We placed the couple in the bottom third of the image and leaned out as far as possible above them to ensure they were entirely framed on the patio with no lines going through their bodies. We shot portrait orientation as we wanted to capture some of the setting along with their first dance. We love the leading lines the shadows created, adding to the image + drawing your eye right to the couple.
Center Framed
For this image, I held my camera over the balcony and shot in live view in order to get the angle I wanted. As I was shooting handheld as opposed to using the viewfinder I used single point AF along with a slightly higher f/stop to give me a better chance at getting my subjects in focus.
Single Shot Autofocus
Single Point
The Couple
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.
To ensure the couple would be in the evening sun + not shadowed by the venue, we asked them them to dance on a specific section of the balcony to be able to use the side light coming from the west. I made sure to position myself at a slight angle in order to capture the majority of their bodies in the light from my perspective.
Natural Light
Afternoon
Sunny
We added our preset which warmed up the image. We removed anything distracting + added some grain. We have been tweaking a VSCO Preset for 10 years to get it just right.
I think the biggest challenge in taking this image was getting up to the balcony, finding the right perspective, and ensuring it was in focus all before the dance was over.
I was able to find a sturdy chair to stand on and achieved the angle desired by shooting in live view.
Pointhouse Suites on Sargeant Bay
7747 Kenyon Rd, Halfmoon Bay, BC V0N 1Y1
Wedding / Event Venue
Canada
Don’t just settle for the safe shot. Yes, make sure you get it but once you do challenge yourself to find a unique outlook to a common event you see at every wedding. Look for ways to take your images to the next level through interesting compositions + different perspectives.
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