How to get creative when the church looks like crap?

Title says it all really. This church is in a really run down part of town and the church itself looks like a big steel warehouse building with a steeple on top. There is nothing outside that is even worth taking a picture of. No nearby parks or anything either. Inside the church is very drab and not photo friendly at all. Reception is on site as well so no real chance of stopping on the way to get some shots... Looks like my only options are inside which is too bad because its going to be perfect weather outside.

So what do all of you do in situations where nothing around you is photo worthy? How do you find creativity in these instances?

run down warehouses and steel beams can be your friend .. try for that urban wedding look .. and process the images as so .. it can actually work towards your advantage! be different

Ok, cool, never really thought of that. Will research that, thanks...

Yep -- you have to be creative. Instead of shots with a lot showing in the background, isolate a small area and maybe shoot it from above-- or below and have the couple do creative things like sit facing each other - or another way to isolate what is behind them.

totally agree with both above, the grungier the better... in some cases. I'd defo let the bride and groom know that this is the path you're wanting to take though and explain that although it might not look like anything amazing when you're there, it will in the final images

have fun, sounds like it'll be cool!

Creativity is the photographers job regardless of the church setting. I've had my share of drab backgrounds and at that point you have subjects. Concentrate on that and the background becomes unimportant.

Just to give you all an idea on what the church looks like, here it is...


http://maps.google.com …42,,0,-10.033632286995516

ow that bad boy IS rough. try lighting the subjects up with some flash and having the bg dark and OOF. check out some of Bert Stephni's stuff to get the idea. when i have crappy bg's to deal with thats what i do. the pics are about the couple, not the church

mrbojangles13 wrote in post #7620230
ow that bad boy IS rough. try lighting the subjects up with some flash and having the bg dark and OOF. check out some of Bert Stephni's stuff to get the idea. when i have crappy bg's to deal with thats what i do. the pics are about the couple, not the church

Thanks for the suggestion, I have seen Berts stuff before, really impressive. WIll have to relook at that. We met with the bride yesterday and inside the church is actually not too bad, Would just prefer some outside shots as well.

Try using the street or the parking lot. Streets and parking lots can make good backgrounds if you put the focus on the couple:

That's why the Japanese invented bokeh.

I agree with some others (nice photos dude above BTW) use the background to your advantage... BUT you can always use bokeh to help restrict the impact.

Looking at the picture what I can see; you might be able to take some pictures under or near the trees out front. This is what a "pro" and I did at a wedding a couple of years ago. We used the base of a tree. There also appears to be a bush of some kind in the corner of what looks like a grabage can ramp on the side. You might have the couple sitting or knelling. You could also get a good shot of the stepel. Lot's of luck.

bring a background and stands and make your own studio!! j/k well, the customers picked that location so they know what they are going to get. id bring loooonnnggg lens, stand far back and zoom in to isolate the background. might work for few of the shots.

I had several situations like that, get the flash off camera if you can, get your shutter speed up to darken the uglies