Lighting is an essential component of wedding photography. You can have the best photography in the world, but unless you have appropriate lighting or know how to work with what you have or else your images will fail to capture the essentials of the day. Perfect lighting tells a story, adds emotion, and brings the couple's wedding day to life.
Whether you are new to wedding photography or want to improve your skills, these are the useful lighting ideas that can help you to create the stunning wedding images.
6 Indian wedding photography Lighting Tips
Lighting is one of the most difficult aspects when it comes to the wedding photographers. And it varies with each wedding especially for indian weddings, as it has so many functions and ceremony that take place during the Indian weddings. The lighting conditions are not always how you expect. It can be challenging to film in poor lighting, so plan ahead and be prepared.
Learn to see light
If you want to be a skilled wedding photographer, try to learn how to distinguish lights as a professional photographer. You should be able identify the scene's contrast range as well as its highlight points and shadow of the regions. The bright light scene, or the spotlight, is where our eyes are always puzzled. Therefore, make an effort to place your eye on the primary subject in the spotlight section.
Decide your lighting strategy
If there is not enough light around you or you are unable to move your model, you have two options. One option is to push your gear's boundaries by increasing the ISO and widening the aperture.
Second, if you have an assistant on hand, you can use LED panels, on-camera flash, or off-camera flash as artificial lighting sources. Whatever option you select, make sure you are satisfied with it and always have an alternative plans in hand.
Understand your camera and equipment.
When you start deciding on your plan, keep in mind that once you reach your venue, it should only take a few minutes to your setup and ready to start your photography session.
Of-course, it is definitely not an option to try to figure out how to organise your off-camera flashes or adjust your camera settings at the venue; if you are still not familiar with your camera or have recently purchased a new one, try to figure out how to quickly operates it during your free time.
You should be able to quickly install, modify, or replace your light modifiers. So that you have a lot of time to identify with different light modifiers and able to identify which one works best for what.
When in doubt, meter for the face
As previously said, each wedding and event has a distinctive lighting setup. the strategy is based on a variety of criteria. Although it is expected that you are familiar with your equipment and the fundamentals of exposure, it takes time to learn how to take advantage of light.
If you're still learning how to deal with the light condition, try switching to spot metering mode and metering for the face before making a decision. The worst-case scenario is that the background is blown out or blurred. However, as long as the face and skin tones are good and natural, the output will be stunning.
Maintain the mood of the event
Every wedding event has a theme and a different mood settings. For example, mehendi and haldi events are usually organised with bright and colourful settings, mean while the sangeet event is full of party theme with disco lighting setup along with numerous fairy lights and candles.
Try to keep the event's vibe as natural as possible while you are planning your lighting strategy. Changing or using different lighting theme that doesnt suit with the event theme will always provides a flat images. Thats why always go along with the natural or background theme.
Digital Post-Processing: A bright knight
If you find that the venue has poor lighting and you don't have an artificial light arrangement, or you aren't allowed to use it for any reason (like a church or temple), don't be afraid to increase the ISO. It is always preferable to have an underexposed or blurry photo than to have none.
If you shoot in Natural environment without artificial setups, you should be able to save some additional time during post-processing session. However, this should not become a routine.
To get the best in-camera photos, try to find natural lighting or set up artificial light as much as you can. So that you can s ave some time during the post-processing photography session.
Conclusion:
Weddings are packed with emotion, connection, and beauty. Your job is to use light to capture those feelings in the most natural way. The key for getting professional in wedding photography is keep on practising. If you are practised enough, you are able to face with any lighting situations.
FAQ:
What is the best lighting technique in wedding photography?
The best lighting technique in wedding photography is to utilise the natural lightings as possible.
What if the wedding venue has poor lighting?
Bring your off-camera flash and lighting modifiers. Visiting the venue in advance helps you prepare for low-light situations.
Do I need to use flash during a wedding ceremony?
Only if necessary. Flash can be disruptive, especially during some important ceremonial moments. Try using natural light or increase ISO for this kind if situations.
Should I bring extra lighting gear to every wedding?
Yes. Always carry spare batteries, extra lights, and backup memory cards. Indian Weddings are unpredictable, so be perpared for all kind of situations.
