Riverside Engagements

The easiest place to bring a happy couple is a bright, green and yellow background with lots of nature surrounding them. When trying to express a view of joy and love to the viewer many want to be able to relate by having a natural scene that could remind them of one of their days of joy. I chose this riverside campground for this couple as they were looking for a place that was simple but beautiful. There were a few things that I drew from this background that brought that to me. For one the color range of this forest is very limited. With a heavy focus on green from the grass, trees, and many other plants surrounding the pathways around this campground it was hard to make photos where it wasnt the main focus. So making sure to integrate it into the theme of the shoot was very important.

I styled their outfits with that in mind. A dark green dress for the lady and a light green shirt for the man gives them a way to blend in to the background. They need that support as the skin color comes out a lot when being surrounded by so much green. Blending it in with the yellows and browns was important so that the reds of the skin weren’t so apparent. Capturing the human element of these photos is an essential thing to consider because while the environment gives the context the people are the subject of these photos. They shouldn't be in the background or hidden but presented in a way that makes them match and become incorporated into where they are placed

Complex Colors and Flowers

Then I took this same couple into a new environment to express a different kind of color and emotion. This flower garden we explored together gave many different colors. From oranges and whites to purples and blues we matched the formal outfits with our natural environment. I found that it was particularly important that we focus on the lighting in these kinds of photos. With how vibrant the colors are the focus is controlled by the direction and intensity of the light on the subject.

I found that often the editing style was dictated by the environment around it. As tempting as it can be to make one standard throughout the entire photoshoot it often doesn’t work that way. Each scene needs its own settings and color profiles that work with the different environments they are presented in. The amount of green in the background or the color and prevalence of flowers will all change how the couple should be shown

Landscapes and Cities

A secluded garden and curated nature isnt all that we have available to us. Why not go to a local park or nice neighborhood to capture happy moments together. When I went through these environments I found it best to focus on leading lines and focal points. Buildings can be distracting to the main focus of the couple if they are too prominent in the photo. Using them as a background texture worked best.

When picking a location in a place like this it is good to have some areas with variety in the view and objects for the couple to interact with. It helps with posing and creating interesting scenes for them to be a part of. Famous buildings from the area and views out to the horizon can be great backgrounds for the couple.

Location is Everything

Sometimes the location is an adventure to get to and to experience. That makes fitting the couple into the picture a bit hard as the landscape pulls the viewers more then anything else. I found that in situations like these showing the subjects as if they are viewing and interacting with the landscape allows the viewer of the photography to somewhat insert themselves into it. It gives it a bit more interaction and interest in a way that helps build the story of the photograph

On this trip we did color was a big part of the landscape around us. The dirt and sand had many layers and colors that were the complete opposite of the nice green gardens from before. Posing them in a way that emphasized the landscape they were in without drowning them out with all the detail was important here. Natural borders and frames helped as well as including the skies and view when possible