Blog

Welcome to the Steve May Blog.

Using Window Light

Hi, I'm Steve May, A Cheshire Wedding Photographer, and this is my third post on my blog.

Rightly or wrongly, I never wanted my blog to be dedicated to wedding photography, after all I have four other pages which are purely dedicated to that. No, I wanted some of my own photography in here, but strongly linked to wedding photography. I’m using my camera throughout the week, testing new ideas, practicing and keeping perfect the skills I already have. I leave nothing to chance on the big day.


However, I couldn’t resist with this wedding photograph. It was an absolutely gorgeous location, a weeping willow tree in a large garden at the location. On the day it also had torrential rain, the willow really was weeping. Whilst my equipment can withstand a reasonable amount of rain, this was the kind of rain the bride and groom couldn’t withstand. Could you imagine the very expensive hairdo all washed out, no, neither could they. So indoors it all had to be.


Wedding photography is a highly skilled occupation, you must be able to shoot quickly with and without the sun outdoors, into the sun and in the shade, and get a result every time. You must certainly be able to work indoors, with and without flash. I like natural light, first it is natural (we try to copy it with our flash units), second it is very quick to work with.

 

 

 

Window light is my favourite lighting indoors. With the photograph above it was a very simple case of ‘could you stand here please, turn this way a little’….click, done. Sure, the photograph is posed, but done within 30 seconds. This is a classically lit photograph as well, Rembrandt lighting it is called. We portrait and wedding photographers have long since copied the methods of the Masters such as Rembrandt. With no lighting equipment Rembrandt would sit his subject near a window, angle the face away from the light until a little triangle of light remained on the cheek nearest the camera. You see this in most of his paintings….hence, Rembrandt lighting. A beautiful, classically lit photograph done within 30 seconds and showing all the detail in the dress.

 

 

I am a Cheshire Wedding Photographer, for any further information please do not hesitate to get in touch with me via the details on the Contacts page.

Back to blog Published May 11 2013