Romantic Paris - Artistic bridal portraits by the Seine
A wedding day is full of movement and excitement, and it passes by ever so quickly. I wanted to create a series of bridal portraits that captured all those things, as well as to seamlessly tie in the perfect backdrop that Paris provides.
This particular dress came with a stunning feathery cape, adding to the almost dream-like feel of these black and white photos full of movement provide.
I chose for these to be in black and white so as to blend the image and allow for less distraction, as well as to give an air of nostalgia or reminiscing.
If you’re wanting some ideas for how to capture artistic bridal or couples portraits, I’ll add some tips at the end!
As a Paris elopement photographer, one of your unique duties is to not just capture the story of the people in front of your lens…
but to allow the story of the magical setting to also be told. I aimed to capture the movement of the river, along with the movement of the bride in her flowing dress.
While there is an obvious blur of motion to the entire photo, I kept the background in tact for the majority of the photos, excluding the final shot at the end of this post.
This final photo is by far my favorite. I love how the cobblestone sidewalk seamlessly merges into the water of the Seine. I love how it gives the appearance of the bride passing quickly, as if she is going a hundred miles an hour. The expression on her face matches perfectly, almost like she is trying to catch her breath as the day passes by.
Tips for capturing artistic bridal & couples photos:
Slowing down and allowing them to be in the moment is key. They need to be able to get lost in the moment, and be exactly where their feet are and out of their heads. This also gives the artist time to think through each shot.
Setting is a big deal, but it doesn’t have to be anything crazy. Maybe it’s just a magical beam of light, maybe it’s the tree arching over them, or maybe they are standing along a busy street.
Capture some of the tiny, up close details. It’s especially helpful for these shots to have a less distracting background. Pay attention to their facial expressions, or maybe how they are embracing each other.
Incorporate some motion. It’s easy for a photo to begin to look stagnant or forced if people are standing stock still for periods of time. Try adding some swaying, or even walking.
Dress: Mia La Vida Bridal based in London
Makeup: Cléïa based in Paris
Model: Julia based in Paris
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