I would love to be a Richmond wedding photographer! So I was thrilled when my photographer friend Matoli Keely Photography asked me to second shoot with her for this awesome wedding at Tredegar.

As a wedding photographer I love to second shoot for other wedding photographers. Not only does it give me the opportunity to collaborate with other photographers, learn new tricks, etc. But I’m also able to try new things. I don’t ever “try” things with paying clients. But if I clear it with the lead shooter, and we feel like we have enough “safe” shots, I’m able to try out something different. This is a great way to grow skills. So the last few times I’ve second shot for other photographers I’ve tested out shooting film with flash.

You can see my first blog post I did about this topic by clicking here. Using flash can be tricky sometimes. When you’re shooting with digital it’s fairly easy to just do a couple of test shots and “tweak” the lights until you get them where you need them. But of course with film, there are no previews and you have to get it right from the start. This is why I wanted to practice before I adopted this technique into my own weddings.

In the first blog post you can see photos where I shot with only one flash, on camera. Happy with those photos, I decided to add another element at the next wedding… one off-camera flash. So now I was shooting with two flashes. One on-camera (either pointed up into the tent, or pointed straight ahead at the people) and the other flash mounted remotely on a stand. You can see how it really helped to light up the outdoor area for the ceremony. It was very dark outside, with only a few “mood” lights. So I decided to set up an off-camera flash to help light it up!

Then during the reception I brought the off-camera flash and set it up next to the DJ booth (usually a safe spot). Then I shot at either a 90 degree or a 180 degree angle from it. I was VERY pleased with the results! Just one more step to being a 100% film wedding photographer! :)

Looking for a wedding photographer? Fill out a contact form here, or send me a note at kristen@kristenlynne.com. I’d love to hear about your wedding!