How do you select one moment over another—especially when they are similar? Whether it’s in-camera or during the editing process, you will constantly be grappling with this question. You need to be able to discern which shot is strongest, most flattering, and has the most storytelling ability. It has to have a wide appeal to the bride and her audience of friends and family, but it also needs to be creative and unusual enough to make people stop and take notice.
When people are moving and interacting, emotional displays will inevitably happen. Unfortunately, the way that people move is sometimes far from flattering. A prime concern is when a subject pulls their chin toward their chest. This often happens during laughter and it creates a double chin. I find that when the subject is talking to someone tall or laughs so hard they throw their head back a little, I can avoid these unflattering angles.
You need to be able to discern which shot is strongest, most flattering, and has the most storytelling ability.
Because the natural moments we want to capture are fleeting, you will—especially in the early stages of your endeavors—end up with a percentage of images that just don’t work as well as others. For example, imagine you have a series of images of someone telling a joke. During the funniest part of the joke, everyone will appear to be having fun and will look at ease. This might be the decisive moment, but the portrait may not be salable due to a bad angle or unflattering expression. Look at each image as a portrait, then pick the shot that is most flattering and best documents the moment.
In the studio, you would never shoot someone in an unflattering manner. Use the same criteria when capturing unposed shots.
Equipment: Canon EOS-1D Mark III with EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM lens. Exposure: f/2.8 at 
second and ISO 250.
