Winter Wedding Magic
Planning a winter wedding in Portland? Let me showcase how beautiful a cold-weather celebration can be in Oregon. Winter weddings can be magic in their own right, no matter the conditions. There is always a silver lining, and you will get images that summer weddings cannot. For example, for most summer weddings it doesn’t get dark until 10pm, so back-lit images aren’t usually a possibility. Secondly, rain is really magical when photographed well. And as any true Portlander knows, rain is probably an eventuality for a winter wedding ;D
Here are a few highlights from winter weddings here in Portland, oregon.
Portland Art Museum Winter Wedding – Downtown Portland Wedding
The Portland park blocks provide a lot of beautiful spots for wedding portraits, even in the dead of winter. I would even consider bringing a portable backdrop and doing some portraits against a clean beautiful surface for added variety and beautiful fine-art style.
Ritz Carlton Downtown Portland Wedding
This photo was taken after the main reception, we followed the bride and groom and took maybe 5-10 minutes to set up this shot before they continued on fto their honeymoon.
Private Estate Winter Wedding
Tented wedding reception on private property– they had this amazing heating system that pumped warm air into the reception. It was so beautiful and very comfortable.
How Do I plan for Winter Wedding Lighting Conditions?
The number one factor to be aware of is fairly obvious— there is significantly less light. In these situations there are a couple things I usually plan, depending on the situation.
- Off Camera Flash. Using remote triggers, I place a camera flash on a stand or table and back-light the subject (usually the couple).
- On-Camera Flash. I use my camera flash at every wedding reception, regardless of the season but you’ll definitely see more flash images at a winter wedding. They can vary in style from soft-lit to full-on Hollywood glam.
- Steady light. I am just starting to bring on a video light or “steady light” to aid in shooting the cake, reception details etc because I love film and I want a consistent look across my prep and reception images.
Secondly, it can be VERY cold. This is where having a professional who really can work efficiently is of primo importance. A good photographer will take 30 minutes to take portraits. A GREAT photographer can do the same magic in 15, experience is worth its weight in gold (especially when you are freezing your hiney off).
