Have you seen our most recent Photos of the Day on social media? Each day on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, we feature a wedding photo or portrait that strikes us as one of the most interesting images in wedding and portrait photography. This week, we wrap up our Lighting Week with a look back at some of the most illuminating images of the past five days as we ask the creatives behind the photos to detail the backstory and technical approach.

Monday: A Magical Beam of Light

Photographed with natural light by Tomasz Rossa while on location at a private pool in Las Vegas. “This is part of my ongoing underwater personal work,” says Rossa. “I have been shooting in that pool on quite a few occasions through out many years. On this particular shoot it was only me and Japanese synchronized swimmer Natsumi Miyazaki and gorgeous natural light. A few weeks out of the year, the sun’s position allows this magical beam of light to be created in the pool; it lasts for about an hour or so.”

Tuesday: Recreating Wintertime Daylight at Night

⁠ “After arriving at the venue it was already super dark, but I wanted to create something that would really impress my clients, couple Gabrielle and Matt,” says Hudson Valley, New York, wedding photgrapher Aly Kuler. “I wanted to create daylight coming from the window to give the feeling that they were there during the daytime. I had one Godox Ad200 with 1/4 CTO Gel with a Magsphere at 1/1 full power from outside the window and directed to the couple’s faces.”
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Venue: Estate Florentine Gardens
Dress: Jaehee Bridal
Tux: Biltmore Tuxedos

Wednesday: Lighting Different Shapes, Shadows and Angles

Photographed at the Galgorm Resort in Northern Ireland by Ivan and Shirley Johnston of Alexander and Eve, this scenario seemed the perfect way to wrap up the portrait session, according to the photographers.

“Ciara and Jason are one of the most stylish couples we have every met,” Ivan explains, and we wanted to do something different for them. “Their wedding was on a sunny crisp January day and dinner was held by candlelight. It was freezing cold outside and close to midnight but we told the couple what we planned and they were up for anything.”

The two photographers walked the couple, says Ivan, beyond the prettiness of the manicured lawns to the “darkest not so pretty spot” in the venue that they had scouted out earlier in the evening. “We knew it was perfect for what we wanted to create,” he adds. “Shirley positioned the couple and the projector, which was connected to an iPhone to display the images onto the wall behind the couple. We had tons of fun using projecting different shapes, shadows and angles. We love playing with the light in this format to create dramatic images that goes beyond the comfort zone of wedding photography.”

Thursday: Strobes No, Candlelight Yes

Photographer Joshua Dwain was on assignment for MunaLuchi Bride for their 2019 Winter Issue when he took this glowing image. It was also his first cover shoot.

“We had been creating amazing images for sometime before this photo was captured using strobe lights,” Dwain explains. “However, no matter how good the photos I took were, I often tend to get bored over time, and that’s what happened here. I decide to switch things up by only using available candlelight. The warm tones of the candlelight created a feeling of softness and peace. A feeling that I couldn’t achieve with strobes.”

Dwain adds that the subject’s dress was the catalyst for shooting among the Candelabras. “If she had worn a traditional white wedding dress, I doubt that I would’ve shot and posed her this way.”

Friday: Post-Wedding Session Outdoors

“I’m thrilled when clients like Melissa and Sean, who loved their wedding images, ask for another session to add to their family’s lineage,” says photographer Cliff Mautner “This is an image of bride Melissa taken in Philadelphia’s Glendinning Rock Garden during her ‘post wedding’ session.”
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Adds Mautner: “I am attracted to scenes like this, a juxtaposition of the softness and beauty of my subject with the gritty texture of the stone structure of this park.” 

Dig into the Photo of the Day archives for more compelling imagery.