There was a time when I hated shooting receptions. It felt like the same thing over and over and the dancing would seem to go on and on. But something clicked one day and I realized what a gold mine receptions are. SO many fun moments, people letting their hair down, laughing, dancing, hugging. Really some of the best moments of the day were at the reception. My view point shifted and I started looking forward to the reception. I think many film shooters are afraid to shoot film after dark, but I found that I loved the high fashion look of black and white film with flash and holga shots with some motion blur and color film with bounce flash.  Reception shots have become some of my all time favorites now that my perspective has changed. Here are some of my favorites from the last few years: 

Cameras and films used: Mamiya 6, Holga, EOS 3, Portra 400, Tri-x 400, Ilford 3200

Tips: Don’t be afraid of direct flash. Video lights will change your life, especially for detail shots after dark. Learn how to flash meter with your hand held light meter. Look for white surfaces to bounce light off of- aka ceilings or white tents or reflectors.