Cloudy Skies & Silver Linings
Let’s face the facts: I can’t control the weather. I know this may come as a shock to most of you, but it’s beyond my powers as a planner to banish rain on your big day. But what isn’t beyond my powers is assuring you that if you wake up to cloudy skies on your wedding day, you will still be totally pleased with your photos. Trust me, some cloud coverage can even be better than a bright sunny day, and here are some reasons why!
If you don’t have an eye for photography (a lot of people don’t, it’s okay!) you may not understand that lighting is everything. It can really make or break your photos! A skilled photographer will know how to use any type of lighting to their advantage, so the good news for you is that even on a cloudy day, your photographer will still deliver the best photos possible. The biggest upside to a cloudy day is that clouds and fog broaden your light source (aka the sun), which results in softer lighting. At the same time, clouds diffuse the harsh sunlight, which creates a natural soft box that evens out the light distribution and intake. Direct sunlight can cast heavy shadows on your subject and emphasize imperfections and lines (which is literally the last thing you want on your big day), so using cloud coverage or even just shade to your advantage can make you look even better. On a semi-cloudy day, rays of sunlight peeking out from between the clouds can make you glow and really play off the dynamics of the light and dark spots. Even on darker cloudy days, your photographer can find spots where the small bits of diffused light bounce off you and make the skies look brighter. A beautiful sunset can be elevated to jaw-dropping with dramatic backlit clouds that you wouldn’t get on a clear day.
In addition to the technical and lighting advantages, some mist or interspersed clouds can really set the mood. Hello, romantic backdrop! Clouds and mist also add texture to your photos and those bits of sunlight that peek through really make your details shine (literally and figuratively). Pops of color like your bouquet, shoes, or accessories stand out against a gray backdrop and can make for gorgeous detail shots.
We may love our sunny days here in Orange County, but that occasional cloud coverage (I’m looking at you, June gloom) can still give you outstanding photos and really spotlight the details that you worked so hard on. Most brides and groom may not wish for a cloudy wedding day, but after hearing about all the silver linings that come along with them, you may find your fingers crossed for gray skies!