Wedding Photography Equipment Part 4 – Lighting

***Interested in having me as your personal coach for 8 weeks and help you fast track your success in wedding photography? Book a free 45-minute strategy session with me now and let’s chat in the next few days.***

—–

***Tips and insights on how to use different lighting techniques during a wedding day and what lighting gear I use in my wedding photography equipment kit.***

***OVERVIEW***

In this fourth episode of my five-part video series about wedding photography equipment, I wanted to focus on the lighting gear that I use to capture the various different parts of a wedding day.

There are many different lighting techniques you can use and it’s critical that you understand how they work if you want to be able to capture beautiful images.

When it comes to lighting equipment, there are only really two different types I use – a portable flash with a wireless trigger and a video light.

The portable flash can be used either on-camera or off-camera on a monopod or light stand, while the video light can be mounted on a stand or held by an assistant or second shooter to achieve the power and angle of light you require.

In addition to introducing the different lighting wedding photography equipment I use, I’ll also explain why I went with this setup and how both pieces of gear can be used during different parts of the wedding day.

I’ll share with you the instances during the getting ready when I might use a flash to capture details shots and chat about the importance of not allowing the external flash to be overpowering.

When it comes to the ceremony, I might use an external lighting source if the sun’s already gone down or during indoor ceremonies when there’s no natural light available.

Always keep in mind that churches sometimes have restrictions about the use of external light sources. As much as possible, I try to use natural light for portraits of the bride and groom but there are some instances when you have to shoot in low-light conditions and a video light or monopod+flash combination is required.

But when it comes to the reception, I’ll use my lighting equipment almost 100% of the time. I might ask my assistant to hold the monopod+flash to capture details shots of the reception decor or a video light on a stand to boost the light, without overpowering the ambiance of the room.

It goes without saying that there is no perfect lighting setup to cover every situation and finding the right lighting technique to achieve your desired results comes with practice.

For examples of how I use external lighting sources in my wedding day images, please check out my portfolio at

***USEFUL LINKS***

***Check out my toolbox of all the gear and software I use in my business.***

—–

***Subscribe and listen to my wedding photography podcast, new episodes every Thursday.***