Improving Wedding Prep Photography with Portable Lighting

In this two-part tutorial, professional wedding photographer Bob Davis discusses how to improve wedding preparation shots (for both brides and grooms) with surprisingly portable lighting setups. By adding just a couple of speedlites and compact modifiers to your shoot, photographers can save time on post-production editing and offer clients higher quality images.

Setup with 53″ Deep Umbrella + Speedlites

In Bob’s bridal prep setup above, he balances soft window light with a speedlite to turn a flat mirror shot into an eye-catching image with dimension. He softens his speedlites with a Westcott 53. This modifier sets up instantly and surprisingly compact for effortless use in pretty much any location.

Ambient Light Only

Ambient Light + Speedlite and Deep Umbrella (Camera Left)

Ambient Light + Speedlite and Deep Umbrella (Camera Right)

Ambient Light + Speedlite and Deep Umbrella (Camera Right)

Lighting Gear in Action

Captured at Collingwood Presbyterian Church in Toledo, Ohio.

After bridal prep portraits, Bob transitions to groom prep shots. In this case, Bob uses two different lighting techniques for two very different styles.

Setup with Perfect Pair Kit (Halo and Medium Apollo) + Speedlites

First, he uses the Perfect Pair Kit to accent the available daylight. This allows him to keep his ISO low while creating a very organic, dimensional image. The Perfect Pair Kit consists of a 28″ Medium Apollo and a 45″ Halo. Both of these umbrella-style softboxes setup quickly and can be paired with both speedlites and strobes. The Apollo is fitted with the included 40-degree grid, which controls the light fall

Ambient Light + Perfect Pair Kit and Speedlites (Low Power)

Ambient Light + Perfect Pair Kit and Speedlites (Low Power)

Adding speedlites also gives photographers the ability to experiment with different styles of lighting. By increasing the power of his key light (the Apollo), Bob is also able to create a very dramatic sunset image.

Ambient Light + Perfect Pair Kit and Speedlites (High Power)

Lighting Gear in Action

Captured at Nazareth Hall in Grand Rapids, Ohio.