This week we get to be educated on "Finding the Light" with photography. Such an important topic...
Let's hear from Kate at
L Photographie!
Let there be
light! Tips to help your photographer
put you in the best light possible for your wedding photographs.
What is the most important ingredient
in the recipe for amazing wedding photos (besides you, of course!)? LIGHT.
Ask any photographer worth their salt and this should be their fast
reply. For every wedding we shoot here
at L Photographie, Both Liz and I spend the majority or our spare moments on a
busy wedding day examining the light, and deciding how to use it best to make
beautiful photos. Boiled down to it’s nuts and bolts, photography is the art of
capturing light, so let’s talk a little about light and how you can be in your
best light throughout your wedding day.
Let’s begin at the beginning… your
getting ready location! Most people
haven’t put much thought into where they will get dressed and ready for their big
day with regard to light, but all of the beautiful photos that you see of
brides details and getting ready that look bright and warm and dreamy have one
thing in common, and that thing is windows.
We, as photographers are in love with natural light and will seek out
the area with the most window light we can find for you to get dressed in. If you are in a beautiful hotel room or a big
house with vaulted ceilings this is easy… if you are in a church basement or
cry room it may not be so easy. That is the
primary reason your wedding planner or photographer may suggest a hotel room
for getting ready. Not only is it
clutter free, full of mirrors, and big enough for you and all your girls… it
also has windows we can use… big open spaces to hang a gown, pretty tables for
jewelry and shoe shots. Your makeup
person will thank you as well… as natural light is also much better for
applying makeup than tungsten (regular yellow bulbs) or the dreaded green glow
of the fluorescent light!
After the bride and groom are ready to
roll, the next lighting scenario we see is usually the ceremony. Many times you have your heart set on a
particular church or venue and we do the best we can with the light
available. Sometimes it is a little and
sometimes a lot. Big booming Catholic
churches are gorgeous but often offer little light with the exception of
colored stained glass and many modern churches are lit with stage lighting, or
can lights that shine downward (hello dark circles!!) or fluorescent lighting,
so we as photographers are constantly challenged. In most cases flash is not allowed during the
ceremony, so you may see us using flash during the processional and recessional
and then putting them away during the ceremony itself. As a side note, it is important to note that
many churches and venues have strict restrictions on where a photographer can
and cannot stand or walk, so all of this information, combined with the
available light will determine the quality of images your photographer can
capture of your “I do’s”. If we are
banished to the balcony, for example, close up shots that show your expressions
are not in the cards.
Following the ceremony (depending of
course, on your individual timeline) are the family group photos. These are usually done with flash of some
sort at the altar, unless you prefer them outside. Outside clearly wins for lighting, but all photographers
should come equipped with flash knowing that most couples want some traditional
photos inside the church or venue of the ceremony.
Next we can talk about the fun part,
the portraits of you and your bridal party!
The light plays a huge role here since you, your coordinator, and your
photographer have the power to choose the time of day these photos will be
taken, and their location(s). The
prettiest light of the day is in the few hours before sunset, so if you can
time it out to land in that range you are golden (literally, the sunset light
is golden and glowy and awesome!) If you decide to stray outside that time,
some concessions will have to be made.
Without exception, high noon is the worst time for photos on a sunny
day… there is no direction we can face you that you will not be shadowy and
squinting (and nobody wants that!), so we head for shade. This means that locations without shade
available (such as outside Busch Stadium or the Arch, for example) do not work
well at these times. These are all
things to discuss with your photographer and wedding planner when setting up
the timeline, and also when choosing locations for photos on your wedding day…
I am just trying to plant the seed here that light is important! This can be controlled by adjusting the
schedule, possibly adding a “first look” and doing some photos pre-ceremony for
a late wedding, or limiting the number of locations so you have time to make it
to that perfect spot!
The reception, in most cases, is
happening after sunset, so we employ flash once again to capture these
moments. Don’t worry! There are still a
few things you can do to improve the look and feel of these images. You can control the light in the space with
lighting. Your planner can help you
choose from a variety of things like up-lighting for walls, pin spotting flower
arrangements and tables, and candles etc…
All of these will all add light and visual interest to the room. They also add a wonderful ambience for you
and your guests!
So there you have it! A look at your wedding day in terms of light
and some thoughts from a photographer’s perspective on how to get yourself into
the best light possible to get photos you and your family will love for years
to come! Happy Planning!
