It’s always a pleasure to have a couple come into the studio, and that was certainly the case when old mate Paul Riley and his lovely lady Dee dropped by. Not only did they help me test out some new lighting setups, but they also got to meet my big fur baby, Harold.
Speaking of lighting, as photographers, we all know that it can be a tricky thing to master. Recently, my usual studio flash unit met its demise due to an electrical spike during a storm. Instead of splurging on a new one right away, I put my trusty (and sturdy) 1000w Bowen flash units to the test in the studio.
Now, the Bowens are old school, so there’s no automatic TTL exposure here. It’s all about using a PC sync cable and 1/200th shutter camera sync. Personally, I prefer to have everything on “Manual” or “M” mode.
The challenge I faced was that even with the lowest settings, the light was still too intense and didn’t provide enough shadow. But, at around 3 am on a Saturday morning, a lightbulb went off in my head (literally). Why not just use an ND filter?
ND filters are a simple yet logical solution. They reduce the amount of light coming into the lens without altering the color. This means that I could throw massive light on my models while still maintaining great shadow control. I could open the aperture to its maximum (f/4) while keeping the ISO fixed at 100 and the shutter at 1/200th sec. The flash unit power was adjusted based on a range of tests shot at f/4 to f/22.
For the best results (in my humble opinion), shooting at f/6.3 gave the most pleasing results. I used a beauty dish as the key light on the left at 1/2 power, bounced a silver reflective umbrella to the right as fill at 1/4 power, and just a Speedlight for the backlight rim. The raw exposure was f/22, but by using the ND filter, I could stop this down to f/6.3.
But enough about technicalities, let’s talk about the real stars of the show: the couple. Couple photography is all about capturing the love and connection between two people. Whether it’s a romantic engagement session, anniversary photos, or even just capturing everyday moments, the goal is to create authentic and heartfelt images.
As a photographer, it’s my job to make the couple feel comfortable and relaxed. I want them to be themselves and let their personalities shine through. That’s why communication is key. Before the shoot, I like to chat with the couple to get to know them better and understand their vision for the photos.
When posing, I like to keep things natural and candid. Sure, I’ll give some direction and prompts, but I want to capture the couple in a way that feels authentic to them. I’ll also pay close attention to the lighting and composition to ensure that the final images are visually stunning.
For Paul and Dee, it was a pleasure to work with them and capture their love on camera. And, as for Harold the dog, he’s always happy to be included in any photo shoot.
In conclusion, couple photography is all about capturing the love and connection between two people. Finding the right photographer who understands your vision, makes you feel comfortable.
