The Formal Bridal is here.

This is a page from an Wedding Album of a Client who's wedding we captured.   And today this is still the way most 
Bridal sessions are captured during her Wedding Day.    The photographer is only allotted a few minutes to capture these 
special images, but still the photographer is not really afforded a chance to be truly creative.

Years ago, when I was actually shooting weddings, these Bridal Portraits were called the Formals.    Looking back at the weddings I have done through the 1990’s and up to my last year as a wedding photographer, I realized that I was not doing my Brides justice with regards to capturing them with their Wedding Gowns.

Formal Studio Bridal Portraits have long disappeared with the emergence of the Photo Journalism Style of Wedding Photography.   I am not stating that today’s Wedding Photographers are not capturing the Bride in her beautiful Wedding Gown, but what is being captured is limited due to time constraints, Bride’s own Stress and Locations.

I will give today’s Wedding Photographers some credit and having been a wedding photographer in the past, I know first hand what some of the struggles are in achieving some of the Bridal Portraits a photographer may want to capture.    But let’s face it, during that special day of the Brides Wedding, having the time and the freedom to properly capture a real formal Bridal Portrait is more often not fully achievable.

Another burden on the Wedding Photographer is that they have to haul around more equipment that one would deem necessary.   But if a Wedding Photographer wanted to capture that perfect Bridal Portrait, he or she would need to have with them a collection of studio lighting and a assistant to help with setting up those lights and arranging the Bride.   Then again, all of this falls back on the amount of time the photographer really has, and the ability to control the time during a wedding day.   The reality is your time limits have been set and the photographer cannot control it.    Worst yet, every wedding is unique, and the best laid schedule and plans never get followed.   There is always something or someone who will alter the Brides Wedding Day Schedule.

This brings me back around to the Formal Bridal Session.   I got my start working in a portrait Studio in Silver Spring Maryland working for one of the finest Wedding Photographers in the world.   Monte Zucker maintained that a Bride must have a formal Portrait Taken well in advance of the wedding for several reasons.   First, there was no pressure or wedding schedule that the bride needed to maintain. Second, it allowed for a more relaxed portrait and gave the photographer the ability to capture the bride in a wide variety of classic poses. Third, the photographer is given full control of the lighting and the environment of the studio, and can further control the drama of the portrait that would best suit the Bride and her Special Wedding Gown. Fourth, these formal sessions also gave the Bride a Dress Rehearsal so to speak with her newly tailored Wedding Gown.   She will have the ability to sit stand and be positioned in the studio that would in turn give the Bride a true feel of the fit and form of her Wedding Gown.   Back in those days, and I am talking the 70’s and 80’s, a bride after having her formals taken more often than not will return to the Bridal shop and request a few more adjustments to the Wedding Gown, so she can be totally assured that she was going to have that perfect Wedding Gown.

Many Wedding Photographers will argue that there is no need to have formal Studio Wedding Portraits taken of the Bride in her Wedding Gown, but maybe they should ask their brides that question.

Well listen up fellow photographers and Brides to be or Newlywed Brides, I am here to tell you that we are going to give the Brides their chance at those studio formals.   I am not going to take work away from the local Wedding Photographers, in fact I want to work with you in providing you with a set of fully retouched and ready to use images for your Brides future Wedding Album.   Let me say this and I will only say this once.   I’m not shooting Weddings, I retired from Wedding Photography several years ago, but what I am offering is collaboration with the local Wedding Photographers to provide for your Bride the Proper Formal Studio Bridal Portraits that may not be achievable the day of her Wedding.   In return for the use of my Bridal Portraits, you would give me the proper credit.   And with those photographers that I will get a chance to work with, I will fully promote your services with other vendors and Bridal Shops.

To the Bride, I will make the process as simple as possible, and make your Bridal Session an enjoyable experience.   We will offer with your session makeup and hair, and will even create an arrangement of your wedding bouquet all in silk for your session. We will primp and pamper you throughout your session and the best part; we both get to spend as much time as it takes to get your Formal Bridal Portraits captured perfectly.   We encourage you to bring your mother if she is available and of course some of your brides maids who can help you with your preparation and primping.   Also this give you and your brides maids a better idea of how you’re Wedding Gown will come together come the day of your Wedding.

Now I know, not all Brides will want a Formal Studio Portrait taken with their Wedding Gown, but then maybe you should ask your mother about that.   Many mothers of today’s brides may have their Formal Bridal Portraits in the Studio I worked at in Silver Spring back in the 70’s and 80’s.   And they will tell you that their mothers always wanted that special Formal Studio Bridal Portrait and it would break their heart if you said no to the possibility of the a Formal Bridal portrait for them.

You don’t need to have a session before your Wedding Day. In fact we have had Brides come to us weeks after the Wedding to have their formal Bridals taken.   In fact, they even have their new husbands in the formals as well.   Many of today Grooms will have purchased their tuxedos rather than renting them.   As they see it, they can have a proper formal wear in the closet in the event of having to go to a special charity or party.     Formal Studio Wedding Couples are making a big come back in Paris and London and we at Lambert Style want to be on that wave.

So what do we capture during your Formal Studio Bridals. We start with the Formal Full length bridal and depending on the Wedding Gown, we will position the Bride to capture both her and the unique design of her gown.   We will turn and position her with a wide variety of poses and standing positions to achieve that perfect view of the stunning bride.   Next we move to the three quarter sitting poses that is amongst the most popular with the Brides.   The Bride will be positioned in a wide variety of poses that will further emphasize her beauty.   We will also fine tune our lighting to punctuate the drama and beauty of both the Bride and her Wedding Gown.   From there we will move to the head and shoulder portraits and focus on capturing the Brides Charm and Beauty.   All of these portraits are taken in the comfort of a complete portrait studio with some of the finest lighting equipment that is available today.   And to add, we work with a wide variety of painted backdrops and cloth backgrounds that can further give the Bride a more personally unique charm to her portrait.   Besides having a complete Portrait studio, we also have a full changing room with a full Makeup station.   During your session, we will offer you and your special attendants a wide variety of refreshments that will keep you and your attendants cool and refreshed.

If you are interested in learning more about having a Formal Studio Bridal Portrait taken or are a Wedding photographer who is interested in working with me, please call us at:

301-898-2192

July 1, 2014 | Categories: Dream Bridals, Pastel Dreams, Portraits, Uncategorized, Weddings | Leave a comment