Here is a very important tip…one you would never think of…and it’s importance is paramount to great wedding reception photos. While today’s digital cameras produce stunning results, one area they fail is handling skin tones that are being hit with colored lighting. The worst colors or orange, red and purple…which are also the most chosen colors for reception lighting. I recently shot a wedding and the ENTIRE dance floor was bathed in red light. Overpowering them with external flashes barely did the job and many photographers don’t have them with them most of the time.
Talk to your coordinator or lighting person and make sure that during the first dance, parent dances and toasts that there will be no colored lights on the subjects. Even during your guest dancing shots it’s rough but it’s tolerable since it is supposed to have a club like atmosphere anyway. Don’t ruin important moments like first dance and speeches.
*Another tip while we are at it is talk to the DJ about where the toasts will take place, you don’t want the DJ, speakers, wires, doors or exit signs in the back of your photos. Pick a good spot to do the toasts and make sure they have a wireless mic set-up that can reach.
