While we are looking at this wedding...

Let's talk about some of these photos. It might seem like I am jumping around, but unfortunately that is the way I think. Each group of photos has lessons waiting to be taught, so just stick with me and you will come out looking at things differently. I also want to reinforce the composition tips I have given you by showing more examples of them.

I don't think I have mentioned Picasa in a while, so let's look at examples of spot color. I love bridal shots done in B & W with the bouquet done in color. This is very easy to accomplish with Picasa, especially with round subjects like bouquets. You can do this even more distinctly with Photo Shop.

Notice how the shot above is framed by the spindles on the stairway. Also with the Depth of Field selected to have the bride in focus, the foreground is blurred, thus making your eye go directly to the bride.

Above is an example of a mirror shot in the billiard room! What guy wouldn't like a shot of the bride at the pool table? Hey, it was raining outside...we were just having fun! Having fun is another important element of photography....nothing worse is a wedding where everyone is mad at the photographer!

Let's introduce another composition element...that of perspective. We have talked about that a little...using your legs, getting on the ground....turning your camera at an unnatural angle is another idea.

Yes, you can not see the other girls (I have other shots with them in the picture) but here the focal point is the bride first, the flowers next and then the look the sister in law is giving her. Break down your composition and figure out where does the eye go first and then where from there? Notice how those points form a triangle. Triangles are great...you always want to have an odd number of elements that grab your attention. This goes for photos, card design or scrapbook layout. Diagonal lines such as the stairway above will also direct your eye around a page. You begin with the bride's face, then the flowers and then your eye slides down the bannister.

If you know anything about wedding photography, you might know the craze now is a photojournalistic approach. The true meaning of this is to not take staged or posed photos, but rather to take all candid shots, hoping to get the true feel of the day. Often, in truth many of the poses are posed but taken at weird angles or of things that don't matter or just are not good compositions....guess I am old school, but I like a more classic approach. Yes, I like different perspectives like this one, but I don't buy a lot of the stuff that goes with so called "photojournalism". If you have a wedding coming up in the future, make sure you know what you are getting as you could get photos different than what you expected. Okay, I will get off my soap box for now. :-)