Epic Weddings Lighting and Design for Unforgettable Images

There are no two ways about it. Creating spectacular lighting, coaxing gorgeous poses, and producing a stunning image concept for wedding portraits is a challenging task. You need to flatter your subjects in a remarkable array of locations, at various times of day, and you must produce standout looks that capture the mood or theme of the day, the personalities involved, and also show the environment to best effect. Of course, getting the perfect shot becomes an even more daunting task when you consider that you need to work fast to minimize the amount of time the bride and groom are separated from their guests and festivities. Add to these stressors the fact that many of the moments that will be captured are fleeting. Yes, wedding photographers do have their burdens to bear. Fortunately, this book functions to shed some light—both literally and figuratively—on the challenges photographers stumble across on any given wedding day.
In this book, you’ll get a behind-the-scenes look at the strategies award-winning shooter Daniel Doke uses to create exquisite wedding images indoors and out. Sixty of Doke’s best images are deconstructed, providing you with insight into the details that went into getting the perfect shot. With the aid of a lighting diagram, descriptive text, and select alternate images, you’ll learn to create flattering highlights and shadows that sculpt your clients’ bodies and faces. You’ll also learn to light for a dramatic, high-fashion mood or modify light for a softer, more romantic look. You will discover strategies for working in mixed-light scenarios, overpowering midday sun, shooting at sunset and at night. Posing and compositional strategies are detailed as well.
Doke presents instruction in simple terms and will delight readers with his signature style. Part education, part inspiration, this book will help any wedding photographer push his/her creative boundaries and produce remarkable fresh new images.

Daniel Doke: Daniel Doke has many years of experience and dedication in photojournalism, portrait, contemporary, fashion, and wedding photography. Dan began his career when he was 14 years old photographing portraits and he photographed his first wedding at 15.

Dan has been awarded the Master of Photography (Harv’s note – he is scheduled to receive his Master of Photography at Imaging in February 2015 in Nashville) and Photographic Craftsman degrees from the Professional Photographers of America and is also a Certified Professional Photographer. In 2010, he was invited to join the Society of XXV, one of only 25 photographers world-wide. He was also named one of the top 100 Photographers by Westcott Lighting.

A dedicated educator, Dan shares his talent and enthusiasm with other photographers at the state and national level. He has photographed over 37 magazine covers, some of which include Rangefinder, Studio Photography, Simply Elegant Platinum Weddings, Gala and La Bella Bride. Many of his images can be seen in magazines like Grace Ormond Wedding Style, Southern New England Weddings and Boston Weddings. Among his many awards are multiple Massachusetts Photographer of the Year, Massachusetts Album of the Year, New England Album of the Year, many Kodak Gallery and Fuji Awards and Best of the Knot.

Daniel Doke, M.Photog.Cr., CPP
Member of XXV, PPA, PPAM, PPANE and Past President of PPAM