It’s LENSEL here. Your vendor meal served at the same time as the guests. Your wedding day timeline with no big group photo. Basically, all your dreams come true. It’s wedding photography news and insight delivered each Tuesday.

What’s in today’s email:

• Direct flash and trend cycles

• Is this the best ‘personal’ camera for a wedding pro? The X100VI.

• Why you need a Bakers Dozen (yes, cryptic on purpose).
  
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TRENDS

Direct Flash is Back

Yes, flash is back. We are talking about run and gun, editorial, high fashion direct flash. We spoke about this rather virally and controversially here…

What’s the deal? 
The crux of the trend and technique is this: the use of a speedlight flash as your primary source of light. Either directly on top of the camera, or handheld with the use of trigger, and fired directly at your subject. Are we the new paparazzi? Some are shooting at high apertures and killing all available light, while others are find a balance between available light and the flash to keep the background.

Also take notes: we are talking about flash being used throughout the different part of the day, not just the reception. Details, direct flash. Bride getting ready, direct flash. You get the picture.

Where did this come from?
It’s partly a mix of two big photography trends, film photography and high fashion photography. More fully, it’s a time machine back to a 90s style of photography. Where in response to a stylised and super produced style in the 80s, (sounding familiar?) 90s photographers started using direct flash to shoot more quick, behind the scenes, in the moment and un-staged images. Often using small point and shoot cameras, with flash built in.

You may have noticed this trend in celebrity and fashion scenes with photography and now it’s directly influencing wedding photography. The culmination of a time where we strive to show ourselves as more authentic and intimate, juxtaposed with that yearning for celebrity and stardom. All sprinkled with that yearning for low-tech days, in the middle of our high-tech times.

So what’s good about it?

• Easy to achieve amazing skin tone and rich colours.

• You can shoot in any direction. When shooting natural light only, you are bound by the light you are given. Think of a small hotel room where you only have a tiny corner of great light.

• Quick and nimble. You can focus on your framing and how your couple looks because you know what your light will look like.

• You stand out - not everyone is up to speed on this yet.

• Most of all, we love the consistency. Controlling the light with flash means you can make the best out of any light.

Trend Cycles
The move toward this kind of flash photography is interesting as it again showcases the cyclical nature of trends. Things come and go. Right now, it’s HOT. And it’s safe to say it will stick around a lot longer. You’re early.

But inevitably, eventually, new lighting trends will prevail and this will feel done. So it’s up to you to figure out if this is something you want to jump into and incorporate into your work. At the very least it’s great to be able to level up your use of flash - a historical weakness for many wedding photographers.

Where to learn it?
Danilo and Sharon are some of the best proponents of this style of flash photography. Their latest course, ‘Flash Masterclass’, is the go to place to learn this technique and vibe. The course breaks down several flash looks, all through the day that you can incorporate right away into your weddings. It’s full of detailed explainer video guides and live group calls to help ensure you get it right.

We’ve partnered with them to bring you very exclusive, one off discount on the course.

Use the code LENSEL20 for 20% for a limited time.

NEWS

Happening this Week

• Well well, Nikon are making big moves. Acquiring RED, one of the leading makers of digital cinema cameras. What are we going to see next from Nikon?

• Replaced! Pronovias Bridal skipped on a photographer in their latest campaign and chose to work with an AI artist instead.

• Less bookings this year? Legend of the wedding game Lukas Piatek speaks on why it’s not just you, and why things are looking good for 2025.

• The stunning details and style of this wedding featured on The Wed.

• Will Sony ever release a medium format camera? Looks like it could be coming soon as they announced a new 247 megapixel sensor yesterday.

• Prada released their new 2024 season campaign showcasing some hard light studio photography to inspire us all.

GEAR CHAT

What’s your daily camera?

Fujifilm recently released the new X100VI. Small. Good looking. Fun. And did someone say film recipes? Yes, the X100 series is a pretty good contender for that “I’m a pro photographer and want to take photos in my daily life, but don’t want to feel like I’m working camera.” You know the one.

The X100VI features a few great upgrades like:
- A 40MP sensor
- Improved autofocus
- In Body Stabilisation, or IBIS.
- 20+ film simulations

But a lot is still the same as the older version.
- the same amazing lens
- mostly the same film simulations
- same flash
- same body

Here’s an amazing direct comparison of the older X100V and the newer X100Vi by Benj Haish.

Tell us, what’s your daily camera team?
 

WORKSHOP

A Bakers Dozen

It’s the workshop collab you’ve been waiting for.
Bayly&Moore and Briars Atlas are three of the most creative, honest and inspiring wedding photographers you’ll ever come across. If you’re a full-time wedding photographer with 5+ years of experience looking for longevity, better art practice, business growth through making better work and you feel stuck but can’t put your finger on why… then this is crafted for you.

5 cities through New Zealand and Australia
20 spots in each
Jump through here to see the full details and make sure you secure your spot quick.