When JD Swiger, of John David Weddings in Austin, Texas, photographs a wedding, his approach remains consistent, with a strong emphasis on portraits and emotions. This was especially the case at this wedding between Liz and Conner Clay at the Sunset Ridge Church of Christ in San Antonio, Texas, with a reception held at St. Anthony Hotel, also in San Antonio.

Says Swiger: “Evolutionarily as humans, we are wired to focus in on eyes and expression, and so I try to do that when shooting during the wedding day to really capture the faces that we are searching for in a scene.”

For portraits, the photographer uses his Profoto B1 and the Elinchrom Rotalux Deep Octabox. He also uses a homemade Rosco Metalix silver pebble bounce card that adds a beautiful fill to the shadows. “The silver card is usually placed on the opposite side where my Profoto flash is to add the fill to the eyes and hair opposite of the light,” he explains. “When shooting in natural light, I prefer a strong light cut by a wall or a texture and to place my subjects in the slivers of light to give the portrait a dramatic look and style. Often times when I’m outside, I will bring my silver cards to add a little pop in the eyes and hair for more drama.”

GEAR OF THE DAY
Cameras: Canon 5D Mark IV (x2)
Lenses: Sigma Art f/1.4 35mm and 50mm, Canon 85mm f/1.2 , Canon 70-200mm f/2.8
Lighting: Profoto B1 (x3), Canon Speedlite 600EX II-RT, Elinchrom Rotalux Deep Octabox (100cm/39 inches), Profoto M umbrella with sock, homemade silver bounce card

VENDOR CREDITS
Wedding coordinator: THE ROAD TO MARRIAGE
Wedding ceremony site: SUNSET RIDGE CHURCH OF CHRIST
Wedding Reception: ST. ANTHONY HOTEL
Bride’s dresses: JULIAN GOLD
Groom’s attire: SUIT SUPPLY
Ceremony Music: MONTE VISTA STRINGS
Bridesmaid Dresses: BELLA BRIDESMAIDS
Groomsmen Tux: THE BLK TUX
Invitations: GIRL GENERAL
Rentals: ILLUSIONS RENTALS
Cake: CATHY YOUNG
Cookies: MINDY’S BAKESHOP
Calligraphy: SOIGNE CALLIGRAPHY
Band: DOWNTOWN FEVER BAND
Florist: FLAIR FLORAL
Cinematography: SQUINTED CINEMA
Bridal Hair and Makeup: KEZIAH BEVANS BRIDAL HAIR & MAKEUP
Transportation: ELEGANT LIMO
Photo Booth: MIRMIR
Photography: JOHN DAVID WEDDINGS (with special thanks to Julie, Lindsey and Chris for capturing some of the images)

Check out more Weddings of the Week, and email Jacqueline Tobin with submissions.