Lighting – Shade vs open sun

One thing I always try and encourage my brides to do is to have their wedding ceremony in the shade. Not only will it prevent you from glaring and squinting whilst looking at your loved one, but it will make a big difference to your wedding photography.

If you take the above wedding photo as an example, as you can see the light on the bridal party is soft and aesthetically pleasing. This is because they are in the shade of the tree behind them making great use of natural light. Also, the sun coming through the tree makes for a nice effect that does not over power the photo. If this ceremony was taking place on the other side of the tree, the wedding photograph would look completely different as the sun would be directed straight at the bride and groom, resulting in harsh light and squinting.

When considering having your wedding ceremony in the shade, it is very important to take note of what time of the day your ceremony will be taking place. If the wedding photograph above was taken in the morning (as opposed to the afternoon) the sun would be over my shoulder and directed straight at the bride and groom. This was the perfect location and time of day to host a wedding ceremony, as it was warm and sunny and the guests are not feeling the effects of the sun due to sitting in the shade.

If your wedding ceremony is taking place in full sun, it is not the end of the world. Your wedding photographer should be able to make adjustments to counter for the harsh sunlight by correcting their exposure. If you would like to see more of our examples, please visit our wedding photography portfolio.