Author: W. Azami
By now we’ve been fortunate enough to photograph in enough venues to know some have magnificent lighting and some, they spend their money on other things. Here’s a quick guide to location scouting and what it could mean for your photographs.
Texture: In pictures, textures are gorgeous. I get excited just thinking about textures on a wall, because they can catch lighting a certain way creating beautiful shadows and adding depth. Textures are beautiful in B&W photography and their color counterparts. When you look around a bridal suite or ballroom, look for that. Ultimately it’s the photos that will be with you the longest.
Windows: The most flattering light for most is natural light, that coming from the sun. Big windows filter the harsh sunlight and create a soft light. It creates soft shadows and gradients in the background. If your venue has large windows, you WILL get crisp and vibrant photographs for your wedding. If they lack natural light, expect lots of photographs with flash. That’s not entirely bad, but it severely limits the options for print and albums.
Fluorescent Lighting: this form of lighting is designed to make any person as unattractive as possible. Don’t believe me? In the movie “Precious” the director filmed Mariah Carey under fluorescent lighting intentionally to make her look weathered. It worked.
This form of lighting also creates horrible colors. Photographers need extra gels for the flash to offset the damage done by fluorescent lights. Most ballrooms will not have this form of lighting but the bridal suites are not off limits. Make sure there is ample natural light coming in to offset the artificial lighting.
Mirrors: This is a toss up. Mirrors make the room bigger, they provide creative ways for the photographer to photogh your day. It can be a great addition but know that too many mirrors in a dark room mean a constant flash burst in every photos. It may come from the photographer’s camera or that of a guest’s flash. Mirrors in moderation!
Morning Light: If you have an earlier wedding, this can be such a beautiful option. A good morning light makes me smile from ear to ear. It’s usually a filtered light (no harsh shadows). It’s a white light, meaning vibrant and accurate colors, even for the amateur family member with a camera. Big windows facing East? Perfect!!!
Evening Light: This option can be beautiful as well. Though evening sun goes fast, you can get a beautiful light from this also. Here’s a little note for our LA and OC clients. Because Southern California air is less than clean, we get super orange sunsets. Beautiful to see, but not natural. The yellower the light, the more polluted the air. If you have an evening wedding with westward facing windows, know that for about an hour all your photos will come out orange, especially in the summer time.
But for me, I’d rather have slightly orange photos instead of photos under fluorescent lighting.
Images by: YahYa Films and Photography
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Author: Patti Stanford
Banquet Halls and facilities offer some of the best wedding and reception locations around. It’s your all-in-one stop for the entire day’s plans. Many facilities offer wedding planning, catering and many other amenities to make you feel spoiled and pampered on your special day. 
