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Taking beautiful wedding pictures

By Julie Gordon | jgordon@am-ny.com

March 25, 2008

The wedding album: either a gorgeous keepsake you want to show every visitor who walks through your door or something you sort of hide underneath a stack of coffee table books.

Brian Marcus, of Fred Marcus Photography in Manhattan, gave us insider tricks to producing shots you'll want to show off for years.

What position should a bride stand in to look slimmer in photos?

If you have a bride who has a belly, I would turn her 70 degrees to the right, bring her back just a little bit and lean her toward the camera. I'd accentuate the positives, so to speak.

How can someone make her nose appear smaller?

Put your chin up and lean toward the camera. When taking a photograph, if the chin is down it not only accentuates a double chin but also makes the nose look bigger.

How can a bride avoid being overshadowed by a large gown?

The beauty of a wedding day is the gown. If a gown is beautiful and large, that's great. I would use the dress to my advantage. Now, if you're talking about a close-up and the dress getting in way, the key is to almost lay the gown over what you're sitting on as opposed to sitting on the dress. If you're posing with other people, the key is to pose the other people around the dress.

What other tips do you have for group shots?

The key is having the bride and groom in the center and turning everybody toward the center of the photograph. I like cohesive posing, having people look like they love each other.

What colors work best for bridesmaid dresses?

Softer colors and pastels, especially for summer and spring, work better than dark colors. [For example], a lime green color will reflect into the photograph. Though it won't look terrible, there will be a sense of green to the photograph.

What type of hairstyles do you recommend for photos?

Have nothing in front of your eyes and nothing that when the head moves, hair goes in front of the face.

How about makeup? Soft and natural Stay true to who you are.