Greetings to all my friends in the black and white photography community. I hope you are all doing well and that everything is going smoothly. Today, I'm going to share about a groom who came to the salon on his wedding day to get ready, including his makeup, hair styling, and washing. I decided to take some photos of him inside the salon, this beauty salon, right after he was dressed and ready, to capture the final result.
"I must mention that I hadn't photographed in this salon before, so the first thing I considered was examining the lighting. It was daytime, and there was a large window, which was ideal for positioning my subject near it to ensure proper exposure and create a chiaroscuro effect in the photos. Since I intended to shoot in black and white, these shadows and highlights would become even more significant."
The groom was wearing a black suit with a white shirt, and his hair had a slightly salt-and-pepper appearance. He also had a black and white zebra-striped tie, which made me think about how well these contrasts would translate into black and white images without any additional colors
"I usually try not to take photos of the subject looking directly at the camera at first. Instead, I ask them to interact with the environment, look around, and give them poses, such as buttoning their jacket or looking at their watch. It's when they start to feel comfortable that I ask them to turn and look at the camera."
We started with some full-length shots, asking him to look outside and then hold the edge of his jacket. In the next full-length shot, I asked him to act as if he was getting ready, looking down at his hands while buttoning his jacket. These were photos that conveyed a sense of preparation and captured a moment in progress. I generally prefer these spontaneous shots, and I believe they are more appealing to the audience. For photos and poses where they were looking up from a slightly low angle, I tried to emphasize the groom's grandeur and dignity. I also tried to use angles that would minimize any perceived flaws, such as extra weight or a large stomach, and instead focus on their positive attributes.
The groom was very satisfied and expressed his gratitude for the salon's services. After taking the photos, I prepared to head to the wedding ceremony for the videography. Overall, it was a memorable and enjoyable evening. I hope your lives are filled with happiness and joy. Have a wonderful day, and until next time, farewell
Camera sony a7 iii
Lens sony 50mm f 1.8Photography by @menati