This wedding photo was taken under the lovely lit gazebo in the grounds of De Courceys in South Wales.
You may have seen from some of my other work, that i do like to take a photo at night. And why not? So many photos that you see of weddings look the same, all taken during the day. Needless to say, a lot of brides approach me because they're after something different, something unique.
The thing is this: just because it's dark, that doesn't mean you need to stop taking photos. The technology thats available now gives so much more flexibility than the days of film, and the sensors on our cameras can be sensitive to the smallest amount of light. The only limiting factor these days, is the creative mind of the photographer, on how he can use the equipment to its limits.
Our couple here were in full swing on the wedding day. After all, it was around 7pm in October. Luckily, after a drink or three, our bride wasn't as sensitive to the crisp cool autumn breeze as she might have been, so she was completely comfortable and relaxed. Two conditions that really are essential for a great photo.
Just before the first dance, we went outside, and it was fairly dusky, but with the power of camera, we made it look a little darker than it was. For anyone who photographs weddings will know, that total darkness poses one major problem - FOCUS. We positioned them under the gazebo, then my assistant/wife/boss crouched down behind them with my trustee Elinchrom flash unit to produce a beautiful kick of light from behind.
I really love this image, so much so that it is mounted in a 40 inch frame in my studio.