The News this Week

Round ups from NYC. The Bridal Journey shared their take on the 5 looks shaping Bridal Fashion Week in New York these last few weeks.
Fujifilm’s new new. Announced yesterday, the new XT-30iii takes all the right steps forward and keeps the price nice.
Direct Flash Portrait with iPhone? This photographer (Magic) connects his Profoto A2 and iPhone for a portrait session. Results? Wildly Good! Have a look here.
Macbook Pro Updates. Last week Apple released their new Macbook Pros. Featuring the latest M5 processor, it’s the latest, greatest on the go editing machine that most wedding photographers will want. Nice review here.
Shot on Leica or iPhone? No secret the new iPhone 17’s camera is amazing, but can you tell which is which?
Peak Design has news. Releasing a new tripod plate that will save your finder nails, as well as a newly imaged strap.
Meanwhile Apple may have accidentally made an incredible camera strap.
New Album Company in the mix. Atelier Alba is a new option for wedding photographers, keeping things simple, beautiful and most of all easy… See details here.

THE BIG IDEA

🔎 Closer Than You Think

Images: adrianmartinn and the.saums

Most photographers shoot wider they realise.

Defaulting to safe distance every time. Full bodies. Classic frames. Everything nicely inside the lines with some nice space around it. There’s ALWAYS our default way of framing that we just always do.

It’s time for a simple creative reset.

Shoot closer.
Shoot TOO close.

Break your muscle memory. Change your point of view. You’ll start to see NEW images, new ideas and break the mold.

Let’s dive into some ideas and how to do it ⬇️

Image left: haute.weddings

Actually get closer when you shoot
This can be done with your feet, with your zoom, or with a tighter lens. Each will give a different result and feel to the image, but you can try:

Taking two extra steps forward in their space
Send your 28–70 straight to 70mm and focus in
Swap your 35mm for an 85/100mm and force yourself to see the scene in a different way

The aim is to ACTUALLY remove distance and to break the default SAFE FRAME you always do. Think about aggressively cropping in camera as you shoot. Wild we know!

Images right: aceandtate

Isolate Something
This is the whole point of getting closer is this.

You want to make the frame about ONE thing and one thing only. A detail, a sensation, a feeling.

The above right is an Ace & Tate ad campaign: an entire series built just on close shots of eyes squinting in the sun, showing the need for their sunglasses. Genius.
There’s no background. No environment. Just communicating a FEELING.

You don’t always need the whole story inside one frame. Sometimes less information = more emotion.

Images left: kulesza_pik

The power of a crop
And yes, of course you can also do this after you shoot and CROP. It’s also a powerful way to get close and re-imagine you image in a closer way.

So do it. Don’t be scared to crop your image in a lot and make the image about one thing.

Images: adrianmartinn and daniloandsharon

Quick fire ideas.

Shoot a frame that feels TOO close, then go even closer
Let one detail or body part fill the entire frame (a hand, an earring, a jawline)
Compose for the feeling, not for symmetry.
Ignore the background. Just pretend it doesn’t even exist!
Stay in the moment longer than might polite. Sometimes a moment happens after they relax with you close. Stay soft and of course, read the room.
Don’t be scared to crop off a head. Seriously, sometimes this is the way.
Stay alert for the small moments, touches and details that make a close image win.

Danilo and Sharon shared the above right image of the groom adjusting his bowtie in their ‘Editorial Posing’ workshop inside Lensel PRO (replay is available to view for members).

They said:
“I stole the groom for a couple of moments. I was like - hey, can you come with me? Let’s take a couple of photos. I went in really close with my camera and I was like can you see yourself in the reflection of my camera? can you fix your bowtie while looking at the reflection of my lens? He was laughing trying to see himself…and snap snap snap, there we have it.”

Genuis. Close. Real. And different.

WEDDING FEATURE

🇫🇷 An Insider Look into Greg Finck’s Photo Magic at This Insane Rivera Wedding

by gregfinck

This wedding featured from the photographer’s POV.

“In total, we covered three days of events, but it felt like shooting a feature film…
Every hour brought something new: a surprise performance, less time.. a shift in light. It was intense, but deeply rewarding. Sometimes you can prepare all you want, but moments like these remind you: the best images come from being present, ready, and open to what unfolds.”

Dive in to see how gregfinck captured this challenging and intense wedding. Including a surprise performance from Bruno Mars ⬇️

SEE THE WHOLE FEATURE HERE

BE THERE

⛏️ Jose Villa Workshop: “Editing Iconic Images”

You might have heard…

The one and only Jose Villa is teaching our next live workshop titled: “Editing Iconic Images” Not only talking about style, but actually breaking down what he changes, removes and corrects to create his magic look.

Here’s the details and ANSWERS to all the FAQ’s we have been getting:

YES, the workshop is hosted live and online inside the Lensel PRO membership.
YES, the replay of the event will be available the next day to watch whenever you want.
YES, live attendees will participate in the Q&A will Jose directly. (can ask anonymous too if you wish)
NO, the workshop is not available as a one off purchase. Only as a part of the annual Lensel PRO membership.
YES, the membership is great value. You get a workshop every month + much more.
YES, people can join from all over the world.

LIVE - Wednesday 5th November 12.30PM ET / 9.30AM PT in Lensel PRO
REPLAY - Available to view next day

JOIN NOW TO ACCESS

INSPO THIS WEEK

⬇️ There’s inspo, and then there is THIS KIND OF INSPO. This next level shoot in Japan from frolovam and pavelgolubnichy, is one you MUST spend some time with.

… it’s so good we had to share a few more images + see some more here.

⬇️ Not sure a back lit bridal portrait gets much more dreamy than this right?! + the whole post is a masterclass in mixing posing, documentary, film and all the good things.

⬇️ Just quietly nailing that ‘Walk Around Pose’ mentioned a few issues back. Love this laid back shoot around Paris. VIBES 100/100.

⬇️ Pose ideas for your next bride who’s game.

Till next week,