The Groomsmen
Let’s hear it for the boys… as the song goes. I think that some people who are overlooked a little bit at the weddings are the groomsmen. They are there for the groom, they escort the bridesmaids back down the aisle after the ceremony and oftentimes, hold the wedding rings until they are asked for by the officiant.
However, the focus is usually on the bride, for good reason, then the bridesmaids. It must be the flowers. I work with the groomsmen a lot and they are always a great bunch of guys. They’re always welcoming and friendly. They are there to have a great time and to make sure that everyone else has a great time as well. In honor of these men, I dedicate this blog.
From the time I show up, they are in a great mood. They usually have football on a TV in the fall and offer me a beer. (I don’t personally drink, so I graciously decline) They usually get ready quickly and are up for taking photos for as long as I ask them to.
My focus when working with the groomsmen is to get at least three or four different groupings/locations with them, before focusing on the groom for some individual portraits of him. I like to have plenty of variety, so I get a few different types of poses.
The first is the traditional pose, where everyone is standing in a straight line. The groom is in the middle, the best man is usually to his left and from there, I like symmetry, so I will usually have the taller guys on the end and the shorter guys toward the middle. This always gets a good laugh from the shorter guys, so I assure them that I am in the same boat, as I am only around 5’8”. The guys to my right will have their left hand in their pocket and the guys to my left will have their right hand in their pocket. They’ll all angle in slightly toward the groom and we are in business.
The second pose is what I like to refer to as my ‘Faith Plus 1’ grouping (If you’re familiar with South Park and the Christian Rock group that Cartman formed) This always gets a laugh from the guys, which helps to create genuine smiles. The groom will always be in the middle, but then I stagger out the groomsmen. I’ll have them all put a couple of steps between themselves. Some of them will come toward me, some will step away from me. I’ll have some of them look off into the distance, some will take off their coat. The goal is random. This helps the eyes of the viewer to keep moving throughout the shot.
The third shot is dependent on where we are. I like to take advantage of stairs and steps whenever I can. I love the look of staggered height. These are visually appealing shots. The same concept can be applied when a location has columns. Moving the guys around the columns helps to keep the viewer’s eyes moving throughout the image.
Some of the most fun people I meet on the wedding day are the groomsmen. They’re always helpful and the day wouldn’t be what it is without them.