Light, Light, & More Light
Few couples planning their wedding consider how their choice of lighting and location will affect their photographs. More light equals crisper, cleaner, sharper images.
Photography is the recording of light so guess what we need? Lots of light.
Yes, we can photograph in nearly complete darkness; however this does come at a price. The darker the room, we either have to increase the gain on the camera sensor which is known as increasing the iso or use flash. Increasing the iso causes digital noise in the photos and the use of flash at high power causes a well lit subject but can leave the background dark or black with little or no detail if the room is extremely dark. If its bright enought to easily read, then its bright enought to get good crisp photos. In rooms with lower ceilings or light colored walls we can bounce the flash which helps immensely, but in the end, the less power we have to use from the flash or the less we have to increase the iso, the better your images will look. There are an endless number of variables here, but in short, the more light the better as long as its not direct sunlight, harsh spot lights, or similar.
If possible when the ceremony and/or the reception is indoors, try to have the lights turned up as bright as possible or let your coordinator know that is your wish. Not too bright to ruin the mood for the guests, but as bright as possible without ruining the ambience or the guests and yourselves.
During the reception, if possible add supplemental lighting such as hanging lamps or string lights, if the reception is outdoors, get a tent and hang lots of lights. We can also use the ceiling of the tent to bounce flash toward you and your guests so this helps a lot, so get a light colored tent if possible such as white or beige which are easy to rent at reasonable prices.
There is also bad light, which usually comes from the DJ or band. This light is from moving lights that are aimed at the crowd. When hiring your DJ or band ask them to use stationary lighting. The problem with this type of lighting is that light that moves makes it impossible to predict the timing and to expose for, ruining many photos. Also, lights that flash on and off pose a similar problem so the best lighting are lights from the DJ or band that stay on constantly without flashing and do not move or at least do so slowly. Yes we can work around nearly any type of lighting environment, but the best photos come from locations with good light that is consistent is brightness.
If you hire a videographer, also ask them to be aware of the photographer and to work with us. When they dash in at the last second of a perfect moment, it completely changes the calculations needed for a good exposure and often the moment is gone quicker than we can recalculate. A video camera has different lighting needs than that a photographer and most use a constant light source. Many videographers don’t realize or care how your photography turns out unless you point it out to them.
Tags: preparation, tips