Creating Cinematic Wedding Portraits with the Brenizer Method
As a wedding photographer, I’m always looking for ways to push past the traditional and create something that feels both timeless and cinematic. One of my favourite techniques for doing this is the Brenizer Method, a photographic style that transforms a simple portrait into something with the depth and drama of a movie still. Recently, while photographing a bride and groom in the local park and at the wedding venue, I used this method to capture a couple of images framed beautifully by the surrounding trees and foliage….and the results were pure magic.
What is the Brenizer Method
The Brenizer Method, named after American photographer Ryan Brenizer, is essentially a way of creating a wide, cinematic-looking portrait with the creamy background blur (bokeh) of a fast telephoto lens. Normally, when you shoot with a wide aperture (say f/1.4 or f/2), you get a gorgeous shallow depth of field, but you also get a tighter crop because you’re zoomed in. On the other hand, shooting wide with a 35mm or 24mm lens lets you capture more of the environment, but you lose that dreamy subject separation.
The Brenizer Method gives you the best of both worlds:
– A shallow depth of field that isolates your couple beautifully.
– A wide-angle feel that shows off the environment around them.
It’s done by taking a series of overlapping shots of the scene (like you would when making a panorama) and then stitching them together in post-production. The result is a wide, painterly portrait that feels larger-than-life.
Why it’s the Perfect Must-Have for Weddings?
Weddings are about storytelling. Yes, we want the close-up moments, the whispered vows, the tearful embraces, the laughter between the speeches. But sometimes, one carefully crafted image can hold the entire emotion of a day in a single frame.
The Brenizer Method is perfect for this because it:
– Creates an epic sense of place, anchoring the couple within the world around them.
– Adds romance and drama, turning a park, a woodland, or even a quiet street into something cinematic.
– Feels unique and hand-crafted, a statement image that couples are proud to frame on their wall.
The Process in Action!
When I photographed this wedding, I suggested we slip away after the ceremony to make the most of the soft afternoon light. In the park, the trees arched overhead in a natural frame, while the couple stood at the centre of the path, laughter still on their faces.
Instead of a single wide shot, I set up the Brenizer Method. Using my Canon 135mm f/2L prime wide open at f/2, I focused carefully on the couple for the first frame, filling the shot with just them. Then, with my focus locked (thank you, back-button focus!) and the couple holding perfectly still for the next 30 seconds, I worked outwards, capturing a series of overlapping images – the trees, the pathway, and the light cascading through the leaves.
To brighten the couple, my assistant held a flash in a softbox at a 45-degree angle, but only for that initial frame. Once I had them lit perfectly, the light stand was moved aside so I could complete the wider sequence. Having an extra set of hands is always a bonus, whether it’s an assistant or even a helpful guest. But if you’re working solo, a tripod-mounted flash can do the trick (just be prepared to clone it out in post-editing!).
Back at my desk, I stitched the shots together in Lightroom’s Panorama tool. The result was far more than a photograph: it was a sweeping, cinematic portrait, the couple cocooned in their surroundings with the kind of depth and intimacy usually reserved for the big screen.
A Painterly Finish!
The beauty of the Brenizer Method is that it’s not just a trick, it’s an art form. Every frame is chosen with intent, and the stitching process itself demands care and precision. Done well, the final image has a painterly quality, almost as if the couple had stepped into a dream.
For this wedding, the result was an image that perfectly balanced scale and intimacy: the grandeur of the trees and shrubbery framing the couple, the softness of the shallow depth of field, and the couple at the centre of it all, holding each other close.
Why Couples Love It!
Time and again, I’ve found that couples are drawn to these kinds of portraits. They feel personal, cinematic, and unlike anything they’ve seen in other wedding albums. It’s the kind of image that doesn’t just capture how the day looked – it captures how it felt.
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