May 7, 2018

How Byron Roe Photography approaches your wedding day.

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Our images tell the ENTIRE story of the day.  Yes, of course we’ll get all those iconic images we know you want but many more you probably didn’t even think of!  We’re interested in not only capturing the romance and elegance of the two of you but also not missing the important connections you have with your family & friends.  Tears and joy from parents, big hugs, flower girls and ring bearer boys looking all dressed up but still being kids, favorite animals being part of the wedding. We are looking specifically for all these extra moments before they might happen! This goes for your friends at the wedding as well.  Some of the greatest images come from moments with your friends during the getting ready time, the toasts, and the dancing.  At the end of the night we are intentionally focused on creating dancing images that are dynamic and surely never boring!!

 


 

Whew, when we think about it, there are A LOT of ways (and moments) photographers can make mistakes at a wedding.  Here’s some explanation as to what we’re thinking about and how we approach each wedding:
Extensive lighting experience with both on and off camera flash is the key to great wedding photos.  At a wedding we experience every type of light- outside full harsh sunlight, flattering light before sunset, beautiful cloudy light, horrible yucky spotty light, indoor light for ceremonies with florescent/tungsten, very dark moody receptions and DJ concert lights and strobes.  Each one of these light sources is typically present at every wedding we photograph (if your wedding reception is in the Great Hall this is super important!!) and the ONLY way to create high quality images is knowing exactly what you are up against during that moment and how to work with each.  We use off camera lighting extensively throughout the day when it is needed and this takes an immense amount of camera knowledge beyond what most photographers are comfortable with because it’s very easy to miss important moments if your settings are not correct!  Working with flashes (either on camera or off camera) to make images look great is a ton of work, (but we feel it is imperative to capturing photography of the highest quality).  **I’m not trying to slam those photographers who only use natural light during weddings but with all the changing light conditions during a wedding day you will find that most photographers out there do not know how to effectively use their flashes in varying conditions and this can affect the quality of your final wedding photos!!
For us, quality photography is about:
1. Great composition (in our case it is finding flattering angles and backgrounds that tell the story of your day).  We are on the ground and up high to create images that make you feel like your back at the wedding – Not missing shots means moving quickly!!
2. Use of light in a way that adds to the photo and doesn’t take away from the subject.  Using our surrounding to create memorable images (reflections from water, glass, etc) Shooting through glass and lights to create art.
3. Working with brides and grooms (and all their family, friends) in a way that allows them to have a great time and get the candid look they want but also bringing confidence to everyone by giving direction that allows us to move quickly and follow the wedding timeline.
4. Being flexible with intentions.  Knowing where to be for key shots, knowing where not to be, knowing when to move and when we have achieved success prior to our bride and groom being worn out from photography.  This only happens with a TON of experience – (We know how to get the images our couples want and then move on rather than waste precious time creating something we’ve already created rather than something unique and new—we want you to have variety).
5. Having a great time ourselves.  Loving what we do, being artists, wanting to help when ever possible (putting the camera down for a moment to get a glass of wine for you if that’s what’s needed at the minute), enjoying the time with a couples friends and family and thereby creating better images.

**During the time when your getting ready we will use off camera flash to create dramatically elegant images that stand out.  Details are moved to areas with creative (quality) light and backdrops.  We photograph with a mixture of hands off letting the moments happen and creating some moments (having the best man or father help put on the grooms jacket or adjust a tie.)**During artistic portraits with the B/G we use flash, reflectors and other light modifiers to create a romantic elegance that allows images to look like art. Most of the people we work with are not in the modeling industry so we definitely give guidance about how to stand and where to look but are not overly critical – we keep it super fun and this is truly where the candid look of our images comes from!

**During group portraits we are thinking about the older generations and how they can stay warm because we are looking for a shady place to have flattering balanced light.  We help set up the scene by posing people in a natural way and keeping this time light-hearted but also work to get the images finished efficiently and everyone back to the party!

**During the ceremony we want to be more mobile to capture fleeting moments so we might shoot with flash on or off camera flash.  Just as important, we feel the need to be unobtrusive during the ceremony so you are the focal point!

**During the reception we use on camera and off camera flash extensively.  During the dancing, in order to get images that make you FEEL like you are there again and don’t look staged may times one of us is holding the flash while the other person is getting in the action photographing the moment!

 

I hope this gives you two a better understanding of our photographic process at weddings and will allow you to make the most educated choice when going with your photographer and studio!!
Best,
B+W