3 Tips to Getting the Wedding Photos You Want | Part II of III

Ack, where did the time go!  So much for posting the week after my first tip!  As most of you know, September is still a busy month for most wedding photographers, and I’ve been shooting, traveling, and editing up a storm.  Annnnd blogging took a bit of a backseat there for about a week and a half.  My bad.

Anyway, I left off with my first tip to Getting the Wedding Photos You Want with an emphasis on planning for the photos that matter the most.  I’d like to move onto lighting, so here goes…

Wedding Prep

Most prep photos (ie the shots of the bride and her bridesmaids, and the groom and his groomsmen getting ready) take place in a hotel suite or home, which usually means there’s natural light pouring in from somewhere, and that somewhere is exactly where I try to subtly steer the bride or groom for the majority their final touchups.  I love shooting portraits, action, and details in natural, diffused light because it produces soft lines and deep shadows that evoke emotion and intimacy.  Sheer curtains on a sunny day are my best friend when shooting indoors as they help soften the harsh light, however, if it’s gray and cloudy I fling all curtains wide open in order to maximize the natural light.  If you’re trying to decide on where to get ready, opt for a space that has great window light and you’ll set yourself up for stunning candids and relaxed portraits.

Bride + Groom Photos

When it comes to lighting my couple, there are three lighting scenarios I seek out.  Each produces a different look, so when you’re working with a photographer to find a great spot (or spots) for the photos of you as a couple keep in mind the time of day and the type of light you prefer.  Need further details?  Read on:

• Shade – Full shade, whether provided by the clouds, the trees, or a building, allow for evenly lit photographs and more importantly, enable both the subjects and the photographer to avoid staring into bright light.  I love shooting portraits where the couple is looking at the camera in the shade.  That gives me the option of shooting with a bit of flash if I’d like, or none at all if the situation allows.
• Full Sun – I shoot in full sun with my subjects facing the light if they aren’t forced to look at the camera.  If I did they’d be squinting.  The only time I really want to photograph subjects in full light is if there is a gorgeous blue sky I’d like to feature, or a bright structure that really pops when fully lit.  In that case I ask the bride + groom to look at each other and kiss, hold hands and walk away, do something silly…really anything but stare into my lens.  If your photos are during the heat of the day, I might suggest doing a couple scenic shots in full sun, but otherwise I try and keep the bride + groom in the shade or photograph them backlit…
• Backlighting – Probably the most romantic light to situate a couple in especially when the sun is low in the sky and gives everything a muted, golden look.  If your photos are around this time or if you’ve chosen to sneak out of your reception for a few minutes to get a few shots at sunset, you’ll create an opportunity where the light wraps around you and creates a rim of gold, where lens flare can occur, (and you wind up with halos of light featured in your photos–which can look great if done right) and where silhouette shots look their best.  If you want this sort of effect but can’t shoot just before sunset, find a big weeping willow and allow the light to stream through for some beautiful effects.

Ceremony

Indoors: The light is going to either be minimal or full-on, depending on the interior, but either way, make sure your photographer has the gear to handle low-light conditions because even with a building’s house lights on, it’s still going to be darker than outdoors and often the lights are quite far away from where all the action is taking place.  When shooting in these conditions, I want to be using lenses that work well in low light (not all do) and camera bodies that can shoot at a high resolution.  I also want a flash that can provide full, even light whenever I need it.  I don’t always shoot with flash indoors, because I want to use the ambient light I’ve been given, (especially if the venue is a beautiful church with great light streaming in) but I do want to use it for key moments when I’m going to experience camera shake or too much digital noise if I don’t.

Outdoors: If you’re odds of getting an overcast day are high then no worries…you’ll have even, diffused light that won’t have your guests sweating and your groomsmen squinting.  However, if you’ve got a good shot of winding up with a bright, sunny day, try and arrange your stage and seating so that both sides are either all in the sun or all in the shade (if you’re lucky enough to have shade from a building or trees).  If you arrange your stage so that the groomsmen are all in the sun and your bridesmaids are all in the shade, it’s going to be tough to shoot so that everyone is evenly lit.  Granted, that’s where fill-flash and post-processing come in, but you’ll avoid problems if you consider this ahead of time.

Family + Wedding Party Shots

If you’re outdoors, shade or backlighting are your best options.  I particularly like shooting these photos against a backdrop that isn’t too disracting–shrubbery, a building facade, or staircase are great options and ones that will ensure you won’t have a telephone pole sticking up out of Grandma’s head.  Either way, I really stress the need for a shaded area for family photos specifically since these are the shots when everyone is generally looking at the camera.  Wedding party photos can be a bit more flexible as these are often shot in a selection of areas and aren’t usually as formal.

Reception Photos

Pretty much the same thing goes for indoor ceremony shots as an indoor reception, but essentially you’ll want to make sure your photographer has the gear and the know-how to get shots that range from ambient with zero flash to images that are fully lit.  Also, keep in mind that any use of coloured uplighting (purples, blues etc.) will cast those tones over your guests’ skin, which will show up in all of the shots that are taken using just the ambient light.  Not necessarily a bad thing, but it’s just something to be aware of.

Well, that’s a wrap…Part III to come!  And if you’ve got any lighting questions as a photographer or a bride, leave ’em below!

Jaime