Photographer: Neil van Niekerk
Photographing the couple outdoors involves a lot of variables, but things become easier when you don’t have to rely on the existing light to illuminate your subjects. “When you shoot with available light only, you have to look for that perfect intersection where the background is beautiful and the light on the couple is really good,” says Neil. “With off-camera flash, I find an interesting background and make sure there’s no bad light on them from harsh sun. Then, with a little care, I can stand where I want to stand and add awesome light on them with the off-camera flash.”
For these beach portraits, the ambient light determined Neil’s approach to adding flash. Shot later in the day, the image to the left was enhanced with a gentle kiss of light from a flash in a softbox. The image below, made under intense, direct light required the brute force of a bare flash to balance the couple against the background.
Backlighting
As an example, Neil references the image below of a couple photographed in Santa Monica against very strong backlighting (check out the glare on the ocean to see just how strong). “I positioned them so that there was no strong light on their faces. Their faces were completely in shadow because the last thing I wanted was her in sun and him in shade, or the shadow of the groom’s face falling across the bride’s face. I posed them specifically not to exacerbate the tough light. After making sure there was no weird light on them, I was able to add off-camera flash to balance them with the background. Adding light offered more potential than using the available light only.”
Adding a softbox to the off-camera flash produced a gentle look that was harmonious with the ambient light falling on the rest of the scene.
Light Sources and Modifiers
The type of flash Neil chooses for off-camera lighting at weddings varies from event to event. “If I know I’m going to be working indoors, then it’s a different consideration than working a beach wedding,” he notes. Whether it’s a small speedlight or a larger studio strobe, he picks the light and modifier to produce the power and effect he desires.
Safety Precautions
On outdoor shoots, wind presents a concern for those using off-camera lights on stands. To prevent any damage (or injury), weight the stand with your camera bag or have someone hold it securely in position.
“I find an interesting background and make sure there’s no bad light on them . . .”
For the couple on the beach (bottom, facing page), a bare flash was needed to balance the flash against the sun; a modifier would have cut too much power. To photograph the couple above (and the smaller beach portrait on the facing page), he added a softbox to his flash for a more delicate look.
