Reactionary Shots: Telling a Story with the Right Photographer

Don’t call it a comeback! The art of story telling through reactionary shots never quite made an exit but for a short time it did take the backseat to the largely posed format of photography. Lets talk about great reactionary shots, shall we?

When a bride calls a photographer, often there are a few words tossed in the ring. There is photo journalistic, documentary and reactionary. The meaning is all the same. The idea is to see less of your photographer and capture more reactionary photos from the guests in your party. Simple, right? Not necessarily. This is one reason why you would hire a professional photographer instead of a family/friend who offers to take photos.

Fly on the wall Photographer: To capture a true reactionary picture, the photographer needs to be quick in hand and mind. Here is the problem when the guests are aware of a present photographer, they either freeze up with a rehearsed smile or they look at the camera like a deer in headlights, some even wave as a last resort. Both images make the trash bin.

Here is how a good photographer captures the perfect reactionary photo. They study the guests and are aware of their surroundings. They know the lively guests and those more emotionally invested in the wedding. They stand back and look at the crowd, away from the general view of the guests. When a guest sees a photographer, they typically get ready to pose. Posing kills the entire idea of “reactionary”, right? A professional will stand further away, use the best lens and scan the crowd for great photo opportunities. That’s their job! They want to tell a story by capturing the tears, the laughs and surprises. This is why they stand back and watch, because the priceless moments are exactly that…a brief moment. They swoop in, take the photo and leave before anyone knows what happened. That makes a great documentary picture!

Flattering Angles: A professional photographer can optimize reactionary shots by working on great angles and positioning. Why are angles important for good story telling? Well one is lazy photography and one is professional. The lazy photographer will shoot your entire wedding standing up. The pro will kneel down when shooting a child. They will photograph an elder guest at a higher angle because it is a form of respect. You normally aim the camera lens down if you want to diminish someone’s stature and aim up when you want to hold them in high esteem. You generally photograph heavier set people from the front, because side angles are unflattering.  A professional photographer knows the unwritten rules through years of experience and more of their photos make the final cut.

Equipment: By now everyone has a cousin or co-worker with a new Canon DSLR body. They probably bought the $180 KIT lens that came with the camera body and want to photograph your wedding. Our advice? Hire them for the anniversary party or a birthday party and leave your wedding to a professional. A professional photographer knows the ins and outs of a wedding because they’ve done dozens before yours. They generally do not play with the basic lens and opt for the highest level of equipment. Why is this important and is there a difference? Yes!

A professional photographer will typically have 2-3 cameras. Each camera body will have a specialty lens, generally from $400 to $2000. There are specific needs to each camera and a professional photographer can get the reactionary shot in a heartbeat. The camera is an extension of their arm under low lighting or the brightest sun. That means they capture those beautiful photo journalistic moments happening in dim candle light, the speedy launch of the bouquet from the bride’s hand or the tear of a proud parent.

Reactionary shots are the perfect way to tie up a story. They add the spice to any wedding album, get the most comments on Facebook and tell the true story of your day.

Image by:YahYa Photography & Film

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