Bridal Portrait - Mood Lighting

The "after" from my previous behind-the-scenes photo at a studio bridal shoot. Of course I always create more "classic" portraits as well, but what I really enjoy is creating a mood with the light that the viewer can "feel." It's something that I found difficult at first, trying to imagine contrast and the "shape" my light would take once I pressed the trigger -- after all, strobe light really is "invisible" to anyone standing in the room. It's there and then gone in a fraction of a second. (Just look again at the previous #bts image -- the room is awash in light.) But with enough practice, you develop a better imagination. A subject becomes a canvas in your mind, on which you can paint with light. Yes, photography is a technical art, and there are a lot of equations and concepts to master first. Finally though, you forget about the f-stops and the light ratios, and photography becomes an art, not just a math equation. Shot with #Nikon #d800 #alienbee thru #Westcott #softbox at camera-left, feathered past subject. 110mm, f/3.5, 1/250