As a wedding photojournalist, one of the most common questions I am asked is “do you do formal pictures?”. There is a misconception that true photojournalists do not photograph formal family portraits at a wedding. Though this may be true for a minority of wedding photojournalists, the majority of do formal groupings. As a photojournalist, I am there to capture all the traditions of a wedding, and formal family portraits have been around since my grandmothers day. A photojournalist wants to capture all the traditions and not change that because it’s not their style. I am there to photograph as many and as few groupings as the couple and their family wants. It’s more in how I photograph the formals that is dictated by my style. I put each group together but I do not try to overly pose the group. I am more interested in the couple and family expressing their own individual style. So families are more classic and some want to express their wild side. Some families want large groupings and some just want immediate family. Don’t forget that the reception might be a time that you want some casual group pictures. Some couples want group pictures with their work associates, their sorority or fraternity pals or maybe their cousins. It’s always best to plan ahead to give your photographer the list of groups you want. Here is a sampling a my “PJ” formals.
Usually I photographing the “formal” my second photographer might be photographing it from the side.
Express who you are in your formals.
After the ceremony the couple asked all their guests to pose for a group portrait.
College friends at the reception!
