5

CHAPTER
NIGHT AND LOW-LIGHT PHOTOGRAPHY / Weddings, Concerts, and
Other Events

and guests. The combination of low light and

restrictions on flash can be really stressful espe-

cially when you realize that there are no second

chances when shooting a wedding ceremony. The

wedding party are not going to stop the ceremony

to make sure that you are in the right spot or that

the lighting is right. The wedding in Figure 5-2

took place in a synagogue. While the overall light

was rather low, requiring me to use a high ISO of

1600, a relatively slow shutter speed of 1/60 sec-

ond, and a wide f/2.8 aperture, the light never

changed in direction or intensity, making the set-

tings I used consistent as long as the subjects

didn’t move much.

Before the ceremony even starts, it pays to make

sure that your cameras are set up right. Having

the cameras ready to go with the right ISO, aper-

ture, and shutter speed before the ceremony starts

will allow you to focus on the composition

instead of the exposure when the ceremony starts.

This also includes knowing which lenses you will

need and if and when you can use a flash. The

key to getting your cameras ready with the right

settings and with the right lenses is to get to the

wedding site before the wedding starts.

Before the ceremony gets under way, check out

the location and, most importantly, check out the

locations you are going to be photographing from

and how much light will be on the subjects. This

preplanning allows you to be ready with the right

lens and right setting during the ceremony. If

there is not enough time during the wedding

day, then make a point to check out the site

before the wedding, preferably at the same time

of day so that you can see where the light is.

Fortunately, most places of worship are designed

for the congregants to be able to see the front

clearly. This means that there is more light in the

front of the venue, where you need it.

you don’t get a second chance at capturing some
of the most memorable moments in a couple’s
life, including the bride walking down the aisle,
the exchange of vows and rings, the first kiss, and
the celebration that follows. Great wedding pho-
tographers make this all look effortless and the
couple never has a moment of doubt. In reality,
photographing a wedding takes a lot of planning
and practice and shouldn’t be undertaken lightly.
The tips can help you become a better wedding
photographer and a better photographer in gen-
eral, especially when working in situation where
the light is low.

Weddings are usually all-day affairs, with the
bride and groom getting ready, the ceremony, and
then the reception, a time to cut loose. Many
times most of this takes place indoors and under
less-than-optimal lighting conditions. Even when
the ceremony is outdoors, it may be later in the
day or timed with the sunset. Because portraits
and photographing people indoors and in low
light are covered in Chapter 4, this section con-
centrates on getting the best images during the
ceremony and reception.

The ceremony

The wedding ceremony is the most important
part of the wedding day. It is when the actual
marriage happens and can go by really fast. All
that planning and preparation culminate in a
ceremony that not only joins a bride to her groom
but also combines two families. This gives you
many subjects for the limited time you have to
shoot during a wedding ceremony.

When a wedding ceremony happens in a place of
worship, it is often not a well or evenly lit space.
Additionally, you may be asked not to use a flash
or any type of extra lighting during the ceremony
as it can be very distracting to the bride, groom,