How I Film Couples’ Photo Sessions During a Wedding

As a wedding videographer, I have a slightly different approach to filming photo sessions than a photographer would. Whether it be during the couple’s shots or the group shots (of family and friends etc.).

Scroll down for example footage

How I Film Wedding Group Photo Sessions

Essentially I see this as the photographer's "time to shine". They have a lot of pressure on them to get through a long list of shot combinations... "bride's family", "groom's family", "bridesmaids only", "grandparents only", “cousins and siblings”, “friends only” etc. It’s stressful for the photographer, I get it. I photographed weddings before I got into wedding videography and I know.

So I leave them to it and, rather than directing any shots myself, or interfering, I try to capture the overall action and energy of the session itself.

I'm looking for movement and fun, candid moments in between the poses. This could be the groomsmen horsing around while watching their mate posing with their new wife. Or the bridesmaids watching on with tears in their eyes while their best friend poses alongside their new parents-in-law.

The only request I might make would be to get large groups to wave and cheer or hold their bouquets in the air, just to make my video clips a little more dynamic. But most photographers ask for these kinds of shots anyway, so I don’t generally have to ask for anything.

My main goal is to keep my camera rolling after the posing has stopped, and to capture all the fun and games as everyone gets in and out of position – the candid moments.

How I Film Bride and Grooms During Their Couple’s Photo Sessions

This is an interesting one. Again, movement is something I’m thinking about a lot more than the photographer. I’m also thinking a lot more about the transitional moments. For example, if you and your partner and your photographer and myself are in one shoot location and then we move to another location, I’ll want to capture you walking. These are the moments where I might be shouting out to the photographer to walk behind me so I can get the shot while we all move to the next spot.

Again, this is a really important time for the photographer so I try not to get in the way. But if there are some particularly nice moments, I may step and ask if I can also take a quick couple of shots as well. Generally however, I’ll be shooting over the photographer’s shoulder, or off from the side, from a different perspective.

In Short…

As a wedding videographer, the success of my day depends greatly on which photographer I am shooting alongside (and vice versa I should imagine). After all, although we work independently, there is also a need for us to work cohesively as a team, and to facilitate each other's shots. Or in the very least, not to get in each other’s way haha!

Anyhow, rather than waffling on about it forever, I thought I'd share this fun segment from Megan and Frank's full feature wedding documentary film, almost all of which was shot during their couple's shots and group photo sessions.

They had family from all over the world, and had flown in from Chicago themselves. The vibe was fun and everyone was happy to be together – especially at such an incredible wedding venue.

You can also watch their highlight film here by the way, which I'm really proud of:

Find out more about my wedding videographer here.

Or contact me at hello@benholbrookfilms.com