At first entrance, photographer Megan Morales was immediately drawn to the spiral staircase in this North Carolina home, owned by the bride’s family friend. Once the bride was fully dressed, the vision for this photo came to life. “I loved all of the layers and texture, and I knew I wanted to spread the gown out around her somehow,” Morales recalls.

She started by positioning the bride at the base of the staircase and opening the front door to let lots of natural light stream in. Climbing to the top of the staircase, Morales got a bird’s-eye view of the sitting bride. “The hardest part was positioning her to get the perfect shot from above,” the photographer says. “It took some trial-and-error before we got it right, but my goal was to accentuate the layers of the dress, and I think I was successful in that.”

(Captured using a Canon 5D Mark III and a 50mm f/1.2 lens.)

Photo © Megan Morales

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