Minimalist wedding photography is more than just photographing your subject in a minimalist setting. It is about communicating, understanding, finding the right moments, figuring out different angles... so as to get the minimalist results that also exude various emotions. We speak with Pixioo photographer Samuel Ng to find out the thoughts behind a minimalist wedding shoot.

EOS 5D Mark IV, EF50mm f/1.4 USM, 50mm, 1/800 sec, ISO400

I am Samuel, an educator turned photographer. As a self-taught photographer, my craft is often more spontaneous, resulting in photographs that are out of the ordinary. Diffusing awkward moments for couples who are camera shy is what I do best. Maybe it’s because of my contagious laughter, or maybe it’s because I have been well-trained by my two boys at home. But at the end of the day I take joy in getting my couples to feel comfortable in front of the camera. 

EOS RP, RF50mm f/1.2 L USM lens, f/1.2, 50mm, 1/3200 sec, ISO400

 

What are the top three things to take note of when shooting a minimalist style wedding?

1. I always associate a minimalist wedding as a personal or intimate wedding. It doesn’t need much to make it beautiful, in fact, for a minimalist wedding we are spending a lot of time together with the couple, their families and friends. We have plenty of time to create beautiful and intimate moments with them.
2. A simple wedding can be harder to shoot than a grand wedding: You have to work hard to get your thinking clean to make it simple. Spend more time to get to know the couple and the people around them. 
3. Observe more, initiate more, shoot more and create more moments.

EOS 5D Mark IV, EF35mm f/1.4L II USM lens, f/1.6, 35mm, 1/2000 sec, ISO320

 

EOS 5D Mark IV, EF35mm f/1.4L II USM lens, f/1.6, 35mm, 1/2500 sec, ISO320

Tell us what you think of the EOS RP, which you’ve used to shoot some of your photos.

The first impression of the EOS RP overall feature set and performance is impressive; it is very small and light. It performs well in low light and has a great autofocus, and the eye detection AF works well! During the post processing of the raw photos, I am pretty amazed that the noise is pretty well under control even with 3200 ISO, which is very useful for me as I don’t usually shoot with flash but mostly on the natural lighting. As a wedding could last an entire day, I would have preferred if the EOS RP's battery life could last me throughout the wedding.

EOS RP, RF50mm f/1.2 L USM lens, f/1.2, 50mm, 1/640 sec, ISO1000

 

Any tips for aspiring wedding photographers?

One of the things people comment about my images is the intimacy and connection they see from my couples. I can’t take credit for that; it’s all my couples’! However, I work extremely hard to get to know my couples and to make sure that they feel their best. It’s my goal to unearth their real smiles during their wedding day.  

EOS 5D Mark IV, EF50mm f/1.4 USM, 50mm, 1/8000 sec, ISO125

I will take each shoot as a brand new challenge for me. Calm yourself down, observe more, think less and shoot more. Have fun and keep exploring! Just remember to be yourself and your style will show through your images. 

 

EOS 5D Mark IV, EF50mm f/1.4 USM, f/1.6, 50mm, 1/8000 sec, ISO400

 

EOS 5D Mark IV, EF35mm f/1.4L II USM lens, f/1.4, 35mm, 1/1000 sec, ISO100

For more wedding photography inspirations, check out the following articles:
How to Handle a Camera-Shy Groom and Other Wedding Photography Tips
5 Things to Tell Your Wedding Photographers Before Your Big Day
How the EOS R Helped Me Capture Stunning Wedding Shots
3 Tips to Elevate Your Wedding Storytelling

 

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