A silver wedding anniversary is a milestone worth celebrating in style, and what better place to do it than at The Cary Arms in Babbacombe, Torquay? With its stunning views over Babbacombe Bay and a cosy, intimate atmosphere, it made for the perfect setting for this special occasion. I was hired to photograph this two-hour event, and with my cameras in hand, I was ready to tackle the challenging lighting conditions and capture the magic of the evening.
The Setup
For this job, I used my trusted pair of Sony A7IV cameras, each equipped with a specific lens to cover different aspects of the event. My Sony 24mm f1.4 was ideal for capturing the wider shots of the room, ensuring I could take in the atmosphere and setting. For those more intimate moments; the laughs, the toasts, the heartfelt embraces; I turned to my Sony 85mm f1.4. And, of course, for the intricate details, like the delicate table settings, I had my Sony 90mm Macro.
The lighting inside The Cary Arms was a mixture of tungsten, incandescent, and LED, making it quite a challenge to balance. Even shooting wide open at f1.4, my ISO was still hitting 12,800 most of the time; just to give you an idea of how dark it was inside! Fortunately, I had my Godox V1 speedlights mounted on both cameras via my dual harness setup. These also helped me control a single Godox AD200, which provided some extra fill light where needed, and kept the ISO from going even higher.
The Challenges of Mixed Lighting
One of the biggest challenges of the evening was dealing with the mixed lighting conditions. When you have tungsten, incandescent, and LED working together in the same room, using a gel isn’t always the best option with mixed lighting, as it can cause more issues than it solves. Instead of gelling my flashes, I decided to adjust my editing approach to ensure that skin tones remained natural and flattering. This meant tweaking my usual style slightly to balance the colour casts from the different light sources while keeping the warmth and ambience of the evening intact.
Capturing the Emotion
A silver wedding anniversary is all about celebrating love, commitment, and the journey shared over 25 years. My focus was on capturing those genuine, candid moments; the laughter shared between old friends, the clinking of glasses during heartfelt toasts, and the joy on the couple’s faces as they looked back on their years together.
With the 85mm f1.4, I was able to isolate those moments beautifully, drawing attention to the emotion while softly blurring the background. The 24mm lens came in handy for wider shots, especially when capturing the whole group gathered together in the warm glow of the venue. The 90mm Macro allowed me to get those all-important detail shots; the shimmer of a champagne flute, the delicate icing on the cake, and the sparkle of the anniversary rings.
The Venue: A Stunning Coastal Backdrop
The Cary Arms is an absolute gem of a location, perched right on the coast with breathtaking views over Babbacombe Bay. If there’s one thing about Devon that never disappoints, it’s the scenery. Although this was an evening shoot and natural light wasn’t much of a factor, the venue still provided a gorgeous backdrop that added a special touch to the images. The sound of the waves and the twinkling lights from the bay only enhanced the intimate and cosy atmosphere of the celebration.
Editing for the Perfect Balance
Given the lighting challenges, I took extra care during the editing process to ensure the images retained a natural and warm feel. I made subtle colour adjustments to counteract the mixed lighting, ensuring that no one had an orange or blue tint to their skin. Noise reduction was also a priority, given the high ISO levels, but I made sure not to overdo it and lose the natural texture of the images.
Ultimately, I was really pleased with how the final edits turned out. The photos had a timeless quality to them, with warm tones that reflected the intimate and joyful mood of the evening. The couple and their guests were thrilled with the results, which is always the best outcome!
Final Thoughts
Photographing this silver wedding anniversary at The Cary Arms was a rewarding experience. It was a reminder of why I love what I do; not just capturing moments but preserving memories that will be cherished for years to come. The lighting challenges pushed me to adapt my usual workflow, and the result was a set of images that truly reflected the warmth, love, and celebration of the evening.
If you’re planning a special celebration and want those moments captured beautifully, get in touch. Whether it’s a wedding, anniversary, or just a great party, I’m always up for the challenge; especially if there’s a good view involved!
