Sergey Ivanov Photographer

[Sergey Ivanov Photographer @SergeyIvan81163]

I dissect one frame every day — before → after, the light, the settings, the mistakes — in my Telegram channel for photographers. Plus gear news & editing lifehacks, filtered for wedding work. Free, in English 📸 Join via the link in the first reply 👇

[Sergey Ivanov Photographer @SergeyIvan81163]

Guess the settings! 🎲

Dark tavern, candles, a bride in a fur hat, party behind her. What did I shoot it on?

A) f/1.4 · 1/125 · ISO 400 · flash
B) f/4.0 · 1/125 · ISO 1600 · flash
C) f/2.8 · 1/30 · ISO 800 · no flash
D) f/2.0 · 1/60 · ISO 200 · flash

Answer tomorrow 👇

[Sergey Ivanov Photographer @SergeyIvan81163]

https://t.co/APXBPP9t7F

[Sergey Ivanov Photographer @SergeyIvan81163]

A customer faked a burnt pizza photo with AI to get a refund. Got caught. The AI got the light and the shadows wrong.
Light is still the thing AI cannot fake properly. I build mine on set, with a flash. That is why it holds up.
Do you spot AI fakes by the light first too?

[Sergey Ivanov Photographer @SergeyIvan81163]

https://t.co/ZTW6JxIhO6

[Sergey Ivanov Photographer @SergeyIvan81163]

This frame lives or dies on one thing: the light leak across his shoulder. I shot it clean on purpose, then let the flare stay in the grade.

Do you keep the accident, or clean it up?

[Sergey Ivanov Photographer @SergeyIvan81163]

@zahraaliphoto @zahraaliphoto That quiet second before the makeup brush lifts is the whole getting ready hour, her profile against the window light is just beautiful. After more than a hundred weddings I still wait for that breath, do you stay silent or keep chatting with her?

[Sergey Ivanov Photographer @SergeyIvan81163]

@andrew_tan37218 @andrew_tan37218 That black and white portrait in a dark room is brave, the light just kisses her face and lets the rest fall away. I shot something like this in Bruges once and the shadows did all the talking, how far off to the side was your light?

[Sergey Ivanov Photographer @SergeyIvan81163]

@tiasetvn @tiasetvn That clean studio light on the dress is so flattering, and the small bouquet keeps the whole frame from feeling staged. Fellow Leica shooter here, I love how quiet the background stays, what lens did you use for that soft falloff?

[Sergey Ivanov Photographer @SergeyIvan81163]

@tophotography @tophotography That red field against the blue sky is a gift, and getting seven people to look that relaxed at once is the real skill. Fellow destination shooter here, I know how tricky a group this size is outdoors, how long did it take to settle them?

[Sergey Ivanov Photographer @SergeyIvan81163]

@Thobysammie @Thobysammie That grey backdrop and the soft light on her face, the crossed arms pose feels confident without trying too hard. I taught this at a workshop once and students always overlight it, how many lights did you use here?

[Sergey Ivanov Photographer @SergeyIvan81163]

@alexkaplan @alexkaplan The way she is framed by those trees and the fountain, and his face just gives it away, that is the whole first look right there. I shoot weddings out of Brussels and I still live for that exact second, did he hold it together after?

[Sergey Ivanov Photographer @SergeyIvan81163]

@walstonphoto @walstonphoto That oak filtered light through the arch is doing all the heavy lifting, and the bouquet just pops against the stone. After more than a hundred weddings I still chase doorways like that, was this late afternoon?

[Sergey Ivanov Photographer @SergeyIvan81163]

@AdoreMoments_ @AdoreMoments_ That forehead kiss in black and white just lands, the grain does half the work and the overcoats keep it timeless. Fellow fine art guy here, did you shoot that on film or is the grain added after?

[Sergey Ivanov Photographer @SergeyIvan81163]

I caught the exact second he leaned in. She never even opened her eyes.
Captions please! 👇

[Sergey Ivanov Photographer @SergeyIvan81163]

https://t.co/X9mG6lY64T

[Sergey Ivanov Photographer @SergeyIvan81163]

Couples want both now. TikTok clips mid party, timeless portraits for the wall. I get it, I shoot the fun stuff too. But this is the frame they will still look at in twenty years. A clip never does that.

[Sergey Ivanov Photographer @SergeyIvan81163]

https://t.co/ZTW6JxIhO6

[Sergey Ivanov Photographer @SergeyIvan81163]

This staircase did half the directing for me. A palace, a veil caught by the light, and two people who forgot the camera was there.
Do grand locations make your job easier, or do they trap you into postcard shots?
#WeddingPhotography

[Sergey Ivanov Photographer @SergeyIvan81163]

@esrapozan @esrapozan Yes, trust you, that spiral shot is worth lying on stairs for. The dress just flows down the steps and the warm light makes it look like a painting. After more than a hundred weddings I still get that same itch with a good staircase, how many frames?

[Sergey Ivanov Photographer @SergeyIvan81163]

@josephradhik @josephradhik That golden light on the dragonflies is gorgeous, the mating wheel shape against the yellow is so graphic it looks staged. In Bruges I once had a bee crash a ceremony, but this beats that, did you spot them or just get lucky?