- Back lit
- calm
- Center Framed
- Close up
- Dark
- gentle
- Indoor
- Intimate Framing
- low key
- Natural
- Natural Light
- Rim Light
- Soft Light
- Window Light
The story behind the image
Our Bride was very delicate and gentle. Her personality blended perfectly with the surrounding aura and we worked very calmly throughout the entire wedding preparations, even though there were a lot of people around us. These are ideal conditions for taking pictures. Often, when photographing in private homes and apartments, we hear that “there is nothing interesting to see here”. For us, each of these places is different and each tells a fascinating story if you just want to listen.
Directions
Describe how you spoke to your subject(s)
Before our arrival, all household members were told not to pay attention to us. This makes our work much easier and allows us to photograph without interfering. For us, the best photos are the ones we capture naturally, without giving too many guidelines. When the Bride was putting on the dress, I placed everyone in the center of the spacious room, sideways to the windows through which diffused light came in. I used it as a contre-jour, and the white walls of the room worked as a reflector and gently illuminated the foreground.
What did you say?
Please don’t mind me. This is a moment just for you. Just stick to the center of the room and try to be turned sideways to the window – this will give us the best effect.
Tone of Directions
Calm
Composition
There were a few people with the Bride all the time – one buttoned the sleeves of her dress, and the other the back. The conditions were perfect, and I just wanted to have her portrait, so I settle on a very narrow frame. I wanted to emphasize the mystery of the Bride and of the whole scene, so I approached her very closely. I opted for a portrait frame to catch only her face, a fragment of her dress, and a few locks of hair. This framing is very intimate. Moreover, the very shallow depth of field enhances the mood and allows me to focus on a few most important elements – on lips, hair, and emotions of the Bride. With nothing that would distract the attention.
framing
Center Framed
Focusing
Describe how you spoke to your subject(s)
I used a single-point focus and shot in a single photo mode. I had the aperture wide open so I had to take a few pictures to be sure to hit home when it comes to focusing. It was bright enough in the room and the whole scene was very static so I had no problem with controlling what was to be sharp. I aimed for the lips because I wanted to focus the attention on them.
Focus Mode
Single Shot Autofocus
Focus POints
Single Point
Focused on
Bride's lips
Equipment &
Exif
Camera
Lens
Flash
Filter
1/1600 @ f/1.6 ISO200 WB-Auto
The way the EXIF is written out follows the common photographic method (with the inclusion of White Balance at the end). Here it is broken down:
Shutter Speed @ Aperture ISO White Balance.
Light & Weather
I wanted to take a silhouette photo but without the film noir effect of a black character on a white background. It was a delicate scene so it couldn’t be too contrasting. The windows behind the Bride were the only source of light. I photographed in winter, so the light that fell into the house was not too strong. I opened the curtains to let a little more of it, and I used the white wall behind me as a reflector. Thanks to that, I kept all the necessary details and separated the bride from the background, at the same time emphasizing her facial features and delicate strands of her hair.
Light Type
Natural Light
Weather
Indoor
Editing Workflow
How did you edit this image?
For editing, I used one of our private presets, which I adjusted to the tones and feel that I wanted. The photo was well lit already in the camera, so I didn’t manipulate the exposure. I dimmed the highlights a little, I lowered the contrast and shadows. This softened the photo and made it more delicate. I gained the most from the color grading tools though. I wanted to emphasize the winter vibe by adding a little cool tone to the highlights. At the same time, I added orange to the shadows to keep a healthy skin tone and introduce a soft color contrast. I also changed the color of the window through which a very blue sky was visible. It was distracting so I toned it down and shifted the color more into sea-green. Once the photo was colored, I opened it in Photoshop to retouch the skin and remove a few unnecessary hairs.
Editing Software
Adobe Lightroom Classic
Preset Used
Our own presets
Challenges
The biggest challenge was to make a natural portrait without interrupting the wedding preparations. During the whole preparations, a few people were helping the Bride dress up. It made her feel very comfortable, her face showed beautiful emotions. I wanted to capture them at the moment they appeared.
Solutions
I used a portrait lens and got very close to the Bride. A shallow depth of field allowed me to separate her from the background and emphasize only a few of the most important elements.
I took advantage of the moment in which she was putting on her dress. This gave me a few minutes to try out a few ideas and to choose the best one.
I also photographed in a silent shutter mode so as not to distract anyone too much.
Location
Location Name
A private house
Location aDDRESS
Rybnik, Poland
Loation Type
Private Home / AirBnB / Apartment
Country
Poland
Many moments during the wedding preparation are repetitive. This is the perfect opportunity to try out new perspectives, find interesting emotions or details. Be curious about what’s going on around you – it helps a lot in creating unique stories.
If possible, use two cameras with lenses of different focal lengths. This way, when you come up with a new idea, you won’t waste time on changing out your equipment. A beautiful opportunity may arise suddenly and it is worth being prepared for it.
Don’t be afraid to get close to people. Create a bond with them before working together – thanks to that they will feel at ease with you and will allow themselves to be more sincere with their emotions. Besides, close photographs are more engaging and give the impression of actually being there with the subject.
