Being from California, I probably have no business using the British slang term for
umbrella; and the Texan couple I photographed in Prague
last weekend probably wouldn’t know a brolly from a jolly rancher—but hey, I
like rhymes. Or Little Richard. One of those.
Many couples have hired me for their pre-wedding and
engagement portraits in Prague, but
few have brought their own umbrellas to the photo shoot. An umbrella makes a good prop because it is
classy, elegant and has nice lines and shapes.
It adds a wide, round shape to the square photo frame, its colors
compliment clothing and it is also translucent—which lets the light play. In addition to capturing emotions and moods,
we photographers are playing with light.
It was a very bright, sunny and warm June morning in Prague
when Jennifer, Brandon and I set off on foot from their hotel, the
Hotel Hoffmeister, situated just below
Prague Castle near Malostranska
Metro. From there, we were free to walk
through Mala Strana (Little Quarter), or the Castle side of the
Charles Bridge. Many couples like to have their engagement or
wedding photos near Charles Bridge,
and I have the perfect locations in mind to get the best scenes for a romantic
portrait shoot in Prague. At 10 am
the tourist throng was already thickening, but I know the perfect spots to
avoid the worst of the crowds—yet still get some amazing shots of most of Prague’s
most beautiful sites.
From the banks of the River Vltava, the Charles
Bridge spans the river and makes a
perfect backdrop. I also took the couple
through Prague Castle
and one of the Castle gardens which has yet to be overly visited by
tourists. In the summer time, knowing
the best places to work with minimal disturbance is a key to getting natural,
relaxed portraits outdoors.
I generally avoid the Old Town Square in the heart of the
summer due to the mass of people who are either clamoring to get a glimpse of
the Astronomical Clock or dining in one of the many seats outside the Square’s
bars and restaurants. However, I still
know a few tricks to eliminate people from appearing in the background of the
photos. One of my tricks is to get a low
angle by sitting on the ground and shooting upward toward the subjects; this
cuts the tourists out of the scene while leaving the breathtaking rooftops of
the Prague architecture. Add a blue sky and, well, Bob’s your uncle.
To book your pre-wedding / engagement portraits in Prague, contact me here.
I look forward to working with you!
S and C recently got married in the garden of Kempinsky Hotel, Prague. Since they live in Prague, they decided to avoid the crowded tourist monuments in favor of a more intimate setting. The garden of the hotel is a huge, lush, green wide open courtyard space behind the hotel and it was the perfect setting for their wedding.
Small children are also a big part of a wedding: the cute little suits and
hats they wear, their patience and best behavior put on just for the
day. I capture the big and small moments of a wedding
to show the emotions and overall mood of the day. A blog doesn't
have the space for every wedding photo, but you can get a good idea of
my casual, relaxed wedding portrait style as well as my wedding documentary photography in Prague and beyond on my website. 
Thanks for taking the time to view my photography. I hope you
enjoyed viewing my photos as much as I enjoyed taking them. And please
feel free to leave a comment!
