THE BETTER THE LIGHT, THE BETTER YOUR PHOTOS WILL BE! YOUR PHOTOGRAPHER WILL THANK YOU IF YOU THINK THROUGH THE LIGHTING SITUATIONS IN ALL OF THE AREAS OF YOUR WEDDING DAY.

As a photographer, I love a clean classic style giving full respect to the bold colors and rich black and white tones. In order to fully capture these tones, natural light is key! Planning your wedding? I invite you to think through lighting situations as you plan each moment of your day!

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GETTING READY

You and your ladies are sipping on Starbucks or popping champagne and the gentlemen are lounging before its time to suit up! Let’s make sure that these photos are just as bright and beautiful as the rest of your day! A house, salon, hotel room, or venue suite are a few of the typical options. Be sure to look for spacious areas that are large enough to hold your bridal party (plus hairdressers and or makeup artists for the ladies) as well as parents and friends that might be dropping by. The key here, find spaces that have beautiful windows and a lot of excellent natural light.

 

Bond Got ready at Terra Blanca Winery

The ladies had a beautiful space to lounge and do the final preparations before the ceremony in the Terra Blanca bridal suite. The easy access window light worked perfectly for detail and bridal portraits at the start of the wedding day.

 

 

Tory got ready in her parent’s home

Bridesmaids and family gathered to spend the morning with Tory as she prepared for her wedding day in her parent’s colorful Walla Walla home. The cozy home had ample lighting from numerous windows. See more from Tory’s wedding here.

 

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BRIDE & GROOM, BRIDAL PARTY, AND FAMILY PHOTOS

For all of your formal photos (bride and groom, bridal party, and family), weather permitting, I recommend outdoor locations. These photos will likely be during the brighter parts of the day so start thinking shade as you are scoping out locations. Also check in with your photographer for recommended locations and their thoughts on any locations that you might have found. See more weddings here.

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CEREMONY AND RECEPTION

Outdoor? Indoor? Lighting during the ceremony and reception is one of the harder aspects to control. These beautiful moments from the day range from full sun and very bright to candle lit and very dark. Whatever you choose for your celebration, be sure to communicate the lighting with your photographer so they can plan accordingly. The very bright outdoor ceremony might be best shot from a specific angle to avoid harsh shadows. On the flip side, a dimply lit reception might require the photographer to bring specialized off camera flash equipment.

Low light reception venues: By incorporating off camera flash units across the room, I am able to create beautifully lit images that perfectly show each moment.

Low light private property and backyard weddings: Without the ease of electrical outlets in an outdoor setting, I typically avoid bringing excess flash units and opt for a simple on camera flash to keep the subject bright, but show the ambiance of the evening in the background.

 

Beautiful backyard wedding and reception. The shade didn’t fully extend during their ceremony leaving a smattering of sun spots.

Church and multi lighting ceremony venues. A beautiful church or ceremony venue often has a myriad of different lighting. To keep the attention fully on the ceremony, I don’t use flash during the ceremony. This means that many of these indoor photos may be a little darker, grainier, or black and white.

The ceremony and reception probably have the greatest range of lighting possibilities, we recommend letting your photographer know what you see at the venue and if possibly touring the space with your photographer so they can plan accordingly.

 

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SUNSET PHOTOS

These are always my favorite moments from the day. At this point, you have made it through the ceremony and some of the reception and have had time to relax and enjoy your guests. Take advantage of the best light of the day, it’s called golden hour for a reason!

I hope the light on your wedding day is amazing! CHEERS!
Jordan

 

Getting married in 2019? I would love to chat with you about your wedding photos! Hit the learn more’ button for more information!

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WEDDING & LIFESTYLE PHOTOGRAPHY
by jordan edens photography

LIFESTYLE: A photographer for the sweet moments, memories, and milestones that make up your life! Share the story of your bump, your baby, your senior, your growing family with a lifestyle session. Business lifestyle sessions and headshots also available.

 WEDDING: A photographer for the timeless, hopelessly romantic, adventurous, couple. Specializing in Bride and Groom portraits alongside of the full wedding day story. Classic elements, emotional moments, intimacy, bold coloring, and strong black and white images set my photographer’s heart on fire.

Jordan Edens Photography is a Washington State photographer based out of Richland, and Kennewick; serving the Tri-Cities, Washington and surrounding area with wedding and lifestyle photography. Travel and destination photography for weddings is also available.