Speed Light Magic [Rf Photo of the Day]

Photo © Paul Pruitt

For photographer Paul Pruitt, making wedding photos is not just about the capture of an image, but “the story behind making it,” he says.

A WPPI speaker, Pruitt says this image reminds him of why he loves wedding photography. Taken in New Castle, Delaware, at a venue Pruitt says isn’t known for its scenic views or landscapes, the image was set up with a Canon 600EX-RT speed light behind the couple “to create a backlight against the twilight sky,” he notes. These settings allowed him to underexpose the ambient light and to bring out the rich, deep colors of the sky and surroundings. The moment after he snapped the shutter, the couple wanted to get a glimpse of their portrait. Their emotional reaction to the shot was caught on video (below).

“It’s one thing to make a great capture for a client,” Pruitt says, “but being present, supporting and sharing the emotional experience by going above and beyond the client expectations…that’s when clients become raving fans.”

(Captured using a Canon 5D Mark III camera with a 50mm f/1.2L lens at 1/200th of a second and ISO 100.)

Check out more Photos of the Day, and email rangefinder@emeraldexpo.com for submissions.