The details of a wedding reception are often the touches that distinguish a wedding and show the unique personality of the bride. From the flowers harvested from her sister's personal greenhouse to the heirloom mismatched china to the handmade, DIY, clock-themed centerpieces... this is her chance to show off her creative side and make the reception unique to her, her family and friends, and her relationship with the groom.
As photographers in today’s world, we have so many options. We have strobes, natural light, constant light, reflectors. We have differing modifiers like octaboxes, softboxes, beauty dishes, strip boxes, umbrellas, gels and so on. There are lighting setups with five, six, seven, eight or more lights. The subject of lighting is endless. With so many possibilities, it can be overwhelming.
Sal said it best and it is the mantra that I have tried to live my young photography life by: “Innovate or die.” Innovation can always come from seeking education from others in our industry, but it must begin with you. Ask yourself a simple question: “What am I consistently struggling with?” Focus on that until you have a grasp on it.
Ultimately, the lighting you choose to go with creates the mood of your photograph and showcases your style and vision. The more you experiment and add new techniques to your lighting toolbox, the more stunning your lighting will be!
In many circles throughout the world, people debate about what kind of lighting makes the best photographs. Hard light, soft light, natural light, strobes, LEDs…
Lighting is the foundation of a photographic composition. Photographers who are skilled in lighting can offer their clients flattering portraits no matter what environment they are working in. In the old days, lighting was just something that photographers understood. However, during the digital revolution, as cameras became more intuitive, people were able to obtain exposures much more easily by utilizing the automatic functions in their cameras.
Sometimes, one light is all you need to make killer images. The Profoto A1X is one of the most versatile tools in the Profoto lighting eco-system in my opinion. Not only is it powerful being used as a single light, but when combined with the Profoto eco-system of lights, you have one of the most powerful lighting systems on the planet.
I feel it is important for me to pass along the things I’ve learned on my photography journey. In the last few years I have also had the opportunity to teach and lecture all around the world including some of the industry’s top conferences, including the first conference I’d ever attended when I was starting out, ShutterFest. I’ve begun hosting my own workshop, The Embrace Workshop, a comprehensive photography workshop where I help new photographers expound upon their current training to grow their business just as I’ve grown my own.
There are a lot more advanced techniques that will produce greater results, but everything I’ve explained here will get you off to a great start. I’ve seen photographers with the most expensive equipment take Milky Way images that were “meh” and others with starter cameras create mind-blowing images. The key takeaway here is that your imagination and planning will produce better images than advanced techniques and expensive gear. Keep it simple. Stick to the basics and plan your shots.
From a professional point of view, understanding light and being able to execute your vision 'at will' despite the time of day or the location makes you an incredible asset to your client. Light is both an art and a craft. This broad spectrum can make lighting a daunting task to learn and teach. However, one simple philosophy of light can help clarify everything. There's good lighting, there's bad lighting, then there's the RIGHT lighting to help express the emotion you want.
