Wedding reception…..dance like nobody is watching!

Some wedding photographers like to leave pretty early after first dance or cake cut or whatever time their working practice works for them. Others, like myself, want to be there until they know they have got everything a wedding reception can offer. If that is dancing, drinking, falling over…whatever it is, I want to be there to get it. Weddings are fun right? That’s what it should be. And when you can finally let your hair down, the wedding reception is the time to do it.

But, for a wedding photographer, the lighting conditions can be tricky. Think about it….most “dance floors” are dark to capture a mood, there is usually some kind of lighting going on either by a venue or a DJ/band etc. The moments are fleeing…people move surprisingly fast when dancing!

So, how I do it? What do I do to capture my wedding dance floor shots?

Well, with 100+ weddings under my belt now, I pretty much have three go to things I do to capture variety on the dance floor.

First thing? First dance.

First dance is important. It’s one of the big statement events in most weddings, so it needs to be captured correctly. And without exception, the lights go down and the “mood” is created.

With a combination of two or three flash guns, I have some basic settings for the camera and flash. A few trial shots done when things are in the “down time”, even maybe asking a guest to fill in for me to test the light and pretend to be the couple. It's always a fun ice breaker haha! Adjust accordingly to dial in the settings to where I want them then be ready to go when the couple enter that dance floor to show off the moves (or not as a lot of the cases are…..slowly walk around dance anyone?).

South Farm has a dedicated side room with a dance floor that most first dances are done on. It’s relatively small though, so I usually like to cross flash this with two lights to maximise the look and room

This is also at South Farm but in the main barn rather than the dance room and it allows for a completely different look. Here this is two flashes right behind the couple into the camera. The difference is a very different vibe

This time, first dance was in a tipi at The Lakeside at Wildberry Farm. This time, with no corners in a round tent, it makes the light bounce around much more, so two lights either side of the room is more than suffice.

Once the first dance is over, the next thing is the mad flood of guests onto the dance floor to join the couple and have a big sing song, dance about, whatever takes the fancy. I usually at this point leave the flash and camera settings as they are. No need and no time to change them.

But for me, it’s my time to blend in. I get in amongst the revellers, looking, seeing and feeling the vibe, seeing what is going on and catching a moment from someone, from arms in the air, singing at the top of their lungs, being arm in arm with a fellow guest…whatever it is, I will try and capture it without disturbing that moment. The second I interact, that moment is lost.

This is a perfect example of people coming onto the dance floor right after first dance. As you can see from other images, the lighting is similar (a tipi), but I haven’t changed it and used it to capture people joining the couple.

Another example of leaving all alone for when people enter the dance floor. The couple are usually still going, having a whale of a time, so I want to capture that as much as other people. It makes for a great shot at Barrington Hall

I might even have a little dance myself if the music is good ;-)

But, I don’t like to capture the whole dance floor like this. I like a bit of variety. And I like to mix things up to get a different look. Also, as the evening gets wilder (remember, I haven’t left just after first dance….I’m still there!), I want to capture that vibe. My style is to try and get some movement in the shots while capturing the moment and expressions.

This gets a little more tricky though.

I need to get in close. So my stealth levels go up. Plus, I put the flash ON the camera this time and change the settings to allow a slightly slower shutter speed which will allow light into the camera over a time period long enough for the flash to work on the subject and freeze them, but the light around whoever I am photographing to blur.

I also like to photograph this with a wide angle lens. This slightly distorts the photo to lengthen arms and legs, show more of the image and allow me to get in closer.

If I am not careful, this can be disruptive to the vibe due to the fact that now I am firing a flash gun right at a person. Nobody likes that.
So, my job is to get in close while they aren’t looking or otherwise distracted, wait and then sneak a shot when they are least expecting it. Most of the time, they just carry on doing what they are doing, not even realising a photo had been taken! Sneaky, yes. Works, absolutely!

This shot at South Farm was when the bride had changed into her dancing gear and was letting loose. I wanted to show her joy with the movement in the shot. You can see the flash has captured her and her expression, but the light around her has a lot of movement in it. It makes for a really vibrant vibe and tells just as much of a story

A great example of showing that movement when things get a little more upbeat haha!

Angles are everything. If flash guns are up on stands high up, then when something like this happens, I can’t get the light to it. So sometimes it’s actually better to have the flash on the camera with you. I would have missed this otherwise

This is a perfect example of why I like a wide angle lens and to be able to get in close. The movement and the joy in her face makes you want to dance with her at Barrington Hall

So, there you go. It’s all about stealth. For me, I don’t want to interfere with anyone or set things up. I want to capture the fun as it is. And I do that by blending in, maybe even throwing a few moves, chat to people, have fun, do a lot of observing (there is always a group that go mad….great images!) so when it comes time for them to just let themselves go, they forget I am even there. It’s all about finding my moment and having the right lighting to do it. The setup is the simple bit. What years of experience brings is anticipation, observation and understanding….as well as being able to talk!!!

All this is so a couple gets the best memories from the part of the day where everyone just let’s go and parties!!!