Forget Location – Make Your Wedding Photos Amazing Anywhere with Light

Marissa and Jojo Feliciano are San Diego wedding photographers, whom I personally love. In fact, they took my engagement photos. Their photography blends photojournalism and portrait photography, but ultimately what sets them apart is that each of their photos makes you feel a connection with the image on an emotional level. What’s the secret to their magic? They focus on capturing authentic interactions and the unique qualities that make each relationship spark. Oh, and lighting. Take it away Marissa!

 Wedding Photography Master Class with Marissa & Jojo

Go Towards The Light! 

Many times we’ve heard our brides mention their quest for the “perfect location” for wedding photos or engagement photos. We are here to tell you, anywhere can become the perfect location for photos. It sounds crazy, but it’s true.

The key to great photos is finding great light. After all, the ability to read light and capture light is part of what makes a good photographer. It is definitely important to capture the emotions and actions of your subjects. But if the lighting isn’t right, the photo can easily fall short of its potential.

Sometimes we don’t have the luxury of a grand staircase like in Gone with the Wind, or endless fields of flowers and blues skies. So we use light to focus the viewer’s attention on our brides and grooms – that’s what they day is really about, right?

Here are some examples that demonstrate how finding the perfect light can produce great photos in just about any location. - After the jump

1. Basking in Sunlight – This photo was taken in a dark and dingy stairwell. We placed our bride-to-be against the concrete wall in a shaft of sunlight to create a dramatic portrait.

2. Blue Silhouette – This photo was shot as the bride was getting dressed. The hotel room was a mess and people were crowding around her. We photographed her against the blue light of the television in the background to make a clean silhouette of our bride.

3. Walking Out of the Light – On our way to the ceremony site, we could not find a clean location to take some bridal portraits. The location had several other events going on and there were people everywhere, getting in our shot! So we found a hallway that was blazing with sunlight. Using the sun as a backlight, the busy background disappeared, bringing all the attention to our stunning bride.

4. Moody Lamplight – Late in the evening, we wanted to get one more portrait of our bride and groom. There was no ideal location to shoot outside the ballroom, so we placed the couple underneath a wall sconce against the side of the building to create a moody portrait.

5. Dashing and Debonair – This location happened to be the side of a building that was less than attractive. But to draw the attention to our dashing groom, we placed him in a ray of sunlight, rendering the ugly background less noticeable.

6. Etching on the Wall – We love playing with light and shadow, so we snatched up the opportunity for this image lickety split! The actual location was dirty stucco on the back side of a building. But the sunlight shining through the trees cast the most interesting patterns on the wall, turning an ugly location into an amazing backdrop for our couple.

7. Twinkle, Twinkle – With a packed dance floor, it’s always hard to isolate a couple for a portrait. In this photo, Jojo shot through some bushes covered in twinkle lights, which effectively blocked out all the other people and framed our couple nicely. Then I snuck around to light them from behind, creating this magical portrait.

8. Wherefore Art Thou, Window Light? – Our most favorite light of all has to be window light! What started as a super plain and boring waiting room became a dramatic portrait of the bride. With nothing but window light cascading and highlighting her face and dress, sometimes simplicity is best.

Marissa and Jojo’s photography has the timeless quality of black and white films, when light and shadow, texture and structure were vital to the art form. If you’re tired of seeing every wedding photo hipstagrammed, check out Felici Photography on their website. Prove that some of us brides actually know great photography when we see it, and tell them Rogue Bride sent you.