Wedding Photography: Bridal Portraits

Course details

Learn to capture the personality of a bride and the energy and emotion of the moment during a wedding photography session. In this course, photographer, teacher, and author Chris Orwig shares his creative insights for shooting authentic and beautiful bridal portraits. The course begins with details on preparation: talking with the bride about her desires for the portrait, and scouting the location to find the best places to shoot. Next, Chris photographs a bride, illustrating techniques for lighting and employing props to help relax the subject and add fun and energy to the photograph. The course concludes with a review of the photos and some ideas for further inspiration.

Learning objectives
Crafting a vision with the bride
Choosing gear
Scouting the location
Photographing details
Working with window light and open shade
Refining the subject's poses, posture, and poise
Knowing when to make eye contact
Reviewing images from the shoot

Concepts

0. Introduction

01 - Welcome
02 - A roadmap overview to the course

1. Preplanning for the Shoot

03 - The art and craft of bridal portraiture
04 - Crafting a vision
05 - Evaluating the gear - Is it good enough
06 - Choosing your essential gear
07 - Considering other gear
08 - Working with an assistant

2. Working with the Location

09 - Introducing location
10 - The art of previsualization
11 - Scouting the location

3. The Early Stages of the Shoot

12 - Getting ready and capturing candid moments
13 - Photographing the details
14 - Setting the tone with a conversational approach

4. Crafting the Bridal Portrait

15 - Using natural locations
16 - Working with window light
17 - Working with open shade
18 - Sitting versus standing
19 - Working with poses, posture, and poise
20 - The importance of authentic eye contact
21 - Using the bouquet in the shoot
22 - Working with multidirectional natural light

5. Going Beyond the Basic Bridal Portrait

23 - Capturing images that are quirky and fun
24 - Introducing props
25 - Working with props
26 - Taking images with a vintage truck
27 - Working with the makeup artist
28 - Looking at the dress and veil options
29 - Working with a backlit scene

6. Creating a Rhythm and Flow for the Shoot

30 - Understanding the rhythm of the shoot
31 - Wrapping up the shoot

7. Reflections and Lessons Learned

32 - The quality and feeling of natural light
33 - Working with the bride
34 - Reviewing mistakes and lessons learned
35 - Reviewing tips for working with natural light

8. Reviewing the Photographs

36 - Reviewing what worked and what didn't
37 - Reviewing images from the beginning of the shoot
38 - Reviewing images from the middle of the shoot
39 - Reviewing the end of the shoot
40 - Reviewing the film images
41 - Comparing before and after
42 - Making selects - A few words of advice

9. Final Summary and Resources

43 - Reviewing final tips for bridal portraits
44 - Exploring the next steps