When it comes to his wedding day, posing can sometimes be a challenge for the groom. Posing isn't natural for most men, and this can be a tricky thing for a wedding photographer to navigate. To help you in such challenging situations, wedding photographer Giovanni Rusoni shares four secrets to making a groom look good in photos:
Accentuate the Jawline
Giovanni suggests accentuating the jawline by asking the groom to direct his chin towards the camera.
How to achieve a perfect shot such that the groom has an accentuated jawline?
Shoot the Groom from Below
You can photograph a groom from a lower angle to make him appear more masculine, but make sure the light comes from above and never lights up the back of the neck, which would make it look fat and bloated.
So, remember to shoot him from below.
Tilt the Face towards the Lower Shoulder
Let the groom pose by tilting his head in a way that lowers the head or hair to achieve a more masculine look.
The head should be tilted towards the lower shoulder.
As a side note, Giovanni shares that brides can also carry off masculine poses equally well.
Think Men's Magazines
Go through men's magazines and advertisements for male products, such as watches and cologne, and learn from them. Having the groom clutching the lapel with one hand, having it buttoned, or showcasing the watch can be a great pose for grooms.
How to pose a wedding photograph of the groom, then?
We've just given you four simple yet very effective tips for capturing better groom shots in your next wedding photography project.
Make sure to try out these poses for better results.
And what about the groomsmen? We also provide you with some tips for photographing groomsmen effectively.
Tips for Photographing Groomsmen
The bride, groom, and bridesmaids are usually the ones who steal the spotlight on the wedding day. But that doesn't mean groomsmen should be left out.
Groomsmen tend to receive less attention, but nevertheless, it's equally essential to get great shots of them.
Professional wedding photographer Giovanni Rusconi takes us behind the scenes on how to photograph groomsmen:
Giovanni says he tends to keep the flow of human interaction fast and interesting. To do this, he shares some jokes, which help groomsmen feel at ease and get natural smiles.
This is also important in the sense that men tend to prefer the "socializing" part of the wedding and might find the photography session a bit less interesting compared to the bridesmaids.
Get a Variety of Shots
Giovanni likes to mix it up and get every possible combination of shots. He enjoys taking group photos, individual portraits, and portraits together with the groom.
He also suggests that if time doesn't permit all this, then it's advisable to skip individual portraits of the groomsmen.
Arrange the Group Carefully
While posing groomsmen for group photos, Giovanni likes to arrange the groomsmen in an alternating height row. This allows him to create a triangle pattern with the groomsmen's heads. To make the photo more dynamic, for instance, use some chairs as props.
Focus Attention on the Groom
The groom, after all, is the hero of the day, so it makes sense when Giovanni suggests creating a group by positioning the groom a few steps in front of the group and closer to the camera, with the rest of the group behind him.
So, by shooting with a narrower aperture, you can focus on both groom and groomsmen, shooting at a wider aperture, on the other hand, you can keep the groom in focus with the groomsmen blurred behind.
Once the photo is taken, the groomsmen can step forward and join the groom for a quick photo. This suggestion is handy when time is critical.
To ensure it can adapt to all groomsmen, Giovanni loves to shoot with his 50mm lens, and while taking individual shots, he chooses his 85mm lens. These focal lengths have minimal distortion and have a flattering cut.
Shoot Upwards from a Lower Angle
To make men more powerful and masculine, just like for the groom, Giovanni suggests shooting from a slightly lower angle upwards, making sure the double chin is not visible.
Capture Candid Shots
While Giovanni is busy arranging groomsmen and taking their photographs, the second photographer is out with a longer lens (something like a 135mm or a 70-200mm) to capture spontaneous, close-up shots of the groomsmen. This adds detail and a sense of spontaneity to the photo album.