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Sal Cincotta // How to get the big shot.

1,503 views · Published 3 May 2017 · 6:35 · Indexed 30 October 2026

Channel: Behind the Shutter · 2017 · Education

In this article from professional photographer Sal Cincotta, he walks you through the steps of how to see and get those big architectural shots he is known for. Blow your clients away and change the way you shoot and see big shots.

Getting the big shot looks easier than it is. Over the years, it has become a signature shot for my studio. Clients and photographers alike recognize our style. Clients pay a premium for that perfect signature shot of their day.

Let’s explore what goes in to creating that epic shot for your clients.

Seeing the Shot

It all starts with vision. My style is architecture-heavy. Find your own style and look for that big shot that best represents it. I prefer scenes that are somewhat clean—clear of clutter and other distracting elements. Some of that can be edited out in post-production, but there is only so much you can do.

If you are looking for an urban location, find a scene clear of people, trash and cars (mostly). That’s one of the big mistakes I see people make when shooting big. You are showing everything in the scene, so it’s very hard to block distracting elements. Cars are the most difficult thing to remove from a scene, and nothing will date your photo faster than some shitty cars in the background.

If you are looking for more of a landscape scene, don’t go too big. That is another challenge. Your subject will get lost. Keep your subject above the horizon line. If you shoot in a big landscape like in the mountains or a giant park, and your subject is below the horizon line, there won’t be enough separation, and your subject will be lost in the final shot.

Lighting the Shot

I almost always use artificial light in the scene to create separation from the background. I also like more directional light versus flat light directly on the subject. This gives a more realistic and pleasing look overall.

I use the Profoto B1 in the field, especially on a sunny day. I also use speedlights, but on a sunny afternoon, your speedlights don’t have enough power to light the subject. Something much more powerful, like a Profoto B1, is the better choice.

I also use natural light. If I am working on a wedding and the wind is coming from a direction that forces the bride to look toward the sun, I use natural light. This ensures the wind gives me a gorgeous blow of the veil, and it keeps my lighting setup simple. I love when this happens because it makes the shot that much easier to see—and, of course, less editing is always better.

Composition Is Key

Poor composition is by far the easiest way to screw up your shot. If you’re careless, you can wind up with poles coming out of your client’s head, a crooked horizon line or a horizon line through a head.

Composition is meant to drive your viewer’s eye to the primary element. It’s about the arrangement of elements in your frame that best expresses the goal of your image. In a wedding image, the main goal is to showcase the primary element in the shot, the couple. How you arrange the elements can make or break the image.

Is there a path leading to the client? Where does your eye first go when you look at the image? Is it where you want the viewer to go? If not, you might have a problem. What about brightness? Your eye tends to go to the brightest part of the scene. Is that where you want the viewer to go?

Hone your composition skills. It is one of the quickest ways to become a better photographer.

Here’s a trick I still use that can help you immediately. While looking at your image, close your eyes and open them. Where is the first place your eye goes? If it’s not your subject, you need to fix it. This can be done via lighting, posing or cropping. Second, look for natural lines in the scene, like a staircase, horizon line or railing. Look for ways to use that to drive your viewer to your subject.

Read more on this article from Sal Cincotta - https://www.behindtheshutter.com/the-big-shot/

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Sal Cincotta // How to get the big shot.

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