ONE MORNING IN THE GARDEN IN A PRE-WEDDING SESSION
The photos are from the pre-wedding session in the Conde de Castro Guimarães Garden in Cascais
• Pode ler este artigo em Português.
The people I photograph during wedding sessions
In outdoor portraiture, I have been a photographer of shadows. Let me explain. I truly enjoy shaping light when it is soft and lending that character to the people I photograph. There’s nothing worse than a wrinkled face, half-closed eyes, and harsh shadows cutting across a couple’s beautiful forehead before their wedding day.
It is much easier — and better — to photograph in the shade, whether because the sun is softened today by gentle, non-rainy clouds, by leafy trees standing against the sun’s harsh light and its also unfriendly heat, or by house walls that serve as excellent backdrops for portraits meant to endure.
The choice of location and light is an essential part of my creative process. Observing how shadow sculpts the face, how it softens expressions, and hides excess, is something that becomes almost intuitive with practice. It’s not just technique — it’s also sensitivity and intention. This attention to detail allows me to capture people truthfully, without noise, with enough light to reveal and just enough shadow to suggest.
- Natural shade helps create portraits with greater softness and expression.
- Photographing in locations with diffused light enhances the natural beauty of the human face without distortion.
- Wedding photography in shadow-controlled environments produces more elegant results.
- The wedding photographer must master light, just as much as the emotion of the moment.
The value of soft light in a pre-wedding session
When I think of a well-achieved image, it is rarely made under direct sunlight. There’s something delicate about light filtered through leaves, through thin clouds, or even through architectural surfaces. That light wraps around, reveals texture, and gives volume to the subjects. For me, that’s where true portraiture lives — in the balance between light’s presence and the mystery of shadow.
Places with these qualities are carefully chosen. And every face reacts differently. Soft light gives me time to observe and choose the right angle. The tranquility that kind of light provides reflects on those being photographed, whether it’s a couple of newlyweds, a family, or someone simply looking for a meaningful portrait. The lightness and naturalness of the images come from this almost meditative atmosphere that the shadow creates.
- Soft light is ideal for capturing real and spontaneous emotions.
- Natural spaces with tree cover create perfect conditions for outdoor portraits.
- The choice of lighting is one of the keys to the quality of wedding photographs.
- Each bride and groom react uniquely to light, requiring the photographer’s sensitivity.
Sleepy sun with that perfect light for photographs
That’s why I either go early or go late. On that early September morning with Ella and Markus, the sun was still a bit sleepy, and the tall leafy trees at Jardim do Parque Carmona, in Cascais, gave me that light that makes me proud of my work. Even outside of the wedding day itself, it’s a pleasure to be a photographer.
That morning, everything aligned: the mild temperature, the silence of the park, the couple at ease, the scene filled with deep greens and tall branches filtering the light. A calm session, almost without direction. It was enough to observe and follow the couple’s natural movements to capture images with depth. The location helped, of course, but it was the light that made everything breathe.
- Mornings offer the best light for emotional, expressive portraits.
- Sessions in places like Jardim do Parque Carmona are ideal for couples ahead of their wedding day.
- Wedding photographs benefit from peaceful environments where the couple feels relaxed.
- A good wedding photographer knows how to read the day’s light and adapt it to the moment’s emotion.
More than technique — a way of seeing
Photography is more than getting the exposure or composition right. It’s about being attentive. It’s about understanding that what you want to reveal is often better shown with less light. It’s knowing how to wait for that cloud that softens the scene or walking toward where the shade is more generous. Portraiture, for me, is a quiet construction between the one photographing and the one being photographed.
Time helps — time to observe, to respect others’ space, to find the right position. Over the years, I’ve discovered that the best photography happens when there is time and good light. That simple formula has followed me through all genres, but it takes on particular importance in wedding photography. Light shapes the narrative, and on the wedding day, every nuance matters.
- An attentive eye is essential to capture authentic expressions.
- Technique only makes sense when it serves the emotion.
- During the wedding ceremony, light can either reinforce or soften the moment.
- Wedding photography should tell the story through subtle details.
Let’s talk?
If you value images with emotion, created with care and respect for natural light, feel free to reach out. Whether it’s for your wedding day, engagement session, or a soulful portrait, I’m available to photograph with both sensitivity and technique. Every moment has its time and its light — let’s find the best one together for you.
- You can see a full wedding story: