We’re often asked, “Why do your party photos looks so good?”
Three words: Off Camera Flash!
There’s nothing like it to make your party photos sing!
Not all photographers use off camera flash, it’s a little tricky to master and it’s a two person job. That’s no problem for Team Snap though, during the reception one of shoots and the other is the lighting assistant. I have photos to illustrate, naturally. {P.S. This is the ballroom at Rosecliff}.
Sometimes we’ll shoot right into the off camera flash, which becomes a fun element in the photo. It’s great in a shot like this because it lights the whole crowd. {This is Belle Mer’s dance floor}.
Here’s an example of what the first dance scene looked like at an Ochre Court wedding, off camera flash included.
Here’s the shot Trish captured, the flash is left of camera at 8:00 o’clock. I love how it’s lighting the bride up.
We’re using two off camera flashes here. One behind the couple to create a hair light {you can see this one in the image} and one on the left, off camera to light the faces of the crowd which are turned toward the person toasting and the second light. Bam! You can see everyone’s expressions. {This is Castle Hill}.
This is the same lighting scenario, Trish has just moved and is shooting through the two best men who are giving the toast. I love the lighting in this shot, perfection!
In this photo, Trish {the shooter} is staying in the same position and I {the lighting assistant} am swiveling the light from the best man to the bride and groom depending on who she’s shooting. I love how dramatic the lighting is in these. We’re using just one light. {This is Belle Mer’s Water Salon}.
Off camera flash can be subtle too. Trish could have shot this scene with no flash at all, but had she done that the view outside the windows would have been completely white and washed out. You can tell this image has off camera flash because of the shadows it created behind the flower arrangements. {This is Oceancliff}.
I love off camera flash because once the beautiful natural light of the day is gone and night time has set in, you need to add a little light to give the photos a little somethin’ somethin’.
Right? This image would be so flat without off camera flash. It’s literally popping!
So that’s my little lesson on why your wedding reception photos are going to look so good! You can’t get photos to look like this with a phone or even a fancy camera unless you have the magic lighting stick and mad lighting skills. {PS How cute is my friend Leah}?
Two disclaimers about this post:
Number one, the top photo is of Trish and our awesome videographer friend, Meg Simone with the incomparable Beantown Band. They’re so flippin’ good they even get the photographers on the dance floor! The flash on top of Trish’s camera is an example of ON Camera Flash. This is the opposite of what we’re talking about. LOL!
Number Two, the real lighting expert is Trish. She usually shoots the reception photos and I assist {which means I stand where she tells me}. She gives me a complicated serious of hand gestures that I never understand to tell me where she wants me to be. I usually make mean faces at her and mouth WHAT?! So if you see me doing that, don’t be alarmed, it’s not you- it’s her. LOL.
