Wondering How to Make Wedding Photos Pop? Find Out Now!

Image Courtesy: Anoop WK

When it comes to clicking wedding pictures, ‘how to make wedding photos pop’ is the only question that keeps revolving in our heads till our desperate search for answers end. If you are Dulhe Ki Behen or Dulhan Ka Bhai or the couple itself giving verdicts to each other, this article is for you. And if god forbid, you are reading it to beat the that Dulhan Ki Behen in the ultimate wedding photography challenge then you, my dear wedding guru, are already prepared to win that gift trip while the newlyweds go to their honeymoon. Hi-five! We are already the winning team. (Psst, will you be sharing the tickets?)

So here are some of the simplest photography tips and tricks that you can come up with which make every click a winning click. We are going to discuss the effect of contrast, focus, lights, Colour Theory, vibe and a lot of other factors on wedding photography. It is needless to say that when looking for answers to how to make wedding photos pop, the wedding album (and that shart ki ticket) is totally in safe hands! Are you set to unleash that hidden wedding photographer in you? Let’s get started!

1. The Magic of Contrast

Image Courtesy: Pop Imagegnation

This is fairly the most ancient practice (sounds cooler, no?) of getting the same dresses for the bridesmaids. However, not many realise how effective can that power of contrast be when it comes to answering how to make wedding photos pop. The magic of contrast is what goes unnoticed among the observers. It is some practising only the person behind the camera must know and follow. 

Creating a poppy contrast by making the bride wear a dress at her wedding day or other wedding functions which is unique in the entire gathering. Get those bridesmaids into several shades of either a low value of the colour of high value. Then get the bride into a highly complementing shade of her wedding dress or her Sangeet dress and those pictures are going to blow your mind. All that the couple will be asking you post the release of the wedding album would be, ‘How on earth did you manage to take such stunning pictures?’ 

Don’t forget to imagine yourself being shaken by that firm arm grip while this interrogation. I just saved you by that intelligent warning, didn’t I?

2. The Happy Focus

Image Courtesy: Pranati Jalan

This is one of the easiest techniques when it comes to practising how to make wedding photos pop. It is an unsaid fact that the couple has to be the centre of the majority of wedding pictures. The composition of every picture has to be thought around them. Good focus is all it takes to add that pop element to the wedding album. Either take the bride in focus and let the groom admire her from behind or get the aunties around mildly blur to get the right centre of attraction, the bride!

How can you enhance this effect?

You can enhance this effect by making the couple wear a vibrant colour. No matter which ceremony the picture is being captured in, whether either of the bride and groom is the central attraction of the ritual or both of them are equally involved If the pair wears a vibrant colour, the question of how to make wedding photos pop gets all sorted. Just team vibrancy and spark with the right focus and the pictures will be dreamy, just as the couple wants. 

P.S: Keep following the bride and her family, no matter when you come across a marvellous click.

3. Make Use of the Background

Image Courtesy: Mithun Shaji

This is a very intelligent choice to make as a wedding photographer. One thing that works best when you are struggling for how to make wedding photos pop. When such natural backgrounds or photo walls are created in a wedding function, the pictures are bound to be stunning. Nearly every celebrity wedding is following this photo wall concept. It is very well inspired by the background concept which works fab for every vibrant picture.

The idea that goes behind the success of background walls is that they are mostly chosen in a uniform colour. Just like this picture, the background boils down to a single colour green (we are not talking about shades of green here, just the broader colour family). When the couple or the guest is made to stand in front of it, a dreamy pop effect can be created naturally, no matter what they are wearing, the background manages to get its magic into action.

4. The Colour Theory

Image Courtesy: Stories by Sharon Shyam

Without going into many details, one thing that is always taught to painters and photographers under Colour Theory is the basis of its use in the composition of any picture or painting. When clicking consciously and when the couple has time for experiments, this composition rule must be considered (clearly because this fab rule deserves a try). 

As per the colour theory, colours are chosen on the basis of the Colour Wheel. They are either shades of a similar colour or the ones complementing each other as per the laid rules. Every time you choose a colour, one colour dominates the other and if there is a third which is not much visible, it is considered to be diffused. The most attractive colour must be chosen less in order to retain its pop effect.

 A similar effect can be seen here. A light wash of blue is clearly dominating the scene captured in this picture, The green is definitely popping out with the bridal saree and green plants. The brownish-gold is diffused through the print, jewellery and flower pots. The white and black don’t count in the colour wheel. Understood?

5. Make Use of External Elements

Image Courtesy: Anoop WK

Isn’t this a great idea? I think we all agree about the fact that this transforming era is the era of creativity. Even the wedding industry has seen a massive shoot in its level of creativity when we come to the comparison. Similarly, people are going beyond the moon when it comes to experimenting with wedding photography. This being your chance to outshine, I would love to see how you take the challenge and come with input to help us solve the mystery of how to make wedding photos pop.

Till the time you decide, these colour poppers (yes yes it will remind you of Holi) are there to save you (and the wedding album). You can get people to pop these around the couple in all the quirky colours during the Varmala or Pheras. If not this, you can always experiment with the tiny foam beads and little sparkles or even fluorescent ones. If nothing works, make use of lights and party poppers, I am sure you can get stunning poppy pictures out of it. I trust you, do you trust yourself?

With all these secret tips and tricks of wedding photography right in your pocket, you will be able to perform in-depth research on how to make wedding photos pop. These are some of the basic hints on which almost every photography session mushrooms on. The knowledge keeps getting deeper as you practice with each new click. 

No matter which trick or advice becomes your favourite, all you have to remember is that the one unsaid rule that makes you different from every other photographer. Two golden rules that you need to keep in mind to be the best person making an effort to capture wedding ceremonies out there are:

• Keep experimenting till you die. Try a new camera angle, a new trick, make use of light, frills, reflections, shadows or just brainstorm with the couple or children if you like (nobody can beat their creativity), just don’t stop experimenting. That is what will make you different.
• Capture moments and memories and not pictures. When it comes to wedding photography, no matter what specific vibe you are aiming for, be it vibrancy or emotion, aesthetic or whatever else in the world, it is very important to hold n to that essence.

Tell us about the most experimental picture that you have clicked till date, in the comments below.