ARTICLE

Young Photographer: bringing out the emotion in wedding photography

A bride and groom walking and holding hands. Photo by Dasha Starr.
Young photographer Dasha Starr shot this quirky, alternative wedding at Factory of Light, a former power station in Ponferrada, Spain. There, her pro mentors Marco Mastropietro and David Álvarez helped her stretch her skills. Taken on a Canon EOS 5D Mark III with a Canon EF 50mm f/1.2L USM lens at 1/500 sec, f/1.4. © Dasha Starr

Four years ago, young photographer Dasha Starr found herself tiring of taking fashion and commercial shots. When a friend invited her to India to photograph the bright colours of a traditional wedding, it proved to be a career-changing experience as she fell in love with the emotion of wedding photography.

"I wanted to shoot more emotion and real people," says Dasha, who began photography aged 14, when running a small fashion and music magazine. "You can look at wedding photos and see that a couple is really in love. There's a lot of emotion that comes through, which is the aspect I like."

Emotion and storytelling sit at the core of the work of seasoned wedding pros Marco Mastropietro and David Álvarez of Factoria182, who teamed up with Getty Images and Canon to push Dasha's wedding photography skills through a mentorship shoot close to their home town in Ponferrada, northwest Spain.

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"Weddings are emotional photography," says David. "When the couple look at your pictures, they don't really care about the exposure or the texture of the clouds – they aren't professional photographers. They look at themselves and the people they love. Of course, you have to compose a nice picture and use your creativity, but we try to focus on what that couple would love to remember when they look at the album in 20 years."

Marco and David have been working together for the past five years, after a chance introduction through friends led them to see if combining their expertise in video and photography would work for covering weddings. After hitting it off, the following year they launched Factoria182 and have since built up a thriving wedding business in the rural region they both grew up in, with more than 30 weddings planned for this year alone and bookings running well into 2020.

For this shoot, Marco and David recreated a real wedding with models – a real couple, two witnesses (also a real couple) and a celebrant. They and Dasha photographed the preparations, ceremony, couple shots and meal. Marco and David also filmed the day, making the video above. For the wedding venue they chose the striking Factory of Light, a former power station nestled among mountains in Ponferrada. It offered grungy, industrial interiors, offset by the soft daylight pouring through the huge windows. The rusted pipes and faded décor contrasted with the soft, bohemian styling of the wedding, while the surrounding river and birch tree forest offered beautiful outdoor locations for the ceremony.

Close up of bride & groom holding hands. Photo by Dasha Starr on Canon EOS 5D Mark III.
Following David and Marco's suggestion, Dasha photographed wedding scenes at different distances. Taken on a Canon EOS 5D Mark III with a Canon EF 50mm f/1.2L USM lens at 1/160 sec, f/4.0 and ISO400. © Dasha Starr

Documenting the flow of a wedding

A model with long blonde hair lies on a bed.

Young Photographer: learning fashion photography

In a collaborative project with Getty Images and Canon, fashion photographer Wanda Martin teaches emerging talent Rianna Gayle her key techniques.

"What was nice about this [recreation of a wedding shoot] was the fact that I could practice wedding techniques, but not under quite the same time pressure," says Dasha, who is originally from Russia but now based in London. "This allowed me more time with the couple, to get more variation and really see what works for the camera."

Marco and David encouraged her to build a relationship with the couple ahead of the 'wedding' itself, emphasising the importance of clients feeling comfortable in front of the camera to create natural-looking imagery. As they set up their shots, they also showed how they make sure to scout locations ahead of time to check light and find good spots to take candid shots – minimising the time the couple has to take out of their wedding day.

"The dress, the makeup and the hair is not going to be like that ever again, so of course we want some pictures of the couple, but we don't want to separate them for long [from their wedding party]," says David. "I think maybe just 20 minutes, in an area close by. If you have to move from the ceremony to a different place, stop somewhere on the way to take the couple's pictures.

"The week before, we drive along the same route and try to find places to shoot. Sometimes you only need a small, intimate space to do something brilliant. We don't do a lot of posed photos, so movement is important for us. We say just enjoy yourself – dance, jump, whatever you want to do – it's better if people are in action because most don't know how to pose."

Bride poses against wall while the groom sits on the window ledge. Photo by Factoria182.
Scouting out wedding venues ahead of the day is key to planning great shots, say David and Marco. Taken on a Canon EOS 5D Mark III with a Canon EF 35mm f/2 IS USM lens at 1/1000 sec, f/2.0 and ISO400. © Factoria182
Bride and groom embrace in a woodland. Photo by Factoria182 on Canon EOS 5D Mark III.
David, Marco and Dasha all took some backlit shots on the day. "Sometimes you only need a small, intimate space to do something brilliant," says David. Taken on a Canon EOS 5D Mark III with a Canon EF 85mm f/1.2L USM lens at 1/400 sec, f/1.2 and ISO160. © Factoria182

Wedding photography kit

Throughout the day, Dasha was able to observe how Marco and David worked together. "They're never in each other's way and have worked out this unspoken way of being able to get everything done as quickly as possible," she says. While they are multi-skilled, they have fallen into a natural rhythm of Marco providing the primary stills coverage while David shoots video, both mainly using a Canon EOS 5D Mark III.

Marco usually carries two camera bodies, slung across his chest like holsters. On one he fits a Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM zoom lens while on the other is a prime, such as a Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM lens. David shoots video on the stabilised Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS II USM lens and a Canon EF 35mm f/2 IS USM lens.

"At a wedding you have to be prepared, because sometimes you have just seconds," says David. "You can't ask someone to give the ring again. We always have ideas about shots, but you never know what is going to happen, so it was good for the mentoring to show Dasha that everything goes so fast. If I had to choose just one lens to do a wedding and I want to have many different points of view, it's the 24-70mm, while I like a 35mm for moving around. When we do a wedding, we prefer to use a mix."

A close up of a groom holding a bride’s hands. Photo by Dasha Starr on Canon EOS 6D.
"A Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM lens lets you do a bit of everything and anything," says Dasha. "It's fantastic, especially in a real wedding, which is a lot more unpredictable, sometimes with things further away." Taken on a Canon EOS 6D with a Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM lens at 70mm, 1/160 sec, f/3.2 and ISO640. © Dasha Starr

From shooting the couple draped across a couch, surrounded by whimsical candles, through to capturing the delicate golden hour light pouring through birch trees during the ceremony, Dasha relied on her Canon EOS 5D Mark III, while also using Marco's Canon EOS 6D Mark II, with a mix of zooms and primes.

"It was a two lens setup," she says. "A Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM lens lets you do a bit of everything and anything, while a Canon EF 50mm f/1.2L USM lens is great for portraiture and low lighting situations. I prefer using the 50mm as I like to go in and compose by moving, but the 24-70mm is fantastic, especially in a real wedding, which is a lot more unpredictable, sometimes with things further away. You'd be using that lens a lot more in a real-life setting."

Marco advised her to try to get three different compositions from the same scene – a close-up, a slightly wider shot, and an image that shows more of the location – and they also experimented with backlit photography, something Dasha has always loved and used in her commercial work. "You have this beautiful light layer in the background at golden hour and you can get a beautiful effect with the dress detail with backlit photography," she continues. "It's fun to work with because you get a whole other dimension in the pictures compared to flat lighting."

As the light fluctuated throughout the day, from the overcast morning to a bright afternoon, exposure became an important focus. "Bright light is the most difficult light to shoot in," says Dasha. "It's easy to get your exposure wrong, especially with a white wedding dress. Marco and David said it's best to underexpose to get the detail on the dress ­– even if the face is underexposed, you can patch that up later. I'm not used to doing that so much, but it made complete sense, so it was a great tip."

Two photographers point their Canon cameras at a bride to take her portrait.
The Factoria182 duo and Dasha found all sorts of unusual industrial locations in the wedding venue that suited the alternative, bohemian couple's style. © Dan Dennison
Portrait of a bride in disused power station. Photo by Dasha Starr on Canon EOS 5D Mark III.
The raw, gritty backdrops made for beautiful bridal portraits as well as romantic couple pictures. Taken on a Canon EOS 5D Mark III with a Canon EF 50mm f/1.2L USM lens at 1/640 sec, f/1.6 and ISO500. © Dasha Starr

Camera settings for efficiency

As well as offering advice about composition and style, Marco showed Dasha how he sets his camera up to be the most efficient, including using Quick Autofocus and relying on Live View to guarantee maximum efficiency in a fast-paced environment.

"I'm used to using my camera a certain way because I come from a fashion background where things don't move as fast as weddings," says Dasha. "They both use Live View a lot to predict settings for different lighting situations. You test Live View on a shadowed area and a light area and remember what settings you used for each, so you can quickly change them later. I'm used to using the viewfinder, but they encouraged me to use Live View for most of the shoot. If the lighting changes, you can make sure your image is exposed better than you would if shooting through a viewfinder.

"I always knew the Quick AF mode was there and never really thought about using it, but that helped the photos to be in focus all the time when zooming in and out. They would shoot in manual but keep the ISO and aperture pretty much the same, so the style of the images doesn't change throughout the day. They only change the shutter speed when adjusting for different light. Stuff like this was super helpful."

Photographers of Factoria182 show bride and groom photos on their camera screens.
Marco and David believe that building a rapport with brides and grooms is important. © Dan Dennison
Bride & groom hold hands as they walk down path. Photo by Dasha Starr on Canon EOS 5D Mark III.
Dasha captured this natural shot as the couple walked from the outdoor wedding ceremony to the old power station. Taken on a Canon EOS 5D Mark III with a Canon EF 50mm f/1.2L USM lens at 1/500 sec, f/3.2 and ISO400. © Dasha Starr

David says that for pictures, they generally steer clear of using a shutter speed of less than 1/125 sec, and usually try to use two stops less than the maximum aperture available. "In terms of quality, I think it's the best," he says. "So with the Canon EF 35mm f/1.4L II USM lens, we use it at f/1.8, or with a Canon EF 85mm f/1.2L II USM lens, I use it at f/1.8."

Observing Marco and David's unique approach to wedding coverage has inspired Dasha as she develops her own look for covering weddings, alongside an upcoming documentary photography trip to China. "They're not the kind of wedding photographers who work to a shot list," says Dasha. "Of course they get important moments, but they don't follow a rigid, drawn-out plan. They do whatever is beautiful in the moment and have a lot more freedom in their style of work than some photographers do.

"I had a certain style with my fashion and food photography, but because this is newer to me, I'm still working on it. The goal for me is to get more into the wedding niche. Now knowing Marco and David's way, I've taken some elements of it and mixed it with elements that I had from my previous forms of photography. Over time, it will come together in my own coherent style."

Intimate bride and groom shot. Photo by Factoria182 on a Canon EOS 5D Mark III.
"We try to focus on what that couple would love to remember when they look at the album in 20 years," says David. Taken on a Canon EOS 5D Mark III with a Canon EF 35mm f/2 IS USM lens at 1/1250 sec, f/2.0 and ISO100. © Factoria182

David's wedding photography tips

1. Get to know the couple in advance
"This is not only about taking pictures, it's also about showing emotions, so you need to create a relationship with the couple. It's good to get to know each other, so we have coffee together and meet before the day. Normal couples might be shy in front of the camera. My advice is to do a short pre-wedding shoot, because when they know how to feel in front of the camera, they feel relaxed. We did this for free with our first weddings, because we believed the result on the day of the wedding was going to be way better. It's good to see them even just for an hour before the wedding, to relax them and give them some advice about how to move their bodies."

2. Focus on the dress
"Outdoor weddings can be quite difficult sometimes because people don't think about the best light and celebrate the ceremony at sunrise or sunset, so sometimes the lighting can be hard. Try to underexpose a little bit and always focus on the bride's dress because you can easily get the white very high there and burn the dress. It's easier to recover the shadows in digital cameras, so try to expose to her all the time and underexpose the whites."

3. Experiment with composition
"When you're taking pictures of the couple, try to use composition as much as you can. When you learn in college about photography, you have rules like the rule of thirds, or not putting the couple in the centre. You try to use that sort of thing all the time, but it's also about feelings. I always try to do something more creative – sometimes I'm behind the trees or structures trying to capture different angles. You can be taking pictures from places you don't usually imagine. In our experience, the pictures with a huge background, such as the couple set against mountains, are not the ones the couples like the most. They can't even see that it is them, so we like to take closer pictures."

Close up of a bride’s legs, wearing boots under boho wedding dress. Photo by Dasha Starr.
"You can get a beautiful effect with the dress detail with backlit photography," says Dasha. "It's fun to work with because you get a whole other dimension in the pictures compared to flat lighting." Taken on a Canon EOS 5D Mark III with a Canon EF 50mm f/1.2L USM lens at 1/6400 sec, f/3.5 and ISO400. © Dasha Starr

Dasha's wedding photography tips

1. Use movement to get natural shots
"Couples are not professional models and you need to make them comfortable. The best thing to do is make them move, as you can capture a lot more natural images that way. We did a lot of stuff where we would ask the couple to walk out or pick up a prop. This flow of continuous movement means you can get a lot of shots, so there's more material to work with, at the same time as having a more natural kind of image."

2. Focus on the story
"A lot of wedding photographers will put all their best images on their website, but it's not necessarily the story of the day. Make sure you're shooting the couple, but also put together quite a few photos that show the story and all the different aspects of the day. That's what people are looking for in wedding photographs, not just some good photos of themselves."

3. Build up a targeted portfolio
"For weddings, make sure you just showcase your wedding photography. Making more of a niche gives the best impression of you being a professional photographer. Even if you do other jobs and other kinds of photography, it's better to keep your website simple as it shows to a client that you're professional in the area they are looking for. Shooting friends' weddings, assisting others on weddings, or going as a second shooter are great ways to start building up your portfolio and to get you used to the pace of working with couples."

Σύνταξη Lucy Fulford


David Álvarez's kitbag

The key kit pros use for wedding photography

On a table are two Canon DSLRs, lenses and accessories.

Cameras

Canon EOS 5D Mark III

A versatile full-frame DSLR capable of capturing 22-megapixel images at 6fps and Full-HD video.

Lenses

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM

A professional everyday L-series zoom that delivers high image quality with a constant f/2.8 aperture. "If I had to choose just one lens to do a wedding and I want to have many different points of view, it's this," says David.

Canon EF 35mm f/2 IS USM

A wide-angle lens with a natural perspective and Image Stabilizer that’s ideal for handheld photography. "I like a 35mm for moving around," says David.

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