We asked our model to walk up the stairs, and while she was in the middle of it we asked her to look back. We really liked this idea so we asked her to repeat that couple more times and we picked the best take later. It was tricky because we did not want our model to hurt herself during that, so she had to be extra cautious.
Hey, Marta. Could you walk up the stairs? Perfect, now while still walking look behind you. Awesome, let’s make that one more time.
Calm
Nothing fancy had to be done, we wanted the model to be in the center of the frame (like usual). The light from the window on top of the stairs created a beautifully ethereal atmosphere. We just had to make sure that all the lines were straight because it’s super distracting to us and with photos like that if the lines are not straight it looks very sloppy and accidental.
Center Framed
It was a bridal gown editorial so our main focus was the dress. To blend it with the surroundings and to catch that candid and almost fairytale feel. We moved our focus point over the bride and let the camera lock on. There was plenty of light & contrast so the focusing was very simple.
Single Shot Autofocus
Single Point
The dress
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.
We used only natural light here, from the window above the stairs. Places like this always have the most gorgeous natural light. Since the light was coming from in front of the bride, we had a really nice rim light which helped our bride stick out from the background.
Natural Light
Indoor
Editing was super simple because we loved the raw file itself. We wanted to enhance some things and maybe make the model pop a bit more. Since we underexpose almost every photo with -1eV to -0,5 eV we brighten it up a bit. Everything was done within Adobe Lightroom using our Lit By Film color preset.
The only challenge we had there was rather short daylight time, and we had many dresses to photograph that day. We had to work fast and pre-planned as many shots and spots around the location as we could. There was also very cold, so we had to take of that by making lots of breaks for hot tea.
Try to use every opportunity to take photos. Natural light can change its quality very rapidly.
Roztoka Castle
ul. Zamkowa 3 58-173 Roztoka, Poland
Castle
Poland
Even though the shot itself was pretty easy to execute, the whole experience of making this editorial was invaluable. We love to try new things and each time it takes our creativity to reach completely different places.
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