LIGHTING + WHY IT MATTERS
When choosing your ceremony location, people typically only think about the altar decoration or background scenery and forget to think about the light at the time of day that your ceremony will take place.
Which is way more important for you and your guests’ comfort and for the quality of the photos! Here is a break down on what to know about the most common lighting situations:
Pro Tip
Sometimes Mother Nature has a different plan on your day. If you can’t avoid a lighting/weather situation, ask me, your videographer, and your wedding planner for our advice! If you think it may rain during your ceremony, consider buying transparent umbrellas, they look super awesome in photos.
Backlit
Is great for photos because it creates a dreamy, yummy look for morning or evening time when the sun is low in the horizon. But it can be distracting for guests facing the sun. It’s best to angle the set up so you still have the dreamy affect and your guests aren’t squinting in the sun. Remember that if you’re checking out a ceremony site in the winter, the sun will set in a different location and at a different time on the horizon/mountain range in the summer, so plan accordingly! You can check exactly where the sun will be I the sky and where it will be shining with the app Sun Seeker on any day of any year, so you can plan around it!
Natural vs Ambient
You’ll notice me opening curtains in dark rooms, and turning off overhead lights and lamps for a reason! As much natural light we can bring into a space, the better! Ambient light is not ideal in indoor situations. With natural light, the colors will translate better overall, and even if we can’t get very much natural light, we can play with shadows and really amp up the moody vibes. I’ll most likely ask that you move closer to the window and the rest is magic. Ambient light also has a time and place, I love a lot of ambient lighting during outdoor receptions (string lights and candles for example) because after the sun goes down, that’s really the only light I have to work with besides my flash, and it can give off a really beautiful warm glow in your images.
Direct vs Overcast
Direct lighting has a time/place and vibe all it’s own! On a bright and sunny day, direct sunlight can sometimes be the worst. It’s too bright where the sun hits and too dark in the shadows, which can result in spotty and uneven skin tones, and we want to avoid that when possible. I love direct light for a more high fashion, editorial look. If this is your vibe, let’s talk more about how we can incorporate some direct light on your wedding day. Overcast is about as easy as it gets in photography haha, what I mean by that is — an overcast day is a perfect example of soft light, where the sun has to penetrate through a cloud layer. The cloud is spreading the light, making it come from multiple angles instead of a small, single point. This is also called diffusion; the light spreads out and creates much softer shadows. If it’s overcast on your wedding day, that’s a good thing! The colors and skin tones will translate effortlessly and we won’t have to worry about dodging harsh lighting, opening up our limitations with where we take photos.
Flash
The flash is a device that emits light momentarily, you’ll see mine attached to the top of my camera to compensate for the lack of brightness when shooting in dimly lit situations like indoors or night scenes. Using the flash can also be effective to prevent camera shake and subject blur OR the opposite if I’m trying drag light. You’ll see this technique used in a lot of receptions when everyone is throwing down on the dance floor. I also love to use flash to recreate 90s vibe imagery or give the images a vintage feel. If you’re down to sneak away for a little champagne or getaway car moment during your reception, this would be an amazing time for flash!
