When I'm photographing a wedding, the first dance is a key element of the proceedings. Capturing the connection between the bride and groom as they dance together for the first time is something that I strive for every time.
However, it's often AFTER the first dance that the most interesting shots appear - and they're not always of the bride and groom! Once the guests have got on the dancefloor, there are nearly always some great shots to be captured - such as at this wedding day in Hanford, Dorset, which I photographed recently,
As a wedding photographer, I am always excited to see a full dancefloor as it means there are lots of photographic opportunities - however, sometimes when the dancefloor is packed, it actually means it's more difficult to get the shots! Naturally, people dance facing each other .... which means that unless you're able to shoot from an elevated position, you as the photographer are faced with a lot of backs of heads. However, there are always times when the dancefloor becomes a little less congested and these are the times when you can get a different kind of dancefloor shot - such as this one of this little girl, having the time of her life in her party frock.
Normally, I'd be looking for a connection between dancers when I photograph on the wedding dancefloor, or alternatively when someone is 'lost in music'... but occasionally it really works when a dancer suddenly becomes aware of me and creates eye contact. With children this can be particularly effective. That's why I love this photograph of the little girl as she whirls around in her dance routine and momentarily becomes aware of the fact that she is being watched.
This fabulous wedding in Dorset gave me a huge amount of dancefloor images, becoming one of the highlights of the wedding day - so if you love dancing and you want your photographer to capture your guests truly living life to the full, make sure you hire a really great wedding band!
