New brides put plenty of effort into selecting the perfect wedding dress, so it makes sense that capturing quality photos of the dress on the big day is a big deal. While it really only gets one day in the spotlight, the dress lives on through pictures that will likely be passed down for generations. There are a number of elements to consider when photographing wedding dresses — from the lighting to the background as well as in the details of the dress itself. We’ll cover all of these and more in the wedding dress pictures tips below.

All of the images in this article are provided by the photographers at Wedding Maps and used with their permission.

Lighting for Wedding Dress Pictures

Like it does in any other portraits, lighting plays a pivotal role when photographing the wedding dress. For the most part, a set of wedding photos will feature a particular style and mood, whether that be bright and airy or more edgy and dramatic. Whatever the preference, it’s important to photograph details like the wedding dress in a consistent manner.

Natural Light Wedding Dress Pictures

If the bride prefers that bright and airy look, you’ll most likely lean into natural light photography to capture wedding dress photos. Of course, you can use a softbox or umbrella, or even bounce flash to simulate a natural light look as well. If you’re going full natural, look for a big window to either place the dress in front of or off to the side. It helps when the windows have a sheer curtain to help soften the light a bit, but it’s not absolutely necessary to shoot in this style.

Flash Photography and Wedding Dresses

If you’re after more dramatic or moody wedding dress photos, you’ll want to introduce off-camera flash to give the shot some light direction and catch some shadows to reveal the details of the dress. Flash works particularly well with dresses that feature shiny embellishments that give the dress added sparkle.

Backgrounds for Wedding Dress Pictures

Choosing the right background for wedding dress pictures can make all the difference. The specifics of the background you choose will vary depending on your location and preferences, but it’s imperative that you understand the impact of the elements that share the frame with the dress.

Keep It Clean

If there’s one simple rule to keep in mind when photographing wedding dresses, or any subjects for that matter, keep the backgrounds clean. This holds true in any environment. If the space is cluttered and you have the means, clean it up and make room for the dress.

Indoor Wedding Dress Pictures Backgrounds

More often than not, photographers capture wedding dress photos indoors. Depending on the location, there are plenty of spots inside to get great shots, and like a studio, shooting indoors will (usually) give you the most control over the lighting.

A couple of the more popular places for indoor wedding dress pictures include in front of a large window or doorway, especially for backlit shots. For bright and airy styled photos, a white dress on white or bright background will work fine, while textured or colorful backgrounds (fireplaces, large furniture, wallpapered or uniquely painted walls, etc.) can also look good.

Outdoor Wedding Dress Pictures

If you have the opportunity to photograph the wedding dress outdoors, the scenery can serve you well in a couple of ways. First, the unexpected locale will surprise viewers and get their attention. Moreover, outdoor portraits offer a wide range of backdrops and they also reveal more of the story of the wedding day, as in they highlight the bride’s location.

Shooting outdoors is a great storytelling element to further set the scene for the big day. The sky is literally the limit when it comes to choosing outdoor spots, and the composition tips below will highlight some more ideas for capturing wedding dress photos outside.

Composition and Angles for Photographing Wedding Dresses

However you decide to frame the shot, always try to make the dress the star in wedding dress photos, even when it’s literally hanging out in the background. Here are some ideas for composing your wedding dress shots.

Symmetry

Symmetrical compositions are one of the strongest in all of portraiture, and photographing wedding dresses is no exception. Whether the space you’re in is tight or grand, look for ways to compose the shot with symmetry and place the dress front and center.

Top-Down and All Around

We’re all used to looking straight on at everything we see. While wedding dresses are interesting to look at from even the most mundane angles, try to explore other angles to capture more interesting shots. For example, be sure to get the dress from the front, back, and sides so that you don’t miss any important design details. Furthermore, top-down photos will also give us a unique view of this likewise unique garment.

Shoot Through | Foreground Elements

Again, rather than just walk up and photograph the dress as is, look for foreground elements that you can use to shoot through and add depth to your wedding dress photos. These elements also draw more of our attention to the star attraction.

Reflections

Reflections add an artistic touch to portraiture, and they work beautifully with wedding dresses. You can look for more traditional reflection shots by placing the dress near a window or mirror, or any reflective surface, or you can use some tools and creative techniques to produce truly unique reflection portraits.

One way to add a reflection that wouldn’t otherwise be there is to hold a reflective surface such as your smartphone or a crystal prism up near the lens while you’re capturing the shot. If you hold it off to the side of the lens, it will conceal any details in the background on that side of the frame and instead add visual interest with a reflection of the dress on the other side of the frame.

Another great use of reflections involves using a flash to highlight the dress while also revealing more of the scene, as illustrated in the image above that does a great job of showcasing both the dress and the outdoors.

More Ideas

Here are some more ideas for photographing wedding dresses to help ensure you get a solid variety of shots.

Details – Closeup

Wedding dresses usually feature intricate design details, and it’s a good idea to get in close to highlight these details. Be sure to capture different parts of the dress, whether it’s the lace, buttons, stitching, or any other parts that make the dress unique.

Don’t forget to include a shot of the hanger as well if it’s of any note.

With Bridal Party Dresses

Brides may be the star of the bridal party, but they usually don’t stray too far from their bridal party, who also usually celebrate the wedding day in special attire. Mirror the bride’s relationship with her bridesmaids in a portrait that features all of their dresses.

Shoes & Other Props

A bride’s shoes also typically get a lot of consideration during the process of planning a wedding, and they make a perfect sidekick for wedding dress pictures. Include them and other “props” like jewelry, the bouquet, the veil, and so on in your collection of wedding dress pictures to tell more of the bride’s story.

On the Bride

Lastly, don’t forget to capture some solo photos of the bride in her dress that focus on the dress and put the bride into more of a model’s role. It’s fashion photography and wedding photography all rolled into one, and these shots make for great pieces to include in album or blog spreads.

Conclusion & More Inspiration

Here are some more wedding dress photos to inspire your next wedding photography adventure.

We hope you found this collection of wedding dress pictures tips helpful. Take advantage of the control you have when photographing the wedding dress, in terms of choosing the location, the lighting, and so on, and give the dress the attention it deserves for the best photos possible. Whenever time permits, try and get photos of the dress by itself as well as on the bride (in addition to regular bridal portraits) to highlight this most important detail of the wedding day.