Engagement Photos with Christmas Lights
I was recently hired as an engagement photographer. I was hired to photograph engagement photos at the beautiful 123farm’s Christmas Lights in Beaumont, CA. The scenery was AMAZING to say the least. However there were some interesting challenges to overcome that I will discuss in this blog. If you are looking on how-to photograph low light portraits this guide might be helpful for you!
As you can see, this photoshoot didn’t start till almost 8pm. With absolutely no sun, and no flash allowed, we had to work with as much of the Christmas lights as we could. This biggest and most important thing was scouting out for spots that had the most lights available, while also avoiding crowds of people. As a photographer the last thing you want to happen during an engagement photoshoot is for a random person to just walk right into your frame ruining your shot. I also philosophize that you do not want to be an obstruction to anyone else’s experience either. Additionally, getting away from the crowds can help make your subjects feel a lot more intimate and comfortable, especially in front of your lens.
I had finally found a spot for my clients to take their photos. To add to the element of surprise Jordan and I had coordinated a casual photography session for him and his partner. We had a codeword in mind, and I had told him once I got all my settings dialed in then we would give the word, and this would initiate the proposal.
The settings are probably what you are here for if you are looking at doing something similar! Obviously camera settings are not universal but I think sharing them can help you get a footwork for your photoshoot. These images were all shot at a whopping ISO 10,000! (more on this later). My apeture stayed around 2-2.8, and shutter speed remained around 1/125. If you know a thing or two about camera settings you might be concerned shooting at these settings, but rest assured you can achieve great photos. My focal length for most of these photos was on my 85mm prime lens. This allowed me to achieve a great depth of field at a low aperture, without giving into distortion. My shutter speed remained at 1/125 because anything slower would result in some major camera shake (making photos appear out of photos). Lastly, the ISO of 10,000. I try my absolute hardest to refrain from shooting anything this high, but in this instance it was absolutely necessary. Once the images were in photoshop I performed a medium-to-light noise removal.
All of this talk may sound like a lot, but to a professional this is just second nature. So many camera settings, lens choice, camera choice, etc. becomes engrained in your brain. To shamelessly self-plug, this is why it is so important to hire a professional photographer like myself to ensure you get beautiful engagement photos. Whether you are looking to book for engagement photos in Rancho Cucamonga, Los Angeles, Joshua Tree, or wherever, I can make the drive and ensure you great engagement photos in Southern California.
