The principles in this article apply wherever you live, but as we live in the West Midlands, England, we will focus on this area. Much time is taken in the planning & preparation of your beautiful wedding day. In your mind you have pictured how you & your loved one will look & feel on your very special day & you want your photography to reflect those precious moments! While you are planning your big day, it's worth taking into account the effect light can have on your wedding photography. Natural daylight has the ability to illuminate, highlight & amplify the subject resulting in dazzling, euphoric images! Of course an experienced wedding photographer will create gorgeous images whatever the wind blows in, but there is much you can do in the planning stage to be light aware & benefit from the real splendours of daylight which is essential to produce stunning natural photography.
So how do you incorporate natural light & take advantage of it, rather than shutting it out on your wedding day? Please read on for a brief but concise guide to making the most of light on your special day.
Have you got a favourite season? Maybe it's a crisp spring day with crystal clear visibility, landscapes bedecked with spring flowers? Or does your wedding photography need to capture the sensation of a warm breeze, scented iridescent flowers, the serenity & radiant light of a fine summer's day? Or do you like the drama of low light on a winter's day? (Did you notice how often light was mentioned just regarding the seasons & how you might not have been aware, that light has so much influence on our choice of a favourite time of year?) Continuing our theme of choice of seasons, autumn & winter weddings are getting more popular & these seasons certainly have their own charm & beauty. If you do choose late autumn or winter, be mindful what time your ceremony is to be held. From the start of November to the end of January here in the West Midlands, UK, the sun disappears very early in the day, so maybe choose a midday ceremony which allows your photographer to capture your day while it's still light!
When considering which wedding venue to choose, opt for a venue that has spacious rooms, with any of the following: plenty of large windows, full length glass doors or a glass roof, or think about outside ceremony options. Civil ceremony rooms with no windows & the rule of no flash photography will have limited, artificial results, because you've shut the daylight out, it might be a glorious sunny day outside but it can't get in!! The more light, airy & spacious a room is, the more you are allowing your photographer to have the space he/she needs to get the best angle to make the most of the light. A couple who consider light bestows to their photographer almost miraculous powers, enabling him to capture resplendent photography yay! Your photographer will love you for it & you will love the results!
So with all your wedding plans don't forget to include the natural splendours of daylight, both in your chosen venue, the time of year you chose & the time of day you decide to tie the knot!
The above images reflect perfectly the advice just given, our thoughtful couple opted for a gorgeous light & airy extension, for bridal prep images, with light flooding into the room through the ceiling high glass panels, it was an excellent choice, these lovely images could be in any glossy magazine! The middle picture is taken just before the wedding breakfast at Bantock Park Wolverhampton, at the height of summer, so the gardens were filled with perfumed roses & strong summer sunshine, how lovely!
If you would love beautiful light filled wedding photography in Wolverhampton, the West Midlands or the surrounding counties of Staffordshire, Shropshire, Worcestershire, Warwickshire, we would be very delighted to hear from you....
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Norbert & Ingrid Campbell