Finding some weird light sit straight up weird it's a weird room weird angles I love the light I don't love the room wood brick different would different brick metal stuff lots of stuff so I had already asked the makeup artist when she was done doing everyone's hair and makeup did she mind just cleaning up a little bit so I wanted to use that window for a portrait of the bride choosing to make her a silhouette was not only what I wanted and what I thought the image merited artistically but it allowed me to negate a lot of the stuff in the image that I didn't like and I like this I like the composition I like it just fine but it's not enough for me because what is it missing it's missing that first let's missing a moment she's just kind of standing that I told her to hold it and look at it and she wass and you can tell she is and it doesn't the light is nice but it doesn't to me show the drama of that light in that scene so what do I d'oh? I make a few changes, same settings I stepped b...

ack I opened up a little bit and I had her move I actually had her was like aaron, just start fluffing around with your veil and actually actually move with it because you can tell when something is fake versus when something is a natural movement I allowed in more of the edges around the frame because the darkness made the light more prominent. Again, detail. Window. Distance from window ice bucket scoop. Like that same light, same principles, same setting principles. I just couldn't find anything all that great to put the rings on or in. So I pulled these silver scoop out of the ice bucket, propped it up on a scarf so that it was at the right angle. And there you go. And from there, without really changing 00:01:58.559 --> 00:02:02. settings, I shot a vertical. And then I grabbed a 00:02:02.03 --> 00:02:03. piece of ice and put the engagement ring on it. 00:02:05.32 --> 00:02:07. Nice and simple. If you do put an engagement ring 00:02:07.43 --> 00:02:09. or anything metal on ice, it melts super fast. It's, 00:02:09.99 --> 00:02:10. just science. 00:02:14.12 --> 00:02:16. Look for the light remember me talking about that 00:02:16.53 --> 00:02:19. at the very beginning find the light first when you 00:02:19.45 --> 00:02:22. find the light first everything else will fall in 00:02:22.0 --> 00:02:25. for you you see up here this right up here that's 00:02:25.04 --> 00:02:28. my assistant's dress those air her legs underneath 00:02:28.55 --> 00:02:31. it she's holding the bride's veil up its picture with 00:02:31.3 --> 00:02:34. my iphone but you can see it's a little over exposed 00:02:34.89 --> 00:02:35. right 00:02:36.42 --> 00:02:39. be smarter than your camera if you need to adjust 00:02:39.21 --> 00:02:41. your exposure to get it correct whether you're on 00:02:41.78 --> 00:02:45. aperture priority or on manual get there I love that 00:02:45.73 --> 00:02:48. image makes me really happy who's in 00:02:49.72 --> 00:02:52. so you say look for the light we have a couple of 00:02:52.61 --> 00:02:54. people who are talking about sort of the opposite 00:02:54.69 --> 00:02:58. problem which is having too much light for example 00:02:58.69 --> 00:03:02. shooting a beach ceremony at noon when you're outside 00:03:02.66 --> 00:03:05. and there is no like there's no trees to go against 00:03:05.13 --> 00:03:09. there's no buildings to create shadows the issue is 00:03:09.45 --> 00:03:12. is that none of this is universal. First of all, I'm 00:03:12.02 --> 00:03:13. shooting a detail and I'm shooting it in an indoor 00:03:13.97 --> 00:03:16. location that's not the same as shooting a ceremony 00:03:16.42 --> 00:03:17. on the beach course 00:03:18.32 --> 00:03:21. and shooting ceremony you have absolutely no say so 00:03:21.21 --> 00:03:24. over where it set up or where they're angled or why 00:03:24.34 --> 00:03:26. in the world did you angle the ceremony in this direction? 00:03:26.54 --> 00:03:30. The light is that direction. You can't change things 00:03:30.05 --> 00:03:33. there, you can't be overtly creative in this kind 00:03:33.69 --> 00:03:36. of way there because you can't manipulate that scene 00:03:36.33 --> 00:03:38. if you don't have a dark background to put your subject 00:03:38.73 --> 00:03:41. against you don't have one and you can't step in and 00:03:41.29 --> 00:03:44. stop the ceremony and moving around on dh sometimes 00:03:44.46 --> 00:03:46. with portrait you don't have it either you just have 00:03:46.8 --> 00:03:47. to do what you can do 00:03:49.32 --> 00:03:52. and is there anything that you can do in a beach ceremony 00:03:52.87 --> 00:03:57. is there pride I mean it's it's hard right like my 00:03:57.64 --> 00:03:59. personal favorite humorously this venue that we're 00:03:59.84 --> 00:04:02. looking at right here a lot of times when they have their ceremony outside they are staring kind of the setting sun is over there the ceremony is here on the light would be in a great angle if you didn't have a waist high railing and the river behind it so your options are either a silhouette or ninety two stops overexposed and they look like they're standing on the sun like I can't control that you can't change it I can't stop the ceremony and move it all you can do is all you can do in a situation like this we're talking here about finding things that are beautiful and working with them in situations that you can in some way control ceremonies are always one hundred percent out of your control you know not to belabor the rings to death so we kind of skipped through the rings a little a little more quickly but I found this beautiful patch of light and it's. A teeny tiny patch of light. So we went first with the groom's ring f sixteen so that the entire inscription is in focus. Exposure. Compensation down two stops, because it is so bright and so dark at the same time. The bride's ring is sitting on the sparkly wedge of her shoes. Exposure, compensation. Three stops under because it is so bright versus being so dark at the same time. And then just changing my angle of you for a slightly subtly different look.

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Susan Stripling

Susan Stripling never knew that she'd end up a wedding photographer. Though she purchased her first camera in high school she went to college to study theatre and dance, obtaining a BFA in 2001. Shortly upon her move to New

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topics covered in this class

Wedding Photography Lighting

Ratings and Reviews

user 1c7bd6

Wow! Fabulous course! Ditto with the above reviews! Thank you, Susan, for giving us such helpful information for shooting weddings in such challenging situations. You have such a brilliant and quick mind for making the magic happen! The camera settings by each photograph was so very helpful. Since I didn't write anything down I shall be in search of your books. Susan's class is a must for anyone considering a career in Wedding Photography. Thank you Suan and Creative Live!

Kat Penniman

As the description says: MAKE SOMETHING OUT OF NOTHING! Spot on! Thank you Susan for sharing what you know and helping me become a more creative photographer despite less-than-perfect scenarios. As photographers, oftentimes, we find ourselves placed in a position where we are expected to create beautiful photos in the midst of difficult situations like low light scenes or crappy background. Her explanations are very clear and she definitely knows her craft. She cares about her clients and she's determined to give them great pictures despite what's thrown at her. If you are a strobist or use flash in most of your work, this course is not for you. But if you a natural light photographer and sometimes struggles to take photos indoor where light source is very challenging, take this course! You won't regret it!

Jessica Lindsay-Sonkin

Susan is amazing. This class is a pile of case studies, with behind the scenes and camera settings, to help you find the light. There are parts that can be repetitive, but that is because Susan is passionate about helping photographers memorize this message and put it into practice. A worthwhile watch!

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Creating Dramatic Light Scenario

Creating Dramatic Light Scenario

Lesson Info

14. Creating Dramatic Light Scenario

Lessons

Class Introduction

Looking for the Fundamentals in Photography

Equipment Selection: Lens Breakdown

The Importance of the Moments

Macro Wedding Ring Scenario

Brides Reflection in the Mirror Scenario

Family Moment Scenario

Using Light in Interesting Ways Scenario

Setting Up the Scene Scenario

How to Combine Lights in Scene Scenario

Dark Background & Light Foreground Scenario

Working Through a Scene Scenario

Shooting Complex Detail Scenario