Wedding photography typically runs from the preparations in the bride’s house in the morning up until the drinks reception at the hotel, and finishes as guests sit down for dinner, but there are occasions where the coverage will include the speeches – for instance as a special request from the bride and groom or where the photographer is also a guest at the wedding. Whenever I do photograph wedding speeches, for either of these reasons, I find that they give some of the best natural photographs of the not only the bride and groom, but the family and friends too. And similar to what it takes to deliver a good speech, capturing a good “speech photograph” is all about timing.
It’s a little about positioning too. All but the biggest weddings seem to have round tables, which can make getting a good angle a little bit tricky. And where the top table is round, that can mean you need to do quite a bit of maneouvering between the father of the bride’s speech to the father of the groom’s (usually these need to be photographed from opposite sides of the room), and again for the groom and the best man. It’s important to know too who is going to be speaking (the bride often does, and a groomsman might read some cards or act as MC).
Once a good angle has been found then the sense of timing is important in two respects – firstly in getting flattering photos of whoever it is that is speaking. Most people can look more than a little odd in photographs if they’re captured mid-sentence, so waiting for a break in their speaking can make for better photos. That applies to photographing readings in the church too. And the second aspect to good timing is in getting good reactions. By trying to anticipate the gags it’s possible to get great shots of the bridal party and the guests.
During the speeches I keep one eye on the guests and one eye on the bridal party, and try to get candid photographs of guests, particularly after a punchline has been delivered.
One of the most anticipated speeches, and one that is great for photographs, is the best man’s speech, and for this I always try to have a view that allows me capture the best man, bride and groom at once. And once again, with that angle found, it’s just a matter of waiting for the embarrasing stories. Reactions like that at the top of this post are not uncommon, and make for great images.
Brilliantly timed capture. Love to know what he was saying