Farmers Image of The Week #300

Nikon D750 | Sigma Art 35mm 1.4

ISO 800 | f2.5 | 1/640 

Preset : DVLOP Two Mann Studios

How do you get on in that heatwave last weekend? I don’t remember ever shooting a wedding in such intense heat, it was crazy. But you have to be prepared for absolutely anything in this career. And that might include the carnage that can be bridal prep rooms. Whilst I do love a nice pre-wedding bridal portrait, it can sometimes be a challenge. You want to express that serenity and bridal glow but you might be working in a messy functional hotel room that is not as pretty as it could be. Well there are ways and means of eliminating elements from a shot and one technique is to take control of the light. That way you are only highlighting what you want and disguising what you don’t. This is an incredible example of that exact method that Lauren Henson has picked up from her class at last year’s Farmers Market with the inspiring Paulo Santos. It reminds me of Vermeer’s Girl With A Pearl Earring because of the dark background and directional light. And also this beautiful bride’s headwear. It looks simple but is a very accomplished portrait.

Read below for Lauren’s Story Behind The Shot …

What Lauren says ...

The bride Aziza is originally from Lybia, she wanted a really relaxed humanist ‘English type’ wedding. However stuck to traditions with her headdress. The style came from Turkish and Lebanese influences. The room was a little cluttered (as it always is on a wedding morning) and there were many people in the room. I wanted to get a portrait of Aziza, but with not a lot of time and not a lot of room I took inspiration from Paulo Santos at Photography Farm. There were so many windows, I shut all the curtains in the room apart from one small window to allow a small amount of a light in. I exposed for highlights on Aziza’s face, which meant all the clutter in the background was left in darkness! Woohoo!”