Hello there,
I'm writing to you straight from the second maternity leave in my career as a wedding photographer. It's an opportunity to finally get back to work on this blog, which has a totally random publishing rhythm.
This year, I'm beginning to realize the impact of the chosen decor on the atmosphere of a wedding couple's session (also, no doubt, because I've had to deal with some complicated situations this year!). The quality of the light, the colorimetry of the images, the atmosphere that emerges from the photos can vary completely. I'll tell you all about it in today's article!
Note: in this article I'll focus on outdoor couples sessions. Indoors, the ability to create chiaroscuro opens up even more possibilities, but I've already talked about this in my article on Fine Art style.
Based on my personal experience, there are two main types of backdrops that I find on my weddings when I photograph the bride and groom for their couples session: greenery and architecture.
Couple photos in a green setting
This is the option traditionally chosen by many couples: taking their wedding photos outdoors, in the grounds of the wedding domain. As a result, these photos generally feature a lot of green. This is where the notion of reflected light comes in.
When light rays bounce off a solid, colored surface, they become tinted with the color in question. If I photograph you in front of a white wall, the white wall will act as a huge reflector, bouncing the light back. In the same way, foliage will tint the light a light shade of green. When the light rays reach your face, they potentially give it a green tint.
I do correct this effect in post-production, but 1) in photography, we always look for the best possible light right from the shot and 2) everything I do post-prod will never replace light that would have been white and neutral right from the beginning. Photo development mitigates the problem of 'bad' light (because I consider green light on a face to be bad light when you're looking for a soft and natural look), but it's no substitute for a quality of light that would have been superior at the time of shooting.
Am I saying, “Please don't take any photos in the grounds of your estate”? Not at all. Your photographer will naturally be able to guide you to avoid bad light and suggest the most suitable poses and shots.
In terms of rendering, you'll get a country atmosphere that brings out the foliage and nature of your wedding venue. You can also take advantage of Golden Hour to create more contrasting, cinematic images that bring out the softness of the end of the day and the red reflections of the summer light.
While this is the option most brides and grooms go for, it's not the only choice for couple photos!
Couple photos in a more architectural setting
For my weddings, I often go to private estates (or public ones, like the sublime Abbaye des Prémontrés). These locations provide us with both indoor and outdoor settings that we can use for a couple's session.
I know what you're going to say, "Not everyone gets married in Versailles, and not everyone has huge rooms or grandiose staircases at their disposal.” You're right. Obviously, when you're getting married at the Abbaye des Prémontrés, it's easier to exploit the outdoor sets.
But wanting a neutral decor and architecture doesn't necessarily mean having a listed historic monument at your disposal. Your backdrop can simply be a white wall, which acts as a neutral background that reflects the light and allows you to create very pure images, centered on the couple. I love the look of this type of image, especially for portraits, which, as you can see, are my great joy.
Example of a 'white session' with Alison, one of my 2024 brides
Images speak louder than words, so here are a few images from a session I did this year, where the only backdrop was a white wall (there was literally nowhere else white on this wedding estate). And in this case, it wasn't even in the château itself, as it was the large archway leading to the château's courtyard.
Alison, the bride, initially wanted to shoot in the grounds. I arrived early on the big day to have a look around and to do my location scouting. I enter the park, only to discover that the gate leading to it is simply closed. There's a huge tree in front of the gate, but it casts a lot of shade and is at the top of a very steep area. I explain to Alison that the combination of very thick foliage and a hill doesn't seem to be the best option for her images: the light isn't great, it's hard to move around there, there's not much variety if neither they nor I can move around easily, it's dark, etc. I then tell her about the plan B I came up with when I realized plan A was no longer an option.
What about this beautiful area and this white wall? It's obviously not the ambiance she'd originally imagined, but I really think it could be turn out great! Alison agreed to follow me in this aesthetic change of direction, and here's the result of this architecture-themed First Look/Couple session!
My wedding photography style
If you've seen my Instagram and/or website, you may have noticed that my style and natural tastes lean more towards Architecture than Greenery. When I have the choice (and the opportunity), I favor light or white backdrops. But these are just my tastes and preferences. This doesn't mean that the brides and grooms I work with are forced to go my way. I always show them the different options, explaining why I tend to prefer this one or that one, but in the end the choice is theirs.
However, I think it's important to point out that if you want your reportage to be as close as possible to the aesthetic I'm communicating on, we need to talk about it together to try and target the settings at your wedding venue that are best suited to the atmosphere you're looking for. Many brides and grooms don't necessarily have the reflex to consider this question, because we all tend to base our decisions on images we find on the Internet, without necessarily intellectualizing what we like in each photo. Thinking about it beforehand can give you more time and room to maneuver in a precise aesthetic direction, if you feel like it.
Greenery and architecture
The great thing about these two options is that they're not mutually exclusive. You can opt for a session in more neutral tones in the morning, while planning a few Golden Hour shots in the park in the evening as your guests return to the hall, for example.
More and more, I'm encouraging brides and grooms to plan several couple sessions scattered throughout the day, so that they can take advantage of as many settings in their wedding area as possible, and so that I can offer them the greatest possible variety in their images. Why choose between a sunset kiss and a soft portrait in front of a white wall when you can have both?
What I recommend to my brides and grooms for their wedding couple session
The location of the couple's session (or the First Look) is very important because it's one of the most intimate moments for the couple, and those images are often the ones they expect the most from. So we choose it carefully. There are several elements that come into play for me:
The time of day at which the bride and groom wish to hold their session(s). The light won't be the same at 10am, 2pm or 7pm. Depending on your preferences, the location I can suggest will therefore change.
Their wedding domain. Some venues naturally lend themselves more to one theme than another when it comes to creating the images.
The tastes of the bride and groom and the atmosphere they want for their wedding. Pushing you to take grandiose photos in the hall of a château doesn't necessarily make sense if all you want are rural photos at sunset.
In short, deciding on the location for your romantic photos is usually a matter for discussion before the wedding. What's more, on the big day, I now systematically arrive before the start of my service to scout out the location, so that I can offer the bride and groom several different options and calmly choose with them the location that suits them best.
That's all for today! You can take a look at some wedding gallery extracts on my Portfolio, or find out more about the support I offer brides and grooms here.
See you soon,
Manon
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