HOW i SHOT THiS

  • calm
  • natural frames
  • Water
  • Warm Tones
  • Sunset
  • Sitting
  • shot from a distance
  • Shade
  • Quiet
  • Playful
  • Natural Light
  • Moody
  • Center Framed
  • lower thirds
  • Lake
  • holding each other
  • Him behind her
  • Golden hour
  • gentle
  • embrace
  • Directional Light
  • clear sky
  • Wide

The story behind the image

Show more
We love weddings that allow us a lot of space, freedom, and spontaneity and without a rigid schedule and unnecessary stress. In such conditions, we are able to catch a lot of genuine moments and sincere emotions. We took this photo at the wedding of two artists, a photographer and a musician, who organized a ceremony on their own plot by the lake. The bride was wearing a dress she had sewn from the old curtains, and most of the invited people were barefoot. One of the highlights of the day was the jump into the lake – right after the group photo on the pier but before all that, we definitely wanted to use the lake theme while our couple was still dry.
Show more

Directions

Describe how you spoke to your subject(s)

Working with the couple was very enjoyable. They were both sensitive and they posed willingly. While walking in the forest, we came across a small pier and beautiful trees growing by the shore. Nobody had a problem with getting into the water and taking some photos in it. We decided to put our models on one of the thick branches, facing the sun, and take a slightly nostalgic portrait.

Show more
What did you say?

We want you to sit on this branch, facing the sun. Teofil (Groom), sit behind Marianna (Bride) and embrace her. Marianna, take Teofil’s hands and look at the sun.

Show more
Tone of Directions

Calm

Composition

The setting was beautiful and the light was orange. We really wanted to have it all in the frame, so we used a 35mm lens and moved away from our couple. We placed them centrally, in about 2/3 of the frame, to leave room for trees and plants that were next to them. The couple was wearing bright clothes, so they stood out well from the background. We knew that even if they did not take up much space in the photo, they would be immediately visible.

Show more
framing

Lower Thirds

Focusing

Describe how you spoke to your subject(s)

We used the single-shot mode. We had a lot of time, nobody was in a rush, so we had no problems with landing the focus. We were far away, so we aimed at their silhouettes, knowing that they would be sharp.

Show more
Focus Mode

Single Shot Autofocus

Focus POints

Single Point

Focused on

Bride's chest.

Equipment &
Exif

Camera
Canon 5D Mark III
Lens
Sigma 35mm f/1.4 Art
Flash
None
Filter
None
1/800 @ f/1.4 ISO160 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

We photographed during the golden hour. The light was already very warm and the sun was getting closer to the horizon. We positioned our couple in a very contrasting place, facing the sun. This allowed us to bring them out from the background of dark water and reeds. When shooting ‘cross-lit’ photos you start to see dimensions in your subject as the highlights & shadows add to the whole “sculpture” of them.

Show more
Light Type

Natural Light

Editing Workflow

How did you edit this image?

We used our own preset and we tweaked it a bit. Originally, all of the plants were very green, but we wanted to emphasize the sunset and warm the whole scene, so we shifted the yellows and greens quite harshly towards orange. We also lightened the shadows to bring out more details from the dark parts and to reduce the contrast. We have moved “dehaze” and “clarity” to the left (reducing them), which is clearly visible in the leaves and reeds. The plants became softer and more luminous. Especially those behind which you can see the sky.

Show more
Editing Software
Adobe Lightroom Classic
Preset Used
Custom Preset

Challenges

We had very good conditions, so apart from choosing the place and positioning our couple in relation to the light, we didn’t have many photographic problems. The hardest part was finding a good place from which we can take a photo. The bridge was too far and it was too high, so we had to enter the water ourselves, and the water was at least up to our thighs.

Show more

Solutions

After years of photographing weddings under various conditions, we try to be prepared for everything. We always have spare clothes and quick-drying towels in the car. Thanks to this, we do not have to wonder if we should jump into the water when we have a few more hours of shooting. If it gives us the opportunity to take a good photo, we take the opportunity.

Show more

Location

Location Name

Lake Woświn

Location aDDRESS

Woswin, Poland

Loation Type

Lake

Country

Poland

Always be prepared for different conditions and occasions. You never know when a set of threads, umbrellas, extra clothes, or even a small multi-tool will be useful. Even if you don’t use them for the entire season, knowing that if you run into problems you can deal with them quickly helps you loosen up.

There were many times when we were able to help our couples with broken jewelry, torn pants, or offer them an umbrella when the rain caught us unexpectedly. This makes us reliable and no one doubts that we are prepared for anything. We pack all the most necessary things into a small backpack that takes up almost no space in the car.

Read More

Login to your account

Oh no :(

This content has been marked as Premium and requires an active subscription in order to access it. We’re so sorry about that. But hey, here’s what you can do:

Join the
family

Get access to everything on the site as well as a ton of perks & benefits.

Have an account?

Well then, let’s get you logged in and hide this annoying thingy-ma-jig.