Dramatic Wedding Photography and Off-Camera Flash Techniques
Dramatic wedding photography is all about the perfect lighting, strong feelings and sharp focus on the subject. To include drama into the photo means to create a mood that stands out. Three key elements are mandatory for a dramatic shot: the selection of perfect subject, lighting and post-editing.
Mastering Off-Camera Flash for Portraits
Off camera flash for dramatic portraits is something we are known for. Key to pulling this shot off was having everything ready before we put the couple in the shot. So, I had my team help me set up the shot with some test shots. As you can see, we had the light on a Manfrotto Nano Stand camera left. The light had to be elevated to ensure it was not coming from below the couple. This tends to look more like horror movie lighting vs light that is in the room. So, getting that light elevated is key to a more pleasing lighting pattern.
The light used was a Profoto A1 with CTO Gel and their Dome Diffuser as the modifier. We shot this at 1/80th of a sec handheld. The reason for this slow shutter speed is to allow the ambient light in the room to create a more balanced shot. If not, you end up with a final shot that seems to have been created in pure darkness with a flashlight look. In addition, using a CTO gel here helped to balance the color of light, something else that will make your images a little stronger.
Lighting and Post-Production Elements
While light is responsible for the creation of a mood in photography, in dramatic photos, it’s a key factor. Lighting should create a strong contrast between black and white. To create an epic shot, an experienced photographer may use a trick or two to make a shot outstanding, such as shooting into the sun, or if indoors, use of widow light can help the process.
Post-production also plays a vital role. This involves modifying color, and adjustments of saturation, shadows and highlights. Some parts of the photo may be blurred to make the subject in the center stand out. Finishing the image in Lightroom and Photoshop brings it all together. We edited out the light and used dodging and burning to really drive you to the couple.
Technical Equipment and Settings
Below are the specific tools and settings used to achieve the dramatic effect in the staircase scene:
| Equipment Type | Model / Setting |
| Camera | Canon 5DM4 |
| Lens | Canon 24-70 2.8 |
| Light | Profoto A1 |
| Modifiers | Profoto CTO Gel and Dome Diffuser |
| Stand | Manfrotto Nano Stand |
| Settings | 24mm, ISO 1600, f5.0 at 1/80th of a sec |
Tips for Achieving the Perfect Shot
To take the best out of the wedding photographs, you should consider the following steps:
- Pick a style that suits you best: When you narrow the choice to a particular style of wedding photographs, you did more than half of the work.
- Make a list of photos you find beautiful: Pinterest, Instagram, and personal galleries are great sources to start from to get an idea of what you want to achieve.
- Get to know the photographer: You need to connect with the photographer before the wedding day to speak about different styles and possibilities.
A great way to connect with the photographer is to shoot some engagement photos to see if you’ll click and ensure you are a perfect match for the specific style.