For more tips on wedding jewelry and details, check out Photographing the Bride in SLR Lounge Premium – your one stop shop for getting consistently incredible imagery of the bride on her wedding day.

Basic Wedding Ring Photography Tips

Let’s get started with a few basic wedding ring photography tips before jumping into the more detailed creative wedding ring photography tips.

• Use a Macro Lens – Macro Lenses aren’t the cheapest lenses, especially when you take into consideration that fact that you might only be using them for one or two shots throughout the entire day, but it’s very important to pick one up if you’re considering adding good wedding ring pictures to your wedding photography portfolio. If you’re on a Canon, you’re probably looking at the EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro or the EF 100mm f/2.8L IS if you can afford it.  All other camera makers should have equivalents.
• Use Manual Focus and Take Multiple Shots – It’s going to be tough to rely on auto focus in this situation, as it’s just not accurate enough. Get used to focusing manually, take multiple shots, and make sure you zoom in as you’re checking the images on the LCD to make sure you come away with a sharp, perfect focus. There’s nothing worse than having a great shot set up and not coming away with a usable image.
• Use Additional Sharpening in Lightroom – Don’t forget to cheat a little bit and touch up/sharpen your rings in Photoshop to give them that extra pop.

Creative Wedding Ring Photography Ideas

Gone are the days of boring wedding ring pictures! The classic shot of the rings on top of the wedding day itineraryis overdone. And getting the candid moment of the ring exchange isn’t quite enough. It’s time to think creatively. It’s time to think of the wedding rings like you think of your bride and groom in that you want to deliver shots of your subjects with creative light, creative compositions and interesting backgrounds.

Find Reflections for Your Wedding Ring Photos

Find and utilize reflections to create vertical symmetry and add interest to a scene. This can be a glass table, a granite counter top, a piano or any other reflective surface. Wipe down the surface to ensure there are no marks or specs prior to placing the rings and use your phone to make sure they are in the same focal plane. If you don’t find a reflective surface, use your cell phone!

All of the photos used in this article are taken with a Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS in order to get a precise picture of the details of the rings and to achieve a greater compression than you would with a 35mm or 50mm. If you don’t have a backdrop available, Google an image of ‘bokeh’ or ‘Christmas lights’ on your phone and place it behind the rings so that it reflects onto the glass. Trust us, it works.

Try Creating A Wedding Ring Silhouette

Often times, wedding rings have intricate details carved into them or create unique silhouettes. While most of the time we focus on lighting them up to showcase the jewels or design, a silhouette brings the viewers attention to the shape of the ring which brings a unique perspective to the traditional ring shot.

Image by Jason Vinson – Website

Use Putty When You Need The Ring to Stand

In these shots, the groom’s ring is lying flat on the surface and the bride’s ring is standing up and pointing up to the heavens, showing off its glorious detail. So how do we keep the ring from falling over? The answer is simple. The secret behind our wedding detail shot is actually Elmer’s Putty. It is simple, effective, readily available in craft stores, and best of all, really inexpensive.

To use it, all you need to do is take a small piece of putty and make a little ball with it. You place the groom’s ring horizontally on a flat surface and the putty ball in the middle of that ring. Then, you place the bride’s ring standing up on the putty. The putty will hold up the ring and as long as you have a small enough piece, you won’t see it in your shots. You can buy the putty on Amazon for $5.

See Our Wedding Ring Putty Video Tutorial

Incorporate Personal Elements in Your Wedding Ring Photography

Find objects that are pertinent to your couples’ love story or relationship that can be incorporated into your wedding ring photos. This can even be something that you discuss with your clients beforehand to ensure that they bring something with them that is meaningful. Here are some examples of wedding ring photos incorporating props:

“The couple loves Swedish Fish and they had it out as the treat on the table settings so I tried thinking of something that would be meaningful to them and arranged the fish in a school and made the rings the air bubbles.”

Photographers Lissette & Orlando “definitely try to personalize wedding ring pictures for each client according to their interests”. After they get the traditional macro closeup ring shot, they “get a second ring shot catered just to the couple’s favorite things or to match the theme of their wedding.” In this case, the couple was a big fan of DC Comics.

Use the Bouquet as a backdrop for wedding ring photo

Bride’s love incorporating other elements of their wedding day in their photographs whether it be portraits or detail shots. Use the bouquet as a backdrop for wedding ring photos or place the ring inside one of the flowers.

Incorporate the Other Jewelry and Shoes

The more separation there is from the background the more compression you will have. You can see three different examples of how we used other jewelry as a background to create great compression & beautiful bokeh-balls.

Similarly to how we used the jewelry above, we chose to show off the bride’s shoes by placing the wedding rings on the heels. Double check before placing rings onto the bottoms of shoes because in some cultures this is frowned-upon.

Incorporate the Invitation in Your Wedding Ring Photography

For a more personalized wedding ring picture try utilizing your couple’s wedding invite. This is when Glue Dots come in handy to keep the rings in place without you having to try and spend 30 minutes trying to make them balance.

Use LED String Lights and/or LED Pen Lights

We’ve discussed using LED string lights in portraiture to emulate sun flare or golden hour, but just as we discussed earlier, the more compression when photographing wedding rings, the better. Place the spread apart lights behind close to a foot behind the rings to get the best bokeh.

For just a bit of rim light or even a little drama, we use LED pen lights to highlight our rings. By placing them on either side of the wedding rings you can change your in-camera color temperature to balance out your scene, or try a temperature throw by making the rings cooler and your background warmer.

Find or Create Interesting Wedding Ring Photography Backgrounds

Don’t have any cool lights or pens handy? Find a wallpaper or texture background to use as the backdrop of your wedding ring picture in order to create interest. Here, we added an off-camera flash to illuminate our background rather than use the ambient light in the room.

Use Water/Liquid to Add Interest

This setup requires a bit more time and patience but yields in some pretty spectacular results. In the image below, Nik used a bottle of water to create this splashing effect and paired it with an off-camera flash to freeze the motion of the water. The key to getting the right type of action is to take multiple shots to get a variety of options and then choose the best version in post.

Find Creative Compositions with Objects Around You

While you are on the hunt to find that perfect stream of light, take a look at what objects you have around you that give context to the wedding. Sometimes this means grabbing a magazine or coffee table book and browsing to see what you can use that can aide in your composition.

“We try to integrate something important or relevant to the client in detail shots. In this case, they were total fitness nuts.”

Find Balanced Backgrounds

Symmetry and balance are the key to certain types of wedding ring pictures. Since you’re dealing with such intricate detail, the slightest shift can throw your whole image off. For example, if the image has a focus directly down the center, make sure everything is aligned. If your image has prefect symmetry, adjust it so that it’s as close to perfect as your lighting and time will allow.

Create Light Patterns with Natural Light or OCF

Photography is simply the study and understanding of light. We are constantly in search of perfect light to help shape, define, and highlight our subjects, and it’s no different when it comes to the objects we shoot. Get creative by finding a small sliver of light that creates a leading line or create a complex light pattern with off-camera flashes.

“In between two walls, I saw the angle of the light and the thought just came to me,” says Michael Ramos.  It’s images like this that make you want to pause and study the light around you to see if you can making something ordinary into extraordinary!

Find Colorful or Interesting Backgrounds & Textures

Interesting colors and textures are things we as photographers are trained to always be on the lookout for. But on a normal, non-macrophotography basis, we’re usually thinking of walls, sunsets, or other large backdrops. Keep in mind that, with your wedding ring pictures, you now have the luxury of taking almost anything and making it a background, from a piece of cloth to a purse to a party favor to a bouquet.

More Information

Which wedding ring photo technique was your favorite? Let us know in the comments down below! We hope this article helped to inspire you to create outstanding wedding ring photos and maybe push you outside the box to start thinking of creative ways to compose and photograph a very important detail at your next wedding! Start streaming Photographing the Bride in SLR Lounge Premium

For more helpful tips to boost your wedding ring photography, check out this list of 10 tips and creative ideas for better wedding ring photos that we put together for our friends at Adorama.  You can check out more of our work on our wedding photography blog and our wedding photography portfolio.

We constantly get asked whether or not it’s necessary to have the latest and greatest in lighting equipment or which flash is truly the best on the market. This led us to create some of the most comprehensive online lighting tutorials on the internet, meant to guide you through the tricky, and often, confusing, waters of flash photography. The answer to either of those questions isn’t that simple – everyone has a different budget and different creative needs, and there is no one solution to the age-old question of “which light is best for me?” Instead, we decided it would be best to give you our favorite contenders for a wide range of power.

This article was originally written in 2021 and updated in 2023.

What Flash is Right For You?

We wanted to help you make a more educated decision based on how much power you need, what brand of flash you already own, and what budget you are working with. We are all about offering options based on positive results and luckily we’ve gone through months and years of testing some of these lights to give you the best of the best photography lighting equipment for every budget. Here are a few questions you should ask yourself before you purchase your first camera flash:

• How much power do I need?
• What is my budget?
• How often do I use flash?
• Do I need a constant light?
• Do I need more than one?

Once you’ve answered those questions, you should have a pretty clear indication of the purpose behind your purchase. It is so common to simply buy gear for the sake of it. So, for example, if you are more of an all-around photographer and only use flash for portraits and events every once in a while, then you should honestly spend more money on your lenses, and get one of the more affordable flashes!

The Best Camera Flashes

Most photographers start with one compact flash, on-camera. Almost all modern-day mirrorless and DSLR cameras come with a hot-shoe mount for this very reason and are also why our Lighting 101 course only discusses how to use your on-camera flash to create flattering and dynamic images. Once you’ve developed enough comfortability using an on-camera flash, then it’s time to move on to a more complex set-up and dive into off-camera flash photography.

With that being said, these are our top contenders for off-camera flash equipment in the 50-75Ws range:

Canon 430EX III-RT

The Canon 430EX III-RT is priced at just under $300. That’s a big deal, because its predecessor, the Canon 600EX-RT, debuted at $600. And yet, the Canon 430EX III-RT is almost as robust and powerful, at half the price!

This flash basically has everything that you’d want in a flash. Compared to most third-party options, the Canon has two advantages. In our opinion, it’s totally worth the price tag.

Firstly, since this is a Canon flash on a Canon device, you are going to get better operative features, like the autofocus assist in low light situations. Third-party flashes don’t always work perfectly with every autofocus mode and option that every Canon camera has. If you’re doing a lot of professional work, then it may be worthwhile to spend the money on the Canon 430EX III-RT, simply because everything works.

The other advantage of the 430EX III-RT is that it’s a little bit more refined in its menu system and controls. Third-party flashes are often confusing and even downright cumbersome to setup or use.  Other options have admittedly come a long way in recent years, but still, one thing Canon has always done well is create a user-friendly, intuitive interface. And now, having Canon’s reliable, durable quality in such a compact, affordable package is an obvious winner. (For you Nikon and Sony users out there, don’t worry, we’ve got you covered! Read on…)

• Canon Speedlite 430EX III-RT (Adorama | B&H | Amazon)

Other Favorite(Small) Best Camera Flash

• Profoto A10 (Adorama | B&H | Amazon)
  At $1,195, the Profoto A10 is a high-end professional tool, indeed. The quality, reliability, and performance are only worth it if you’re heavily relying on your flashes to pay the bills.
• Godox Zoom Li-on R2 VING V860II (Canon, Nikon, Sony, Fuji) (Adorama | B&H | Amazon)
  For $248 in a kit with the XPro TTL trigger, this flash has it all: a proprietary lithium-ion battery, a built-in flash head zoom range of 20-200mm.
• Yongnuo YN600EX-RTII (Adorama | B&H | Amazon)
  For just $138, this flash offers quite a lot, including 5 wireless groupings and 15 channels Unfortunately, it’s only available for Canon, and it likely won’t be compatible with the newest Canon mirrorless cameras.
• Godox V1 (Canon, Nikon, Sony, Fuji, Panasonic, Olympus, Pentax) (Adorama | B&H | Amazon)
  At $259 for just the flash or $328 with the Xpro trigger, it’s a bit more expensive than the V860, but this compact hotshoe flash offers a circular strobe, and the optional accessory kit of  fitted filters, making it perfect for wedding photojournalism.

These flashes are compatible with on-camera flash photography and off-camera flash photography which is why they make our list. When we look for flashes we focus on versatility, weight, performance, and quality over time.

Honorable Mentions

Godox TT685S II Flash (Sony, Nikon, Canon, Fuji, Olympus, Panasonic)

The Godox TT685S II Flash is a great “brand agnostic” on-camera and off-camera flash. It is a full-feature flash, including a built-in radio system, TTL compatibility, and high-speed sync! (HSS) At $129, it’s far less expensive than any name-brand equivalent, of course.

Pros 

The Godox TT685S II has all the features – TTL, front/rear curtain sync, high-speed sync, and a built-in radio system. It has four wireless groupings and 32 channels; basically everything you could need!

It has a good recycle time and a good wireless range. It has external power input, and a metal hotshoe. The recycle time is a mere 0.1 seconds at the lowest power, and 2.6 sec at the highest power.

Cons

This flash certainly “has it all”, so, the only downside with the Godox TT685S II is something that all third-party flashes may encounter, espeically lately: Canon, Nikon, and Sony may change their electronic hotshoe communication with newer cameras. Thus a third-party option may become either completely incompatible, or just lose HSS/TTL function.

Therefore, we do highly recommend making sure this flash is compatible, especially if you get one of the latest mirrorless cameras such as the Canon EOS R8.

2. Yongnuo YN560 IV Wireless Flash Speedlite

The Yongnuo YN560 IV is our most affordable, basic recommendation for aspiring or part-time professional photographers, or hobbyists who are on a very tight budget. Priced at a mere $85 per flash, you can purchase two or three flashes and still come out ahead of just one of some other flashes!

Having said that, its functions are truly basic. There is no TTL and no HSS, just manual flash power. This is perfect for those who are just getting started, of course, because of its simplicity, and you quickly learn the very important skill of manual flash power control.

Pros:

It is all manual, no-frills, and extremely affordable. This is the perfect flash for you if you prefer simple tools and want to use manual control. Maybe you’re a serious portrait photographer who does photo shoots once in a while, and you need 2-3 basic strobes for on and/or off-camera work. Maybe you’re an aspiring professional, and your startup budget is constrained.

As full-time wedding photographers, our studio has plenty of team members who have used these flashes. Simply put, if you take good care of them, they’ll last long enough to help you make enough money to afford a better quality, more advanced flagship model, if that’s what you ultimately decide you need.

Cons:

We’ll start the same way: It’s an all-manual flash, so if you’re looking for an advanced high-end unit with all the bells and whistles, this is the opposite. Having said that, we actually consider this a pro, for those who are, in fact, looking for manual control. The Yongnuo 560 IV is just delightfully simple and easy to use.

NOTE: The Yongnuo 560 series of flashes, including the Yongnuo 560 III, are so simple that they may even work cross-platform. For example, I can use a Canon-compatible Yongnuo on my Sony and Nikon mirrorless cameras!

The real drawback is the simple fact that any sub-$100 flash is going to have sub-par build quality, of course. If you drop one of these things, there’s a good chance you’ll destroy it. I’ve dropped mine plenty of times, and sometimes they survive, but other times they’re toast. This is true of all flashes, of course. But when you break one of these, the price tag of $85 usually means you simply toss it and buy another one. This is just not a good practice in the long run, both for your wallet and for the environment. They’re still an excellent value, and they make great backup units if you eventually do upgrade to something else.

Conclusion

If you want to learn more about lighting, be sure to check out our Lighting 101 and Lighting 201 courses. Both are accessible as a Premium Member. For more information on why we love these flashes and how we use them for wedding and portrait photography, stream our full library of lighting courses in SLR Lounge Premium!

Studying opposing colors helps you better understand which colors work together in a scene that can help train your eye to see them in elements you are shooting it. Understanding the color wheel can also help dictate what colors your clients should wear in order to pop in certain scenes rather than blend in. Seeing color in everyday scenes starts by studying images training your eye to notice how color is being used, once you’ve trained your eye you can even start adding color into scenes to make them more complex and elevated.

Let’s discuss a couple of ways of how to capture vibrant colors in photography with the help of some of our insanely talented community of photographers from our Lightroom Education & Lightroom Presets Facebook group:

1. Colored Gels – Off-Camera Flash

Part of using colored gels with flash means discerning the difference between using gels for corrective or creative purposes. Most wedding and event photographers are used to having a CTO gel on hand for indoor shoots to match the ambient light from overhead ceiling lights in order to correctly portray skin tones with accurate color. However, colored gels can be added to bland & boring scenes to make for a more interesting image. You can even combine in-camera white balance shifts with colored gels to enhance or alter the colors of your skies.

Amber Henry – Website | Instagram

“For this image of my client Alyssa, I wanted to make it look like she was under the bright stadium lights instead of standing in my portrait studio. I decided to create the colors of her team using two MagMod MagGels to achieve these beautiful bright pops of color behind her and sprayed atmosphere aerosol in front of them to really help the color spread. The colors make the image more personal to her because they are the same as her team and highschool. We took several variations of this image in different stances and kept the color pallet the same to look killer in her album spreads.”

Joe Baker – Website | Instagram

“I have always wanted to do a boxing session with a female boxer, but I wanted to use someone that actually knew how to box and not just a model wearing gloves.  Searching Instagram, I found this model via a local boxing club and she was very much down to do it. As soon as she brought out her gloves, I knew that I wanted to do a color or gelled shot.  I wanted to make sure that it was more than just a “boxing” pic and the red color just helped up the “intensity” of the shot. To give the background some more interest, I used a red gel behind her with smoke (aerosol atmosphere).  Selecting a wide-angle lens to create some distortion, I gave her the nod to just work the bag and I just fired away and ended up catching my favorite shot of 2019!  This is a three-light setup; gridded beauty dish from above, gridded strip box from camera left and the third light with a gel and just a standard reflector.”

David J Crewe – Website | Instagram

“Shot on a Nikon D800 with 50mm f/1.4G and Lit with 3 Profoto B2 lights. 1 in a large soft box (white) behind the deep red paper from savage universal shooting through the circle cutout. 1 camera left with a blue gel and 1 camera right with a red gel.”

“2. Color Temperature – In-Camera White Balance

Color temperature is a numerical system for measuring color on a warm-to-cool spectrum. Often times we shift to Auto White Balance to save time and have one less menu item to worry about but there is so much creative potential that lies in varying your color temperature in-camera. To help you better understand how to shift your white balance in-camera, we made a quick one-minute tutorial!

Traci J. Arney‎ – Website | Instagram

“When you are shooting in the Caribbean, the color of the water is absolutely everything but sometimes, you need to break up that expanse of blue with some other color to help tell the story. As we were exploring the island, we came across this incredible little graffitied boat sitting in the waves. The power of that intense yellow color playing against the complimentary teal and blue waves gives warmth and emotional impact to the image that stopped me in my tracks.”

Angie Nelson – Website | Instagram

“This photo was taken 15 minutes post-sunset on an extraordinarily cloudy day. The color you see here is real! Sometimes our Blue hour turns into a purple hour. I’ve only ever seen it a couple of times in the decade I’ve lived here, and I was so happy to be shooting on a day when it was happening!”

3. Color Toning – Post Production

A great way of how to capture vibrant colors in photography that may or may not have existed in your natural scene is to edit or enhance in post. While some disagree in altering the natural state of a photograph, it can be argued that editing is all part of the creative process. There are three ways to edit color in Lightroom and endless possibilities with Photoshop.

Shivani Reddy – Website | Instagram

“Instead of implementing colored gels to add color to my frame, I decided to work with the colors and tones of this image to emphasize the warmth of the sunset. Even though it’s such a small part of this frame, the orange glow from that rectangle ended up being the inspiration to make this image have a strong warmth. I used the Visual Flow Preset System to dial in the right tones and used the Dark Mode preset specifically to underexpose the image. I then cooled down the couples’ skin tones to make sure they weren’t looking like oompa loompas and this was the final result!”

4. Colorful Scenes

Don’t want to use color or add it in post? Another way of how to capture vibrant colors in photography is to simply look for it within your scenes. Often times we look for neutral backgrounds to not overpower our subjects but try straying out of your comfort zone and seeing how color can be part of your storytelling. These image examples either used a colored product or found scenes where color exists to help balance out the image:

Devon McCabe – Website | Instagram

“My partner Hector Vazquez and I executed this shot for our LGBTQ couple after they expressed how they wanted to incorporate smoke bombs into their wedding. We knew this had to be executed after dark, as their ceremony was closer to sunset. We decided to incorporate their entire bridal party, each person holding 2 colored smoke bombs, to essentially make a rainbow. We placed a MagSphere behind the group to light up the smoke bombs, and a MagGrid on an AD200, camera left to illuminate the couple. Our couple fell in love with this shot, and it has now become one of our staple display images. We love working with LGBTQ couples, and love to show diversity in our imagery.”

Jess Bell – Website | Instagram

“There are few dog breeds that look more dynamic in photos than a Dalmatian. Their striking and instantly recognizable black spots on a white background are a joy for many artists. The dogs’ owner and I opted to photograph the dogs with brightly colored powder applied to their bodies, which poured off them as they ran and jumped in my studio. The powder amplifies the action, the color draws the eye, and the strobes freeze everything with crisp detail. These factors make this image one of my favorite and most successful photos.”

Pye Jirsa – Website | Instagram

“This image was from our smoke bomb photography tutorial. It took some time to mess around with the position of the smoke bombs so that you could still see Shiv, but ultimately it ended up working out!” Smoke bombs are a great way to add color to your image while also adding a whimsical or mystical element to your scene.

Alexsandra Wiciel – Website | Instagram

“If you take a look at my work I am constantly using and adding color into my images. I saw a piece of crazy shiny wrapping paper at Hilary & Katie’s wedding and thought “I wonder what would happen if I photographed through it?” And this was the result!”

Marissa Joy Daly‎ – Website | Instagram

“I used the colorful painting behind the bride as a vibrant, geometrical background to make the photo more unique than most “hairspray” photos. The color in this photo is what makes it so good!”

David Mendoza III – Website | Instagram

“Vibrant colors routinely find their way into my work. This sculpture is only of my town’s only public art pieces and had been something I wanted to incorporate into a photo when the opportunity presented itself. The bride had met her partner in Peru while traveling and for a while, her family had no idea who this person was…only that they brought out the vibrancy in her. With that in mind, I wanted to highlight her while keeping them a mystery. It could be a person of any gender, race or color and that mystery contrasted with her joy and the color is what pulled together a strong and fun image.”

Lissette & Orlando Suarez‎ – Website | Instagram

“When I first met up with this couple for their engagement session they were both dressed in black. It was also cold and rainy outside so we were forced to come indoors for the shoot. So right from the start, I knew I wanted to bring in lots of colors to brighten up the look and feel of the session. No better way to feature and contrast their black outfits than placing them against vibrant colored walls. Previously, before the couple arrived I scouted our location. I came across the entrance to the bathrooms which had bright blue and orange walls with extra-large gender restroom emblems. I knew immediately I was going to use that for the shoot but I wasn’t exactly sure how I would do this. It’s in a dark area of the venue and management does not permit tripods or light stands on the property. They are not fond of big flashy lights either. Nonetheless, when I saw the couple’s dark outfits I went straight to the bathrooms with them. You could imagine the look on their faces when I told them I wanted to shoot there. Anyway, when we arrived I had to figure out a way to use just one handheld speedlight so I wouldn’t get in trouble with management. I posed the couple by each emblem but with their backs to the colored walls illuminated by the light fixtures. These lights created even more contrast between the wall and their dark outfits. The colors were brighter and the couple almost had a silhouette feel to their bodies. I then had my wife hold the light from camera left with a MagSphere and MagGrid. I had her feather the light so it could reach both of them without casting on the wall too much. In a perfect world, I would have preferred more than one light but if I was going to get this shot we had to go with what was possible at the moment. We had to take several shots because we kept getting interrupted by customers wanting to use the bathroom. Honestly, it’s a miracle they didn’t call the security guard on us.”

Tanya Parada – Website | Instagram

“Incorporating color for this couple was a must! I wanted to show off their fun, youthful, goofy sides! Venice Beach area is full of murals and art that are unique and colorful. I knew it was the perfect place to do a morning session with this couple. For this photo, I saw the colorful lines and knew that it would be a great photo to try a reflection shot with. The laughs were all them! Just a super fun-loving couple!”

Article was last updated March 10, 2023

Newborn Photoshoot Ideas & Inspiration

The following article will cover the following newborn photoshoot ideas:

1. Photographing Birth Pictures: Fresh 48
2. Use Props with Meaning
3. Create an Elaborate Set Design
4. Choose a Color Scheme
5. Include Parents, Siblings & Furry Friends
6. Get in Close
7. Perfect Your Swaddle
8. Try Using a Basket or a Bench
9. Find the Moments In Between
10. Invest in a Backdrop

Idea 1 – Photograph Birth Pictures

This one is for all the mom’s and dad’s out there that want to get unforgettable birth photos of your child. This session is often referred to as the “Fresh 48” and usually happens 24-48 hours within labor. It’s an incredibly powerful set of images that tell the story of life entering this world and the strength of women during the delivery process. Follow the tips in the video to learn about gear, settings, lighting, and editing these images!

Idea 2 – Add Props with Meaning

Using props for baby photos isn’t anything novel and is one of the easiest ways to jazz up any newborn photoshoot. This has become a very popular trend because of the rise of social media and baby announcements.

Although props are a classic newborn photoshoot idea, try incorporating props that have some meaning to the family. It’s worth spending a few minutes discussing with the baby’s parents what is important to them and coming up with a game plan on what props would work best.  Here are some ideas to incorporate in your newborn props:

• Props that represent the parents’ universities
• Props that represent the parents’ hobbies
• Props that represent the parents’ careers
• Props that represent the parents’ core values
• Props that symbolize family
• Props that honor relatives

Idea 3. Create an Elaborate or Fun Set Design

This is heavily inspired by Caroline Tran’s incredible baby photoshoots she did with her kids when they were younger. This is your chance to get those creative gears running to use what you’ve got to set the scene. In the video above video, I used a towel, blanket, and some cotton balls to create little clouds around our newborn, Josie. I love how this came out and the best part is… it was all shot at home in our living room! Super easy to achieve and an inexpensive newborn baby photoshoot idea.

Idea 4. Choose a Color Scheme

Using complementary colors or choosing a monochromatic look can make for an outstanding newborn baby photoshoot idea. Take a look at the color wheel for more inspiration on what colors work well together and then discuss with your clients to make sure they’re on board!

Idea 5. Include Parents, Siblings & Furry Friends

Other than the fact that this is absolutely adorable,  it’s often an overlooked aspect of newborn photoshoot ideas. We do such a detailed job to make sure we get all types of portraits of newborns but sometimes we forget to include the VIPs of the family! Take a moment to capture the new bundle of joy with furry family members (and non-furry ones too).

Idea 6. Get in Close

Often when I glance through catalogs of newborn sessions I find that the most commonly missed shots are the close-up photos of the baby. I’m not talking about just their face, but of their little toes and fingers too! Remember, parents never get to see their baby this small ever again, and capturing every bit of their cute mannerisms and attributes is something they will cherish forever.

Idea 7. Perfect Your Swaddle

Swaddling is Newborn Photography 101. From the origination of the newborn photography niche, taking photos of babies in a swaddle blanket has been a popular newborn pose and photo. It’s actually one of the most important concepts in our list of Newborn Photography Tips because of how common of a request it is for a newborn baby photoshoot idea.

Idea 8. Try Using a Basket or a Bench

Now that you’ve perfected the swaddle, time to start styling! One of the first accessories newborn photographers purchase is an object to place the baby in or on. The key to nailing this newborn baby photoshoot idea is having an assistant or a parent help hold and mold the baby into the desired pose and position on the object. Once you’ve got the shot set up have your assistant quickly remove their hand and then quickly capture the moment and have them replace their hand.

Idea 9. Find the Moments In Between

Coming from a background of photographing weddings and looking for candid moments throughout the day has prepared me well for anticipating when a moment is about to happen. However, nothing can prepare you for the random spurts of laughter or smiles of a newborn. After all, they’re just figuring out life and they’ve only been here for a few days… that’s a lot of pressure. Always have your trigger finger ready to capture the moments in between all the posing to make sure you get shots like the one above.

Idea 10. Invest in a Backdrop

Along with getting some props to create a scene, another necessary accessory is purchasing a backdrop. You can find them online for a low cost and the one I am using in this tutorial is by Backdrops by Ethan Alex. This is a small detail that will take your newborn baby photos to the next level. The best part is that since your subject is so small, you don’t need a huge backdrop.

I hope these newborn baby photoshoot ideas spark some inspiration and hopefully, you’ll be able to try out a few on your next shoot! If you’re looking for more tips on settings, gear, and safety tips for photographing newborns make sure you check out our Premium membership to gain access to our full course!

6 Beach Maternity Tips Outline

Here’s what we’ll be covering in this article.  For more a comprehensive workshop, see the Maternity Photography Workshop in Premium:

1. Prepare the Subjects for Beach Maternity Photoshoots
2. Location Selection and Timing
3. Incorporate Wardrobe into Photos
4. Include Props for More Interest
5. Limit session to 30-45 Minutes
6. Photograph a Variety of Expressions & Groupings
7. Master maternity photoshoot posing
8. Choose the right time
9. Technical Considerations

Prepare the Subjects for Beach Maternity Photoshoots

Before the shoot, communicate with your clients to discuss their preferences and needs. This includes what type of clothing they would like to wear and what poses they are comfortable with. Provide them with some guidance on what clothing to wear or bring that will complement the beach setting, such as flowy maxi dresses or simple cotton shirts.

Consider having your clients put a moodboard together to help communicate their preferences.

Location Selection and Timing

One of the most important factors to consider when planning a beach maternity shoot is the location. Choose a beach that has a picturesque scenery, clear skies, and minimal crowds. Research the weather forecast and pick a time that offers soft natural light, such as the golden hour before sunset. Early mornings can also provide a great opportunity for soft, diffused light.

The beach can be an unpredictable environment to shoot in. Crashing waves, rocky tidepools, and cold temperatures are just a few of the scenarios to watch out for. Be mindful of the spot you select for your beach maternity photos as you don’t want to stress out your clients and make them uncomfortable throughout the session. Once you find a safe spot use the storytelling tips above to work the scene without moving the clients around too much.

Incorporate Wardrobe into Beach Maternity Photos

A fun way to get stunning shots is to find a dress with a train. With a backdrop like the ocean, this will yield some incredible beach maternity photos. This is a great option for more of a dramatic shot. You can find some beautiful dress options at SewTrendy or even a quick search on Amazon.

Include Props for More Interest

Beach maternity shoots provide the opportunity to use natural elements to your advantage. Utilize the beach’s surroundings to make the photo shoot more appealing. Some good props to use would be flower crowns, beach hats, and blankets to help them feel more comfortable on the sand.

A fun idea for beach maternity photos is to include personalized props during the shoot. Have the couple bring their sonogram, a “coming soon” sign, or even baby clothes/shoes to celebrate the new addition to the family. Don’t let the props overshadow the portraits, use them instead to drive the narrative.

Limit Session to 30-45 Minutes

Having a pregnant woman be on her feet, posing, and smiling can be uncomfortable. Find opportunities during the session to give her breaks, make sure she’s hydrated and feeling comfortable. If she feels uncomfortable it will likely be seen in the images.

Photograph a Variety of Expressions & Groupings

If your beach maternity photos include a family adding a new member to the team then this is a great opportunity to get individual portraits with each parent and some solos of the child. Oftentimes, kids are well aware of the situation and feel insecure or threatened that a new child is coming into the family. This is the perfect chance to get individual portraits with each parent and then grab some portraits of the child for the parents to cherish.

Master Maternity Photoshoot Posing

When it comes to posing, aim for a natural look that highlights the mother’s beauty and the love and anticipation that they feel for their child. Consider using poses that incorporate the mother’s belly, such as holding it gently or cradling it. Keep in mind that the mother may be uncomfortable if the poses are too strenuous or difficult, so encourage them to take breaks when needed. Finally, be sure to capture candid moments as well, such as laughing or enjoying the scenery.  For more information on maternity photography posing, see our article on Foundation Tips for Maternity Posing.

Choose the right timeframe

It’s important to consider your client’s safety and schedule the shoot no later than the 7-8 month mark, depending on your client’s comfort.  Of course, you also don’t want to do the photoshoot too early either, as the belly may not be showing enough yet.  The ideal timeframe, for most couples is between 6-7 months into the pregnancy.

Technical Considerations

It’s essential to have the right equipment to get the best results.  Besides the camera, here are a few items to consider bringing to ensure a successful beach maternity photoshoot.

Bring a combination of lenses to your beach maternity photoshoot that allow you to tell a complete story.  Medium range primes and zooms in the 50mm to 85mm range will help you capture beautiful portraits, and wide-angle lenses in the 16-35mm range will enable you to capture the vastness of the beach and create dramatic shots.

Consider using polarizing filters to help reduce glare and create a more vivid sky.  You may also choose to bring a tripod to take capture movement in the waves with long exposure photography.

Conclusion

Beach maternity photography is a fantastic way to capture an unforgettable moment for mothers-to-be. A great photoshoot will require communication and preparation, utilizing the right props and equipment, and a focus on natural poses. By keeping these tips in mind, you can create beautiful and memorable photographs that your clients will treasure for years to come.

Of course to learn even more about lighting modifiers and how to use them in all different kinds of portraiture situations, be sure to check out our Flash Photography Training System which includes our best-selling lighting courses:

• Lighting 101: The Fundamentals of Flash Photography (On-Camera Flash Mastery)
• Lighting 201: Single Source Off-Camera Light Shaping
• Lighting 3: Location Lighting for Dramatic Portraits (Advanced Off-Camera Flash)
• Lighting 4: Creating Every Natural Light Effect Using Flash

For each modifier, we will include a description, pros & cons, and uses for various lighting gear and sources. There is something in this article for everyone, no matter what the budget.

Reflectors

DESCRIPTION: When shooting outdoors, reflectors are extremely powerful tools, and when used correctly they can be used as the main light, fill light, rim light, etc. You can bounce a flash off of the reflector or simple angle it to catch sunlight and push that light towards the subject.

PROS: One of the cheapest, fastest ways to create and control soft light sources. Bouncing flash off a wall or ceiling is also very effective and simple. It’s also very portable compared to lugging around a softbox or light stands.

CONS: Reflectors can waste light power, (brightness) and your non-reflector bounce options are extremely limited if a ceiling is high, or any off-white color. It can be difficult to create consistent exposures, especially if an assistant is hand-holding a reflector and you’re bouncing flash from on-camera. You also risk losing a lot of light power since there isn’t much control from your on-camera flash.

USES: Active or fast-paced situations such as on-location sessions or lifestyle portrait shoots, where you want to create soft diffused light but need to be moving around a lot. Reflectors are more practical for sunlight, while on-camera flash-bouncing is more practical for indoor walls and ceilings. Here is a great example video that shows how you can use a simple on-camera flash and the white side of the reflector to create a portable softbox.

Scrims

DESCRIPTION: Diffuses sun, other natural light, or off-camera flash. The modifier (and flash) can be held by an assistant, or one or both can be on light stands. Instead of bouncing, light passes through a scrim and is diffused.

PROS: Big, soft light, not too wasteful, easy to set up, relatively cheap.

CONS: Light spills everywhere, and there is potential for unwanted shadows if the scrim cannot fully cover the entire subject from the sun or light source.

USES: Best used when you want to do two things at once: create shade from the sun, and add your own light to the equation. Usually, the most flexible uses are when framing waist-up or similarly close portraits. Otherwise, it’s slightly less practical and controllable compared to other light modifiers.

Shoot Through Umbrella
DESCRIPTION: best used for emulating soft, window light. A shoot-through umbrella uses off-camera flash, is collapsible, comes in various sizes, some cheap and some very expensive. Hands down one of the best modifiers to have in your kit.

PROS: Creates a soft and large light source that you can take with you no matter where you go.

CONS: Can be a little obtrusive because of the size. It has a wide spread because there is no cover for the umbrella, making it hard to control the light spill. Can create shadows on the wall that distinctly giveaway the type of light source used.

USES: Simple lighting setups where you need to quickly set up 1-2 lights, get a light source that is bigger than a bare strobe, yet still bright. Great for photographing large groups and soft portraits.

Rewind: Photography Lighting Equipment – The Best Light for Your Budget (2021 Update)

Softboxes or Octaboxes

DESCRIPTION: Uses off-camera flash or strobes, is collapsible, all kinds of different varieties, some are super cheap and some are very expensive. Needs light stand, or “light on a stick” monopod. (See our Flash Training System for more!)

PROS: Great balance of portability and light control, doesn’t spill everywhere, much easier to get huge directional light sources especially if you have a grid. Many options are very affordable and fast to set up. (umbrella boxes)

CONS: Some options can be pricey, some aren’t exactly effortless to set up.

USES: The better your lighting is, the less post-production you’ll have to do, and the more clean and polished your images will look. A softbox is great for shooting a single subject, a couple, or an entire family, either in-studio or on-location. Add a flash grid to the softbox, if you’re in a setting where you want to minimize spill on foreground/background.

Here are some of the best softboxes for speedlights:

• MagMod MagBox
• Profoto 2′ Octagonal Off-Camera Flash Softbox
• Westcott Rapid Box 26″ Octa Softbox
• Glow EZ Lock Octa 48″

Beauty Dishes

DESCRIPTION: Uses off-camera flash or strobes to create soft, beauty portraiture light. You can watch the full video on how we created the shot above here!

PROS: Very soft yet highly controllable quality of light, thanks to specific grid accessories.

CONS: Many do not collapse, require a lot of flash power, and can become rather expensive when buying a complete system.

USES: Anything from general portraiture to high-end fashion work, as long as you have the help (assistant) to manage it, and the time for setup and break-down. Very good at keeping light focused on the subject and off of the foreground/background, allowing you to shoot a very complex scene with ease.

• Profoto OCF 24″ Beauty Dish with Deflector Plate
• Profoto OCF Magnum Reflector
• Glow 22″ White Beauty Dish for Bowens Mount

Light Controlling Modifiers (Grids & Snoots)

DESCRIPTION: Used to stop, cut down, or “shape” light direction or spill. (Usually when already using one of the previously mentioned light sources.)

PROS: Pin-point light-shaping abilities, similar to spotlight effect.

CONS: Some grids either cut too much light or not enough depending on the necessary modification. Usually, lower quality grids tend to have more light spill or less gradual light fall-off which defeats the purpose of using a grid.

USES: Small accents (hair, rim lighting, etc.) Also good for wide-angle shots that need a spotlight on a subject within a scene, anything from an environmental portrait to an ultra-wide angle first dance shot.

• MagMod MagGrid
• MagMod MagSnoot
• Profoto A1 Grid Kit
• Profoto Snoot

Speedlight Diffusion

DESCRIPTION: Uses to diffuse or soften the light output of an on or off-camera flash.

PROS: Quick, simple soft or diffused light, highly portable, efficient.

CONS: Not soft enough or not softer than an umbrella. Some options still have some specularity. Each one of the options below does different things so please be aware of that prior to purchasing.

USES: When you wanted to soften or diffuse the light on your subject instead of pointing a bare bulb towards them. If you are working an event or wedding, having a softer or more diffused on-camera light source will yield better results.

• MagMod MagSphere
• Gary Fong Lightsphere
• Fstoppers Flash Disc Portable Speedlight Softbox
• MagMod MagBounce

Colored Gels for Flash

DESCRIPTION: Colored plastic sheets used to shift or correct the color of light output. Come in a variety of colors for creative or corrective purposes.

PROS:  Ideal for shooting creative flash photography and an easy trick to transform a scene.

CONS: Must understand how each color affects each scene’s ambient light exposure in combination with your in-camera white balance. Sometimes, it can come off as cheesy or

USES: Creatively alter the look of your scene or correct skin tones to match the ambient light. Learn how to visually change your camera’s white balance here.

• MagMod MagGels
• Profoto OCF Gel Starter Kit

To learn more about lighting modifiers and how to use them in all different kinds of portrait shoots, be sure to check out our Flash Photography Training System, available for digital download and also as part of our SLR Lounge Premium subscription!

What is Environmental Portrait Photography?

Often times we’ve seen that in our communities there are some skeptical photographers that don’t quite see the purpose of creating images like this when the subject(s) is such a small feature of the photograph, however, they obviously chose this location for their shoot for a reason, right? It would only be apt to feature it for a couple of shots to really develop the story/scene. Although there are some that classify themselves as environmental portrait photographers, many use the technique as one part of their storytelling method – pulling out wide to see the entire scene and then slowly working their way closer and closer to the subject.

How to Create an Environmental Portrait

Now that we’ve got a basic definition, let’s go over how exactly you can create your own environmental portraits. The first requirement is to grab a wide-angle lens, and there is no correct answer as to which lens is best for this, however, you’ll want a lens that doesn’t have crazy edge distortion in case you have your subjects close to the edge of the frame.

Step 1: Scout Your Location to Find the Best Angle

The toughest part of an environmental portrait is your composition. Since environmental portraits feature both your subject and the surroundings, it can be hard to determine what the right ratio or proportion of your image seems right. You’ll see in our examples that there are a plethora of ways to compose your subject(s) in your frame that still distinguish who they are while a large portion of the image features the surroundings. The fun part about environmental portraits is being able to squat down low or climb higher to find an interesting vantage point that isn’t immediately apparent to the naked eye.

Put your camera down and take a glance around the scene. Often you’ll find that just a quick location scouting session prior to shooting will give you the most unique perspectives. Planning for a shot like this requires a deep understanding of the landscape which takes time, and sometimes even incorporating spontaneous elements like these kayakers in the distance. Keep an eye out for the following things when location scouting:

• Leading lines
• Foreground objects
• Interesting shapes
• Unique angles

Step 2: Dial-In Your Ambient Light Exposure

Next, determine your  Camera Settings For Environmental Portraits.

Decide whether or not you want to create a dramatic image or a natural image but brightening or darkening or your ambient light exposure. Since our goal here is to showcase the environment you’ll want to watch your shadows on your Histogram to ensure you aren’t clipping them so that you have as much potential in post-production to play with the image.

When photographing in a large landscape you need to make the decision of whether or not you will be using off-camera lighting to assist in bringing out the subject in the frame. Then dial in the appropriate camera settings depending on the look you are trying to achieve.

Step 3: Add in Off-Camera Lighting (Optional)

Once you’ve dialed in your camera settings you’ll need to decide whether or not your subject(s) needs more highlighting within the frame. Adding in off-camera lighting help distinguish the subject(s) in frame, especially if there is a ton going on in the actual environment. Some photographers have such a trained eye that they can spot natural highlights or rays of sunlight within their frame and place their subject(s) there to start with.

Rewind: Advanced Flash Photography Technique – Environmental Backlight

Step 4: Cue the Action & Photograph!

Once you’ve locked down your position and framing, all that’s left to do is pose your subject(s) and shoot! Be cautious of having your subject(s) look towards your camera if you are photographing them from a far distance – this can have a sort of ‘peeping tom’ like effect that doesn’t translate well into an image and you’re better off having them look at each other or at their surroundings.

Post-Production For Environmental Portraits

Environmental portraits require a compositing technique due to the fact that you are shooting in a wide landscape with an off-camera light. Using a Layer Mask in Photoshop will allow you to mask out your assistant or off-camera light in the frame.

Environmental Portrait Photography Examples

When we asked our Facebook Group to share their favorite environmental portraits we were overwhelmed with the response we got. Hopefully these images inspire you to think outside the box the next time you start photographing a scene because these photographers used a variety of techniques to showcase their environment and subjects. The infinite talent within our Facebook Communities is truly a reason why we love our industry – it reinstates that we can all learn and grow so much just be helping one another. Here is a selection of environmental portrait photography from our community:

“I had a Profoto B10 with a 1/2 CTO and a 20-degree grid about 15 feet behind the couple and just below shoulder height. They are up on a rock so I had the light up at about ten feet high. These were my settings: 1/125, f/2, ISO 800. The bride’s sister came along with us for the sunset photos and she helped finesse the flash and she tossed the veil for me until we got it in the right spot.”

“This couple’s wedding was at a ranch and the longhorns are one of the signature features of the property. Most photographers avoid using flash as they’re worried about being speared (a valid concern at that) but I knew that I had to use flash to get the sky to look the way I wanted it to. We pulled this off in about 30 seconds as the longhorn wasn’t too crazy about me being so close to him (shot at 16mm). All of the stress was worth it though as I feel like we created a photo that perfectly captures the couple’s day.” This image was taken with a Sony A9 w/ Sony 16-35 f/4 @ 1/200, f/5.6, ISO 50 Light (camera left): MagBox w/ FocusDiffuser + 1/4 CTO w/ 2x Godox AD200.

“Environmental Portraits are my fav! Embracing the elements, location and light to show off the subject! My husband always laughs at me every time we’re in a beautiful scenic location and I say- “you know what this needs?” and he replies “a couple?” He knows me so well! Ha ha!”

“We had already shot so cool natural light shots in the tree tunnel giving it that cool leading line effect and as we approached this spot, we saw that the sun was shining through subtly. We wanted to enhance the light that was already there so we decided to add a half CTO gel and backlight the couple for a warm highlight to make them pop. We actually look for this lighting situation any time we’re in an area with a natural tunnel. In addition to the half CTO gel, we also utilized a MagSphere and these were placed on a Godox AD200 at 1/8 power about 4-5ft behind the couple, waist level, with a slight tilt up.”

“Erika and I love pulling back to reveal the scale & enormity of the bigger scene, to remind our human audience about their fundamental connection to nature, and to place the viewer’s mind on the surface of our awesome planet. Mother Earth is extraordinary – let’s treat her that way.”

“Hawaii is basically Neverland. From the moment I set foot on this island, I knew I was bearing witness to real-life magic. I still get goosebumps when there’s a good sunset. I still cheer when a whale jumps. And my absolute favorite thing in the whole world is sharing this place with my friends, family, and clients.”

It can be easy to fall into the trap of getting ultra-wide images where your subject is so small in the frame you can’t even see them. This portrait by Matt is a great balance of the scene and the couple. He adds: “I believe you can still show off the environment and tell the story, even if the couple is closer and larger in the frame. This image was taken before sunset on a cloudy day. I killed most of the ambient light and used a MagBox to make the couple stand out.”

“She grew up at the vineyard we were shooting in and this was the windmill she used to climb as a child. She always got in trouble for being up there, so it was the number one shot on my list for the day.”

Learn More About Creating an Environmental Portrait

We went on Facebook Live to discuss how we create some of our extraordinary portraits featuring subjects within a wide environmental landscape. We covered how to light, compose, shoot and edit these images to make the subject stand out amongst a busy and vast scene, watch it here:

With portraits such as these, our main goal is to ensure that the subjects stand out amongst the large landscape they’re in, and to do that requires a greater understanding of off-camera lighting and knowing just how far you can push your camera. You can see more in-depth tutorials and techniques on how to achieve this look in SLR Lounge Premium!

During the Baraat, the groom often arrives on a decorated horse, elephant, or other mode of transportation such as a sports car or carriage.  The event is full of laughter, dancing, and anticipation.  In the following article, we’ll provide tips for photographers and videographers on how to capture the Baraat and then provide examples from our award-winning photographers.

Tips for Photographing the Baraat

• Use a Wide Angle Lens – For photographers, a wider angle lens, such as a 16-35mm or a 25-70mm is an absolute must to capture the entire baraatis, the groom, and the environment in one shot. In addition, it’s great for dance scenes, as the distortion creates the unique effect of exaggerating the movements at the edges of the image.
• Get into the Action – Don’t be afraid to get into the action.  For example, if you see a circle of people dancing, be a part of the circle rather than standing far away and zooming in.  These up close, action-packed shots will be much more dynamic and interesting.
• Understand the Flow – In most baraats, the groom will start on the horse (or other vehicle) near the back of the procession.  Near the end, he will join the dance party in the front of the procession.  Understanding this flow will let you plan out your shots and positioning so you don’t miss critical moments.
• Understand the Event – The Baraat is the groom’s processional. Rather than simply walking down the aisle, however, the groom will be accompanied by family and friends and can cover a range of distances, say from the hotel parking lot down to the wedding ceremony site. During the Baraat, the groom will usually travel to the site on a horse, or camel, or even in a car. Music and dancing play a big part of this processional, which transpires to announce the groom’s arrival to the ceremony. Brides are not present for the Baraat, but they often watch from a discreet location. At some point, the groom will dismount from his transportation, and dance alongside his friends and family. The dancing is not usually choreographed. Consider using a wide angle zoom lens, like a 24-70mm f/2.8, if possible, to get a range of perspectives with minimal time and effort. Baraats are usually very crowded, so maneuverability is minimal when getting into the action and covering this event

Baraat Images for Your Inspiration

Here are some of our favorite images of the Baraat.

More Information

For more information and inspiration on the Baraat, be sure to check out this article from Lin and Jirsa and this article from Wedding Maps.