A wedding dress is, undoubtedly, one of the star elements of a wedding, making it an important subject for wedding photography. But in an industry flooded with multiple amazing wedding dress photographs, the challenge lies in making yours stand out. Simple, elegant, or dreamy – whatever the style of your bride’s dress, your job is to make it look gorgeous. From the dress’s shape and style to fabric, a lot goes into creating a stunning wedding dress. And every dress is different in its own way. So focus on highlighting the elements that make your bride’s dress unique and bring out the best in the dress using different angles, lighting, and techniques. In this blog, we share some wedding dress photography ideas that can help you up your game.
Different Wedding Dress Photography Ideas
Taking Detail Photos
1. Highlight the Lace
A wedding dress is no less than a piece of art. And drawing attention to some delicate details such as lace and embroidery on the back or the sleeves can really help you accentuate the wedding dress and take beautiful pictures.
2. Artistic Neckline & Hem
As a wedding photographer, having an eye for all the finer details will help you take some stellar images. And there are just too many ‘can’t miss’ details on a wedding dress! We suggest that you focus on the edges. If your bride’s wedding dress has beautiful beadwork or embroidery over the neckline of the hem, try highlighting them through a detail shot.
Suggested Read: 10 Must-Have Detail Photos For Every Wedding
Find a Stunning Background
3. Out In the Open
Sometimes, a great background is all you need to create gorgeous wedding dress photos. And the change of scenery in a natural setting can sometimes help you highlight the dress in the most beautiful and natural ways.
4. Floral Set-Up
A floral backdrop can pair well with the dreamy vibe a wedding dress often creates. You can try making your bride pose in front of a wall decorated with flowers or find a spot with lots of flowers that could make for a colorful backdrop. However, make sure that the colors of the flowers complement the dress.
5. Vintage or Classic
Another cool wedding dress photography idea is to place the dress against backdrops with a vintage or some classic vibe. Often windows, doorways, and grand ballrooms or halls in hotels or wedding venues work best for these images.
Get Creative With The Veil
6. Veil Over the Face
Making creative use of the veil can lead to some stunning images. A lot of the magic of veil photos depends on how you use them. One of the creative ways you can use the veil is by having your couple stand under it. To capture this image, you could either go under the veil and get up close and personal with your couple or take the photo from the other side. Either way – it’s a gorgeous set-up. For a more artistic effect, you could take this photo in black and white.
7. Drop the Veil
Also known as the veil toss, this veil shot is the most common way of photographing a wedding dress with the veil. There are several ways to get this image, so depending on how willing your couple is to experiment and how much time you have, you could put your vision and creativity to the test for this composition.
8. Through the Veil
You can try to compose your photo through the veil while keeping a soft focus on the bride’s facial expressions. You might need some help and have your assistant hold the veil. Note that getting this type of photo can be tricky as the veil is very close to the camera – so you might face some autofocus issues. Stay patient, and you will get that perfect photo with some trial and error.
Photograph Just The Dress
9. On a Hanger
Photographing the wedding dress on the hanger takes more than just hanging the dress. To get it to look like one of those Pinterest-worthy photographs where the dress looks absolutely dreamy – arrange the dress around elements that blend together or highlight it. You could also decorate the hanger to match the beauty of the wedding dress.
10. On the Bed
Another great way of highlighting the wedding dress is to display it on a satin bedsheet. The softness of the bedsheet can pair well with that of the dress. You could either choose some soft pastels or a dark color for contrast for the background. No matter what you pick, the dress is going to look like a masterpiece either way.
Photograph the Dress on the Bride
11. Full-Body Portrait
Nothing fits a wedding dress like the bride herself. Full-body portraits are the most common yet some of the most powerful wedding dress photographs. Try to experiment with different set-ups, styles, trends, and locations. You can also try taking them in the bridal suite or outside in a garden or hallway.
12. Getting Ready
Bride getting ready moments are often a great way to naturally show off the intricate details of the dress while also highlighting the bride in her element. Fixing the sleeves, getting buttoned or zipped up from the back, or the classic putting on the shoe moment – a lot can be captured during this time.
13. The Train Shot
Some wedding dresses have gorgeous, spread-out trains, which simply deserve their own spotlight. However, it might take you a few tries till you get that perfect train photo. So just take a lot of photographs, keep shifting your angles and your position till you get the whole train in one grand, dramatic composition.
14. Experiment With the Skirt of the Dress
The bride’s stature, the lighting, and the leg movement, there’s a lot that makes those wedding dress photos look spectacular. Getting the bride to twirl while holding the dress can sometimes highlight the skirt area in the most stunning ways and result in some gorgeous images.
Related Read: Top 5 Tips: Best Bride Poses For The Wedding Day
Explore All Angles
15. From the Front
Posing makes all the difference when it comes to taking bridal photos from the front. They might appear like any other classic bridal image, but a unique pose or an eccentric setting will make an ordinary photo appear extraordinary.
16. The Back Shot
Focus on the bride’s stature and pose while photographing the bride from the back. Getting creative with window frames, lines, and borders can also add to the magic of the scene. You can also highlight the bride’s hair and the train of the dress.
17. Aerial View
Sometimes, a bird’s-eye view can make the wedding dress appear grand and magical – something straight out of a fairytale. Try experimenting with this angle as the bride walks down the aisle. Not only does it highlight the beauty and grandeur of the dress but also the scene.
18. The Bride in Motion
Freezing the motion as the bride playfully twirls the dress, walks down the aisle, or climbs the stairs can be challenging but equally rewarding. You can also try bringing the focus to the bride posing in front of a motion-filled background. Adding a monochrome color scheme can also add to the effect.
Pair With Props
19. The One With The Bridal Bouquet
One way to add some creativity to wedding dress photography is by pairing the dress with bridal props. One of these essential props is the bridal bouquet. You can place the bouquet in different spots, like near the skirt or train. You could also ask the bride to hold the bouquet while highlighting a certain area of the dress.
20. Bring Out The Shoes
Whether someone is helping her or the bride is putting them on herself – another moment to photograph the dress is when the bride is putting on her shoes. Moreover, it also gives you the chance to highlight those gorgeous shoes that would normally stay hidden under the dress.
Suggested Read: 10 Creative Wedding Ring Photography Ideas
Wedding Dress Photography Tips
Listed below are some of the tips and tricks to keep in mind while photographing wedding dresses.
- Try to go for a slightly fancier hanger when photographing just the wedding dress. Even though it’s not a part of the dress, the hanger will still be a part of your image. And if it doesn’t compliment the dress, it can become a distracting element, potentially ruining your composition.
- Lighting can either enhance or subdue the aesthetic appeal of your photograph. And the same follows for wedding dress photography. Different things work for different shades of white, so try experimenting with different lighting techniques.
- Symmetry often appeals to the eye, so look for ways to frame the dress symmetrically. Some of the most commonly used forms of symmetry are vertical, reflective, and horizontal.
- Pay attention to the background. Even though the highlight of the image is the bride’s dress, the little details at the back can make a huge difference in your photograph. Be on the lookout for elegant wall patterns, well-lit window frames, or even take the dress outdoors (be careful not to spoil it in any way).
- Showcasing the entire dress in all its glory definitely creates an impact. However, high-attention detail shots have a similar impact too! So, don’t forget to really zoom into that intricate needlework or embroidery on your bride’s dress.
- Different point-of-views add different perspectives, so try experimenting with unique angles to make your photographs shine.
- Try to photograph the dress’s details when the bride is getting ready or when the bridesmaids are helping with the dress to add variety and also get some amazing photographs of the bride with her bridal party.
- Another wedding dress photography idea is to pay attention to the colors that complement the dress and try to photograph the dress around them.
- Try to scout the location before the wedding day. This is essential since it will help you get familiar with photography spots and the venue’s lighting.
Further Read: 15 Getting Ready Photos To Capture At Every Wedding
The art of wedding dress photography is the art of weaving the beauty of intricate details, delicate fabrics, and subtle colors together in an image that comes alive as a masterpiece. There are many ways to get it right – exploring different wedding dress photography ideas, trying different lighting techniques, and different angles, but to get it right every time takes more than just creativity. Practice will help you get better and understand all the different ways of photographing a wedding dress. So, don’t be afraid to experiment and keep finding new ways to document wedding dresses in different angles, lights, and settings.
Here at ShootDotEdit, we love to share wedding photography ideas that inspire. We also love to make your job easier by helping you ease the post-production workflow. Here’s how we help you stay on top of your game.