Charge of the Light Brigade

As an example to a point made in my earlier post about whether or not you need two wedding photographers regarding the subject of venue lighting, here is one scene that stands as the epitome of challenging lighting venues. In this case, a photographer's assistant is required in order to get the more dramatic side spot lighting as seen in these sample photos. These images were shot in the James S. McDonnell Planetarium at the St. Louis Science Center.

Similar lighting challenges would also be met if your venue has dark ceilings higher than 9 feet, is an outdoor nighttime reception, or if the lighting in your space is simply awesome being dark (for instance, entirely candle lit) and flash would just totally ruin the effect. You may want to consider the creative side spot lighting. If you're not sure about your venue, ask me and I can scout it for you and give you some pictorial samples as seen here.

Click images for larger detail.

The Planetarium is unique in that it has a super high domed projection screen as a ceiling. The point of this venue is darkness, so nighttime and planetary effects can be admired. The challenge to photographers is that we need light to record anything! 

Note the above images of my lovely model and sister, Beth. Flash lighting floods that projection screen and whites it out, completely obliterating the "sunset" effect of the orange rim lighting around the room. The side spot lighting highlights only the floor space where subjects are interacting and allows the beautiful ceiling projection to show.

There's a particular quality to light held at the side of a subject which gives more dimension and mood to subjects, as shown above in this portrait. With no ceiling close enough for flash to bounce properly, flash lighting tends to be flat and less dynamic. Boo on that.

Notice in the above composites of a "guest" sitting at her table that the sunset rim lights create a wonderful red glow when flash is not used.

The image above mocks a creative posing opportunity I had with the actual bride and groom when they gave me a moment to pull them away from their reception to do some portraits. I had Beth pose against some wall decor in the buffet area to showcase a more creative display of the differences in light quality between the ambient room lighting, flash lighting, and side spot lighting. Notice the soft roll off of left side shadows in the side lit photo.

Other things Of Note

To be fair to my clients, I can't proclaim the awesomeness of creative spot lighting without also mentioning one operational drawback. The spot light is VERY BRIGHT. It's a 6 inch LED circle that definitely draws attention to itself in a dark room. I don't recommend looking directly into it. It's also a continuous light, which means it's on all the time when in use (doesn't flash only when a photo is taken as with flash lighting). Also noted when I shot this actual reception, those giving toasts were not prepared to be so "spotlighted" and I think they were thrown off guard by the brightness. Heads up, bridal party!

If your venue is small or over-crowded (not a problem at the Planetarium), usage of the spot light by my assistant may be less effectual. My assistant will pretty much need to be glued within a 30 degree angle from myself to project the light properly on subjects, and if he or she can't get around, missed opportunities may arise. The spot also needs to be fairly CLOSE to subjects too, for best lighting. Be prepared to share your intimate moments with a ball of light!

Another cool thing (depending on your location) is that you can purchase the use of my creative lighting assistant for only for a portion of your wedding day. This saves you the cost of hiring a second photographer for the entire day, and just gives you the benefit when you need it most. (Partial day second photographer services are not available for out of town locales.)

I have fun doing these lighting tests. Bring em on! As the artist here, I obviously hope clients will get stoked for what looks awesome in these dramatically lit venues. I'd sure like to capture these spaces in their intended Most Awesomeness. Yup!

Location Crusade: Indoor Downtown St. Louis Backup Spots

Sometimes we must face the music and realize that ideal spots chosen for a shoot day just may not work if it's devastatingly hot and humid or raining or snowing. I commend those for taking chances though, even if it means double-sleeved groomsmen must sweat their faces off. However, Mother Nature doesn't have to be a Debbie Downer. We can stick it to her and still have wonderful backdrops to our photos!

I can provide indoor backup ideas for any area of the city, but as downtown St. Louis is a popular shoot spot (especially for bridal parties in between wedding events), I've done some downtown scouting for locations where management won't kick us out. I've provided some imagery and admission costs to each (if applicable). Mentions of paying for parking will not apply if you are a wedding party traveling via bus or limo. (Click images for larger detail.)

Union Station Train Shed (free admission, pay for parking)

Technically the train shed is outdoors, but in snow or light rain, the covered panels may be just enough to shield you from the elements. This location has something of a harbor feel, with a seafood restaurant in the rear and the Hard Rock cafe near the parking area (not pictured). There's also a quaint bridge going over the pond. It's a good option for a covered yet outdoor vibe. Virtually peopleless on a weekday afternoon. Pretty chock full of passersby on a weekend, including paddle boaters on the pond.

Union Station Marriott Hotel Lobby (free if you're sneaky, $250 if playing by the rules, pay for parking)

The Marriott's hotel lobby is a little taboo regarding professional photo sessions, but since it's such a fantastic spot, I'm sharing my two cents on it. I call it taboo because the hotel never used to charge for venue usage on portrait sessions. Apparently they've been charging the $250 fee since 2008, and I've done at least 3 shoots in there with no fee paid and no one giving us hooey about it. Just ONE time (engagement session) the hotel manager caught us and said we couldn't shoot without having paid the fee to use the space. So if you don't pay the fee, I view this as a hit or miss location if you can dodge the manager (which wouldn't be difficult on a busy weekend). That said, the images above in the top row are in the actual lobby of the hotel. The lower images are beneath the lobby at the main entrance. If you're iffy about dodging management in the upper lobby and don't want to pay that fee, shooting at the fancy staircase down below is a safe bet! Technically it's not in their lobby (it's near the entrance to the mall part of Union Station).

The Old Courthouse (free admission, street parking meters)

There's really not much eye candy in the Old Courthouse besides this one shot of the circular dome, and perhaps another angle looking straight up into the dome. This would be a great scene for a large bridal party. A bride and groom could pose on the second level if they hustle up one of the side staircases. Allow extra time for the shoot if you go on a weekend or other peak tourist time such as holidays. Extra time may be needed to clear tourists out of your shots. Call Rose at 314-655-1613 a few days in advance for best coordination (she'll send you a letter of authorization, which may grant you easier access). The Courthouse is open 8-4:30pm every day.

Hilton Hotel Lobby at 400 Olive Street (free admission, street parking meters)

Fancy hotel lobbies are pretty sweet options for classy portraits. I haven't once had a member of management shoo me away from shooting at this location nor the next one listed. If you've been to any other fancy downtown hotels, chances are they'll be okay to shoot in. Union Station just has to get all huffy about it *hands on hips*.

Chase Park Plaza Lobby (free admission, street parking meters)

Chase Park Plaza is so classy. Technically it's not downtown, but it's near enough to head there if you can, on the way to or from downtown.

City Museum ($12 admission per person (plus $5 per person roof access), free parking)

City Museum can easily suck up an entire day of one's life. It'd be great for an engagement session or senior portraits. Children will get too easily distracted by all the activities to be able to sit and have portraits taken, or you'd have to recruit your photographer for extra time in order to follow all your kids around getting shots of them in action. If you're taking a bridal party here, it'd be quite a hefty admission fee for the average mere hour or so you'd have available between wedding day events. Despite, there sure is a lot to see, and a plethora of exotic, weird, fascinating and fun textures and backgrounds.

I hope these location ideas provide some do-able options for anyone considering indoor shoots in downtown St. Louis. If these ideas helped spark some ideas of your own for locales I hadn't thought of, I'd love to try out what you have in mind.

Please inquire if you need insight on other areas of St. Louis for photo shoots, indoors or out!