Tag Archive for: ideas

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5 Ways to Always Look Fantastic in Wedding Photos

Your wedding day is likely one of the most important and memorable days of your life, and it’s almost guaranteed that you’ll want to cherish every moment of it! As one of the most photographed events, you can be sure that you’ll have plenty of opportunities to pose for pictures, from getting ready in your hotel room to cutting the cake at the reception.

However, with so many photos being taken throughout the day, it can be difficult to ensure that you always look fantastic in wedding photos! This list will give you five simple tips to help ensure that you always look your best in wedding photos.

5 Ways to Always Look Fantastic in Wedding Photos

1) Go Easy on Orange-Y Makeup

Bridal makeup is all about bringing out the natural beauty of the bride. Makeup is meant to help you, not take over your face. And when it comes to wedding photos, it’s important to look like yourself so that you can look back on these photos in ten years and still feel beautiful.

The first (and most important) step to achieving this look is to go easy on orange-y makeup. Too much orange will make your skin look sallow, and the last thing you want is to match the color of the bridesmaids’ dresses.

The keyword is “sheer.” The best way to wear orange-y makeup is by choosing a sheer wash of peach or coral blush on the apples of your cheeks. This will give you a healthy flush without going overboard. If this isn’t enough for you, add some light shimmer with a cream eyeshadow that matches or complements your skin tone. Be sure to blend thoroughly so that there aren’t any harsh lines or bright spots anywhere on your face. To complete your radiant look, consider enhancing your lashes with lash extensions by Lilac St.. They offer a fuller, more defined lash line without the need for layers of mascara, ensuring your eyes pop in every photo.

You can also try adding some subtle shimmer in the form of a highlighter along your cheekbones, brow bones, and down the bridge of your nose for an extra pop of radiance in front of the camera’s flash. Once again, be sure to blend thoroughly!

All this is great – but the most important tip I can make about all of this is to simply talk to your makeup artist – and be sure not to skimp on the cost – the best out there of course cost a bit more.

Concentrating on makeup

2) Never Underestimate the Beauty of Laughing

If you want to look amazing in your wedding photos, always remember that smiling is the key. Not only does a good smile show off your pearly whites, but it also instantly brightens up your whole face and makes you look radiant.

Speaking of smiles, if you really want to make sure that your wedding photos are ones that you will cherish for a lifetime, then make sure to smile in an authentic way. A fake smile will not have the same effect as a genuine smile and can actually be painful to look at once you see the photo.

To get the most organic-looking smiles out of yourself and others in your wedding photos, try making people laugh instead of saying “cheese.” It is almost impossible not to laugh when someone tells a joke and when people laugh, they cannot help but smile. This will give you genuine smiles every time and a perfect picture.

Close up of bride and groom laughing 2

3) Try Body Grooming on the Day Before (Or earlier!)

If you want to look your best in your wedding photos, you’ll want to make sure that you’re well-groomed. While it may not be feasible to go for a full waxing on the day of your wedding, try doing any necessary body grooming the day before your wedding instead.

You’ll also want to avoid taking a long hot shower right before your wedding as this can cause puffy eyes and redness. Instead, take a short, lukewarm shower and use an alcohol-free toner on your face.

Don’t forget to moisturize with an oil-free moisturizer or aloe vera gel afterward. After all, the last thing you want is a case of chicken skin on your big day!

Bremer Farm wedding photo

4) Shoulders Make All the Difference

Want to present yourself in a flattering way? Then always be sure to stand up straight and keep your shoulders back. This will help you appear more confident, making you look slimmer in wedding photos. And since no one is born with perfect posture, do a few yoga poses on a regular basis—or even try standing against a wall and pulling your shoulders back while holding it for 20 seconds at a time. Practice makes perfect!

It’s a bit of a sterotype for the feminine form to have beautiful, curving lines leading up the beauty that is your face, the best way to be sure this occurs naturally is to be as relaxed as possible – dont try to force poses you’ve seen in magazines as chances are they were paid actors – and you are not. Want to look fantastic in wedding photos? Just be you, as fantastic as you are!

Bride and groom boarding aircraft

5) Be Goofy, Candid, Fun

When all else fails, and you’re worried that your wedding photos will come out stiff or awkward looking, think back to times when you’ve had fun with other people and try to bring that feeling into your photos. If you try too hard to smile for a picture, it can come across as fake, but if you just go with it and smile on your own, then it will look much more natural. You might feel silly at first, but it’s a small price to pay for great pictures! And always remember: laughter is contagious!

Laughing bride as she’s carried

As always, trust in your wedding photographer to take the most amazing photos of you – if you do that, and youve done your research into selecting the best wedding photographer for you, then you’re bound to look fantastic in wedding photos!

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5 Tips for Stunning Outdoor Wedding Photography

Your wedding is a really big deal. For the rest of your life, you will remember the day you got married as one of the most joyful and memorable moments of your life—and we’re not just saying that because we’re photographers, we’ve also been married ourselves!

Whether your wedding is indoors or outdoors, there’s something special about being able to capture those memories in photographs so that you can look back at them years later and remember how it felt to be standing there, looking into your partner’s eyes.

Taking outdoor wedding photography presents its own challenges. From wind to bright sunlight and harsh shadows, there are a lot of variables that can affect your shots (and we mean a lot). And so today, we’re going to share with you our tips for making beautiful photography work even in those extreme situations—or just on any sunny day!

5 Tips for Stunning Outdoor Wedding Photography

Capture the magic of your special day with breathtaking outdoor wedding photos. From natural lighting to creative angles, every detail can be enhanced beautifully. Here are the top 5 outdoor wedding photography tips to inspire you and make every moment unforgettable.

1) Discuss With the Bride and Groom on the Best Times of Day to Capture Every Precious Moment of Their Wedding

One of the most important things that you can do as a wedding photographer is to connect with your clients and ask them if they have any preferences or restrictions. For instance, when planning their wedding, many couples decide to get married during the “golden hour,” which is when the sun is low in the sky and casts a soft glow on everything. This is also one of the best times for taking pictures!

If you know that your couple want to get married during this time, then you can plan ahead and make sure that you’re able to use natural light for all of those beautiful sunset shots! Of course, it’s important not to limit yourself to one particular time because there are lots of great outdoor weddings taking place throughout the day—but having this information beforehand will certainly help make scheduling easier.

Semaphore Beach Sunset

2) Use Fill Flash to Compensate for Bad Lighting

No matter how hard you try, sometimes the lighting isn’t going to be the best. Maybe it’s a bright and sunny day, or maybe it’s cloudy and overcast. Maybe it’s just a little too dark for your liking, so it seems like there’s no easy fix. Well, whether you’re dealing with poor lighting conditions or just want to add some extra flair to your pictures, fill flash is a great option.

Fill flash is when you use a flash on your camera that is set at lower power than the ambient light. It will help illuminate the parts of your subject that are in shadow from the main light source.

This helps create a natural look, which you can see in a lot of outdoor photography. For instance, if you’re photographing a couple on a beach during sunset, but it’s still very bright outside, and there are shadows covering their faces—and you want to brighten them up—just pop on your flash. It’s a quick fix that doesn’t take too much time.

Penneshaw beach Wedding

3) Use a Polarizing Filter to Make the Sky Pop

We could go on for hours about using polarizing filters, but here’s the simple version: if you’re trying to take a picture of a scene that includes the sky, or lots of reflections – a polarizer helps.

Why? Because without one, you can get a washed-out white sky. Not always the most flattering background for your wedding photos!

A polarizer works by cutting out any light that is not polarized and absorbing it into the filter. This leaves behind only polarized light, which is what gives color to your image.

For example, when you look at a cloudless blue sky on a sunny day, that beautiful blue color is what’s being left behind by the polarizing filter—if you were looking through one!

This isn’t to say that you must have a filter to get this effect – only that it does help – and if you have time on a wedding day to make use of one, it does give an effect that is very pleasing.

Wedding photo at Pt Willunga Beach wedding

4) Showcase The Wedding Venue with Wide Shots

The wide shot is a powerful tool that can add dramatic impact to your photos. They help establish context, scale, and scope while also building excitement and anticipation. You see them in all kinds of movies and television shows—but you’ll also find them in wedding photography! So, if you’re looking to wow your audience with beautiful pictures from your outdoor wedding photography, be sure to take some time capturing wide shots before settling into medium or close-up shots!

This is one aspect of wedding photography I am super passionate about – my background is in landscape and science photography, so telling a story with the landscape, and tying it together with wedding photography I feel is very important – doubly so when talking about outdoor wedding photography!

Groom leading bride through forest

5) Use Foregrounds to Give Wedding Photos Context

The magic of wedding photography lies in capturing the fleeting moments between people, and if you can do that without making it obvious that you’re taking their photos, then so much the better. But one thing that will help your images is to make sure they have a context. You want to make sure they are not just a portrait of two people but actually show how they fit into the world around them.

How do you do this? Simple: Use foregrounds. Not only does this give your photos a sense of scale, but it also helps to draw people into your images. And by playing around with different foreground elements, you can add an extra element of interest to your shots. Also, don’t forget to use the bride and groom as additional foreground elements. You can also use them as focal points by placing them in front of something interesting and then using a shallow depth of field to blur out the background.

Creative Outdoor Wedding Photography Ideas

Outdoor weddings offer endless opportunities to create unique and memorable photographs. From sweeping landscapes to intimate close-ups, every element of nature can be part of your story.

Incorporating the environment creatively can also add depth to your images. Think of using archways of trees, beach horizons, or floral backdrops to frame the couple beautifully.

Silhouette shots against sunsets or starry skies bring a dramatic and romantic touch. For candid moments, spontaneous laughter under string lights or barefoot dancing on the grass can create images that feel alive and genuine.

By combining creativity with technical skill, outdoor wedding photography ideas transform simple moments into extraordinary keepsakes. The goal is to let the surroundings complement the love story while ensuring the couple’s emotions remain at the heart of every shot.

Planning Your Outdoor Wedding Photography Session

A little preparation goes a long way in ensuring your outdoor wedding photos turn out beautifully. The most practical of all outdoor wedding photography tips is to plan around natural light. Early mornings and late afternoons usually offer the most flattering conditions, while midday sun may require clever shade use or added lighting support.

Discussing the venue with your photographer in advance helps identify the better angles and hidden gems. Whether it’s a garden, vineyard or beach, every location has unique features that can be highlighted. Bringing a backup plan for unpredictable weather is equally important, ensuring the photography session runs smoothly regardless of conditions.

Another helpful tip is to allow enough time in the schedule for both candid shots and formal portraits. By planning ahead, you reduce stress on the day and give your photographer freedom to focus on creativity. These thoughtful outdoor wedding photography tips ensure the final gallery is as magical as the day itself.

Bride and groom under a fallen tree

feel free to get in contact to have a bit of a chat for your vision of your outdoor wedding photography – it’s something I really enjoy doing and love to talk about!

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13 Tips For a Successful Family Photoshoot

Family photoshoots are supposed to be a lot of fun. It’s an activity that you get to enjoy with the people you care about the most in the world, all while preserving shared memories that you may cherish for the rest of your life.

You may be wondering what to bring, how long the shoot will take if you can bring your dog, how hair and makeup are done, and if venues can be switched!

There are so many details to work out before the scheduled day. So we compiled a list of thirteen tips for a successful family photoshoot to help you get ready for your big day.

13 Family Photoshoot Tips for Creating Lasting Memories

Prior to the shoot, you must:

  • Brainstorm Ideas

The great thing about family photoshoots is that they can be a huge collaborative effort amongst you and your relatives. You must first let them know what you are planning for everybody and get them excited to brainstorm ideas with you. Let them contribute poses, themes, and costume ideas. And remember, this is part of all the fun!

Know that whatever works for your family will be your own unique style. The shoot is something you all should look up to, so frame the experience in a brilliant and positive light.

family sitting on a log
  • Plan Everything Accordingly

We can’t stress this enough: you have to plan ahead and accordingly to have a successful family photoshoot. No matter the size of your family, it’s important to set everything up from scheduling, wardrobe changes, grooming, food or catering, and so on.

Fix your clothing the day before your shoot, for example, and make sure all required things are dry cleaned/ironed. Set aside time the day before the shoot to have everyone conditioned and ready. Also, allow plenty of time if you’re getting your hair or cosmetics done. You don’t want to be rushed and flustered when you arrive.

Mt Compass Family photography
  • Get Some Beauty Rest

A big part of photoshoot preparations is setting the mood for the entire day. And to achieve a successful family photoshoot, everybody in your family must be well-rested, energetic, hydrated, and well-fed. Eight hours of sleep, lots of water, a big breakfast, and an uplifted mood sure can go a long way.

Family walking along the pond

Things to Pack

  • Healthy Snacks

No, we’re not just talking about chips and junk food. We’re talking about jelly beans, cheese cubes, light crackers, and dried food. Avoid foods that could stain or get stuck in your teeth like chocolate, candies, coloured beverages, and anything that consumes too much time to devour.

Food platter on display
  • Extra Clothes

It’s always a good idea to pack extra clothes and backup outfits for everybody, young and old. This family photoshoot tip is especially advantageous if, let’s say, you’re bringing a bunch of kids along. With almost any type of photoshoot, expect spills and stains to go wrong! It wouldn’t hurt to be a little bit overprepared.

I have a cake!
  • Fun Activities

Breakout sessions in between photoshoot layouts are a must. This is a way to inject fun as the day progresses. This is not really a requirement, but it can relax your whole team and loosen up your family members

In addition, fun activities like blowing bubbles, and playing with toys and balls can be added to your themed shoot.

Family photo in Pine Reserve
  • The Furry Friend

If you bring your dog, please consider bringing a dedicated walker to look after it throughout the shoot. This way, you can keep your dog secure and comfortable while not interfering with the shot. Also, before bringing your dog to the shoot, evaluate her disposition. How will it be able to pose for photos if it is typically wild and rowdy? Finally, provide dog treats and toys for the dog so that he would comply.

bride groom and dog
  • Outdoor Items

Best place to hold a natural family photography session is to hold it outside – rather than in a studio. For example, heading to the beach? bring beach towels, sunscreen, coolers, umbrellas, and more! Treat it the way you would for any beach trip. How about a forest? maybe bring a picnic setup, some games? frisbee?

Family sitting together on rock
  • Grooming Tools for Hair and Makeup

Perhaps grooming for hair and makeup aren’t requirements either, but it wouldn’t hurt to bring your own tools. This way, you can touch up in between layouts and keep it all hygienic as well. But beyond hair and makeup, you may also want to bring a sewing kit for emergencies. And if you’re feeling quite extravagant, feel free to hire your family’s own glam team!

Running in front of the family

Reminders During the Shoot

  • Make the Most Out of It

We’ll say it again: A family photoshoot is a perfect excuse to bond with your loved ones. So, use this time wisely. This is a time to learn new things through new experiences, together.

Family looking through the bushes
  • Grab a Solo Portrait for Everyone

Show off everybody’s beauty. One by one, allow every member of your family to have their own time to shine. Let them show off their hobbies, their talents, and their unique styles.

Portrait
  • Give Room for Goofy Shots

You can culminate the shoot by taking a goofy group family pic which you can blow up and hang on your wall! This is a way for you to truly cherish your close family ties, unbreakable bonds, and sense of humour! There are no wrong answers when it comes to taking goofy family portraits.

Family portrait under gum trees

Keep Your Photographer Team in the Loop

  • The Editing Process

As with any photoshoot, the images are thoroughly retouched. For this process, you have to let your photographer and their assistant know what you’d like the outcome of the pictures to be.

If you feel conscious about something, raise it. They can keep everything natural, with a bit of tweaking when it comes to reducing wrinkles, toning down puffiness around the face, lightening the eye bags, etc.

Let us know if you’re planning something special too – perhaps an engagement? We are good at keeping secrets, and if we know about it beforehand we can be sure to look out for the cues!

Santorini Couple Shoot

Thirteen tips may sound like a large amount of advice for a successful family photoshoot, but one can never be too sure about family activities and gatherings! These family photoshoot tips ensure success. Being prepared and knowing what to expect can save you and your family members a lot of stress, arguments, and unnecessary pressure. That said, make sure you plan ahead, prepare, and enjoy every second. Take this chance to capture special shared moments while you still can!

Are you looking for a family photographer in Adelaide? Sven Studios offers professional photography services that are intricately crafted to capture your most special moments. Contact us now at sven@svenstudios.com and make your dream family photoshoot happen!

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How to plan a picture perfect proposal

Your proposal is a magical moment, one that you will likely tell all your family and friends about. Having photos of this once in a lifetime experience will make the story even better, and if you have any loved ones who live further away, it will allow you to show them the engagement ring in all its glory.

But how can you plan a picture-perfect proposal without raising your partner’s suspicions? Whilst they might have an inkling of what is going to happen, keeping it a surprise can make for the best photos, as you’ll capture the look of shock (and hopefully joy) on their face as you get down on one knee. Follow our tips and make sure your proposal is memorable for all the right reasons, so that you can cherish your photos forever.

Tips for Planning a Picture-Perfect Proposal

Choose the Perfect Ring for Your Picture-Perfect Proposal

The crucial element of any proposal is the engagement ring. After all, this is the traditional symbol of love that shows your partner just how much they mean to you, and that you want to spend the rest of your life with them. There’s no need to go flashy just because you’re having photos taken, though – the best ring is one that suits your partner well, and ultimately one that they’ll be happy with, whether that’s a huge diamond or a small band of gemstones.

Whatever style of ring you choose, making sure that it fits well can be crucial to a successful proposal. Nothing will ruin the ultimate shot of you sliding the ring onto your new fiancée’s finger than it getting stuck at the first knuckle, or twisting around because it’s too big. If you’re uncertain on your partner’s ring size, try measuring an existing ring at home, or asking their friends and family, providing you trust them to keep the secret. If you still don’t know, then you can usually ask the jeweller to opt for a standard ring size, but just check that they’ll be able to adjust it after purchase.

Bride and Bridesmaids looking at ring

Choose your outfits

Being able to do this will really depend on whether your partner will be happy for you to choose their outfit for them. If they are, then choose an outfit that is complementary to your own for the most cohesive shot. If they would find it odd if you suddenly developed a fashion sense, then you can try and match your clothes to theirs instead, or opt for neturals so that you don’t clash.

It’s likely that your outfits will fit in with whatever you’re doing the day of the proposal, so make sure to take this into consideration. Remember that you can always have an engagement photoshoot afterwards if you really want to have photos in more formal clothing.

Engagement

Think about location and timing

Working with a photographer does require a bit of preparation and setup, but it also means that you’ll get the best advice on the scenery and lighting for your proposal photos. Talk with your photographer when you plan a picture perfect proposal to come up with a plan of action, and check in with them again on the day to make sure that the weather hasn’t changed your plans.

Mt Lofty Botanic Gardens Proposal

Conclusion

Taking advice from a professional photographer is a sure-fire way to plan a picture perfect proposal that you’ll cherish for the rest of your lives together.

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The best spot for your ‘trash the dress’ wedding photos

After the big day, brides are presented with a dilemma – what to do with their wedding dress? It’s a tough question; after all, this is probably the most expensive item of clothing you will ever own, but the chances are you are only going to wear it once! Some brides like to hang on to their dresses for sentimental reasons, or to pass it on to younger members of their family. However, there is a third, more dramatic, theatrical, and photogenic option – a ‘Trash the Dress’ photoshoot!

If you’ve not heard of the concept, ‘trashing the dress’ does pretty much exactly what it says. ‘Trashing the Dress’ photos are when the bride (and often the groom) get together for one final shoot after the wedding, and quite literally trash the dress. Whether it’s playing together in the surf at a beach wedding, slinging paint bombs at each other, or even getting wet and wild under a waterfall, trashing the dress is enormous fun, and makes for some spectacular wedding snaps.

Bride and groom walking in waters of Lake Louise

Trashing the dress often goes hand to hand with beach or outdoor weddings, as there’s a certain romance and drama in getting up close and personal with nature directly after your nuptials. So if your destination wedding this year involves taking a western Caribbean cruise or hiking up a mountain, why not consider a ‘trash the dress’ wedding photoshoot! Take a look at the following ideas and get inspired!

The best spot for your ‘trash the dress’

Standing in the surf

An absolute classic beach wedding shot, a photo with the couple standing in the surf as the waves roll in (ideally at sunset) is absolutely stunning. If you are going full on in your trash the dress shoot, you can wade in a little further, away from the sure, for extra drama.

Bride and groom on Maslins Beach

In a cloud of color

Smoke and paint bombs are an amazingly photogenic way to create a cloud of color, and shower your shots in joy and vibrancy. Normally used in the Hindu festival of Holi, paint bombs are non-toxic yet stunningly dramatic, surrounding bride and groom in a halo of gorgeous hues, and contrasting beautifully with the sheer white of your dress!

First dancing in smoke

Beneath the waves

If you are getting married by the sea, why not go one step further and get a few photos underneath the waves? Diving underwater and taking some careful, clever shots is an amazing way to create magical memories. The otherworldly vibe of the ocean floor creates an atmosphere that is hard to match, and once again the contrast between turquoise or deep marine blue of the water and the white of your dress makes for an amazing image.

pt willunga jetty wedding photo

Under a waterfall

If your wedding is outside in the great outdoors, in a forest, a National Park, or up a mountain, why not try and find the nearest cascade and create some truly memorable photos? It is hard to think of a more romantic image than a kiss between bride and groom under the raging torrent of a glittering waterfall, and you can really conjure up some passionate, poignant photos that will stay with you forever.

Waterfall wedding photographer Hobart

Covered in paint

While smoke and paint bombs are the fun, simple, and easy way to go, why not go full Jackson Pollock and cover each other with splashes of neon paint? For starters, it will give you an incredibly fun experience that might release some of the tension of the big day, plus it will create awesome, color-filled photos. What is a better canvas for your artistic skills than your bridal gown?

Stangate House wedding Light Painting