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Low Light Wedding Photography Tips

Whether the wedding you're scheduled to shoot is taking place in a dim chapel or on a beach at sunset, you'll have to adapt to the lighting conditions to produce great results. Many amateur photographers make the mistake of mounting their external flash units when lighting begins to dim, resulting in harshly lit, unappealing pictures. Use the tips that follow to improve your low light technique at your next wedding shoot.

Increase Your ISO
- In digital photography, ISO refers to the sensitivity of your camera's light sensor. The higher the numeric value, the greater the sensor's sensitivity to light. For an indoor space with average lighting try an ISO of 400, which will produce sharp results with little noticeable noise (graininess of the image). When shooting in dimmer lighting, try upgrading to ISO 800 or 1600. Noise may be more evident in these images, but it rarely detracts from or ruins the photo. Corrections can also be made with most image editing software programs.
Use a Prime Lens
- The precise optics of the 50mm prime makes it practical for low light use.
  
  Non-zoom lenses with a fixed focal length are known as primes. Because of the simplicity of their optical construction these lenses tend to be much faster than zoom lenses, allowing for a wide range of effective apertures. One of the most popular prime lenses is the 50mm f/1.4, which allows for sharp results in even the dimmest lighting conditions. When choosing a prime, select one with the widest possible f-stop (lens opening), such as f/1.4 or f/1.7. Avoid telephoto primes (focal lengths greater than 80mm) as these allow only a few effective apertures and are better suited for use in open daylight.
Make Light Work For You
- Use the light that remains to your advantage. Position subjects next to open windows and use the soft, diffused light pouring through to create flattering portraits. If you are shooting an outdoor wedding, use the warm glow of the sunset to create captivating group shots. You may also shoot toward the setting sun to make an artistic silhouette of the bride and groom. Photographs lit with an available or natural light source help to convey the intimate mood of any reception.
Bounce Your Flash
- An adjustable flash unit can create soft overhead lighting in even the darkest of rooms.
  
  If the use of flash cannot be avoided, be sure to use a unit with an adjustable head. This will allow you to bounce the light off an overhead ceiling or reflector panel, giving the photo a softer, more diffused tone. Depending on the height of the room's ceiling, you may have to use a wider f-stop to compensate for the bounce. If you are shooting outdoors, use your camera's pop-up flash on the "Fill" setting. This produces a weakened burst of light which illuminates only your subject, preserving detail and natural light in the background of the image.

Photography