Antelope Island Bride
Feb, 2014Views
3736
Likes
Awards
Chatter Award
Legendary Award
Contest Finalist in Dresses Photo Contest
Contest Finalist in Elegance In Nature Photo Contest
Featured
Featured
Contest Finalist in Beautiful Brides Photo Contest
Contest Finalist in Magical Portraits Photo Contest
Peer Award
Superb Composition
Absolute Masterpiece
Top Choice
Outstanding Creativity
All Star
Magnificent Capture
Superior Skill
Exceptional Contrast
Jaw Dropping
Genius
Emotions
Impressed
Top Ranks
Top 10 rankTop 10 rank week 1
Top 30 rankTop 10 rank week 1
Top 20 rank
Categories
Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
Discover more photos See all
Behind The Lens
Location
This photo was taken at Antelope Island out in the Great Salt Lake of Salt Lake City, Utah.Time
We shot this photo around mid-day just past noon.Lighting
The lighting on this photo was the difficult due to the harshness of a mid-day sun and a cloudless sky. In order to balance the light out to get a proper exposure I had an assistant bounce the light off camera left while setting up a speedlight on camera right.Equipment
For this shot I used a Canon 7D with a 17-40mm L f4 lens. The camera was tripod mounted with my assistant using a reflector disk while I managed a Canon 430 ex flash off to the side.Inspiration
This was part of a bridal shoot series where the bride wanted to showcase her dress out at the Great Salt Lake. Many photographers in the area resort to doing photoshoots at the famous Salt Flats so I wanted to try something different. The colors in the rocks matched with those of her dress while the blue sky gave a nice contrast to the warm tones. I approached this more as a fashion shoot than a bridal shoot focusing on glamour lighting and color palette overall.Editing
I chose a panoramic crop on this image to bring a new style to the typical portrait image. After slight adjustments to color tones, contrast, highlights and shadows I went on to do basic skin tone corrections.In my camera bag
My equipment is generally as basic as it can get. My Canon 7D is my only body with a battery pack grip attached, I have a 70-200mm for telephoto images, a 17-40 for wide angle and a 50mm for general portrait work. I always carry my tripod, reflector and 430ex camera with me. Having limited options in my bag allows me to push myself to be creative with how I approach an image. Rather than taking an easier way to get the final shot using more updated equipment, I am forced to slow down and take my time developing a plan for the final shot using the limited gear at my disposal.Feedback
My advice to anyone shooting a bridals or portraiture in general is to really think about the final piece and how each and every element will tell your story. From composition to the color tonality in the image every element of the photograph must interact with each other to give your viewer an overall glimpse into your vision. Most people want to rush through portrait sessions and snap hundreds of images to give their clients. This usually ends up with a few great shots being overshadowed by otherwise rushed and sloppy work. Slow down, evaluate the image and communicate to the subject. If something is not working, say so and let them know how to improve the image. Most subjects I shoot are not models nor do they get photos taken very often. It's my job to get them comfortable and have them practice a few poses and techniques before I even pick up the camera. In harsh lighting such as this I tell my subjects to close their eyes, relax their brow and then open them on the count of three. This process is repeated several times with changes in the way they hold their breath to the expression on their face. If you're not getting the look you're going for, find a sample image that you can show them to help them mirror that look.
