There are a few things I look for when starting a shoot. Light, clouds, and wind. Light is obviously very important, and while there are some times during the day where light can be harsh (during the middle of the afternoon like noon-2pm) it can also provide very dramatic effects. The shoot I did with Camlyn was actually done from 12-3pm. You can tell because if you look at the pictures you can tell the light source is directly above by looking at her shoulders and the shadows that fall under her head. This same light though is what makes the veil glow and provides the contrast and highlights that can make your pictures look fantastic.
Wind is also an amazing tool to utilize. Wind makes it more difficult to shoot...there's no disputing that. But without it you can't get these kind of results. I prefer too much wind compared to too little wind because you can typically find a way to block wind you don't want...but it's very difficult to manufacture wind if you don't have it. The best thing to do on a shoot is to set your subject in the location you want and start firing away. The first shot I love because the veil is so playful...and it matches Camlyn's face. The bottom shot is more dramatic and also fits her facial expression...and I love the effect it puts on her face.
The middle shot is more of a movie scene kind of an image and the wind was just slamming through the door which gave us the effect we were looking for. I really do like photoshop...but the more you create through the camera the better your images will be. You can try to create lighting, wind, and clouds in photoshop and they will look good...but nothing is as great as the real thing....
