There is a moment when the hair and makeup are finished, the wedding dress is on and the sun is shining when the bride has a moment clarity about the day ahead.

Lucy, pictured here, had this moment on a beautiful sunny day. I remember it being super calm but, fun with an amazing selection of bridesmaids. For a second, it all slowed down by the window. I asked Lucy to stand by the window so I could use the perfect natural light falling through the blinds, my favourite light, standing near the blinds at the opposite end I was able to create leading lines drawing the eye towards the bride who is bathed in gorgeous, soft, window light. The serene expression on Lucy’s face gives a hint of the thoughts on her mind. I truly love these moments of silence during all the energy of a wedding day.

Natural light is a wedding photographers friend, it took years for me to understand how to use it effectively. Camera skills are the first thing a photographer masters and my degree was the foundation for that, over the next 5 years I learnt to pose and flatter the human form, this changes for each sex and body shape, after that I started to understand how light affects that form. Like a landscape photographer waits for the sun to illuminate the frame with the perfect angle I look for the best angle to highlight the face, Rembrandt lighting is where a triangle of light grazes the opposite cheek to the light source, it is said to be the ideal light for a face. In this image, you can spot that light and see how it perfectly highlights that perfect bone structure that Lucy is blessed with.

If you’d like to learn more about lighting technique get in contact to talk about photography courses I run in Dorset.