Of all the genres I shoot, bridals are one of my favorites by a mile. I love the dresses. There are few things cooler than a super-ornate, well-fitted wedding gown and a happy, full-of-life bride who can’t wait to shoot.

I’m a big fan of great lighting, especially dramatic lighting. Fear not, all you lovers of supersoft light—I’ll be covering that as well in an upcoming issue. I write often about the different methods and tools used to create various lighting styles.

Each of the 10 looks demonstrated in this article were created using only one light and a Mola Demi beauty dish. Keep in mind that these techniques apply to just about any similarly sized light modifier, although the quality of light will differ.

When I decided I wanted to do studio stuff with artificial lighting, I turned my home theater room into my first little makeshift studio. I had two constant lights and a white sheet for a drop.

No matter how good you are, you’re only as good as your last shoot. That means you’d better get the shot. Being prepared for the unexpected will help you do this.