There are moments during a Sassafraz wedding that demand technical precision and artistic vision in equal measure. This particular wedding cake photograph represents one of those defining instances where preparation, equipment choices, and split-second decision-making converge to create something extraordinary. As the photographer behind this image, I'd like to share the intricate process that transformed a beautifully designed three-tiered cake into a frame worthy of being called exceptional wedding photography.
Walking into Sassafraz Restaurant on that particular afternoon, I immediately recognized the challenges and opportunities that lay ahead. The venue's sophisticated ambiance, characterized by warm wood tones and carefully curated floral arrangements, provided an elegant backdrop that could either enhance or overwhelm the delicate beauty of the wedding cake. The couple had chosen a semi-naked cake design—a trend that requires careful photographic handling due to its textured surfaces and subtle colour variations. White roses punctuated each tier, while delicate gold leaf accents caught the ambient light in unpredictable ways.
The positioning of the cake near the restaurant's windows presented both an advantage and a technical consideration. Natural light filtered through, creating that coveted soft illumination that flatters food photography, yet the mixed lighting environment—combining daylight with Sassafraz's sophisticated interior lighting—meant I needed to be exceptionally deliberate about my camera settings and post-processing strategy.
For this Sassafraz wedding photograph, I reached for my Canon EOS R5 paired with the RF 85mm f/1.2L USM lens. This combination represents the pinnacle of contemporary wedding photography technology. The RF 85mm f/1.2L is an absolute masterpiece of optical engineering—its ability to render subjects with three-dimensional depth while creating that signature creamy bokeh is unmatched. The wide f/1.2 aperture allowed me to work in the available light without compromising image quality or introducing unwanted grain.
I positioned myself slightly above the cake, perhaps fifteen degrees from horizontal eye level. This elevated perspective accomplished several critical objectives: it showcased the complete table setup at Sassafraz, revealed the dimensional qualities of all three tiers, and created leading lines through the cake's architecture that guide the viewer's eye upward through the frame. The shooting distance—approximately six feet—allowed the RF 85mm lens to compress the perspective just enough to create intimacy without distortion.
The aperture was set to f/2.0, a deliberate choice that deserves explanation. While the RF 85mm f/1.2L can shoot wide open with stunning results, stopping down slightly to f/2.0 provided two advantages: a marginally deeper depth of field that ensured all three tiers maintained acceptable sharpness, and edge-to-edge resolution that captured the gold leaf details with crystalline clarity. The shutter speed of 1/160th second froze any potential camera shake while working handheld, and I kept the ISO at 400 to maintain the Canon R5's exceptional dynamic range.
Composition in wedding cake photography transcends simply centering the subject. I deliberately positioned the cake slightly right of center, adhering to the rule of thirds while creating negative space on the left side of the frame. This decision was intentional—the cake server and knife, elegantly placed on the wooden table, occupy this space and provide context that transforms the image from a simple product photograph into a narrative moment. These utensils tell the viewer that this cake isn't merely decorative; it's about to become part of the celebration, about to be cut and shared.
The shallow depth of field, a hallmark of premium lens performance, creates separation between the cake and the softly blurred floral arrangements visible in the background. These out-of-focus elements reference the broader venue aesthetic without competing for attention. The bokeh quality produced by the eleven-blade aperture in the RF 85mm lens renders these background elements as soft, circular highlights that add dimensionality without distraction.
The lighting in this photograph represents a masterclass in working with mixed sources. The primary illumination came from window light positioned camera left, creating soft directional lighting that sculpted the cake's textured surface. This natural light provided the foundation—gentle, diffused, and colour-accurate. However, Sassafraz's interior lighting added a warm ambient fill that prevented shadows from becoming too deep while contributing to the overall inviting atmosphere.
The colour temperature sits in that perfect neutral-to-slightly-warm range that flatters wedding photography. This wasn't accidental. Understanding that the window light measured approximately 5500K while the restaurant's interior lighting skewed warmer around 3200K, I set my white balance to 4800K. This compromise prevented the cake from appearing too cool and clinical while avoiding the excessive warmth that would have shifted the white frosting toward yellow.
Notice the gentle shadows beneath the cake and the subtle highlights on the metallic cake server. These elements reveal the lighting's directionality and quality. The shadows are soft-edged rather than harsh, indicating the large relative size of the light source—a characteristic of window light. The specular highlights on the metal utensils add visual interest without becoming distracting, thanks to careful exposure management that preserved detail in both highlights and shadows.
Raw capture is merely the beginning of creating exceptional wedding photography. This image underwent meticulous post-processing in Adobe Lightroom Classic followed by refined adjustments in Photoshop. The workflow began with lens corrections—while the RF 85mm f/1.2L exhibits minimal distortion, activating the profile correction ensured geometric accuracy and optimized vignetting control.
Exposure adjustments were subtle but critical. I increased overall exposure by approximately one-third of a stop to ensure the white frosting rendered as true white rather than grey. The highlights slider was pulled down by fifteen percent to recover detail in the gold leaf accents, preventing them from blowing out to pure white. Shadows were lifted modestly to reveal texture in the wooden table while maintaining depth and three-dimensionality.
Colour grading focused on enhancing the image's natural warmth without pushing it into unrealistic territory. The temperature slider moved slightly toward the warm end—perhaps 300K—while tint received a minor magenta adjustment to counteract any green cast from the foliage. Individual colour adjustments targeted the greens in the floral elements, enriching them slightly for visual impact, while the orange and yellow luminance channels were adjusted to bring out warmth in the wooden table.
The clarity slider received a gentle positive adjustment of around +10 to enhance mid-tone contrast, adding punch to the cake's texture without creating an over-processed appearance. Texture and sharpening were applied selectively using masking—maximum sharpening on the top tier where focus was critical, gradually decreasing toward the foreground and background to maintain the natural depth of field transition.
In Photoshop, I employed frequency separation to smooth any minor imperfections in the frosting while preserving texture. This technique separates colour and tone from detail, allowing independent refinement of each. Dodging and burning—the digital equivalent of darkroom techniques—added dimensionality by subtly lightening the cake's front surfaces and deepening shadows along its sides. Finally, a curves adjustment layer with a gentle S-curve enhanced overall contrast while maintaining the image's luminous quality.
This image exemplifies what separates competent wedding photography from exceptional work. The technical execution is flawless—tack-sharp focus on the critical area, perfect exposure that preserves detail from shadows through highlights, and colour accuracy that represents the scene authentically. The RF 85mm f/1.2L lens performs exactly as premium optics should, delivering that signature Canon rendering with smooth transitions and beautiful bokeh.
Beyond technical proficiency, this photograph tells a story. It captures not just a cake, but anticipation. The untouched surface, the waiting utensils, the careful presentation—these elements combine to create a moment frozen just before transformation. Anyone viewing this image understands intuitively that they're witnessing a pause between preparation and celebration, between anticipation and fulfillment.
The compositional choices demonstrate intentionality. Nothing in this frame is arbitrary. The slight right-of-center positioning creates dynamic tension while the negative space provides breathing room. The elevated perspective reveals information without becoming clinical. The shallow depth of field creates hierarchy, directing attention precisely where it belongs while the softly blurred background provides context without competition.
The lighting, perhaps most crucially, flatters the subject while remaining true to the venue's character. This isn't studio lighting imposed on a location; it's location lighting understood and enhanced through technical skill. The mixed colour temperatures are balanced to create warmth without distortion, while the soft directional quality adds dimension without drama.
This cake photograph doesn't exist in isolation—it's part of a comprehensive visual narrative documenting this couple's celebration. The same attention to lighting, composition, and technical execution that made this image successful informed every frame captured throughout their day. From the living wall that provided such a stunning ceremony backdrop to the intimate reception moments, consistency in photographic approach creates a cohesive story.
Sassafraz Restaurant, with its combination of elegant architecture, sophisticated design, and exceptional lighting conditions, provides wedding photographers with both opportunities and challenges. Success requires understanding how to work with the venue's characteristics rather than against them, how to capture its essential character while keeping the couple's story central.
In reflecting on this photograph months after capture, I'm struck by how it encapsulates what makes wedding photography endlessly compelling. It's simultaneously documentary and artistic, technical and emotional. It requires mastery of equipment—understanding exactly what the Canon EOS R5 and RF 85mm f/1.2L combination can deliver—while demanding artistic vision to recognize when all elements align for that perfect frame. This image represents split-second decision-making informed by years of experience, technical knowledge applied with creative purpose, and above all, respect for the story being told.
