When shooting wedding photography, the main idea is always to capture the details of the moment, including the emotions of the people in the photo. Ordinary photography cannot always do that alone. Using special effect wedding photography to alter the images in tasteful ways can be valuable in reaching this goal. A number of techniques can be used to create these images.

The Purpose of Special Effects

Special effect wedding photography is useful for turning otherwise ordinary wedding photos into something special. One example is black and white photos. This option has become popular with couples because they look classic and elegant. Without the vibrant colors, the photo also captures the emotions of the moment more effectively.

The preferred wedding photography techniques for creating black and white shots is to use color film then strip the color later. With digital images and photo manipulation software, such as Adobe Photoshop, you can accomplish this look in just a few steps.

Another popular example of special effect wedding photography is to combine black and white images with color images. For example, a photo of the bride might be completely black and white, except for the color of her red rose bouquet. With Photoshop or Microsoft Digital Image Suite, you can create this effect by outlining the bouquet before turning the rest of the photo to black and white.

Strategies for Perfect Wedding Photos

Some wedding photography tips can help you use special effect wedding photography more effectively. For example, do not overdo any of the special effects. The reason these shots are special is because they are unlike the rest of the ones in the wedding album. If every photo is black and white except for some striking color object, the effect becomes meaningless.

Second, choose "hero" shots (the ones that are the best from the wedding) for your effects. An image that is already good is only going to be better when you add the effects. Always create a copy of the image to work from, however, in case the results do not turn out as expected.

Finally, using sepia tones – another example of special effect wedding photography – can give the photos an old-fashioned or vintage appearance. This can be useful for some weddings. A Victorian style wedding, for example, would look beautiful in sepia tones. But for most weddings, the black and white appearance looks more beautiful.