Photography by Brittany Rae
Everyone wants to have the best lighting for their wedding pictures. I am so fortunate to work with the best wedding photographers in Maine. This means that they will find a way to make your pictures look absolutely stunning no matter what the lighting is.
That said, there are also some ways that you can capitalize on the natural lighting outside that goes with the seasons and times of day here in Maine. So here are some of my best tips for making sure your pictures are the best quality they can be…because this is your day!
- Sunrise – Maine is the first place that the sun rises in the U.S. It makes for a stunning early morning view, but that’s just it – it’s EARLY. Luckily, for your wedding pictures, this means that you can get that soft glow for outdoor pictures by 9 AM on sunny days and keep it going through the afternoon, especially in the summer!
- Sunset – While sunset lighting can make for the most incredible pictures, it’s rare to always time your ceremony with this. However, if this is something you want in the backdrop of your outdoor ceremony or reception, you can time this! The average sunset in autumn is between 6 and 6:30, between 7 and 7:30 in Spring, and between 7:30 and 8:30 pm in the Summer!
- Face away from the sun! This one is so important, especially in the summer. There have been countless times that I have had wedding parties pick their ideal spot and come the day of, we realize that the backdrop they’ve chosen also means staring right into the sun. This means that you and your party will be squinting! The best way to do this is to pick your backdrop and the time of day you will be taking your pictures before the day of. This is where I can come in! I can always test out spots at certain times of day and relay information back to you to make sure that no one will be squinting for these beautiful memories.
- Overcast lighting – A lot of brides or grooms become disappointed on their day of when overcast lighting fills the day. While it can be a true disappointment, it also can be a hidden blessing! Overcast lighting is actually some of the best to work with, because it gives you and the photographer a lot of freedom around composition and your positioning. A wonderful tip I have found over the years is to position yourself next to water during overcast skies, it brightens up the picture!
I hope these tips were a helpful start to considering lighting on your big day. As always, I work to connect you with the best wedding photographers here in Maine. I’d be honored to be a part of your big day.
Cheers and love from ME,
Catie
