Figment Photography is a wedding and portrait photography studio based out of Rockford, Illinois. Our website displays a selection of our photography work with weddings, engagements, families, and seniors. Our blog gives a deeper look at the individual sessions we shoot.
What a privilege it is to love
A great honor to hold you up
-
Like a force to be reckoned with
A mighty ocean or a gentle kiss
I will love you with every single thing I have
Like a tidal wave, I'll make a mess
Or calm waters if that serves you best
I will love you without a single string attached
-Sleeping At Last
A very special thanks to the below vendors who went above and beyond to help me create this shoot. My heart was and still is so overwhelmed by the gifts these makers and artists contributed. These are your A-Team vendors for creative and inspired art with amazing service and I would highly recommend each and every one.
Florist: Event Floral
Bakery: Bella Luna Bakery
Hair + Makeup: Shear Renewal
Calligraphy: Lina LuLu Paperie
Table: More to a Door
Ribbons: A Ribbon's Nest
Groom's Ring: Bentwood Rings
In lieu of a traditional top 9 post, here are a handful of my personal favorites from 2017, before and after editing.
Photoshop is simply a tool in a much larger box that I use to create art that most accurately captures the feeling. It can be easy to look at edited images and feel tricked but a camera can only capture so much. My camera is a machine and I'm creating a piece of art so I'm going to use whatever other tools I have accessible to perfect that art. So here it is: 2017 Before and After
Summary: While this is just a an overview of good vs. bad light and why it affects you, your photographer should have a working knowledge of how light is the most valuable tool they have, where to find good light, and how to solve bad lighting problems (gyms, old churches, noon sun, etc.) so that you look amazing.
Light is to photography what bacon is to a BLT. It’s part of a bigger scenario where every ingredient is vital but without it, you just don’t have a BLT.
Good light tends to be:
Bad light tends to be:
The best time to photograph tends to be when the sun is low on the horizon. Fewer unflattering shadows underneath your eyes, chin, etc. and a lot less squinting.
Good: For me, truly amazing light is found in natural locations an hour before sunset. It’s soft but still dynamic light that I can be creative with. It’s perfect all year round.
Mediocre: Okay light is a VERY cloudy day. While it is technically easier to shoot on days like that, the results are automatically less artistic because the sun isn’t as interesting. (This is ALWAYS preferred at outdoor wedding ceremonies when the alternative is: someone squinting into the sun)
Bad: Bad light is man made lighting or basically anytime the light is overhead, including at midday when the sun is high.
When it comes to the technical stuff, my favorite photos include:
beautiful skin (like a princess not an airbrushed barbie)
glow-y hair
soft but interesting backgrounds
golden light
They’re probably your favorite too if you look through all your selfies, iphone shots, and professional photos. The ones where you have raccoon eyes, while sentimental, just aren’t as pretty.
There are plenty of ways to simulate good light and I’ll pull out every trick I know to give you amazing photos but when it comes down to it, good light like bacon just can’t be beat.
Bokeh- the circles and soft watercolor look in the background. My all time fav is tree bokeh when the sun is shining through the leaves and creating patterns that are even more amazing in camera
Noon Shoot- just because we are shooting at noon doesn’t mean we can’t get good light. Usually I find a massive area of shade and park us there to avoid raccoon eyes
Tone Casts- when the surroundings reflect their color back onto the subject. (e.g. a red wall reflects red back onto the bride and groom :/) There’s usually nothing I can do about that even in post. #PickYourWeddingVenuesWisely
I wanna be free as the winds that blow past me
Clear as the air that I breath
To be young as the morning
And old as the sea
To be free as the birds that fly past me
Light as the fish in the sea
To be wise as the mountains
And tall as the trees
And I wanna be sunny and bright as a sunrise
Happy and full as the moon
I'm fleeting like fireworks fading too soon
-Passenger
