Asking a wedding photographer to use a posing guide during the course of a wedding is like asking a tennis pro to use a log book during his next competitive game. The guide is really not necessary, as the impact of his photographs is essentially predicated on his skill, intuitive reading of the circumstances, his years of experience, his instinctive inspiration and his holistic sense of what to do and when. After all, any professional wedding photographer will have loads of confidence and an unwavering belief in his ability to take the right shot at the right time, right? Dead wrong!
Even the most specialised, consummate professionals do not take everything for granted in life and have learnt that prudence and diversification remain synonymous with service delivery in all forms. After all when last did you see a commercial pilot not using a checklist before take-off or hear of a medical doctor not keeping himself abreast of the latest technological advances in his field?
If a posing guide can accentuate a wedding photographer's quality of photographs, and in certain instances can achieve a look that is audacious yet original, then using a good posing guide simply makes sense and bears testament to the wedding photographer's commitment to achieving the best possible quality photographs for the wedding couple on their special day.
By not using a posing guide and adopting a stance that is too conservative and too predictable, you run the risk of being indistinguishable from the normal run-of-the-mill, song-and-dance wedding photography brigade that produce photographs that have that 21st century cut-and-paste look. A posing guide simply provides options, and acts as a back-up when imagination is suddenly not that instinctive any longer.
When selecting a posing guide there are certain basic prerequisites that need to be considered:
- Ensure the guide is detailed and comprehensive, yet compact enough for you to carry and use discreetly
- Ensure the guide you use is developed by a specialized, professional wedding photographer or a combination of photographers well-known in the industry and well-versed with appropriate wedding experience
- Ensure the guide can adequately assist you in communicating with the couple. They must be relaxed with you, and clearly understand how you want them to pose.
- The guide must be creative, yet not overly complex
- The guide must show a detailed picture, but must also be supported with adequate written text to assist you in achieving the desired end result
- Keep in mind that the current use of mobile technology is now so prominent that you need to use that to your advantage. Having a wedding guide loaded and available on a smartphone is far more beneficial than using a hard copy set of cards.
Using the right posing guide for wedding photography is simply not a negotiable issue. The modern wedding couple today are simply not interested in past precedent. What was excellent yesterday remains at best, good today. Couples are expecting today's high-end fashion magazine look. Select carefully and ensure you are never without the right pose at the right time.
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