Do you zoom in on bride in doorway?

[Jeff Harper]

Do you stay wide or zoom in on bride in the doorway? I do both, and cannot decide which is best. With backlight, zooming is obviously out. But other than that is there a classic style or "best" way?

I'm talking about a camera that is shooting from in front of the altar, BTW.

[Dave Blackhurst]

personally, I zoom... BUT the shot's a tough one, and I don't always nail it - slo mo time...

I like to get reasonably tight shots of the processional and the bride, but since it always means pans and zoom as the "target" is in motion from the back to the front, it's a bugger, and NOT something my locked down tripod cams will cover...

Backlighting can be good or bad if you hit it right... again, sometimes it's "genius", other times it's "DOH!"

[Joel Peregrine]

Hi Jeff,

I use static cams for behind and/or in-front shots of the bride at that moment and am personally getting close-ups of the groom. If I used a second shooter that would be theirs.

Originally Posted by Jeff Harper

Do you stay wide or zoom in on bride in the doorway? I do both, and cannot decide which is best. With backlight, zooming is obviously out. But other than that is there a classic style or "best" way?

I'm talking about a camera that is shooting from in front of the altar, BTW.

[Travis Cossel]

Depends on the distance for me. If the aisle is really short, then I'd probably zoom and go for a medium headshot. If longer, then probably a nice wide shot showing the entrance. If really long, then I'd probably zoom in a bit to get a better-looking wide shot.

[Bruce Patterson]

I zoom in for a medium shot when she first comes through the door and then zoom it out and let her come to into the frame. Too much zooming in/out is a nightmare.

[Joel Peregrine]

Hey Bruce,

Originally Posted by Bruce Patterson

I zoom in for a medium shot when she first comes through the door and then zoom it out and let her come to into the frame. Too much zooming in/out is a nightmare.

I remember seeing one of your highlights/trailers that had what was essentially a reveal of the bride coming down the aisle. It looked like you were halfway down the aisle and came out from the right and tracked left. I've thought about that shot and the impact it had but can't figure out how to get a traditional two-up shot of the bride and her dad too. Do you have any recollection of the shot I'm thinking of?

[Bruce Patterson]

Originally Posted by Joel Peregrine

Hey Bruce,



I remember seeing one of your highlights/trailers that had what was essentially a reveal of the bride coming down the aisle. It looked like you were halfway down the aisle and came out from the right and tracked left. I've thought about that shot and the impact it had but can't figure out how to get a traditional two-up shot of the bride and her dad too. Do you have any recollection of the shot I'm thinking of?

It may have been this clip: Annie + Paulo's Same-Day-Edit: Sept 13, '08 on Vimeo or this one Karen + Chris' Same-Day-Edit: Aug 30, '08 on Vimeo

I have my 2nd shooter cover the walk down the aisle and then flip back intermittently to get the groom's reaction. I tell the photogs that I'll be creeping out of the woodwork when she's halfway down the aisle I follow her down. I guess it would help if you could narrow down which clip it was first! :) It definitely adds impact but it's hard to remember to get the groom's reaction all of the time - which is usually a great shot! A 3rd cam would solve that one, for sure!