For the past 10 years, styling and photographing all of my couples’ details has been a signature part of my process. It is my creative warm up for the day and those little details give me a glimpse into the style + feel of each unique wedding day. This allows me to tell a cohesive story throughout the day. Recently, a bride asked me how long it took me to do these photos and she was surprised to hear my answer.
“I had no idea detail photos took that long!”
While the finished product looks beautiful and elegant, the process to get those photos is actually quite time-consuming. Styling takes a LOT of time and I try not to rush through these photos, especially if they are important to my couple. I always want to give myself plenty of time to be creative and try new things, without constantly looking at my watch. For this reason, I try to give myself at least 90 minutes for styled detail photos in the morning, before we start getting everyone dressed. Believe it or not, a single flat lay image of your stationery suite can take upwards of 20-30 minutes to put together and photograph! Ring shots can easily take 10 minutes to perfect. So the more time I can have to play around with and style my clients’ details, the better!
As soon as I arrive on-site on the wedding morning, I begin shooting details. Having your bouquet, boutonnieres, and styling blooms on-site by the time I arrive is extremely helpful. If your florals aren’t delivered by the time I arrive on-site, I will start shooting your details without them – so if having them in your detail photos is important, please communicate with your florist and be sure that they are delivered as early as possible. You can tell your planner and/or florist not to worry – I take really good care of your florals, especially when the weather is hot!!
Once I have all of you details gathered, I will set up a little “studio” near a window or glass doorway – or a covered porch/shaded area outside – because good natural light is so important! I get right to work on those detail photos while my second shooter hangs out with everyone as hair + makeup finishes.
Within those 90 minutes, I take a variety of detail photos to help tell the story of your day. I bring a fully stocked styling kit with me to every single wedding, so I always have extra props like ring boxes, small dishes, etc. to give your details a little extra umph if needed!!
I hope this blog post has been helpful and gives you some insight into my process when it comes to styling and photographing my clients’ beautiful personal details. It’s one of my favorite things to do and it gets me completely warmed up for the rest of the wedding day! If you have any questions at all, please feel free to leave a comment. I’m happy to answer any questions you may have!
With a well-worn passport in hand, and an affinity for a good cocktail, Dana works with fun-loving and kind-hearted clients around the globe.
meet DANA
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