Akbar Photo

Good lighting can be the difference between really good and really bad wedding photos. While your wedding photographer is likely prepared for any type of lighting situation, there are things that you can do to ensure you get the best photos at the ceremony as well as the wedding reception. This gives the wedding photographer the best chance at delivering perfect photos of your wedding day.

If you are planning on taking most or all of your wedding photo inside, this is something that you need to let your wedding photographer know in advance. You might even need to arrange for the photographer to visit the location of the wedding ahead of time so that he can get an idea of the type of lighting situation he will be dealing with. A place with windows is good for natural lighting, but blinding rays of direct sunlight can be a problem. You might want to bring some light curtains that can cover the windows, yet still allow in some light. If the venue has north facing windows, these are the best for natural light without a direct sunlight problem.

Reception lighting needs can vary depending on the location. For an outdoor reception,  try to get a tent to cover the dance floor. This gives the wedding photographer better lighting when using a flash since the light can bounce off the tent roof. You can also use the tent to create a soft lighting situation by hanging lights from the roof. For an indoor reception, the photographer can bring his own lighting equipment or you can get creative with it. If you want a romantic mood, try using a lot of candles or strings of white Christmas tree lights around the room. Give your wedding photographer a heads up so that he is prepared for the lighting situation.

If you are going to be using a DJ as your reception, this can create a lighting problem for the wedding photographer. Consult with the DJ to determine if moving lights or strobe lights are going to be used as part of his act. If so, you need to either find out exactly what type of lighting the DJ has or put the photographer in touch with the DJ. With the moving lights that DJs commonly use, it is difficult for the wedding photographer to determine the correct exposure when taking photos. To avoid taking bad photos, the photographer usually has to result to using a strong flash in an attempt to overpower the moving DJ lights. This results in the subjects of the photos being kind of bleached out while the background is completely black. These do not make the best wedding reception photos. For the best results, you can request that the DJ use only stationary lights or moving lights that only project on the ceiling or the walls. Neither of these options interfere with the wedding photographer’s lighting. Only when the lights are hitting the guests does it interfere with the wedding photography. 

Brandis Alves is a Minneapolis Wedding Photographer.

Whether you are a realtor or you just want some pictures of your own home, taking great home photos can be difficult.  Bad lighting, cramped spaces, window glare and more can get in the way, and when you finally get the perfect shot ,you realize you left your underwear, or something equally embarassing lying on the bed. 

Fortunately we are here to give you some tips to help you uses your camera to take some  great property photos, turning even the dingiest dungeon of a room in to something that looks amazing!

Step One – Spruce Up

Before you take any pictures you want to spend some time sprucing your home up.  Make everything look neat and tidy, clean up any small messes, and clean up the clutter. 

If you are renting a property out, you will probably want a professional deep cleaning services to come in and do a really thorough job of cleaning things up to make sure there is zero dust, and absolutely no mess.

Step Two – Use the Right Lens

Make sure you use the right lens. A basic lens will not give you the best home photos, but you can use a lens such as a Fisheye lens to not only show more of each room, but also make it look even bigger than it really is!

There is a reason that every real estate photo taken uses a fish eye lens, it simple makes each image look better!

Step Three – Practice!

You might have a clean home and the right lens, but don’t expect to take a great photograph without a little practice.  Spend some time taking pictures of each room, figure out which angles work best for you.  

In most cases it helps if you stand in the corner of a room and shoot in to it, it makes the room look much larger and more open.  Another trick to help with this is to shoot towards an area of the room which has the least amount of stuff in it. For instance, if you are shooting the bedroom, don’t make the bed the focus of your shot!

By taking these three simple tips in to account you should quickly begin to learn how to take perfect property photos quickly and easily!