Weather & Rescheduling Your Photography Session
The Houston weather this past week has been amazing for the yard & Texas foliage but very challenging for photo seekers. Rather than immediately rescheduling your session when rain threatens, allow us to take this opportunity to let us explain why clouds and a little bit of rain can prove to be a blessing in disguise!
Every bride imagines taking those once in a lifetime photos on a beautiful, sunny day, with the warm heat of the afternoon making you glow even more than you already are! And while your dream seems perfect, this doesn’t always make for the best photos. Yes, that’s right, sun, noon, and photos in combination have ugly written all over them!
As you begin the process of deciding on where and when to take your bridal or engagement photos, it’s a good idea to think of the following things:
TIME OF DAY
As you schedule your session with your photographer, don’t be surprised if they suggest to you for an early morning sunrise shoot, or a later afternoon/evening shoot. The sunlight at this time, if you have a sunny day, is at the correct angles that it will not effect the coloring in the pictures. If you are shooting bridals, this can be especially important, as white dresses and sunny backgrounds cause some photos to appear “blown out”. You wouldn’t want your dress and the background to appear as one large white blob! Evening sun also causes the colors of your backgrounds to become more vivid, as they are not competing with the direct bright reflections of the sunlight.
Shot 7:30AM, 1 hour after sunrise in mid November. Austin, TX.
Shot 2PM in July. Houston, TX
Shot 6:30PM, 1 hour before sunset in May. Houston, TX
Shot 6:45PM, 15 minutes after sunset in December. Dickinson, TX
WEATHER CONDITIONS
While rain drops can cause some major problems, cloudy days are prizes! Some of the best photos can be captured just as a thunderstorm is brewing. The clouds and rain can cause the colors and lighting to become perfect conditions for your photographer to become “flash-free” and help eliminate shadows that can be unflattering. And if you and your beau aren’t scared of getting a little damp, the beginnings of rain storms can be the perfect opportunity to get those magical shots. Rain drops and water help to create natural patterns and reflections that will make your pictures unique and one of a kind.
The photos below were all photographed on severely overcast & rainy days.
LOCATIONS & LIGHTING
As you and your photographer select locations to shoot, it’s a good idea to understand how this impacts your pictures. While beautiful street murals are gorgeous to look at, sometimes they can be overpowering and overwhelm the subjects of the pictures. In the same way, an old abandoned field with mud and logs might not look gorgeous, different focusing skills can cause this to be blurred and leave you with the perfect soft green background.
Also, you might have in mind the perfect place with afternoon sun to take your group portraits at the wedding. Don’t be surprised or offended if your photographer suggests the angle be changed or even a different location. Understanding lighting is a master’s skill, and is constantly a debated topic among the best in the business.
Also, understanding that while you see a beautiful, dark chapel with elegant high ceilings and candles, photographers are playing the light game, quickly trying to figure out how to balance the light and the shadows to show off your venue the best. Take time in your planning to include your photographers input on decorations and lighting. Newer trends are leaning towards simplifying table decorations and adding those pops of colors in reception halls with uplighting. This can cause your backgrounds to be transformed from a simple reception hall to a magical explosion of colors and shades. For more ideas on this, stay tuned for our blog devoted purely to uplighting.
So as you embark on your photographic journey, don’t let a few rain clouds get in your way, embrace them knowing you will have a picture perfect day!