- Artificial Light
- moon
- Square Crop
- Sitting
- simple
- Rocks
- night
- natural frames
- Moody
- Beach
- Leading lines
- holding hands
- Dark
- Center Framed
- Candles
- calm
- Wide
The story behind the image
Directions
Describe how you spoke to your subject(s)
I asked the newlyweds to settle as comfortably as possible in the central part of the bay (as silly as it sounds because it is about sharp rocks). Then I did variations on the theme. At first, the groom sat just next to the bride but then I asked him if he could sit a bit further back as I knew he would be much more relaxed when I put him at them. Apart from this, I didn’t give too many directions as I wanted the couple to really feel in the moment and not be disturbed be me or my voice.
What did you say?
Can you sit a bit further back, and hold each other. Forget about me and only focus on each other and the moment.
Tone of Directions
Calm
Composition
I like symmetry, so the environment in which I take photos is very important to me. What inspires me the most is the asymmetrical part of nature in which I try to find symmetry after all. When it comes to the composition in this photo, I wanted the newlyweds to be in the middle of the bay to get the feeling of a “framed fairytale photo.”
framing
Center Framed
Focusing
Describe how you spoke to your subject(s)
When it comes to focusing, if it’s a portrait, it’s definitely about the model. If it is about clients who are in a natural environment, it is important to me that both the subjects and the landscape itself are in focus, so then I work on slightly higher apertures. In this photo, my focal point was on the bride’s head because it is on the same line as with the groom so there was no fear that any of them would be out of focus. I was at a distance which, despite the small aperture of f / 1.6, gives sharpness to the background itself.
Focus Mode
Single Shot Autofocus
Focus POints
Single Point
Focused on
The brides head
Equipment &
Exif
Camera
Lens
Flash
Filter
1/125 @ f/1.6 ISO500 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 took the photos at dusk (blue hour) and as the sun was setting behind the couple, darkness quickly swallowed us up so I had lanterns that helped me light up the model’s faces. Since the light was so soft and low at this point, it didn’t really matter where I placed my couple. That meant I could focus on the composition more than how the light would affect everything.
Light Type
Artificial Light
Time of day
Night
Editing Workflow
How did you edit this image?
My photos are mostly underexposed since the presets I made are adapted to that. When processing, it is important for me that the photo is warmer and ‘pinot’ is the color of my skin. I used the brush on parts of the dress and the shadows were lightened on the parts of the face. A small grain that mimics the film has been added to the photo. Later in Photoshop I inserted more candles on the rocks and added in the moon just above the newlyweds.
Editing Software
Adobe Lightroom Classic
Preset Used
Own Preset
Challenges
The biggest challenge was that the “blue hour” is very short, especially in the bays of Malta, so I had to take as many photos in different poses in a short time.
Solutions
In such situations, it is necessary to tell the Bride more what to do because men are, according to some unwritten rule, “stiff” and it is harder to work with them.
Location
Location Name
Near Popeye Village in Malta
Location aDDRESS
Anchor Bay, Triq Tal-Prajjet, Il-Mellieħa, Malta
Loation Type
Beach / Coastal
Country
Malta
When it comes to the blue hour, keep in mind that the usable light fades really fast and so you have to be quite fast. It’s definitely a good idea to have a few ideas in your mind before so you don’t spend too much time guessing. It also helps to direct the Bride more than the groom since they are a lot more ‘open’ to directions initially.
