We want to help you decide if natural light wedding photography is the right choice for your wedding. Learn questions to ask wedding photographers by familiarizing yourself with the pros and cons of natural light wedding photography.
We'll be the first to admit that we absolutely love natural light wedding photography. We shoot as much of it as we can. It's something truly special to know that a moment has been well photographed just as it was experienced. This is why it makes sense that natural light photography is such a popular option for wedding photography. But just because it is popular doesn't necessarily mean it is the right choice for everyone.
We're going to be making some pretty broad generalizations about photographers and their style going forward. We can't possibly say that we know everyone advertising themselves as a natural light wedding photographer and how they operate. We're not trying to persuade you to avoid shopping around for a natural light wedding photographer at all. We simply want to help you do it better.
What is Natural Light Photography?
There's a bit of debate regarding what natural light photography means. Generally, if a photographer says they shoot with 'natural light' it means they don't use artificial photography lighting (aka flashes). They will only use daylight and whatever ambient light (like lamps, candles, etc.) is available to them in any location. Some photographers prefer to call themselves natural light photographers even though they are capable of using other lighting techniques. This is important for wedding photographers so make sure you ask.
The Variety & Quality of Natural Light Wedding Photography
Regardless of how good a natural light-only photographer is, there are still some limitations to what they can create. Understanding these limitations will help you decide if a natural light photographer will be right for the wedding you're planning. Or it could help you change your wedding plans for the best possible results.
Natural light photography is perfect for outdoor ceremonies and receptions that happen before sundown. It is also perfect for venues that provide sufficient and specific photography-friendly lighting indoors. As you can imagine, these requirements can be very limiting. What if it rains or if your reception starts late and continues long after sunset? What if your venue is poorly lit? Many ceremonies and receptions are not lit with photography in mind. They are often dimly lit which can be lovely for creating a certain ambiance but is not ideal for photography. Don't overlook these considerations if you're considering a natural light wedding photographer.
A good natural light photographer should still be able to make these situations work to some extent. But no matter how good a photographer is, dark venues and bad weather will have a serious impact on the type of photos you will receive. Cameras have gotten better at working in poor light but the quality of these images will still suffer a bit.
The Simplicity of Natural Light Wedding Photography
Shooting with only natural light is undoubtedly simpler. It takes less equipment and technical expertise to shoot natural light than to set up and use off-camera lights. But simpler doesn't necessarily mean easier. Shooting natural light photography well is just as much of an art as any other style of photography. Photographers who have perfected this style are making a purposeful choice to shoot natural light photography. They can create breathtaking photos. But not every photographer is like these.
As high-quality cameras have become cheaper, more people are able to buy them and create images. These amateur photographers are advertising themselves as natural light photographers because they have no choice. They lack the knowledge, training, or equipment to do anything else.
Can I Use a Natural Light Wedding Photographer?
If you're planning to spend most of your wedding outdoors or in well-lit indoor spaces, a natural light wedding photographer is a great choice for you. But if your timeline starts early, goes late, or mostly happens indoors, then you might want to consider other options.
If you've already booked a photographer and didn't know to ask about these things, don't worry. There might still be some options available. First, always be willing to follow your photographer outside if possible. Secondly, if your venue has its own spotlights or pin-lights, make sure you take advantage of them. As a very last resort, you could look into hiring another photographer for these less photo-friendly portions of the day.
What If I Don't Like Flash Photography?
We understand why many people feel this way. They are probably thinking about those dark photos with people in the middle of the image that look like ghosts. They have pale skin, red eyes, and hard, dark shadows. Those images are definitely not our favorites either, to say the least. But perhaps you're simply unfamiliar with what can be done with flash photography. One of our favorite techniques is to mimic and enhance natural light using artificial lights.
Would you believe us if we told you that one of the wedding photos you've already seen on this page was not natural light? Yes! That's right! This photo of lovely Kristen and her MOH was created using not 1 but 2 flashes. Even though there was a window in this hotel room, the sky was very dark and cloudy and the bed was not positioned very close to the window. In order to make this pre-wedding moment of sharing some bubbly on the bed come true for our bride, it was necessary for us to add extra light to the scene. Nevertheless, most people would think this photo was created using only natural light. Cool, huh?!
Of course, we also like to create images that couldn't even begin to exist in reality. We often use our creativity and knowledge of off-camera lighting techniques to create stunning photos for our couples that could only exist in the world of the camera. If you'd like to see some examples head over to our gallery of dramatic wedding photography.
Decide for yourself if natural light wedding photography is your preferred look and if it will suit what you have planned for the wedding day. Talk to each wedding photographer you are considering about their training and reasoning behind shooting natural light. Don't be scared to ask them for images they that they shot using flash photography just in case you find yourself in a situation that needs it. If they don't have any, it might not be a huge red flag but be aware that there is still likely to be an impact on the variety and quality of images they'll capture.
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