Part 2
Skill Development
The First 30 Days: Foundations
These exercises are designed to build core skills quickly. Do one per week alongside your normal work.
Learn Your Light
Shoot the same location at four different times of day:
- Sunrise (6-7am)
- Midday (12-1pm)
- Golden hour (1 hour before sunset)
- Blue hour (30 min after sunset)
Do this at Shannon Falls or Smoke Bluffs. Shoot each scene with the same composition so you can compare how light changes everything. Notice:
- Where shadows fall and how they shape the scene
- How colour temperature shifts from cool blue to warm gold
- Which time of day makes the landscape feel most dramatic
- Where the light hits your subject (front, side, back)
One Lens, 100 Shots
Take only the 23mm (or 90mm) and shoot 100 photos in one session. No zoom. No switching. This forces you to move your feet, think about distance, and see compositions you would otherwise miss. When you are done, cull to your 10 best. Analyze why those 10 work. Write it down.
Movement and Prompts
Grab a willing couple (friends, family, Aaron) and practice directing with prompts, not instructions. The difference:
- Instruction: "Look at each other and smile" (stiff, fake)
- Prompt: "Whisper your favourite memory in their ear" (natural, emotional)
Details and Storytelling
Practice shooting details without people: rings on lichen, vow books on rocks, boots on trail, wildflowers, champagne in the grass. Tell a story in 10 sequential images: the approach, the setup, the moment, the aftermath. This is the kind of shooting you will do at every wedding — detail shots that make a gallery feel complete.
Prompt Library
Practice these with a willing couple. Prompts create natural, emotional moments — far more authentic than posed instructions.
- "Hold hands and walk toward me"
- "Look at each other and don't say anything for 10 seconds"
- "Tell each other what you had for breakfast"
- "Foreheads together, close your eyes"
- "Whisper your favourite thing about them"
- "Almost kiss — stop just before your lips touch"
- "Hold the back of their neck and pull them in"
- "Walk and look at the mountains, not at me"
- "Spin slowly, then wrap arms around each other"
- "Run together — full sprint, holding hands"
- "Piggyback ride"
- "High five like you just summited"
- "Pop the champagne — don't think about it"
- "Dance without music"
- "Sit on the edge and just exist together"
Month 2-3: Intermediate Skills
Composition Rules for Adventure Work
- Subject small in landscape — couple occupies 10-20% of frame. The landscape is the co-star.
- Leading lines — trails, ridgelines, rivers draw the eye to the couple. Never centre-frame without purpose.
- Layer foreground elements — wildflowers, rocks, branches create depth and sense of place.
- Negative space above — sky takes 40-60% in vertical shots for drama.
- Rule of thirds — place the couple at intersection points.
- Frame within frame — use natural arches, trees, rock formations.
- Scale contrast — tiny humans against massive mountains = emotional impact.
Practice These at Every Location
- Wide establishing shot (landscape hero)
- Medium environmental portrait (couple in context)
- Tight portrait (emotion on faces)
- Detail shot (hands, rings, textures)
- Movement shot (walking, spinning, laughing)
Flash and Fill Light
Even a small Godox speedlight opens up creative options. Practice:
- Backlit couple with fill flash (sun behind them, flash in front)
- Using a reflector to bounce natural light into shadow side of face
- Dramatic twilight portraits with off-camera flash
Month 4-6: Real-World Practice
- Offer 3-5 free or discounted couples shoots to build portfolio
- Shoot like it is a real wedding: create a timeline, set up a ceremony spot, do portrait time, capture details
- Practice the full culling and editing workflow on real output
- Reach out to established local photographers about second-shooting
Location Scouting
Document every location you visit with notes on best time of day for light, best time of year, backup spots nearby, accessibility (hike time, difficulty), and permit requirements.
Squamish Locations
| Location | Best Light | Season Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Shannon Falls | Golden hour | Year-round, mist in winter adds mood |
| Stawamus Chief | Sunrise | Summer for access, winter for snow drama |
| Sea to Sky Gondola | Sunset | Year-round, sun sets perfectly for golden hour |
| Smoke Bluffs | Morning | Spring wildflowers, fall colours |
| Porteau Cove | Sunset over Howe Sound | Year-round |
| Garibaldi Lake | Any (long hike) | Summer/fall only |
| Brandywine Falls | Midday (shade) | Year-round waterfall |
| Nexen Beach | Sunset | Winter fog adds magic |
Queenstown Locations
| Location | Best Light | Season Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Coronet Peak | Sunrise/sunset | Year-round, colour over Wakatipu Basin |
| Lake Hayes | Sunrise | Still mornings for mirror reflections |
| Bob's Peak | Sunrise (hike) or sunset (gondola) | Year-round |
| Bob's Cove | Sunset | Warm glow, magical atmosphere |
| Bennett's Bluff | Sunset | Road to Glenorchy pullover |
| Coromandel Peak | Any (heli access) | Weather dependent |
| Cecil Peak | Golden hour | Heli access, dramatic |
| Moke Lake | Morning | Calm water reflections |
| Glenorchy | Sunset | Dramatic at every turn |