Picture it: You and your betrothed are surrounded by loved ones amid the elegant ruins of a 12th-century Cistercian monastery in Leeds, England. It’s time to exchange rings and a majestic barn owl swoops in from the rooftops to deliver the wedding bands. Or that was the plan. According to reports from the real 2024 wedding Juno, the owl, took off for seven hours. Thankfully, Juno eventually returned to its handler and the rings were recovered. The Instagram era has brought endless photo ops ideas, some of which are at best ill-advised (like an owl ring bearer) and at worst, dangerous. For this issue of New Orleans Bride, we’ve asked local photographers to share some of their favorite shots that are not only Insta-worthy but also a timeless addition to your home or keepsake album.
While it’s tempting to lean exclusively into creative candids and photojournalistic-style documentation of your big day, it’s important to include the classics, such as close-ups of hand-holding and meaningful glances or group shots of the new spouses with siblings and other immediate family. Pharmacist-turned-photographer Dr. Devonte Williford of Rare Sighting Photography (raresightingphotography.com) is known for his candids but starts out by sharing that formal photos are the most requested for prints. “We need to make sure we have some of the good stuff to put on mom and dad’s fridge,” Williford says. “What typically makes it to the highlight reels on Facebook and Instagram versus what’s in the homes is very different. They preserve that legacy.”
Making time for the classics doesn’t mean there isn’t room for fun, however, and Williford seeks those moments throughout the engagement sessions and on a couple’s wedding day. One couple who married at the Renaissance New Orleans Arts Warehouse District Hotel walked to the nearby District bar after their “first look.” There, Williford took photos of them sharing a basket of fries. One bride getting married at Tomas Bistro set off with Williford across the street to New Orleans Social House. “They have this photo op area; it’s this huge white bathtub, and she just got in there,” says Williford.
The Eliza Jane and Louis Armstong Park are also favorite haunts. Williford likes the latter because it’s on the edge of the French Quarter and he can take couples to The Will & The Way for drinks and cozy shots of them on the bar’s vibrant mustard-hued sofa.
Casey McMurray didn’t want to follow in her photographer mother’s footsteps, so she pursued acting for 10 years. After resisting it for a few years, McMurray began taking portraits and eventually started shooting weddings under her eponymous moniker (caseymcmurray.com). Telling a couple’s love story is McMurray’s favorite aspect of her work. Time in front of the camera as an actor helped McMurray hone her skills in composition and lighting, tapping into the most flattering poses and learning to read people. Zeroing in on the couple’s story and key moments in their relationship often provides potential locations for engagement sessions, for example where they met or a favorite place to go for date night. McMurray cites the cocktail bar Cure, City Park Conservancy and, of course, the French Quarter, as some of her go-to locales. Second lines rank high in McMurray’s photo op list, and she recommends that couples who plan one opt for a daytime wedding.
“I think it’s very European, very chic,” McMurray says. “You can have two exits. So, if it’s daylight still you can exit your ceremony venue and then second line [to the reception]. It’s better during the day because then you get to highlight the colors of the French Quarter, as opposed to at night.”
A former commercial photographer, Sandra O’Claire of Eue Claire Photographics (eauclairephotographics.com) has a Master of Fine Arts in Film and has been shooting weddings since high school. O’Claire says she shoots a lot of engagement sessions in the French Quarter, but it’s becoming more common to do “after” shoots. This is where, after the honeymoon, the couple dons their wedding finery and sets out for another session. It’s a chance to relax and let loose without the constraints of the wedding day. “You don’t have to worry about getting the dress dirty,” O’Claire says. “You can take some really good, fun photos we can’t do during weddings.” Streetcar photos are at the top of her photo op request list, so O’Claire says she will take couples to Carrollton and Claiborne where the streetcars meet, slip the driver a tip and get that perfect, romantic shot.
Ollie Alexander started as an editorial, fashion and product photographer, but weddings became his true passion, and his company Love is Rad was born (loveisrad.com). To find his photo op locales, Alexander asks couples where they usually spend their days off together. This leads to places such as Hansen’s Sno-Bliz and Parkway Bakery & Tavern. “My goal is to feel like I’m third-wheeling it,” Alexander says. “I find this always puts couples at ease and the photos are unique to their life and story together.”
All the photographers we spoke with have ways to draw out the best in even the most reserved or shy couples and individuals. Their unique tricks of the trade are where the magic happens, so it’s important to put your trust in the photographer and focus on being present with the person you are committing to. That doesn’t mean people don’t still show up for wedding day photos with feelings of obligation. Which is entirely normal. Alexander’s remedy for the problem is to remind couples there are no rules. “You don’t have to do things because that’s the way they’ve always been done,” Alexander says. Does a three-tiered white cake really sound better than a giant cookie cake? Throw a talent show at your reception, get married in the street outside your house with all your friends standing around in Mardi Gras costumes, walk down the aisle in a denim gown.”
Perhaps the best photo ops are those in which the couple dares to have fun — wildlife not required.
Photo Op Dont’s
- Just because you can, that doesn’t mean you should, so here are a few photo ops our experts cautioned against.
- Incorporating wildlife as ring bearers, or otherwise.
- Dangling your feet in a body of water, because gators.
- Champagne sprays with red or pink varietals to avoid staining clothing.
- Sparkler exits at the end of the night or any other activity that puts fire in the hands of tipsy guests.
Photo Magic
- Instagram-trending photo ops might seem like a good idea, but they can quickly become dated or wreak havoc.
Contacts
Rare Sightings Photography
504-457-1694
drw@raresightingphotography.com
Casey McMurray Photography
504-261-5457
hello@caseymcmurray.com
Eau Claire Photographics
504-432-7879
SandraOClaire@eauphoto.com
Love is Rad
985-705-6546
hello@loveisrad.com
