Amazing Light Blog

Monolights vs. Speedlites

Amazing Light Studios — Fri, 27 Sep 2019 16:35:35 +0000

Let’s talk lighting, monolights vs. speedlites. I’ll explain what those are in a second. When picking your wedding photographer you want to make sure that they have sufficient lighting for your wedding day. Not only does lighting allow for creativity, but it is also very important during the reception or dark ceremony locations. Most receptions take place in either really dark rooms and at night. Both instances need off-camera flash to capture the moment. There are two different ways a wedding photographer can light your reception, monolights vs. speedlites.

Let’s first talk about speedlites. Some benefits to speedltes are that they are lightweight and easily portable. This is handy when traveling from location to location. This however, in my opinion, is the only upside to speedlites. Now let’s talk about the limitations. For one, the recycle time on these lights are not reliable. Depending on the type of speedlites your photographer owns will depend on the recycle time of the unit. If the recycle time is 3 seconds that is pretty slow. This means that when your photographer presses the shutter button to take a photo they have to wait a whole 3 seconds to press the button again or the flash won’t fire. This causes missed shots because let’s be honest a lot can happen on the dance floor in 3 seconds. Secondly, speedlites have less power than a monolight.

The photo on the left is lite by a speedlite and the right photo is a speedlite misfire. Both photos were taken seconds apart.

Monolights are perfect for weddings, but typically used for a studio space. So, most photographers don’t realize that they work really well for weddings. Monolights have recycling times as low as 0.01-0.9 seconds depending on the light. This is considerably faster than a speedlite. This allows the photographer to not miss the shot. Instead of waiting 3 seconds the photographer can take continues photos with almost no flash failure. This type of light is also more powerful. A limitation of these types of lights it that they can be slightly heavy, but in my opinion that is the only downside.

Both photos were taken milliseconds apart with a monolight.

Here is a short video demonstrating the two lights and the recycle time between the two. As you can see the monolight blows the speedlite out of the water.

Both lighting techniques technically work, but to us here at Amazing Light Studios, monolights are the winner. So when meeting with your next potential wedding photographer make sure you ask what kind of lighting equipment they have.

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Why You Should Hire a Hybrid Wedding Team vs Separate Photographers and Videographers

Amazing Light Studios — Fri, 27 Sep 2019 16:35:25 +0000

Looking to hire a Photographer and videographer but unsure if a hybrid team vs separate photographer and videographer is right for you? Did you know that the relationship between the two services can be tricky to balance. Both services have to be careful to not ruin the others work. It is important to note that when working with a hybrid team you are woking with professionals that know how to work together in a sufficient manner. This is vitally important.

Here are our three reasons why it is essentially important to hire a Photographer and Videographer hybrid team!

The first reason to hire a photographer and videographer hybrid team is to avoid ruined shots. I was at a wedding last week, filming a wedding and the photographer literally stood in the isle the whole time. Not in the back of the isle but two rows from the alter. This compromised the quality of video I was able to deliver to my clients. This can also happen when we are photographing a wedding. I’ve had the videographer park his tripod mid way up the isle ruining the shot I was trying to get. Both services need to be mindful of the other.

The second reason is that when you have one service monopolize the bride and groom the other service suffers. Both the photographer and videographer are their to tell your love story. So you need to look at both cameras. Not at the same time, but the photographer goes first and then it’s the videographers turn to capture you.

The third reason is peace of mind. If you know that your wedding day won’t be compromised by the bad photographer and videographer dynamic then you’ll be at ease in knowing that you will get the best of both worlds. Both services are equally important and deserve to be captured without any interference.

When you have a team of professionals that know not to get in the others way and is paying attention to the venders working around you, your end result is so much more rewarding. It is never fun to explain to your clients that you weren’t able to get the shot because the videographer was in the way. Those moments are there and then gone in an instant. You need a team capable of capturing both photo and video on your wedding day.

Here at Amazing Light Studios we have a great team of professionals that know how to balance the two to give you both amazing photos and an amazing video.

Here we have a confetti shot with a bride and groom with their daughter. This was captured at the exact same time by our hybrid team. This was made possible by our team working together to get the shots and angles we needed to make sure both the photos and video came out amazing.

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Heather and Michael’s Engagement Photos | Marlton NJ

Amazing Light Studios — Wed, 25 Sep 2019 22:26:11 +0000

Engagement photos with Heather and Michael at James River at Kings Grant in Marlton, New Jersey. We had the pleasure of photographing these two on a gorgeous Sunday evening. Their session went perfectly. We cannot wait for their wedding in May 2020.

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Liz and Glenn Full Engagement Session Gallery

Amazing Light Studios — Wed, 26 Sep 2018 03:08:32 +0000

Grande Central Station Engagement Session

Hey there! So glad your interested in our engagement photography. The following gallery is from Liz and Glenn’s engagement session at the Grand Central Station in NYC. Liz and Glenn always loved trains and even purposed on one! That made the big Terminal in NYC the perfect location for their love story. Can you think of a good location that matters for your engagement session? You can find a list of our recommended locations in your area here . Don’t book another photographer without seeing an entire gallery from an engagement session they recently photographed.

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3 Reasons You Should Get Engagement Photos before your Wedding

Amazing Light Studios — Wed, 26 Sep 2018 03:08:17 +0000

Let’s get Started!

Most couples that come into our studio don’t realize the value in having an engagement session before their wedding. I would like to tell you the 3 most important and valuable reasons why you should have an engagement session.

Number 1: Build a relationship with your photographer

This may not seem important, but it really is. When you envision your wedding day who do you think you’ll be spending all your time with? The answer is your photographer. They are going to be with you while you get ready, the ceremony, and reception and all the in-between time. This will give you the perfect opportunity to spend an hour or two with your photographer. The result is you and your photographer will have been able to get to know each other on a more deeper level. You never want to meet or hangout with your photographer for the first time on your wedding day.

Number 2: Real printed portraits. Without the wedding attire.

Hang your beautiful artwork in your new house of you and your husband/wife not in wedding attire. Trust me, you need it in that new home with blank walls. It is statistically proven that having your portraits in your home leads to a more healthier and long lasting marriage.

Number 3: Get photos for your Signing Albums and Invitation Cards

Are you having a hard time finding that perfect photo for your wedding invitation cards? An engagement session will give you multiple photos to pick from and your photographer can even help you design your invitation cards to give them that professional feel.

Signing albums are must have. They help keep your party at the wedding entertained and give you something to read from your guests long after your wedding day.

So if you are on the fence about having an engagement session I hope you found this helpful. To see a full engagement session click HERE!

For our favorite photography locations to get the ball rolling check out :

Favorite Outdoor Photography Locations

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Arielle and Josh Full Wedding Gallery

Amazing Light Studios — Wed, 26 Sep 2018 03:08:00 +0000

I hope you enjoy this full wedding gallery of Arielle and Josh McCloskey’s wedding. Arielle and Josh got married at the gorgeous Joseph Ambler Inn in North Wales, Pennsylvania. The weather was perfect and so was their wedding. Greg and I had a great time capturing the day as it unfolded. We started the morning with Arielle at David J. Witchell at Peddler’s Village in Buckingham Township, Pennsylvania. The salon was a dream to photograph Arielle and her bridesmaids. It is defiantly a great location to consider bridal prep for your wedding day.

Arielle then traveled to the Joseph Ambler Inn where Greg went to meet Josh for groom prep. I stayed with Arielle and captured her getting ready. Greg and I then meet up and captured their beautiful ceremony. The couple got married during golden hour. Talk about a magical moment to tie the knot. I love golden hour. After the ceremony we then took family and bridal portraits. We did my favorite photo of all time, confetti. We use bio-degradable confetti I found on Amazon.

As a team, we then captured their reception. It was a fun filled evening. Greg and I took Arielle and Josh outside for some night time photography with our pixel stick. Greg and I love to create interesting images for our clients. Most importantly, we were so honored to have been apart of their special day. Therefore, we hope you enjoy seeing a full wedding gallery by us, Amazing Light Studios.

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How to have an Unplugged Wedding in the 21st Century

Amazing Light Studios — Tue, 25 Sep 2018 16:04:05 +0000

How to have an Unplugged Wedding? Let’s dive in.

Unplugged weddings are a great way to encourage your guests to fully take in your wedding. You spent so much time and energy in planning the perfect wedding, you want your guests to enjoy it with you. After all that isn’t that why you invited them? It is also important that guest don’t get in the way of the professionals. In todays society everyone has a smartphone or a camera readily available. So how do you effectively have an unplugged wedding? Let’s get into it.

Plan Ahead. You can let all your guest know in your invitations that you are having an unplugged wedding. Also remind them the day before that it is an unplugged wedding via text message. This gives them plenty of notice.

Visual Reminder. Make a nice sign that reminds your guest that you have decided to have an unplugged wedding. Signs are a great reminder. We found a great sign on Amazon. Check it out.

Can be purchased on Amazon with the link above

Verbal Reminder. Ask your paster or officiant to kindly remind your guest to please turn off all cameras and phones till after the ceremony. Kind of like at the movies!

The experience your guests get at your wedding without the distraction of phones or cameras is incredible. You want your guests to take in every moment of your big day. They will be more involved than if they were looking through a tiny screen or view finder. With an unplugged wedding you also insure that your guests will not be in the way of the professional photographer.

Here are some examples of photos taken by guests, and photos taken by a professional photographer.

1. Here is some examples of photos taken by guests:

2. Below are some examples of the same photos taken by a professional photographer:

3. Here is a long exposure photo. These are not possible on a cell phones no matter how hard you try or what app you use. This exposure was 15 seconds long with rear curtain sync.

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6 Tips for Dealing with Rain on Your Wedding Day

Amazing Light Studios — Tue, 25 Sep 2018 15:34:23 +0000

Dealing with rain on your wedding day can seem daunting, but sometimes mother nature has other plans. So being prepared for anything is a great idea. It takes a professional to make a great photograph in a less than ideal situation. We make it easy to get great photos in any situation.

Here are our 6 tips for dealing with rain on your wedding day that might just save you a headache.

Umbrellas, umbrellas, umbrellas! I cannot say it enough! Purchase umbrellas for you and your bridal party. You never know if you’ll have rain on your wedding day. So be prepared. Our favorite is a clear umbrella, but you can get creative with this. Umbrellas will help keep you dry and out if the rain. With enough planning before hand, you will rock those creative photos outside. Click here for Umbrellas on Amazon.
Have a tent readily available. Having a backup plan for outside ceremonies and receptions is essential when planning an outside wedding. It is important to know that your venue has a backup plan just in case it starts to rain on your wedding day. Ask to see picture examples of the tent they use to cover your ceremony and reception location from the rain. You will want to know your wedding will still look gorgeous under their tent.
The weather app is your new best friend, us it. Check the weather a month before your wedding date. See what the Doppler radar says your special day will be like. This will obviously not be set in stone. So, when the date gets closer check the weather every other day or even every day. This will keep you informed on what to expect the day of.
Inform guests that rain may be inevitable and to not forget their umbrellas. If your budget allows, you can have extra umbrellas at your wedding for any guests that forgot theirs.
Make sure your photographer and videographer have planned for possible rainy conditions as well. If you hired us as your photographer/videographer we always come prepared for rain
If you’re really worried or the weather says rain is likely, purchase some fun rain boots to keep your toes dry. Here is a link to some cute rain boots: Roma Boots at Amazon.

If you found this helpful check out our Free Wedding Magazine for more tips on planning your wedding.

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Amazing Light Studios | Leather Albums | New Jersey Weddings

Amazing Light Studios — Tue, 28 Aug 2018 01:10:10 +0000

Amazing Light Studios | Leather Albums | New Jersey Weddings

We are so excited to share our new leather albums. We have been hard at work trying to find an album that is worthy of our clients. That is you! Guys, we found it! These handcrafted Woodland Albums albums are simply unique. They are elegantly wrapped with leather lace. How awesome is that? You can’t go wrong with the paper options either. Both the Fine-Art Watercolor and Fine Art Velvet paper are amazing choices for your album. These premium paper options complement your wedding photos in the best possible way. The albums come in Saddle Dark Brown, Saddle Tan, and Saddle Charcoal. I personally love the Saddle Tan. You cannot go wrong with this album. It has quickly become our favorite. We are absolutely thrilled we found these albums for you! At your next consultation ask to see one in person. Contact us today to book your free consultation. We’d love to meet you!

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Our New Backgrounds at the Studio | New Jersey Boudoir

Amazing Light Studios — Sun, 29 Jul 2018 01:12:12 +0000

Well hello there! Have you been searching for the best place to get Boudoir photos in New Jersey? Here are our new backgrounds at the studio. We have been working overtime to get things set up for the new studio. I have got to say the backgrounds have turned out great! We now have 5 NEW spaces in the studio. Take a peek and check out some of the session photos we have taken recently. So EXCITING! Don’t you want to come by?

This is the Beautiful, Tabbetha sporting our new Victoria’s Secret background and others! Her photos in the new studio came out great! and we had so much FUN!

PS,

Hey there Its Aftinn. Are you interested in scheduling your boudoir session? Contact me Today!

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