Understanding Water Damage

Water exposure to cameras can vary significantly, ranging from splashes to full submersion. Each scenario poses unique challenges and potential damages to the sensitive electronic and optical components of your camera.  Keep in mind that most cameras are weatherproof, so they can withstand light splashes and a little bit of drizzle.  However, if you’re worried about too much water exposure, take these immediate steps:

• Turn off the camera immediately to prevent short circuits.  Do not turn the camera back on until you’re confident that the camera is dry.
• Remove the battery, memory card, and lens if possible. This reduces the risk of damage to these essential components.
• Wipe down any external water with a soft, lint-free cloth to minimize moisture ingress.
• Avoid using heat sources like hair dryers, which can warp components or seal in moisture.

Initial Damage Assessment

Before proceeding with any repairs, assess the extent of the water damage. This involves carefully inspecting the camera for visible signs of moisture and damage.  Here’s what to look for in your inspection:

• Lens and Sensor – Water in the lens or sensor area can indicate that moisture has penetrated critical internal components.
• Battery – Check the battery compartment for signs of corrosion or water entry, as this can affect the camera’s power supply and functionality.
• Salt Water – Salt water poses a considerably higher risk to camera equipment than freshwater due to its corrosive and conductive properties. When salt water comes into contact with the intricate electronic circuits and mechanical components of a camera, it can lead to more severe and rapid deterioration.
• Ice –  Ice can be removed and defrosted safely.  See this article to learn how.

Drying Techniques

Proper drying techniques are essential to salvage your camera without causing additional damage. Here are a few methods to try:

• Use silica gel packs to absorb moisture effectively. Place the camera and gel packs in an airtight bag for several days.
• Place the camera in rice inside of a sealed container to absorb the moisture.
• Store the camera in a low-humidity environment to aid the drying process.
• Avoid direct sunlight and heat, which can cause further damage.

After the camera has dried, thorough cleaning is crucial to remove any residue and prevent corrosion.  Use a good camera cleaning kit to clean your camera as you normally would.

How I Fixed My Water Damaged Camera

It was bound to happen, the inevitable calamity of my Canon 5D Mark II meeting its demise on one of my many death defying photo adventures. Did it get dropped from a treacherous cliff edge or mauled by a cantankerous grizzly bear?  No, nothing so glamorous.

My beloved camera met its maker due to a faulty telescopic leg in my tripod while standing unattended for just two seconds in the icy waters of Oneonta Gorge, Oregon. It took a dive in four feet of water, hit a rock and had to be pronounced dead after I tried resuscitation by toweling it off and attaching a different lens.

To say that I was mortified would be an understatement, especially when I exited the canyon to witness one of the most majestic sights I’ve ever seen as 100 ft rays of light chased me out of the glowing canyon walls, teasing me with what could have been.

As I drove home with a heavy heart, a flicker of hope ignited as I recalled a story I’d heard on a radio show a couple of weeks earlier. I remembered that a boy had found a lost iPhone in the Ocean and successfully managed to bring it back to life by slowly drying out the phone in a bag of rice.

Could this work for my poor, drowned DSLR that was currently exhibiting signs of interior condensation and completely failing to power up? We’re talking blue lips and zero pulse here. I had nothing to lose by trying it out.

Here’s What I Did:

1. As soon as I got home I made sure there were no traces of moisture visible on the camera and set about finding a container big enough to house both the camera and more than its own bodyweight in dry rice.
2. I found the ideal Tupperware container, half filled it with two different kinds of rice (it’s just what was in the cupboards) and then placed the perished camera body on top of the rice with the mirror facing down.
3. I then poured more rice on top of the camera until it was completely covered with about 1 inch of rice above the top of the camera body. This effectively sandwiched the camera in between two super dry layers of rice just itching to suck out the moisture in the camera.
4. I placed a tightly fitted lid on the container and stashed it on my office drawer for about 6 days.

It Worked!

After about 6 days of drying out in the hermetically sealed ‘rice box of resurrection’, I was able to switch on the camera and scroll through all the menus. It’d gone from a complete dead loss to a chance of survival just by using a bag of rice.

Rice Won’t Fix a Smash

I was amazed that the camera now had its electronics back in full working order. Sadly the mechanical damage from when the camera and lens collided with a rock underwater meant the camera was a complete loss.

So the moral of the story is, if your camera goes for a swim, there’s a good chance you could save it by using the simple rice trick. If it goes for a swim and collides with a rock, you’ll be calling up the insurance company like I eventually did.

Conclusion

Understanding the steps to address water damage promptly and effectively can save your camera and your photography practice. Always weigh the severity of the damage against the cost of repairs or replacement. For those uncertain about the extent of damage, consulting a professional can provide clarity and prevent further losses.

The softer winter light, the natural simplicity of a snow-covered landscape, and the sheer variety of what’s possible — from epic alpine backdrops to candid snowball fights — all combine to create images that are difficult to replicate at any other time of year. Below, you’ll find snow wedding pictures and engagement portraits from some of the best photographers featured on Wedding Maps, along with a few practical ideas for making the most of a winter shoot.

Images from the Wedding Maps article are provided by the photographers at Wedding Maps and used with permission.

1. Let the mountains do the talking

One of the biggest advantages of shooting in winter is access to dramatic landscapes that simply don’t exist the same way in other seasons. Snow-covered peaks and ridgelines can turn a simple portrait into something much larger than itself — and you don’t always need to be close to the camera to make it work.

Some of the most striking snowy portraits are what photographers call epic environmental portraits — where the couple appears small within the frame and the surrounding scenery plays as important a role as the subjects themselves. These images capture not just two people, but the scale and beauty of the place they’ve chosen to share together.

2. Embrace falling snow

If you’re lucky enough to get snowfall during your session, don’t rush to find shelter. Falling snow adds atmosphere and energy to portraits in a way that can’t be recreated in post-processing. Whether you’re standing among snow-covered trees or walking a winter trail, those flakes drifting through the frame often become one of the most memorable elements of the final image.

3. Make it interactive

Snow naturally gives couples something to do — throw a snowball, take a walk, give each other a piggyback ride, make snow angels. The goal isn’t to perform for the camera, but to simply enjoy the moment. Many couples worry about looking awkward during portrait sessions, but activities like these often lead to the most genuine reactions and some of the most natural-looking photos of the entire shoot.

4. Include a meaningful winter activity

If you and your partner love skiing, snowshoeing, hiking, or exploring mountain towns together, don’t be afraid to incorporate that into your portraits. Bringing along ski poles, headlamps, or other gear can help create images that feel personal rather than generic. Years from now, those details may tell a more complete story about who you were at this chapter of your relationship.

5. Take advantage of winter’s natural simplicity

One reason snowy portraits feel so timeless is that snow naturally simplifies a scene. Busy backgrounds disappear and the viewer’s attention stays on the people in the frame. You’ll often get a cleaner backdrop in winter than in any other season — the snow strips a scene down to its essentials. Sometimes the best move isn’t searching for the most dramatic setting possible; it’s finding a spot where the focus stays exactly where it belongs.

6. Seek out winter’s hidden gems

If there’s a scenic location you’ve always wanted to visit in winter, consider building your session around it. Frozen waterfalls, icy lakes, snow-covered rivers, and dramatic mountain overlooks can all make for extraordinary settings. Many of these places look completely different in winter — or may not even be accessible during the rest of the year — which makes for images that are genuinely one-of-a-kind.

7. Add a pop of color

A snowy backdrop makes colors stand out in a way that no other setting quite matches. Bright jackets, colorful scarves, vibrant bouquets, or even a bold winter hat can create striking contrast against an otherwise neutral landscape. You don’t need to dress head-to-toe in bright colors — a single pop is usually enough to add personality and visual interest to the frame.

8. Bring your dog along

Winter sessions can be especially fun for couples who already spend time outdoors with their pets. If your dog loves the snow, consider bringing them along for part of the shoot. It makes the experience more personal, and some of the sweetest moments often come from candid interactions with your dog mid-session.

9. Don’t overlook urban locations

Snowy portraits don’t have to happen deep in the mountains. City streets, bridges, historic neighborhoods, and downtown districts can look completely different after a fresh snowfall. For couples who love an urban setting but still want a seasonal feel, a snowy city session can offer the best of both worlds.

10. Revisit your proposal moment

Even if your proposal happened months ago, recreating that sense of excitement can make for meaningful portraits. If you’re already visiting a scenic winter location, consider setting aside a few minutes for a proposal-inspired photo or two — it’s a natural way to revisit one of the most significant moments of your relationship while making the most of where you are.

More snow wedding & engagement inspiration

Here are more images from some of the talented photographers at Wedding Maps to spark ideas for your own winter shoot.

This guide covers the core concepts for outdoor flash photography: when to use it, how to balance flash with ambient light for a natural look, how to push it for a dramatic look, and how to use an ND filter to shoot wide open when sync speed would otherwise force you to stop down. We’ll walk through three complete outdoor portrait case studies with full camera and lighting settings.

When to use flash in outdoor photography

Outdoor flash isn’t always necessary or even desirable. Here’s a quick framework for deciding.

Flash tends to help when you’re in low light and need to illuminate the subject, when the available light is unflattering and you want to clean it up, when you want subjects to visually separate from the background with a dramatic look, or when the shadows under the eyes and chin need filling — particularly in harsh overhead midday sun.

Skip the flash when you’re already in ideal light, when you need to move fast and setup time isn’t available, or when the shoot calls for an organic documentary feel where any artificial light would read as intrusive.

For a deeper look at the decision, see our full article on when to use flash and why.

Outdoor flash for a natural look

Balancing flash with ambient light outdoors comes down to one simple principle: the more you lean toward ambient, the more natural the result; the more you lean toward flash, the more dramatic. You can get either look from either direction if you understand what’s controlling each side of that equation.

Lower flash power combined with longer shutter speeds keeps ambient light prominent and the flash subtle — a kiss of fill that most viewers won’t consciously notice. Higher flash power with a shorter shutter speed pulls the ambient down and makes flash the dominant source, which is when you get that unmistakably lit look.

Tip 1: Understand flash sync speed — and what to do when it limits you

If you’re new to flash outdoors, sync speed is the first thing that will catch you off guard. Most cameras sync with flash up to around 1/200 — shoot faster than that and you’ll see a black band creeping into the frame from the shutter curtain. In bright outdoor conditions, 1/200 at a usable aperture often means your ambient exposure is blown out before you’ve added any flash at all.

There are two solutions. The first is high speed sync (HSS), which allows flash at shutter speeds above the native sync limit. We cover that in detail here. The second — and the one worth mastering even if you use HSS regularly — is a neutral density (ND) filter.

An ND filter reduces the light entering the lens by a fixed number of stops without adding a color cast. Fit one to the front of your lens and you can shoot at wider apertures in bright conditions while staying within your camera’s sync speed — which means you keep shallow depth of field without having to push your flash to its power ceiling to compete with the ambient.

The technique is straightforward. Set up your lighting as you normally would without the ND filter. Then attach the filter and open your aperture by the same number of stops the filter blocks. A 3-stop ND filter means you open up three stops from wherever you were. The filter cuts ambient and flash equally, so your flash-to-ambient ratio stays the same — you’ve just shifted the whole exposure to allow a wider aperture.

In the video below, Zach Gray demonstrates this technique for outdoor strobe-lit portraits:

Honestly, it’s one of those techniques that’s easier to try than to fully explain in the abstract. Set it up once, fire a few test frames, and the relationship between the filter, your aperture, and your flash power will click immediately. If you shoot with manual strobes regularly, this belongs in your standard toolkit alongside HSS — the two cover different situations and are genuinely complementary rather than competing approaches.

One note on ND filter quality: not all ND filters are truly neutral. Budget options can introduce a color cast, usually a slight blue or green shift, that requires correction in post. If color accuracy matters on the shoot, invest in a quality variable ND or a fixed-stop filter from a reputable brand.

Tip 2: Dial in ambient exposure first

Before thinking about the flash at all, look at the scene and decide how you want the background to look. Set your shutter speed, aperture, and ISO to expose the background the way you want it — working within your sync speed limit. Once that’s locked, the subject will likely be underexposed. That’s expected. The flash handles the subject; the camera settings handle the background. Keep those two jobs separate in your head and the process becomes much more systematic.

Tip 3: Add flash power to match

With ambient dialed in, add flash and adjust power until the subject is exposed correctly. A few variables to keep in mind. Aperture controls how much flash reaches the sensor — wider aperture means more flash, so you’ll need less power at f/2.8 than at f/8 for the same subject brightness. If you’ve added an ND filter, you’ll need to compensate with more flash power since the filter cuts flash output along with ambient. And ISO affects both sides equally — raising it amplifies ambient and flash sensitivity together, which can reduce the flash power needed in low-light evening setups.

Tip 4: Choose your modifier carefully outdoors

Outdoors, wind and distance complicate modifier choices in ways that don’t apply in the studio. Large modifiers catch wind and require stands with solid sandbag weighting. Umbrellas spill light in all directions, which matters less outdoors than indoors but still affects the image. A reflector used to bounce flash gives you a portable, wind-resistant option that doubles as an ambient fill tool when the sun cooperates.

Color temperature is also worth considering outdoors. Flash is daylight-balanced for mid-day light. Shoot during golden hour without a gel and your flash will read cooler than the warm ambient, creating a mismatch that’s visible on skin. A CTO gel on the flash brings it into range with the ambient golden light and keeps the overall image feeling cohesive. For more on this, see our guide to using flash gels for creative and corrective effects.

Dramatic outdoor flash photography

For a dramatic look, the approach mirrors what’s above — but you pull the ambient exposure down intentionally and let the flash do the heavy lifting on the subject. The background goes darker than natural, the subject pops forward, and the overall image reads as deliberately lit rather than documentary. Below are three complete case studies shot on location in Alaska with Brian, demonstrating how this plays out across different compositions.

Case study 1: the headshot

Step 1: Choose the background

Pine trees reflecting in water provided the background — with the tree line dipping in the center of the frame, leaving a natural negative space for the subject’s head. Framing decisions like this one pay off later: once the composition is locked, all that’s left is exposure and light.

Step 2: Expose for the background

The background exposure is pulled down dramatically from what it would look like naturally. At 1/200, f/7, ISO 100, the scene goes dark and moody. The subject is now severely underexposed — which is exactly what we want before adding flash.

Step 3: Pose the subject

Brian is positioned in the natural negative space in the center of the frame, looking directly into the camera. Simple pose, simple direction — the lighting and composition carry the image.

Step 4: Add light

A Profoto B10 at 1/4 power with a Profoto OCF Beauty Dish, positioned directly above as butterfly light. At 1/4 power, the B10 outputs roughly 50–60 watt seconds — equivalent to a standard speedlight at full power. Any flash capable of that output at the needed distance will achieve the same result.

Case study 2: the hero shot

Step 1: Choose camera angle

A low angle gives the subject presence and scale within the frame. The composition captures pine trees, a tram ascending the mountain, and Brian — the tram line functioning as a leading line that draws the eye back to the subject. Brian faces camera left rather than into the lens, which adds an epic, outward-looking quality to the image.

Step 2: Expose for the background

At f/13, the background goes dark and the scene takes on an overcast, dramatic quality even in what was originally brighter light.

Step 3: Place the subject in front of the sun

Brian is positioned directly in front of the sun — the brightest point in the frame sits right behind his head. This accomplishes two things simultaneously. It creates a natural vignette that pulls the viewer’s eye inward, and the backlight produces a rim along his arms, shoulders, and beard that adds separation and dimension without a second flash.

Step 4: Add light

The Profoto B10 is positioned camera left at full power with the OCF Beauty Dish — but placed slightly left and behind Brian rather than directly to the side. That placement introduces a subtle shadow on the nose and adds face dimension. Direct side placement would have left the nose fully lit and lost that depth.

Step 5: Pose the subject

Facing camera left rather than into the lens reinforces the heroic, expansive feel of the image. The subject looks like he belongs in the landscape rather than posed in front of it.

Case study 3: the adventure shot

Step 1: Choose camera angle

Camera positioned very low to the ground — lower than eye level by a significant margin — to give Brian height and presence in the frame. The goal was to feature Brian as the central figure while including his dog, Fundy, as a supporting element rather than an equal subject.

Step 2: Expose for the background

The natural light exposure loses the editorial quality entirely — the scene looks pleasant but flat. Pulling the exposure down recovers the drama. The straight-out-of-camera shot above shows the dynamic range available and confirms the exposure relationship before flash is added.

Step 3: Position the subject in front of the sun

Same approach as the hero shot — Brian positioned directly in front of the sun to create a natural vignette and backlight rim. The sun behind the subject does much of the separation work for free.

Step 4: Add light

Same settings as the hero shot — Profoto B10 at full power with OCF Beauty Dish, camera left — but with a wider angle on the lens to include more of the environment. The flash is visible in the upper left corner of the frame over the clouds. Rather than stopping to set up a tripod and composite it out in camera, the decision was made to shoot handheld and clone the flash out in Photoshop using content-aware fill. The clouds made it a straightforward removal.

Step 5: Pose the subjects

Brian looks off to the side rather than into the lens — again reinforcing the adventure narrative. Fundy was positioned at Brian’s side and held in place with a ball just out of frame to maintain his eyeline and attention.

Gear used across all three case studies

Everything below has a budget alternative listed — the lighting principles are the same regardless of which flash you’re using.

Lighting

• Profoto B10 OCF Flash Head
• Substitute at 1–1.5x cost: Godox AD200 TTL Pocket Flash
• Budget substitute: Yongnuo YN600EX-RTII Speedlight

Lighting modifiers

• Profoto OCF Beauty Dish
• Substitute: MagMod MagBox
• Substitute: Westcott Switch Beauty Dish

Camera and lens

• Canon 5D Mark IV
• Canon 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM

For a deeper dive into flash techniques including modifier selection, multi-light setups, and how to replicate these looks across different shooting environments, our Flash Photography Training System covers the full workflow from one-flash fundamentals to complex multi-light outdoor setups.

Related reading in the lighting hub: our lighting modifiers cheat sheet covers how to choose the right modifier for outdoor work, and our guide to portrait lighting patterns shows how placement decisions like the ones above translate across different setups.

Why Balance in Photography is Important

Knowing how to effectively balance objects within a photo is a skill that all photographers should learn. The problem with improperly balanced photographs is that they are, in general, less appealing, and they can feel as if something is missing.  The viewer may look at the photo and feel as if something is “off” without even knowing exactly why they feel that way.

Types of Balance in Photography

There are various types of balance in photography, including symmetrical balance (also known as formal balance), asymmetrical balance (also known as informal balance), and radial balance. Understanding these types of balance is essential to create balanced compositions.

Symmetrical Balance and Formal Balance in Photography

Formal balance, which is also known as symmetrical balance, is an important concept in photography. In the previous chapter, we discussed how to achieve symmetrical balance in photography. To achieve symmetrical balance, you need to frame the shot so that identical or similar subjects are repeated symmetrically on each side of a given point.

Informal Balance in Photography (Asymmetrical Balance)

Asymmetrical balance, otherwise known as informal balance, occurs when the visual weight of the elements in the image is not equal, but the composition still feels harmonious. This type of balance is more dynamic and creates a sense of movement and tension in the image. Asymmetrical balance is often seen in landscape photography, street photography, and documentary photography.

Informal balance is a subtle yet important form of balance in photography that requires more attention to detail. Unlike formal balance, which relies on the repetition of identical or similar subjects on both sides of a given point, informal balance is achieved by balancing dissimilar elements on each side of the frame. The size of each element is not always relevant, but having a larger element paired with smaller elements can create a well-balanced composition. Photos that use informal balance are often more appealing to the eye than those that use formal balance. To better understand informal balance, it is helpful to look at several photo examples that effectively showcase it.

Photo by Chang Liu

The photo above is a perfect example of how balance can be achieved even with two subjects of different sizes. The man’s position in the bottom left of the frame is perfectly counterbalanced by the smaller sea creature in the top right corner. Removing either of the subjects would make the photo feel unbalanced. For instance, if the sea creature was not present, the image might feel visually bottom-heavy with the man looking at an empty space above. In such a case, a formal balance with a center-aligned composition might be a better option.

Photo by Shannon Kokoska

This photo serves as another excellent example of how two objects of different sizes can be used to counterbalance each other within the frame. The OUT sign is tall and vertical, while the building is long and horizontal, creating a perfect juxtaposition of size and direction that complement each other. The position of both elements within the frame also provides a proper balance for this photo. In the alternate examples to the right, the photos feel unbalanced. If the building was centered in the frame and placed closer to the sign, a large empty space would be left on the left side of the frame, creating an imbalance. Similarly, if the sign was positioned in the middle of the frame and closer to the building, an empty space on the right side of the frame would make it feel unbalanced.

Radial Balance

Radial balance occurs when the visual elements in the image are arranged around a central point, creating a circular or spiral composition. This type of balance is often seen in nature photography, where the elements are arranged around a focal point like a flower or a tree.

Balance and the Rule of Thirds

Balancing elements in photography becomes important when you frame your shots. If you think about the rule of thirds, you’ll remember that placing the primary subject of your photo off center can help you create a more interesting photo via the concept of  “visual tension”.

While this guideline can effectively create balance and visual interest in a photo, it may also lead to a lot of empty space in the image, making it feel incomplete. In certain cases, such empty space may work well for the image, but if it does not, photographers should try to include other objects in the frame to balance the visual weight of the subject and fill the empty space. This will create a more complete and visually appealing composition.

In the image below, see how the sun balances out the couple in the frame.

Factors that Affect Balance

Several factors can affect balance in photography.  Here are the primary, most common factors that you can utilize in your photography.

Light vs Dark – A small area of white in a photo can be balanced by a larger area of black, and vice versa. Each one does not have to have the exact same size or intensity.

Colors – Colors can affect the balance of an image. Using colors that are opposite on the color wheel creates a sense of balance and harmony. For example, using red and green can create a balanced composition. Using colors that are too similar can create a sense of monotony and imbalance.  A small area of vibrant color can be balanced by a larger area of neutral color. Vibrant colors provide more intensity and therefore large neutral areas can be used to compensate for it.

Lines – Lines can affect the balance of an image. Using diagonal lines creates a sense of tension and movement, while using horizontal or vertical lines creates a sense of stability and balance. Lines can also be used to guide the viewer’s eye through the image, creating a sense of balance and harmony.

Conclusion

Balance is an essential component of creating visually impactful and engaging images that can connect with viewers on a deeper level. Understanding the different types of balance, how to achieve balance, factors that affect balance, and tips for creating balanced compositions is crucial to creating visually pleasing and meaningful images. Incorporating balance in your photography can take your images to the next level and help you communicate your visual language effectively.

All images are provided by Line and Roots Photography and used with permission.  For more education on this topic, see our Maternity Photography Workshop.

Standard Pose | Holding Belly

Start your maternity photoshoot with the classic pose of both partners gently holding the baby bump and looking into the camera and looking at each other. This simple yet powerful pose showcases the connection and excitement they share as they prepare to welcome their baby into the world.  We recommend starting with this must-have couples maternity pose before moving into poses with more creativity or more movement.

Micropose Variations of the V Up

Once the couple is in this pose, be sure to capture a few variations by zooming in and out for different crops or by having them make small adjustments to their expressions.

Explore different micro poses, or slight variations on the original pose. For example, instead of looking into the camera, try capturing intimate moments of the couple looking at each other or sharing a tender kiss.

Walking Along the Beach

If you have access to a beach, take advantage of the beautiful scenery and capture candid maternity shots of the couple walking hand in hand along the shoreline. The vastness of the beach and the calming sound of the waves create a serene backdrop for your maternity photos.

Walking in Natural Parks and Greenery

Embrace the beauty of nature by choosing a natural park or lush greenery as your photoshoot location. Walking together among trees and flowers creates a romantic and serene atmosphere, enhancing the overall aesthetic of the photos. The leaves in the trees add a beautiful glow when backlit during golden hour.

Kissing or Looking at the Belly

Help your clients express their love and anticipation for their baby by capturing tender moments of the partner kissing the baby bump. This is a classic pose for a reason, and it works equally as well for epic wide angle environmental portraits or close-up shots.

Holding the Belly from Behind

Create an intimate and playful pose by having the partner embrace the pregnant belly from behind while the couple gazes into the distance. This pose beautifully highlights the real star of the show.

Capture candid moments of joy and playfulness by encouraging the partner to lift or playfully interact with the baby bump from behind. This pose adds a touch of lightheartedness to the photos.

Pregnant Woman Leading the Partner for Couple Maternity Photoshoot

Ask the expectant mother to lead her partner in a slow walk with the partner gazing lovingly over at the her. You can create a playful sequence of candid photos with a little guidance.  You can photograph the couple from the front or from the side.

Lying or Sitting Down Together

Create a cozy and intimate atmosphere in your maternity photoshoot by capturing the couple lying down or sitting down together. This maternity pose allows for relaxed interactions that look and feel natural and authentic.

Find a comfortable spot, whether it’s a cozy couch, a grassy field, or a scenic location, and capture moments of togetherness as the couple sits side by side or facing each other. Encourage the couple to talk with one another (while also softly smiling) and interact as they would without a camera present.

Holding the Sonogram or Name

Don’t forget relevant props in your list of couples maternity photoshoot ideas. Incorporate the sonogram of the baby into the photoshoot by capturing moments of both partners holding and admiring the image. This pose represents the excitement and anticipation as they visualize their unborn child.

Doing the Couple Maternity Photoshoot at a Significant Location

Take a nostalgic trip down memory lane by choosing a location with significance, such as the couple’s first date location, as the backdrop for the couples maternity photoshoot. After all, those special early moments likely contributed to the couple wanting to bring a baby into the world. As such, it’s easy to see how this idea can add a romantic and sentimental element to the maternity photoshoot, reminding them of where their love story began and how far they’ve come.

Similarly to the first date premise, if the couple has a shared school or university, consider incorporating it into the photoshoot. If neither of those options work out, perhaps they have a favorite place to visit or relax.

Incorporating the Couple’s Careers, Hobbies, or Other Interests

Infuse the couple maternity photoshoot with personal touches by incorporating elements of their hobbies or careers. Whether it’s playing musical instruments, painting, cooking, or any other shared passion, these props and activities add storytelling and authenticity to the maternity photos.

Involving the Whole Family

Celebrate the expansion of the family by involving older children or family pets. Few people will hold as significant a place in the newborn’s life as its siblings. They’ll look back fondly at these pictures of their earliest days together.  However, you should also bring a relative or nanny to help watch and care for the older kids while their parents are taking their couples photos.

Doing Something Playful as a Family

Take the couple maternity photoshoot to the next level by incorporating a playful activity that involves the entire family. Ask them to participate in a playful game, maybe blowing bubbles, or even having a mini picnic. Whatever you decide, make it a family affair. These playful shots not only create lasting memories but also showcase the happiness and laughter that surround the growing family.

Conclusion

A couple maternity photoshoot is an opportunity to document and celebrate the journey of pregnancy. That said, exploring a variety of poses and incorporating personal elements can create memorable images of this unique experience. The anticipation and excitement of becoming parents will give the couple plenty to work with for inspiration. They’ll just need your creative touch to capture it in photos. Remember, try to enjoy the process and do your best to ensure that your clients do, too .

Understand the Characteristics of Wide-Angle Lenses

Wide-angle lenses typically range from 14mm to 35mm. These lenses are known for their ability to capture a broad field of view, which significantly affects perspective and depth. When used in portrait photography, wide-angle lenses can capture more of the scene, create a sense of space and context around the subject, and feel more “in-the-action” than telephoto lenses. However, they can also introduce distortion, especially at the edges of the frame, which can either enhance or detract from the portrait depending on how it’s handled.

Be Mindful of Bad Distortion

Wide-angle lenses naturally distort images on the edges of the frame. While this can be used creatively, it’s important to be aware of how it affects your subject. Distortion can make faces appear stretched or body parts disproportionately large if placed too close to the lens edge.

A wide angle lens makes whatever is closest to the camera appear larger in relation to anything further from the camera. For example, if you’re photographing a headshot with a wide angle lens, and you place your lens too close to the subject, the nose will appear larger than normal, as you see in the photo above.

Follow These Rules When Taking Portraits With A Wide Angle Lens

• Position your subject in the center of the frame where distortion is minimal
• In group photos, never place a person too close to the edge
• Use editing tools to correct distortion if it detracts from the portrait
• Experiment with slight angles to control how the distortion affects the final image

Get Close to Your Subject

One of the key aspects of using a wide-angle lens is proximity to your subject. Unlike telephoto lenses, which allow you to shoot from a distance, wide-angle lenses require you to get up close and personal. While you can shoot from far away with a wide angle lens, your subject will likely be too small and get lost in the surroundings.

This proximity can create a sense of intimacy and immediacy in your portraits. However, as mentioned above, be mindful of getting too close, as this can cause unwanted distortion, making your subject’s features appear exaggerated.

Be Mindful of Backgrounds

One of the strengths of wide-angle lenses is their ability to capture a wide field of view. This makes them excellent for environmental portraits where the background plays a significant role in the composition.  This is great when you’re backgrounds are beautiful, such as beaches and mountain ranges.  However, this can create challenges in less appealing locations like busy cities or unappealing public parks.  When the backgrounds are less appealing, consider using telephoto lenses to have full control over the field of view and the backgrounds.

Understand  Depth of Field for Wide Angle Lenses

Wide-angle lenses generally have a larger depth of field, meaning more of the scene is in focus. This can be used to your advantage to create portraits with a sharp subject and a detailed background.  However, if you’re looking to capture a portrait with a wide angle lens and still have a nice blur to the background, you would have to achieve that look in photo editing or with techniques like the Brenizer method.

Understand Their Affect Action Photos

Focal lengths can completely change the way an image feels. By getting up close and moving with your subjects, you can make the image feel alive and immersive. See the following video to learn how to capture action in your portraits with a wide-angle lens. For this video, the Canon EOS R5 was paired with the RF 28-70mm f/2 as well as the RF 70-200 f/2.8.

Telephoto Lenses – Photographing From Far Away

To illustrate the difference between telephoto portraits and wide angle portraits, see the images below starting with the telephoto images.

Notice the distance between the photographer and the subjects.  With the telephoto lens. you’ll get images like the ones below.

While these images are good and provide variety to the collection of images, notice the lack of foreground.  In addition, the entire image just feels far away.  The viewer may not feel the excitement in the images.

Wide Angle Lenses – Getting In the Action

I recommend using a wide-angle prime lens for this technique, such as a 24mm or 35mm. If you don’t have a prime lens, a good wide-angle zoom like the 28-70mm f/2 will work well. Also, take advantage of your camera’s face detection feature to help stay in focus.

Instruct the couple to walk or run towards you to show more direction in the movement as well as depth. Then, start photographing them while moving backward to maintain the distance.  Below are the unedited results.

Telephoto vs Wide Angle Portraits

Here is the final look compared to where you first started. The difference is huge. Your final portraits with a wide-angle lens feel very in the moment and spontaneous. In addition, you see much more of the background and are immersed in the action.

Conclusion

I hope you enjoyed this article/video. Next time you’re photographing a couple, give this technique a try! See the difference when you capture your portraits with a wide angle lens. Your viewers will feel much more connected and the photos will feel much more spontaneous and authentic.

For a full course on photographing couples, check out Engagement Photography 101, available on SLR Lounge Premium. In addition, check out Visual Flow for intuitive lighting based presets such as the Modern Pack which we used for our final images.

The foundational principles of design are the perfect example. These ideas have been used by drawers and painters for hundreds of years. Graphic designers study them and apply them to all of their work. And, whether they realize it or not, photographers use them constantly as well. The design principles not only apply to photography but also marketing communications. For example, the process of creating a successful photography portfolio website would also make use of these design principles.

Understanding the Principles of Design

The seven basic principles include the following:

• Balance
• Space
• Emphasis
• Movement
• Contrast
• Pattern or Repetition
• Unity or Harmony

These principles have been around as long as artists have been translating the real world onto two-dimensional pieces of canvas. Unlike painters, photographers don’t physically create the objects we capture. However, transferring them from the three-dimensional world onto a two-dimensional canvas is the same. And that’s the most challenging aspect of any art form.

Using the 7 Principles of Design in Photography

These seven principles work together and play off one another. None of them are mutually exclusive, and many of them rely on others to become impactful. But taken as a whole, these tenets underlie what will make an image successful.

Tip: Think about these design principles every time you are shooting a new photograph. Slowly, with practice, these principles will become second nature to you.

Balance

Balance is a design element that’s pretty easy for most people to see, even if they don’t think about it outright. An image that is out of balance feels lopsided.  When it comes to balance in photography, there are three types of balance to consider: radial balance, symmetrical balance, and asymmetrical balance.

Items in the photograph have a visual weight to them. And the weight isn’t just about how much space it takes up in the frame or how big something is. The visual weight of an object comes from many factors, including its size, shape, color, and contrast.

If you photographed an image of two identical black balls, how could you make them balance? You could make the image perfectly symmetrical down the center of the frame so that each half of the image had one of the balls. That would create a perfect example of symmetrical balance. This is one reason why symmetry is so pleasing in photography.

But what if one of the balls was farther away from you when you took the photo? It would then appear smaller in the frame, and it would be harder to balance the image. You can’t make it symmetrically balanced, so you need to use a different technique. You can still balance it, but the trick is to change the spacing between the balls. By moving the smaller ball farther away from the larger ball, it will give it more weight. The same technique applies if the balls are of different colors.

You can imagine the parts of your image as being on a teeter-totter in a school playground. Two differently sized kids can make the see-saw balance, but they have to change how far they sit from the fulcrum. Exactly like that, you can move seemingly unbalanced items around the frame to balance the image.

Space

Space is either positive or negative. Positive space is filled with objects, while negative is empty. Many people refer to negative space as white space, but it isn’t necessarily white. It is merely space that does not have an essential element in it, like an empty ocean in the seascape or a blue sky in a landscape. These areas of the photograph are important nonetheless–they help create balance with the busy, positive space areas.

Emphasis

Emphasis is how dominant something is in the photograph. There are lots of tricks to making an object appear more dominant, but the basic idea of emphasis is that what you want to be impactful in your image is seen and understood by the viewers. Designers use tricks like bigger font sizes, or bold, different colored fonts to get points across.

We can use some of the other principles of design in photography to help emphasize what we want. Contrast, space, pattern, movement, and balance can all be used to help you make your subject the most important message that viewers take away.

Movement

In design and photography, movement actually refers to how the viewer looks at the photo when they approach it for the first time. What path does their eye take, and is it the way that the photographer had intended?

One of the best tools is using leading lines to guide viewers around and point out important things. White space and image balance are also essential tools. At their most basic forms, the Rule of Thirds and the Golden Spiral are compositional tools that help photographers get the movement they want within the frame.

Contrast

Contrast comes in two forms for photography. It can be shown with tone, where light areas contrast with dark ones. It can also be shown with colors, where colors opposite one another on the color wheel contrast with one another. For example, blue contrasts with orange.

Contrast is a valuable tool to help photographers emphasize their subjects. If a photo has too much contrast throughout the image, it will tend to confuse the viewer. If there is too little contrast, the audience may not see what they’re supposed to see–nothing is emphasized enough.

Space can also be used to add contrast to an image. Empty white space can contrast with your subject or a group of subjects. The emptiness can add emphasis.

Pattern or Repetition

Any time you have an element repeated throughout an image, it creates a pattern. Patterns are important because the human eye and mind naturally look for them. They draw us in and get us interested in the subject. Patterns are everywhere around us every day, so we are used to seeing them.

Adding patterns into your photography is usually just as simple as noticing them in the first place. Patterns are used extensively in architecture, and everywhere you go with human-made objects, you’re sure to see patterns.

And of course, how you frame your image will affect the pattern greatly. If you use the other design principles to make the pattern more dominant, it will be that much more effective in drawing in the viewer.

Unity or Harmony

The unity of a composition is how well everything goes together. That doesn’t mean that it needs to be bland and dull. It just means that everything belongs and that if an element is out of place, that was what the photographer intended. The perfect example of this in photography is having clutter in the background. If the picture is of the clutter, the clutter is incredible. But if the picture is of a model posing in the room, then the clutter is just junking up the place with distraction.

Conclusion

The seven principles of design in photography are essential to keep in mind, even if they aren’t the first thing you think of when you pull out your camera. With a little practice with each one, and you will quickly see how they can be used to improve not just your photography, but also your branding and marketing communications that would help you grow your photography business.

Embrace the Shadows

Try to get used to histograms that are pushed to the left, with steep spikes in the shadow zones. This is known as a “low key” image, an image dominated by shadows , very few midtones, and just a few highlights to create the interesting parts of the image.

Remember, although it is very useful to understand the Exposure Triangle here, a “correct” exposure isn’t always perfectly in the middle of the histogram! An exposure is correct if it fits your creative vision.

Choose the Right Scenes and Locations

The dark and moody style of photography is a great match for scenes with shadows and blacks such as indoor scenes, golden hour sunsets, and woods or forests, just to name a few.  In contrast, the dark and moody style is generally not as good of a match for bright, high-key scenes with colorful elements.

Of course, this is just a general rule of thumb and the creative choices are entirely up to the photographer.  Here are a few examples of scenes that work well for the dark and moody vibe.

This is one of the subjects that is covered in the Wanderlust Workshop; be sure to check it out for more information!

The best tip you can remember when you are out and about during a photo shoot is, just ask yourself how the location looks and feels. It is really easy to sense the mood of a location!

Edit for the Dark and Moody Style

Most photos that start off with at least some good shadows can be edited to greatly enhance a dark, moody style. The best way to start? Simply darken your exposure 1.5 to 2.5 stops, and then raise your Highlights and Whites sliders.

It sounds odd, but this actually gives much better results than trying to start with a brightly exposed image and darken just the shadows. Try it! This is actually one of our favorite tricks for dark and moody photography, and it’s integrated into the Visual Flow Preset System’s Retouching Tool Pack and the Mood preset pack.

Use Flash Sparingly (if at all)

The dark and moody style of photography usually works best with a more organic, natural light approach. Not necessarily because you can’t create similarly dramatic, dark lighting conditions using flash, but because it often just doesn’t look natural.

If flash is used, it looks best when it mimics natural light. So, create an image with lots of shadows, use the highlights on the subject to catch the viewer’s attention. Last but not least, you usually want to keep the light directional but soft.

In the above example, you can see the natural light image on the left, and the flash added on the right. Our goal with adding flash was to imitate the look of some light filtering through the trees.

In editing, thanks to how the image was originally lit and exposed, it becomes easier to enhance the shadows and create a dramatic, dark and moody photo. See how to create this look with our  Rich autumn portrait video tutorial.

Don’t Be Afraid of Direct Light (Don’t Always Shoot Soft Light/Backlit)

In portrait photography, we often think that soft light is best, and most of the time, it is.  However, when used with intention and purpose, hard light can be beautiful too, and can match the vibe of a dark and moody photo.

So, for portraits (as well as other types of photos) consider trying direct sunlight, especially when used as side light. Alternately, when using backlight, simply use a darker exposure to accentuate the highlights around the subject. Here are some more examples…

Dark and Moody Photography Inspiration

Below are more examples of dark and moody photography. Enjoy! No matter what type of portraiture subject you photograph, and even if you’re not capturing portraits at all, the dark and moody style has many possibilities…

Conclusion

Dark and moody photos offer a unique, creative view of the world that conveys a strong message. The style of photography may not be for everybody, however, if it resonates with you then hopefully you are feeling inspired to dive in and try it!

For more information and inspiration, see this article on Wedding Maps on Dark and Moody Wedding Photography.