to choose a wedding photographer who can capture your unique personality throughout your big day. The truth is, however, pretty much ALL wedding photographers can do that. Here’s why.



If you’ve followed your heart and stayed focused on the things that are important to you when planning your wedding, then every wedding detail will exude you – from wedding dress, bouquets and colors, to wedding cake, food and favors. By shooting any or all these things, a wedding photographer will technically capture your personality.




In other words, a wedding photographer need only go on auto-pilot to find your “personality thumbprint” everywhere. If there were such a thing as romantic forensics, the final photographs would incriminate you of expressing all-out love in your own distinct way – in a garden of candlelit trees and strewn rose petals, the elegant centerpieces of a formal ballroom, or the stringed lights dancing in the breeze on the beach.



So what you really should ask a potential wedding photographer is not “Can you capture our personality?” but rather, “Can you capture our essence?” There’s a difference.



Essence is that special head tilt, nose crinkle, smile or touch that melds you together and defines you. It’s your beautiful first looks, stolen glances and mutual reactions to the events of the day.




Essence is those fleeting moments of tenderness, playfulness and deep emotion among you, your wedding party and guests. It’s a story of what happens on your particular day suddenly, spontaneously or according to plan.



You may actually only want an archival-type of wedding photographer who’d document every last personality-infused detail of your wedding day, period. If that’s the case, you’ll find plenty of options. He or she will do a good job of mechanically creating a thorough record of your event – from attires to decor, venues, party and guests.



But for a wedding photographer who’s also a story teller of your essence, you may have to dig a little deeper. Look into portfolios for those special freeze-frame images that will make you stop and look a little longer to glimpse into the beings of the wedding couple and those around them. To me anyway, it’s worth the extra time and effort to find one of these.



Of course, you may already have found one. Just saying.

Until Next Time,

SC

www.scottcraigphotography.com

Orlando Wedding Photography: Lake Eola

Natachele & Kenol are from NY and with family here in O town they decided to be married here. So, We met up early Sunday morning and had some time getting to talk more about their big day. Getting Married t the Beautiful Hyatt Hotel Grand Cypress

Can't wait coming up soon so stay tuned.

Until Next time,

SC

www.scottcraigphotography.com

Rain or Shine it always Picture time

As I mentioned in their original post. Rain smiled on us that day. But, Mother nature was kind enough to stop long enough to step outside after the ceremony for a few. But, with a mixture of indoor and outdoor we were able to get some sweeeet images.

Lashanda and LJ you're awesome inside and out.

Until Next time,

SC

www.scottcraigphotography.com

Rosen Centre Wedding: Lashanda & LJ

Every Saturday we all hope for sunshine, But sometimes mother nature has her way. And this day she smiled on Lashanda & LJ. I say smiled because Lashanda & LJ kept their smiles on even though we had moved to an indoor location. Things went on as if nothing had happened and Yolonda form Yunik Design kept it moving on time and as planned.

Both Lashanda and LJ don't spend a lot of time in front of a camera being Engineers, but I think they did better then awesome job.

The night was fun and filled with some great music that kept the party going.

As a wedding photographer sometimes we do not get what we think we will get. Weather plays a big role in this. And, for me, I cannot let you down. I sometimes wear many hats. One of them being a "problem solver" Where creativity has to be inspired in a moments notice even my original "vision" gets rained on.

I thank you both you both for the memories.

You may remember Lashanda & LJ from their engagement session here

I will share a few more with you soon.

Until Next Time,

SC

www.scottcraigphotography.com