Monday Marry Me: Is a bridal session in the studio for you? Tips to getting the look you want

So....is it? Let me give you a little background first:

Ever since the economic down starting around 2008, the wedding industry has experienced a shift in style: from classy and elegant to DIY shabby chic and vintage. Anything goes, and that's a really good thing. It creates jobs and helps spread creativity by challenging vendors to bring unique ideas to the wedding table (no pun intended). With these changes, natural landscapes and urban spaces have become the new photography studio and most wedding photographers pride themselves in saying they are "natural light only photographers". 

I am not saying I'm not one of these people. There is nothing more available on any wedding day than natural light (at least that's what us photographers hope for!), and I myself am a sucker for that kind of imagery. Using available light is a challenge but yields breathtaking images.

I understand that studio sessions are not for everyone. But I can't help but think of my grandparents' wedding photos...in a studio! And that's when I wish I had my own....

Most brides don't even consider doing wedding photos in a studio. Well, neither did I when I was the bride. 

Somehow, though, after learning what it can do for me (as a photographer), I have decided to let brides know what a studio can do for them. 

Remember that last Calvin Klein Vogue ad I posted about the other day? Well, it was in the studio. Nothing more elegant, right?

I know traditional studio photography can look stiff and boring (blessed those high school yearbooks).  

Here are 3 tips to get the studio look you want:

1. Know what you want. Simple as that.

 2. Browse through magazines and catalogues and identify the types of studio lighting that you like....then show it to your photographer! Let him/her dissect the image you showed (before hand, of course) and figure out how to imitate that just for you. Besides, on your wedding day you won't have time for a studio session anyway so you will end up getting the beautiful natural light shots as well. ;)

 3. It's all about the styling and depth of field. Okay, this is my opinion, but many would agree. Make sure your photographer is skilled in Photoshop/Lightroom and can fix the colors. Not that what comes straight out of camera isn't pretty, it just isn't polished.

When making sure the skin tones, make-up, outfit and background harmonize, something good looks GREAT afterwards. With regards to depth of field, this is a photography term that basically refers to the blurry/sharp parts of the images. Because studio lights are powerful little light sources, there comes a point when the photographer NEEDS to use a neutral density filter to get the soft, blurry background look. (That's what I used for most of these images.) I bet your photographer will think you are a photo nerd if you ask them if they have an ND filter ;D

Hope that sheds some light on whether studio shots will work for you and on how to make sure they come out the way you want. Studio photography is an art in itself and I have learned to admire those who dominate it. Don't think that studio is out of the question for you. It might just be what will make you stand out from the crowd years from now. :)

As for this photo session, I did it back in February, but since my model was getting married in May I didn't want to spoil it by showing her on a wedding gown before her wedding day. ;) I used one small softbox and a gray seamless. I focused on getting a 3-dimensional feel to Diana's face by feathering the light away from her and flaunting those gorgeous shadows.

So, is the studio for you?

Wedding Gown: Avenia Bridal