Which wedding venue makes good photographs?
In a venue the light decides the pictures, not the fittings. A plain room with large windows photographs better than an expensive one without.
The biggest single factor is windows
A room with large windows along one side beats any pricier room without them. That light arrives from the side, it shapes faces and makes flash unnecessary. Ceiling spotlights on their own do the opposite: they come from above and drop shadows into the eye sockets and under the nose. The decoration is for the guests, the light is for the pictures.
What to ask when you view it
- Where do the group photos happen if it rains? That answer should name an actual place.
- Is there a shaded spot outside — a wall, trees, an arcade? Full sun is no substitute for one.
- How far is the nearest green or interesting corner? Ten minutes of walking eats twenty minutes of the day.
- What colour are the walls? A strong red or green wall tints skin, and it does so in every picture taken in that room.
View it at the hour of your celebration
A hall that looks bright and welcoming at noon can be black at six in the evening, when the sun has moved to the other side of the building or gone altogether. So ask for a viewing at the time your celebration actually runs, and look at the room without switching the ceiling lights on. What you see then is the light your pictures will be made in.