How do you pick the perfect location for your wedding photos? There is the obvious answer to this question….your venue. It has become pretty standard to have a wedding take place in one or two locations throughout the day (ceremony and reception). It is always nice to shoot in a location that has special meaning, like where you said ‘I do’ or are celebrating for the reception. It is also very convenient since you don’t have to travel off site and “waste” time driving. But as a photographer, I also know that just because a venue is perfect for hosting a celebration, it doesn’t always mean it is the best for formal photos. Perhaps the lighting just isn’t great, or there are a lot of distracting buildings in the backgrounds, or maybe you only have so much time reserved and can’t be there longer. Your venue represents the real, but maybe not the ideal. In those cases, you should consider picking an alternate site for your wedding formals. Here are a few tips to help you find the perfect spot!
1) Pick something close by. You don’t want to risk getting caught in traffic or lost while travelling. I’ve had weddings in the past where a couple was set on a specific location with a 45 minute drive to get to it. Sometimes it works out like planned and everyone arrives when they are suppose to, but I have had times where a bridesmaid got lost and showed up 90 minutes later (we were already suppose to be gone when she got there), or even one time where we got stuck in standstill traffic for nearly an hour on top of the 45 minute drive. The more people you have travelling to the location, the greater chance you have of someone not making it on time, too. Insider tip: Always travel in a caravan or with minimal vehicles together. While you may know where the location is, don’t assume your bridal party does, especially if they are not from the area. Consider doing family (and possibly bridal party as well) at the venue and just the bride and groom going to another location.
2) Look for great light. Lighting is always the most important factor for me when picking a great location. Certain times of day have harsher light (late morning and early afternoon, especially around noon), so having a location that offers larger shaded areas is important if you’ll be out taking photos during this time (especially in the summer to avoid sweating and squinting). Lighting also needs to be even - wooded areas tend to have very spotty light, which is not flattering. In general, open fields, bodies of water, or other large full sun areas are not ideal because of the contrast and bright light. Areas that offer partial shade, perhaps cast from a building or tree line, will make for much more softly lit and flattering portraits (this is called ‘open shade’). Insider tip: I usually encourage my couples to take their photos after the ceremony, as this typically falls a lot closer to sunset time. If you want to do photos prior to the ceremony to save time between the ceremony and reception, set aside a little bit of time around sunset to go back out for just a few portraits if you can, or pick a location for your photos that offers shade, even lighting, and where the sky can be minimalized as part of the background.
3) Look for variety. If you want to get the most diversity in your portrait set as possible in a short amount of time, look for a location that offers a variety of backgrounds in a small area. The more walking around you have to do, the longer photos will take, or less you’ll be able to capture in your time with the photographer. I think many brides also fail to consider how hard it is to walk around in their dress (and shoes) - you may find that out the hard way on your wedding day when you’ve picked a spot that requires a lot of walking, and I guarantee you’ll regret it.
4) Consider your privacy. If you pick a very populated spot, know that you may spend time waiting for people to clear out of your backgrounds, and that it may not even be possible to avoid people in your backgrounds (like in a downtown urban setting or area with a tourist attraction). Some popular parks can be overrun with multiple bridal parties, making it hard to get the “ideal spots” because they are already taken. Parking can also become an issue in heavily visited locations, which takes up more valuable time.
5) Make sure you don’t need a permit. Making sure you have proper permissions to shoot at a location ahead of time is very important - the last thing you need is to be kicked out and have nowhere to go. Many state parks require permits, and some locations do not allow for professional photography at all. Be sure of the rules and seek out permission if you need to ahead of time. If you have a private property you really would like to go to, find out who owns it and just ask for permission - very rarely is someone going to turn down a bride on her wedding day. Most likely it will be up to you to seek out permission, obtain permits, etc. NOT your photographer. so be prepared to get them and pay any fees that may be associated with it.
6) Consider the season. Locations change with the seasons, and so does the light. If you’ve seen a place in the summer, but your wedding is in February, take the time to go check it out and see exactly what it looks like during the season you’ll be taking your photos. There are a lot of parks that also mow down fields late fall, so the tall grasses you fell in love with will be missing when you show up. Insider tip: While location scouting, always go around the time of day you’ll be there for photos so you can check where the light falls at that time. If you’re able to, go back a couple days prior to the wedding to just double check the layout and that nothing has changed that you were counting on.
7) Think in terms of textures, depth, and color. Fields of tall grass, rust, peeling paint, and other natural elements that create texture add interest to a photograph. Selecting areas with depth to them (somewhere with a foreground, middle ground, background) and distance between each, adds contrast and tonal range. You also don’t want to pick a spot that has colors that don’t compliment your bridal party colors (like a red wall when you have pink/purple flowers). The more the space compliments the color scheme and “feel” (i.e. rustic, modern, timeless, classic) of your wedding day, the more cohesive your photographs will be.
8) You don’t always have to look at the big picture. When you’re taking photos, keep in mind that the actual area you need to take a beautiful photo in can really be quite small. Unless you have a large bridal party and need a large space, you can look for little spots of beauty within a larger space. Some of my favorite places to photograph are not great looking at all when you first arrive, but then you look closer, you find all the hidden spots of beauty within.
You can always ask your photographer for suggestions, but if they are unfamiliar with the area your wedding is taking place, do a quick online search for popular locations. Seek out some location options and send your photographer photographs of the locations ahead of time so they can offer you guidance on picking the right spot. As someone who has done this MANY years, there isn’t often a location I show up to that I can’t make work, but it makes my job a lot easier if I have ideal conditions to work with instead of having to figure out how to make them work!