A wedding photographer has been praised for her direct, clear, and amusing speech to guests before taking group portraits.
Sarah Koermer of High Contrast Photography was lauded as the dream wedding photographer for her assertive yet kind instructions to guests before doing a large group shot as well as extended family photos on a couple’s big day — something which can often be a challenging and complicated task.
@highcontrastphoto Its important to have a wedding photographer who is going to listen to what you want on your big day & advocate for you! Picture with 104 people? Lets do it! #weddingtiktok #bts #dayof #weddingphotographer ♬ original sound – High Contrast Photography
In a TikTok video, that amassed 2.6 million views and 292,000 likes in a single day, Koermer firmly tells guests what to do and ensures everyone puts the newlyweds Caitlyn’s and Brad’s wishes first.
‘The Nicest Photographer Speech Ever’
Thousands of social media users applauded Koermer’s clear and effective instructions in the viral TikTok video, dubbing it: “The nicest photographer speech ever.”
“I need this assertive voice at my wedding,” one viewer writes.
Meanwhile, other wedding photographers hailed Koermer as “an inspiration” and said they aspired to be as “confident” as her during shoots.
@highcontrastphoto Replying to @Caitlin2918 ♬ Little Omens – Alfie Jukes
Koermer, who has been a wedding and portrait photographer for over 15 years, says she always advocates for the couple on their big day.
“My goal is to put my focus on what is most important to the couple! If a couple wants to focus mainly on portraits of the two of them together and not get any extended family photos, that is what we will do,” Sarah, who is based in Northeastern Maryland, tells PetaPixel.
“If I get a couple like Caitlyn and Brad who tell me it’s important to capture these large group shots, then I make it happen.
“I have been doing this long enough to know that there are always a few people who don’t listen or think they aren’t actually needed for photos, so I have learned you have to be very explicit in your instructions!
“I also wanted to make sure in my instructions that everyone was aware these were the wishes of the couple – not me! People love to make the photographer the bad guy, but these were photos that the couple wanted. Knowing it’s what the couple wants makes people much more forgiving.”
‘Weddings Can Be The First Time a Family are All Together’
There were 104 people in attendance altogether at Caitlyn’s and Brad’s wedding and over 50 of these guests were family members that needed to stay for various group portraits.
The photographer had 24 total photo groupings, which had anywhere from two to 20 people in them.
Koermer says she worked closely with the couple to create a list to get the group portraits done in the most efficient way possible.
“Many times at weddings, it is the first time that the family has all been together in years — maybe even decades,” Koermer explains.
“It is usually for situations like this where it is very important to the couple to document all of the family members in attendance, and that was the case for Caitlyn and Brad.
“Everything I do on the wedding day is for the happiness of the couple. Whether it’s ensuring they get all the photos they want, fixing a broken dress bustle, or ensuring they stay hydrated… I’m there for them.”
More of Koermer’s work can be seen on her website, TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook. Information on Koermer’s destination packages can be found here.
Image credits: Header photo via TikTok/@highcontrastphoto.