Bridal Portrait Day
I was asked by a friend a long time ago to shoot her bridal portraits. The day finally came this past weekend and we met up for the shoot.
Now I haven't done very many bridals (this was my 2nd) but I figured they are pretty close to regular portraits so that is how I approached the job.
The location was a covered bridge in Richardson. Despite being a great location, I had some lighting issues that really worried me at first. It was later in the day (around 4:45) and the sun was pouring down through trees creating that horrible splotchy light that tree leafs make. Fortunately on the far side of the bridge I was able to find some shade where I could pose the bride-to-be and light her independently.
I started out with just a flash hitting her directly and decided that a softbox would be a better choice after seeing how one whole side of her face was full of shaddows.
I put the softbox to the right, just out of frame and as close to the bride-to-be as I could get it.
The second light was up high, and left with a snoot and a 1/2 cto gel to try to simulate some sunlight. I probably should have gone full cto but I was too busy worrying about the wind (which was blowing pretty hard the entire time) to go over and readjust. I pointed the snoot at her hair and got to shooting.
You can see the wind's effect on the vail and dress - but I almost like it.
The next setup was mid bridge, with her looking back at me.
I put the softbox camera right again, a bit farther away this time and just hit her from about waist up with it. The 2nd light was gelled and snooted still and on the left side, hitting her right in the face. Finally I put a third light on the railing of the bridge to hit her in the back creating a rim light effect on her arm and back.
This one is my favorite.
Finally we moved to a location a bit farther up north - still on the same little creek.
I put her on a water fall (normally water would be going across it but the stream was low) and then worked on lights again.
First I had a bare flash camera right, up on the ledge pointing directly at her.
The 2nd light was up high behind her to the left hitting her in the back of the head and shoulder. I did this to try to create separation between her and the background.
Finally a 3rd light was snooted and gelled and shot at the trees behind her to try to create a different plane of light.
The orange-looking light section was from the sun setting. It worked out really nicely and added an extra point of light in the image to make the background a bit more interesting.
Those are probably the 3 best from the shoot. It was only about an hour and 15 minutes or so. We had to call it becaue she was feeling faint from the dress being too tight.
Comments and critiques are welcome.
Now I haven't done very many bridals (this was my 2nd) but I figured they are pretty close to regular portraits so that is how I approached the job.
The location was a covered bridge in Richardson. Despite being a great location, I had some lighting issues that really worried me at first. It was later in the day (around 4:45) and the sun was pouring down through trees creating that horrible splotchy light that tree leafs make. Fortunately on the far side of the bridge I was able to find some shade where I could pose the bride-to-be and light her independently.
I started out with just a flash hitting her directly and decided that a softbox would be a better choice after seeing how one whole side of her face was full of shaddows.
I put the softbox to the right, just out of frame and as close to the bride-to-be as I could get it.
The second light was up high, and left with a snoot and a 1/2 cto gel to try to simulate some sunlight. I probably should have gone full cto but I was too busy worrying about the wind (which was blowing pretty hard the entire time) to go over and readjust. I pointed the snoot at her hair and got to shooting.
You can see the wind's effect on the vail and dress - but I almost like it.
The next setup was mid bridge, with her looking back at me.
I put the softbox camera right again, a bit farther away this time and just hit her from about waist up with it. The 2nd light was gelled and snooted still and on the left side, hitting her right in the face. Finally I put a third light on the railing of the bridge to hit her in the back creating a rim light effect on her arm and back.
This one is my favorite.
Finally we moved to a location a bit farther up north - still on the same little creek.
I put her on a water fall (normally water would be going across it but the stream was low) and then worked on lights again.
First I had a bare flash camera right, up on the ledge pointing directly at her.
The 2nd light was up high behind her to the left hitting her in the back of the head and shoulder. I did this to try to create separation between her and the background.
Finally a 3rd light was snooted and gelled and shot at the trees behind her to try to create a different plane of light.
The orange-looking light section was from the sun setting. It worked out really nicely and added an extra point of light in the image to make the background a bit more interesting.
Those are probably the 3 best from the shoot. It was only about an hour and 15 minutes or so. We had to call it becaue she was feeling faint from the dress being too tight.
Comments and critiques are welcome.
posted by raydetwiler at
4:29 PM
1 Comments:
I love number 2, the light is amazing in all of them. Great work, I bet she loved them!
Jessi
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